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each day on our A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE Fourth seal Let's move on to the next rider, on a pale horse, who aggravates the conditions begun by the rider on the black horse. The third seal unleashes hunger and inflation upon the earth, but the fourth seal produces mass starvation. Verse 7: And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. Verse 8: And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. This horse is described as pale. The Greek word is chloros from which we get the term chlorine gas. In other areas of the New Testament, we find that chloros is translated "green" (see Mark 6:39 and Revelation 9:4). The fourth rider is the deadliest. This is why his name is Death and why Hell follows with him. He destroys the body, then Hell swallows up the souls and spirits of those he kills with sword, hunger, and the beasts of the earth-probably AIDS, produced by the green monkey virus. One-fourth of the world's population dies through his brutality-more than one billion, two hundred fifty million people at today's population figures. This could easily happen given the capability of mankind's atomic, hydrogen, and neutron bombs. Today's armies have the means to reduce population figures by tens of millions within hours. Their arsenals include chemical warfare and test tubes filled with germs for the greatest biological and bacteriological attack ever. The aftereffects of such a battle could easily dwindle earth's population by twenty-five percent. God help us when it happens! Fifth seal Next, the opening of the fifth seal brings forth the cries of slain martyrs. Jesus spoke of this hour in Matthew 24:9,10. Hear Him: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you. and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. Please read chapter 4 again. Rediscover that this reference is to Tribulation saints composed of elect Israelites and those Gentiles converted by the preaching of the 144,00 Jewish evangelists. These persecuted saints and martyrs are not part of the Church-the body of Christ and the bride of the Saviour-already in glory (chapter 4, verse 1). Verse 9: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Verse 10: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Verse 11: And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. These martyred saints are seen under the altar. In the Old Testament, the altar always referred to the place where blood had been sacrificed. Souls will be saved during the Tribulation hour the same way souls are saved today-through the precious shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the believers of the Tribulation hour proclaim Christ crucified, they lose their lives. At this point every twentieth-century believer should ask himself the question, "Would there be enough evidence to convict me as a Christian during this period of time were I present?" However, in this age of grace, we also will be the losers if we attempt to be secret disciples, never testifying of our faith in Christ Jesus. The Saviour said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven (Matthew 10:32,33). Please listen to this next statement carefully. These slain martyrs are crying. They are not in an unconscious state. The doctrine of "soul sleep" is not taught in the Bible. Some denominations teach that all believers sleep until the resurrection morning. Not so! Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8, To be absent from the body [is] to be present with the Lord. The "soul sleep" adherents can never find a time when they are absent from their bodies. If the soul remains in a state of sleep in that body until the morning of Christ's return, the two are never together. The Bible teaches that they are separated. The body is asleep in one place (the grave), whereas the soul is alive in another place (heaven or hell). For the Christian, to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord. That is why Paul said, To die is gain (Philippians 1:21). It is also the reason that, when Christ returns at the Rapture, He brings those who sleep (the dead) with Him: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Now, how can the Lord bring the dead with Him and still come after the dead in 1 Thessalonians 4:16? Simple. It's because the dead are in two places! The souls and spirits are with the Lord (absent from the body and present with the Lord), but their bodies are in the grave. Hence, Christ brings the dead-the souls and spirits already in His presence-with Him, so they may come to get their bodies. That's why the dead in Christ rise first. But all this pictures the Rapture. The text under investigation describes a later time-the Tribulation hour. It is then that the spirits of the martyred Tribulation saints cry. They also wear white robes. Lifeless spirits cannot cry or wear white robes. The solution? The spiritual being has a temporary covering. Proof: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved [dead], we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1). We may not understand everything about the spirit world, but one thing is certain-being in spirit form does not mean unconsciousness. Spirits move, talk, cry, and even wear white robes. Demons also are spirits. They spoke on many occasions in the Gospels. Why? Spirits live! Away with the doctrine of "soul sleep" in any dispensation! Our loved ones are with Jesus if they died trusting in the merits of the shed blood. They are also under the altar, just as these Tribulation saints will be. Soon they will come forth for their eternal covering, their bodies. Now, since we have learned that it is possible for the dead to cry because the spirit never ceases to exist, we next discover that their cry is one of vengeance. Why? They are not under grace, the love covenant. Instead, they want blood. Stephen, under grace, cried, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (Acts 7:60). But this is a different dispensation-the fulfillment of the hour mentioned by David when he spoke of the actions of Jehovah, saying, He maketh inquisition for blood (Psalm 9:12). This group of saints knows that prophecy is being fulfilled, and they wonder how much longer their loved ones, still alive, must suffer. The Lord speaks to them about having a little more patience. There will be one more wave of persecution in chapter 20, verse 4. Then they will live and reign with Him for 1,000 years. Sixth seal Verse 12: And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; Verse 13: And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind. Verse 14: And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Verse 15: And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; Verse 16: And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: Verse 17: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? In verse 12, we see a great earthquake. There are three quakes in the Book of Revelation-the one mentioned here plus two others in chapter 11, verse 13, and chapter 16, verses 18 and 19. It is interesting to note that the judgments of the first four seals were under the jurisdiction of the Antichrist. The opening of the sixth seal, however, begins the administration of supernatural judgment from heaven. One cannot conscientiously interpret these events figuratively. The judgments occurring in this portion of Scripture are to be taken literally. And why not? Do you know that earthquakes have accompanied the judgment of God throughout history? Mount Sinai quaked when God descended upon it in fire: And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly (Exodus 19:18). Rocks were smashed to smithereens through earthquakes in Elijah's day: For, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord (1 Kings 19:11). There was also a great earthquake when Christ died at Calvary: Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose (Matthew 27:51,52). If all these quakes were real, why wouldn't the scene before us be literal? It is exactly what Jesus predicted for the Tribulation hour. He said, And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken (Luke 21:25,26). At this time the earthquakes and convulsions upon earth are so great that the stars of heaven fall like figs being shaken out of a tree prematurely. Strong winds, possible tornadoes, and hurricanes also wreak great havoc. The devastating quakes cause mountains and islands to be moved from their foundations. No wonder one-half of the world's population dies through the manifold catastrophes that bombard the earth. The scene is so terrifying that kings, great men, rich men, chief captains, mighty men, bondmen, and all free men hide in dens and mountains for safety. Now we understand Christ's statement: Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth (Luke 21:26). The situation becomes so unbearable that humanity pleads to die, begging for obliteration and annihilation by crying to the mountains and rocks saying, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:16,17). Thank God, the Church is in heaven during this calamitous hour! CHANGED LIVES-one at a time Dear Jack & Rexella, I just wanted to tell you that your present study on Revelation is so meaningful to me. Some time ago I purchased the New Testament on tape and I was just ready to begin the book of Revelation when you began your study on the same book. How thrilled I have been to study that Book in the light of your study comments. They are so helpful. I have copied your notes and put them in a notebook that I will keep for future reference as well. Thanks again for your ministry. You are touching my life in a special way! God bless you
Dear Jack Van Impe Hi, my name is Erik. I'm seventeen years old and live in Duluth, Minnesota. I just love watching your show every Sunday morning with my mom and my sister. Every Sunday you touch my heart and you make me feel so excited about the coming of Christ. In school I try to tell other kids about God and how He loves us so much and that He's coming soon but they don't care and I feel so sorry for them. My family and I have been Christians all of our lives and God has touched our hearts and lives in so many ways. Every day I thank Him for sending down His Son Jesus to die on the cross for us so that our sins can be forgiven and that we can go up to Heaven and see all our loved ones again. Thank you for coming into our home every Sunday morning. God Bless HIGHLIGHTED PRODUCT OFFERS Animals in Heaven? For anyone who has ever lost a beloved pet, Dr. Jack and Rexella Van Impe have good news! You will see your furry or feathered friends again - in heaven! Explore this exciting truth taught by twelve of the greatest Christian theologians. You will see and hear the exact spine-tingling statements from the pens of men like Dr. John Walvoord, Dr. Billy Graham, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, Dr. John Calvin and many others. This video study deals with animal intelligence, animal communication, and how animals literally teach humans some valuable lessons.
Fast Facts on the Middle East Crisis Is There Any Hope for Peace in the Middle East? The increasingly explosive conflict in the Middle East, especially between Israel and the Arab states, raises many questions for Christians and the world community.
Randall Price, a recognized expert on the Middle East provides an insider's perspective on what's really happening and why, using a practical question-and-answer format along with fascinating maps, charts, quick-reference sidebars and timelines. These features make this an ideal guide to understanding the complex issues in today's headlines. WE ACCEPT PRAYER REQUESTS HERE We receive prayer requests from far and wide via the mail, fax, phone, email and now through the prayer section of our website. FEEDBACK: Please help us with your valuable input. Let us know if you enjoyed this electronic newsletter. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! CONTACT INFORMATION: E-MAIL: jvimi@jvim.com PHONE: (248) 852-5225 (8am-4:30pm Eastern Time) FAX: (248) 852-2692 MAIL: Jack Van Impe Ministries JVIM FAMILY OF WEBSITES: JVIM PROPHECY
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