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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can and reaches toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bible-lined website at calbryoftampa.org. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Revelation and chapter six, we’re studying about the seals that are being opened. What I want to do tonight is focus upon the opening of the sixth seal. I believe there’s enough material here to probably teach the whole lesson on tonight. Because we know that this day is coming during the tribulation period and look what it says here in verse 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, And though there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black, a sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.

And the stars of heaven fell upon the earth. Even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of almighty wind. And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, the rich men, the cheap captains, captains, the mighty men and every bondmen, every free man, hid themselves, the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that set it 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. Now, I believe the good possibility refers to the last half of the tribulation period. The great day of his wrath is come. The first four seals talks about the false prophet, talks about peace being taken from the earth war. And then the third seal in verse five is talking about a famine. And then the fourth seal, that in verse seven, is talking about pestilence and people dying the death.

So these are four of the main seals in the The fifth seal is a picture of in heaven of the people that have already been slain because of the testimony they have for the Lord. So now, if the first opening of these seals, this is the time of sorrow, the first three and a half years of the tribulation period. And then you have the last half of the tribulation period, which is called the great tribulation. All of it is a seven year period of time, but the last half of it is the worst period time that the world has ever known.

So very quickly, just hold your place here and turn over there to the book of Matthew 24. Matthew 24. So in Matthew 24, we know verse 15 says, when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet sent in the holy place. This is the middle of the tribulation period. So the beginning of sorrows is the first three and a half years, and IPM tells you what’s going to come. And then you have the last three and a half years, which take place after verse 15, as you’ll look down in verse 21.

For then shall be great tribulations, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there shall no flesh be saved, but for the next eight those days shall be shortened. So this is, I believe, the last part of the tribulation Then it tells you about the, you know, it’s kind of like, I’m telling you what I’m going to tell you, then I tell you, and then I tell you what I done told you.

So then he goes back about the false prophet there, the opening of that first seal which you’ll find over there in the book of Revelation in chapter 6. That’s the Antichrist, the false prophet that comes on the same. And he looks really, looks, the gentleman, what? That must be Christ. No, it’s not Christ. He says, when you want to know who I am, and when I come back, he says, the lightening will be as far as the east is from the west.

Every eye will see him when he comes back at the end of the tribulation period, and he’ll come back in power and great glory. Then you’ll know that’s him. So the one in Revelation in chapter six, the one on the white horse there, that is an imitator. That is not the true Christ. Now here in Matthew and chapter 24, you see there in verse 27, tells you how he’s going to come. The lightning cometh out of the east, shining even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

Now in verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, moon shall not give her light, stars shall fall from heaven, powers of the heaven shall be shaken. Now this looks like what we will read over there in chapter six under the sixth seal. So I believe the sixth seal is telling us about the last part of the tribulation period and what’s going to take place. Then he goes and tells you how all of it’s going to happen.

It tells us about there’s seven angels and he goes to the angels. And then they tell you about the, well, these angels are gonna do something. So the angels have seven trumpet, da da da da, and then they blow their seven trumpets. And then each one time when they blow the trumpets, then there’s a bowl of wrath that is poured out upon the earth. So you have seven angels who play the seven trumpets, who pour out the seven vials upon the earth.

And so all of this is gonna take place on the last half of the tribulation period, a worst period of time the world has ever known. So if you will, look there in Matthew chapter 24 and then he says in verse 30, And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And the Bible says they are crying out for the rocks and the mountains and so forth, and hiding themselves in the dens and the caves, that they would fall upon them and kill them, the highest from the wrath of the Lamb. This is talking about that last three and a half year period time upon the year. Now, sometimes you wonder, well, exactly what is it referring to? Let me show you this. Look there in the book of 2 Thessalonians in chapter 2, 2 Thessalonians and chapter 2.

You’ll notice, and I’m not going to cover this in total detail right now, but just so that you get an idea because I want to go to the book of Isaiah and maybe a few other books there right quick to show you a couple things. Here in 2 Thessalonians in chapter 2, look in verse 1, he says, Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him. Now here in this verse, areas a coming and a gathering.

That’s I believe is the rapture. They were going through such tribulation, but I believe many believe that maybe this is the tribulation period that they’re going through. And so he says, let no man trouble you by any means, whether by letter, by from us and so on. So he says in verse 2, that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter, as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Now that phrase, day of Christ is at him, is not a reference generally to the coming of Christ for the rapture. It is mentioned at one place in the book of the Philippians in chapter 1 verse 6 talking about the day of Christ. But I believe here the day of Christ is a reference to the day of the Lord. It’s the day, yes, when Christ will come back to the earth that’s mentioned in book of Matthew in chapter 24.

Then he says here in verse 3, let no man deceive you by any means. But that day, which I believe is a reference to the day of the Lord, shall not come, except there come a fallen away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition. For look up here. Here’s our seven years of tribulation period. The rapture will take place, a coming and a gathering were taken out. And then he says, this day will not come until first of all, there is the catching away and then the man of sin will be revealed and then he will have all this terrible stuff happening in here and then the son of man will come.

Look what he says here in verse 4, who opposes the Antichrist and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worship so that he as God said it in the temple of God showing himself that he is God so that means that a peace tree has to be made with Israel. Because when we’re taken out of the world at the Rapture… Seven-year tree relation peer to fund the Europe. There’s going to be a peace treaty made because it says they will have a treaty made for one week.

In the midst of the week, they will cause the sacrifices that were being made in the temple to cease. And this is when Israel are supposed to flee out of Jerusalem when they see this happen. And then the Antichrist is going to go into the temple and claim himself that he is God and demanded that he isn’t worshiped as God. And then this land. part of the tribulation period. So he says here in verse 5, remember you not that when I was yet with you I told you these things.

Now when he was with him the first time he was with him about three weeks. Can you imagine not only had he preached the gospel led them to the Lord, grounded them in the truth and taught them prophecy in three weeks time. Now that’s pretty good teaching is that’s moving on. Today, you know, you hear a little bit of the gospel and six months later you say, oh, I heard something about a rapture. He taught him at the first three weeks with what he says.

And verse six, and now you know what would hold it that he might be revealed in his time. In other words, I know a lot of people would like to figure out who is this antichrist, but the scripture tells that when we are taken out, then He is revealed. He’s revealed here in the middle of the tribulation period. But is it possible for us to see the man on the rise? It may be possible. If the rapture was to take place the day, then the antichrist, no doubt, must be alive now.

Somewhere and it’s somebody. There he is. No, no. We don’t know who it is yet. We have an idea. Everybody’s got an opinion. But then what he says in verse six, and now you know what with hold it that he might be revealed in his time. I believe the only thing is keeping all of this from happening is that God hasn’t taken the church out yet. See this seven years keeps being pushed out here until the rapture takes place and we’re like a parenthetical expression in the sentence.

God’s gonna take us out and then And this is going to slide back against the cross and time will flow once again with Israel. But anyway, that’s how I see this. And in verse 7, for the mystery of iniquity, that already work. Now I believe the mystery of iniquity is the opposite of the mystery of godliness. Now when you studied the book of Timothy, and in chapter 3 talks about, great is the mystery of godliness. Talk about God was manifested in the flesh.

of angels and so forth. And yet he died and came back to life and went back into heaven. Now that is the truth of how that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. Now the Antichrist is about the mystery of iniquity or the mystery of the seed, perhaps Satan. I don’t know. But I do believe the Antichrist will be the embodiment, the fulfillment of the devil himself. But he is a man Because later on the Bible says in the 19 chapter the book of Revelation that the beast and the false prophet were cast into the lake of fire now you look here in verse 8 and Then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his Coming our look at the order we’re taken out here and And then the anti-Christ comes on the scene, claims himself that he is

God demands to be worshiped. And then the great tribulation period coming upon right here. And then it says, whose coming is before the Lord. And Christ when he comes back is after the working of Satan. This is when he comes back to the earth. And he says there, and shall destroy with the spirit of his mouth and shouted a story with the brightness of his coming. So this is a reference in the very next verse talking about the working of Satan.

Look there in verse 9, even him who’s coming Christ is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. So the devil is a bad man and he’s gonna have his man on the scene and he’s gonna fool a lot of people and gonna demand that people worship Him. Now today we have people they don’t want God, they don’t want Christ, they don’t want Christians, they don’t want the Bible, they don’t want the Holy Spirit, they don’t want nothing like that.

Okay, they’re gonna get their wish and then they’re gonna be the utopia they think it’s going to be. It’ll be the worst period of time that the world has ever known. Now take your Bible and go all the way back there to the book of Isaiah, the book of Isaiah. And look at chapter 2, Isaiah and chapter 2.

I believe this is the first time in the book of Isaiah that the phrase, Day of the Lord. And remember now we’re talking about when Christ comes at the end of the seven year period of time. So that’s why many believe that the phrase day of Christ is a reference to, even though in the Greek it has the word Christos, it means Christ, the Messiah coming at the end of the tribulation period. If you’ll notice there in the book of Isaiah chapter two, look there in verse two.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, the last days. And the last part of that verse two says, and all nations shall flow into it. So it’s giving you a picture of into the future the day will come when all the nations of the world are going to come to worship at Jerusalem. And you think, well, that must be the next thing to happen. No, not so fast. Before that, though, all the nations are going to be gathered against Israel.

So there is a time, yes, when all the nations are going to come together and they’re going to go to Jerusalem for to worship. That day has not yet come. And you’ll notice in verse 5, oh, house of Jacob, come ye and get this, you’re going to on the line of, let us walk in the light of the Lord. L-O-R-D, all caps means Jehovah himself. Now look there in verse 12, in verse 12, for the day of the L-O-R-D of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and loved.

Now the day of the Lord we’re talking about specifically this day when Christ comes back in power and great glory. But many times there’s an overlapping period of time, the wrath of the Lamb. Sometimes it’s a reference to the millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. So context has to dictate which one is referring to. But now what I want you to see, down in verse 19. And get now, remember we read some of these same words and phrases in the sixth chapter of the book of Revelation.

Remember now that Isaiah was written over 700 years before Christ. Verse 19, And they shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty when He arises to shake terribly the earth. And that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they have made each other, for himself to worship to the molds and to the bats.

Why? Because they’re going to be trying to hide and their silver in their gold will not deliver them. There’s a time coming when money will not be worth anything. And verse 21, to go into the clefs of the rock and into the tops of the ragged rock for fear of the Lord. And for the glory of His Majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth. In other words, there’s a day coming when God’s going to take this earth and He’s going to shake it like a drunk man.

And it’s going to rock back and forth upon its axis. Now, you see, is that really in the Bible. No, I just made it all of us. Now I looked there in Isaiah chapter 24. Isaiah chapter 24. Now remember, when these things were written, there has to be, you know, a time in the future when it will be possible for these things to happen. In other words, what can possibly cause the earth to shake like that? Well, look there in verse 17 of Isaiah chapter 24.

Now remember, I believe there’s a good possibility that there’s going to be a nuclear war. Nuclear bombs are going to explode somewhere upon this planet. When you read Zechariah chapter 14 verse 12 and it says, and this shall be the play with God will spite all the nations who gathered against Jerusalem the battle. And it says, while they stand upon their feet. Their eyes shall consume away in their holes and their flesh shall consume away off their bones and their tongue shall consume away right out of their mouth.

Why they stand on their feet? What kind of a battle would cause such a thing? Well we’re living in a time now where we know that’s very well possible. When they dropped the bomb from Hiroshima and Nagasaki they saw all of this take place. When thousands and thousands of people were killed just like that. Look what he says in verse 17. This is a reference to something that’s going to happen in the future. Fear and the pit. And the snare are upon thee, O inhabitants of the earth.

And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall unto the pit. And he that comeeth up out of the mist of the pit shall be taken in the snare. For the windows, who are on high, are open and the foundations of the year of due shape. Now many people who believe the Bible try to understand now what could this mean? Well, is it possible that this could be a description of a nuclear war and radiation to fall out in people?

Hi, do you remember some of y’all want? About 35 years ago or so, people were having to build bomb shelters because we were afraid that Russia was going to drop a few little nukes here and there and people wanted to prepare for it. And so, kids were told how to duck down underneath their desk and prepare for a nuclear fallout. And everybody was talking about it at one time. I don’t know how many of y’all remember that? I’m not making it up.

It’s been postponed for a while, but it could take place yet in the future. Hold your place right here and look there in the book of second Peter and chapter three, second Peter and chapter three. I want you to see this. You’ll notice that there’s an interesting verse here. Look there in verse 10. In verse 10. When God had talked about, you know, why does it seem like it’s taken so wrong for the Son of Man to come back?

And so he says, there shall be a mockers in the last day. He said, where’s the fulfillment of the promise of this coming? And so they mock and they make fun. And he says, God does not count slackness as men do. And God fulfilled his promise the first time by destroying the earth with water. Says that the next time is going to be by fire But God is patient and then he describes the future in verse 10 But the day of the L.

O. R. D. Lord will come There’s a thief in the night in the which the heaven shall pass away with a great noise The elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also in the works that are there in shall be burned up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. Men are persons ought we to be. So we believe that this is going to have to look in verse 12, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens been on fire shall be dissolved.

The elements shall melt with fervor and heat. Now is that a reference to the same thing that he’s talking about here in the book of Isaiah? It’s a reference at the same time, I believe, I don’t have to happen two or three or four or five times, but I believe that it must be true. And this scripture will add to this scripture and then some more scripture and some more scripture. In that drawing, you get a picture of what God’s going to do in the future.

Now go back to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 24. And you’ll notice that when they hide themselves in the pit and they come out like in the window and then all of a sudden there is a radiation fallout. I don’t know. I can’t say that it doesn’t refer to that. And if you’ve got a better suggestion, we’re fine. That’s good. Look what he said in verse nine, The earth is utterly broken down. The earth is cleaned is off.

The earth is moved exceedingly. Get this in verse 20. The earth shall real to and pro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it and shall fall and not rise again. Now this is what God says He’s going to do to the earth. And as you read the scriptures, that describes a gigantic earthquake that takes place toward the end of the tribulation period and talking about cities being totally destroyed and every mountain being moved and every island being moved, it’s gonna be a bad day to be on the earth.

Now where are you going to be when this takes place? I’m gonna be with the Lord. Now if you want to be here, you can go right ahead, but I don’t plan on being here. And by the way, I’ve already decided that if the raptor takes place today, y’all can have my motor home. I won’t need it. Peter, you want it? Okay. Peter says he wants it over there. Now take your Bible and turn over there to Joel chapter 2.

Now generally, you know, we talk about the blowing of the shofar. We talk about when that is done, a piece of trumpets, there’s going to be the blowing of the trumpet and there will be a gathering together. Of God’s people and generally for war, or of the regathering because God says, I got something I want to do for you. So God’s going to call his people together. And then seven years later, there’s going to be, oh, it’s really going to blast then.

But look in verse one, look in verse one, chapter two, chapter two. Bloyee the trumpet in Zion. Now I believe this is right at the time of the tribulation period. Sound and alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord come it. Now we find that in the book of Revelation. We found it in the book of 2 Thessalonians. We found it in 2 Peter chapter 3. Found it in the book of Isaiah in chapter 2 verse 12.

Now you find it here in the book of Joel, it will, it’s in a lot of places. The day of the Lord will come, but in each case, there’s a little bit extra knowledge that’s given about this period of time. But Louis says in verse two, as he describes the tribulation period, this day of trouble, a day of darkness and of gloominess. They have plowed in a thick darkness as the morning spread upon the mountains, a great people and strong, there have not been ever the life, neither shall be any more after it.”

In other words, saying once again, there’s never been a time like this before, and there’ll never be a time like it after. Now we read something like that in the book of Matthew 24. So I believe there’s a connection, and it says, even to the years of many generations, get to this in verse 3, a fire devoured before them, and behind them a flame burneth. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing shall escape them.”

Now, you’ll hear and see some things in here and talks about perhaps there’s something that sounds like a horse, but it’s not a horse. In verse 4, the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen, so shall they run. Now, you’ll find out some of this year also in the book of Revelation when he talks about So weird things come in the bottom of the pit and they have faces like horses and they sound like horses But there’s a possibility they may not be horses But I’ll cover that when we get there And as horsemen, so shall they run looking verse five like the noise of the chariots on the tops of mountains Shall they leap like the noise of a flame of fire that be bowerth this devil as a strong people sit in battle Now some people say, well no, this could be airplanes, helicopters, something that flies

in the air but makes great noise and fires coming down. I don’t know. I don’t know how they would have described it back in their day. But you know, all this here has to happen in that little window. Not a lot of time. So there’s a good possibility that this is the most dynamic period of time of on the face of the Europe. I’m not going to be here for it. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll-free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon. And just keep looking up.