In 1139 A.D. (about 876 years ago), a Roman Catholic priest named St. Malachy said he had a vision from God (St. Malachy’s Prophecy of the Popes; Google it). According to him, in his vision, God revealed that the Pope at that time (Innocent II) would be followed by 112 more Popes and the 112th Pope would be the False Prophet.
My own studied and prayerfully considered opinion is that while threats (rumors) of war and even hostilities like we are witnessing from ISIL, Hamas, and occasionally other volatile players around the world will continue, there will be no world-rending war this side of the Rapture of the church.
This article is about the Second Coming not the Rapture. There are no signs of the Rapture. It can happen at any time and without notice. But there are signs of the Second Coming and the church is told to watch for those signs.
Those who ignore the study of end times prophecy are fond of quoting this famous line which appears in various forms in Matt. 24:36, Matt. 24:42,44, Matt. 24:50 and Matt 25:13 as their justification.
I think it is also possible that they “may” attribute Jesus’ return at the Second Coming as an “alien invasion,” just has they “may” attribute the same to the Rapture.
Revelation chapter 13 introduces us to two beasts. The first beast is the Antichrist and he will rise up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1); a symbol in the book of Revelation for peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15).
“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” Isaiah 46:10. God is not bound by our concept of time.
Most always the confutation over the issue of children and the rapture of the church is wrapped around the scripture: “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy” (1 Cor. 7:14).
The combination of the Rapture and the Battle of Ezekiel 38 will fill the world with anguish and uncertainty as Daniel’s 70th Week begins.