The Antichrist Agenda by Scripture

The Antichrist Agenda by Scripture

We know from scripture that the antichrist comes out of the Grecian empire, will take control of the 10 nation revised Roman empire. The “feet and toes” of iron and clay on the image (Dan. 2:33-35, 41-44) and “the ten horns” on the nondescript beast (Dan. 7:8, 20-24) symbolize ten kings who will head ten separate governments from the separate capitols inside the Old Roman Empire in the days of the second coming of Christ (Dan. 2:31-44; 7:23-25; Rev. 12:3; 13:1-4; 17:8-17). Men call these ten kingdoms the Revived Roman Empire, but to be technical, there is no such thing as the Roman Empire being revived. This would require the old Roman territory to be formed into one empire again and be ruled by one man from Rome, but this the Bible does not teach. It teaches ten kingdoms inside this territory instead of one empire (Dan. 2:44; 7:23,24; Rev. 17:8-17). It would be best to call these ten kingdoms the “Revised Roman Empire” due to the fact that they will be formed inside the old Roman territory, but there will be ten kingdoms initially instead of one empire as is generally taught. It is clear that this “little horn” arises “after” the ten kingdoms and not “before” them and that he does not have anything to do with the rise of the ten kingdoms. He does not come until “after” they are fully formed and exist for a “short space,” Dan. 7:8; Rev. 17:9-11. The “little horn” as well as the “ten horns” are all yet future, for in Rev. 13:1-8; 17:9-17 it is clear that the ten kings give their power and kingdom to the beast for forty-two months and together they will fight against Christ at Armageddon. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance,(antichrist) and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up (that is, the little horn shall come out of one of these four divisions of Greece in the last days of the existence of these four kingdoms) . . . “He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes (Jesus Christ); but he shall be broken without hand” by Christ at His second advent. These four divisions of Greece would be known today as Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. Four of Alexanders generals divided his empire after his death. Cassander took Greece and Macedon, Lysimachus took Asia Minor or present Turkey and Thrace, Seleucus took Syria and Babylonia, and Ptolemy took Egypt. We will see in Dan. 8 over Dan. 7 the coming of the Antichrist geographically from the ten kingdoms of the future Revised Roman Empire to four of the ten kingdoms, and reveal that Antichrist will come from either Greece, Turkey, Syria or Egypt. We must now forget any place outside the four divisions of the old Grecian Empire as being the place from which Antichrist must come. He will come from one of these four divisions of Greece and will overthrow the other three, thus reviving the Grecian Empire, which will become the eighth or leopard kingdom of Rev. 13:1-18; 17: 1-17. Daniel 11:36-12:13 definitely identifies the Antichrist as “the king of the north” (Syria) at “the time of the end.” The whole purpose of the vision was to show “what shall befall thy people (Israel) in the latter days” (Dan. 10:14). The purpose of the vision over Dan. 7 and 8 is to narrow down the coming of the Antichrist geographically from the ten kingdoms of Dan. 7, and from the four kingdoms of Dan. 8 to the one kingdom of Dan. 11, the Syrian division of the old Grecian Empire, thus teaching that the Antichrist will come from Syria at the end time. If the whole vision of Dan. 11 concerns only Egypt and Syria showing the latter-day war between them with the result that Egypt will be finally overthrown by Syria, then it proves that he will come from Syria and not from Egypt, Greece or Turkey, the other three divisions of the old Grecian Empire. “The king of the north” is the same as the “little horn” of Dan. 7 and 8, “the prince that shall come” of Dan. 9:26,27, “the son of perdition” and “man of sin” of 2 Thes. 2:1-12, and “the beast” of Rev. 13, as proven by the following:

(1) All do according to their will for the same length of time, Dan. 7:25; 8:24; 11:36; 2 Thes. 2:10-12; Rev. 13:5-7.
(2) All will exalt themselves above every god, Dan. 7:25; 8:25; 11:36,37; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:1-18.
(3) All are conquerors in the same territory at the same time, Dan. 7:8, 20-24; 8:23-25; 11:40-45; Rev. 13:1-18.
(4) All come out of the ten kingdoms of Revised Rome and get power over the ten kingdoms and reign over them until all of them are destroyed at Armageddon, Dan. 7:7, 8, 23, 24; 8:9, 22-25; 11:40-45; Rev. 13:1-4; 17:9-17; 19:19-21.
(5) All change the times and the laws for a time, Dan. 7:11, 21-27; 8:22-25; 11:35-45; 12:7; 2 Thes. 2:1-13; Rev. 13:1-8.
(6) All reign “until” the second coming of Christ, Dan. 2:44; 7:11-14, 18, 21-26; 8:23-25; 9:27; 11:36-45; 12:7-13; 2 Thes. 2:8-12; Rev. 17:9-17; 19:19-21.

In Dan. 7:24, we have definite proof that Antichrist cannot be revealed and be prominent in world affairs, until after the ten kingdoms are formed inside the Roman Empire, as seen above. According to this verse, the ten kingdoms must first be formed and exist for some time as the seventh kingdom or Revised Rome. The Antichrist will arise and gain the whole ten in the first three and one-half years of the Week. By the middle of the Week he will be seen as the beast of Rev. 13 coming out of the sea of humanity already with the seven heads and ten horns, which he will have conquered before the middle of the Week. His coming out of the sea in the middle of the Week will be simply the recognition of his power by the ten kingdoms and his acceptance by the ten kings and the dragon, Rev. 13:2-4; 17:12-17. This verse further teaches, because of his rise out of the ten kingdoms, that he is to come out of obscurity and that his rise to power will be quick. Daniel saw the “little horn” rising so suddenly among the ten that he was bewildered about it, Dan. 7:7-8, 19-24. Therefore, no man can determine definitely who the Antichrist will be until after the ten kingdoms are formed.

So anticipate the resurrection! Afterwards there will be an international peace accord made concerning Israel, which marks the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation period or Daniel's 70th week. We see from Rev. 6:1. The First Seal: Initiates the worldwide conquest by the false messiah, the Antichrist (compare Matt. 24:5). He will be the final Gentile world ruler (see 13:1-7). "A White Horse": The first of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse is white. The rider has a bow but no arrows, indicating that although he is militarily strong, in the beginning he does his conquering by diplomacy. Since he wears a crown, we know he is successful in his efforts. And who is the rider on the white horse? There can be no doubt that it is the “force” of the Antichrist, who through deceit and clever maneuvering will bring a false peace to the world. But that false peace is a rouge and will not last.

"He that sat on him": The 4 horses and their riders do not represent specific individuals, but forces. Many identify this rider with Antichrist. Although he will be the leading figure, John's point is that the entire world will follow him, being obsessed with pursing this false peace. This is a fulfillment of Dan. 7:8, 24-26; 8:8-10, 20-25; 11:35-45 as to the rise of the Antichrist among the ten kings of Revised Rome. Through conquests he will become supreme over them by the middle of the Week. The giver of the crown is not mentioned here, but it merely symbolizes the rise of the Antichrist to power over the ten kings, through the operation of satanic powers, 2 Thess. 2:8-12; Rev. 13:1-4; Dan. 8:25; 11:36-39.

"Bow": The bow is a symbol of war, but the absence of arrows implies that this victory is a bloodless one, a peace won by covenant and agreement, not by war (compare Dan. 9:24-27).

"Crown": This word refers to the kind of laurel wreath awarded winning athletes. It "was given to him". Antichrist becomes king, elected by the world's inhabitants regardless of the cost, and will conquer the entire earth in a bloodless coup.

The second seal: War

Verses 3-4: The "second seal" brings war and a lack of "peace" (compare Matt. 24:6-7). The "sword" represents armed conflict. Perhaps the attacks on Israel mentioned (in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39; Dan. 11:40-44), are also in view. As we stated above the peace is short lived.

"And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see" (Rev. 6:3). 

We too, may get a glimpse through the eyes and the pen of John. Remember “and see” is not in the original texts. The living creature has summoned the red horse rider to come and wage his war.

"And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword" (Rev. 6:4). 

The Second Seal: John writes of the 2nd horseman. It was granted to the one who sat on the red horse to "take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

"Another horse that was red": Its blood-red appearance speaks of the holocaust of war (compare Matt. 24:7). God will grant this horse and its rider the power to create worldwide war. But as horrible as this judgment is, it will be only the "birth pangs", the beginning pains of God's wrath (Matt. 24:8; Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:9).

We believe this seal represents a great conflagration we might call World War III. When Daniel's "three kings" oppose the Antichrist, he will respond in deadly fashion, swiftly crushing his enemies and bringing death to earth on a massive scale never before known. Only since the advent of the atomic age has it been possible to bring this kind of unimaginable, swift destruction to bear on widely scattered portions of the globe, Dan. 7:24; 11:40-45; Mt. 24:6-7.

The power given to him that sat on the horse: “And power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another.” This would seem to indicate that the condition immediately preceding this was a condition of tranquility, and that this was now disturbed by some cause producing discord and bloodshed.

"That they should kill one another": Violent slaughter will become commonplace.

His purpose is to cause "mankind to slaughter one another" The Greek word that is used, and the verb, means "to butcher, slaughter or massacre someone". This contains a purpose clause which reveals that peace is taken from the earth for the very purpose that mankind should butcher each other. And in the remainder of the Revelation's Seals, Trumpets and Golden Bowl Judgments, mankind does this to himself with ruthless skill.

"Sword": Not the long, broad sword, but the shorter, more easily maneuvered one that assassins often used and that soldiers carried into battle. It depicts assassination, revolt, massacre, and wholesale slaughter (compare Dan. 8:24).

We are not to expect peace until “the Prince of Peace” comes to reign over the world, Isa. 2:2-4; 9:6-7.

Verses 5-6: The "third seal" represents inflation and famine (compare Matt. 24:7). The "balances" or scales are related to commerce and trade. The word "penny", better transliterated "denarius", represented about one day's wages. "Wheat" and "barley" were considered necessities of life. "A measure" (Greek choinix), was 1.92 pints. The price given is about 10 times what was normal. The command "hurt not the oil and the wine" may indicate a restriction of the effects of the famine in this early part of the Tribulation.

The Third seal: Famine

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand" (Rev. 6:5 ).

Christ opens the Third Seal.

I heard... The living creature summoned the black horse rider.

And I beheld... A black horse, black signifies famine (compare Lam. 5:8-10). Worldwide war starting with the second seal from the conquer in the first seal, will cause destruction of the food supply which spawns global hunger (cp. Lam. 4:4-8; Mat. 24:7).

He that sat on him... Pair of balances the common measuring device, two small trays hung from each end of a balance bean, indicates that the scarcity of food will lead to rationing and food lines.

The "pair of balances" (scales) shows a weighing. We shall be weighed in the balance, and see if we stand or fall. This balance, also indicates a shortage of food. We see this in the color black, and in the balances. The famine will be so great, food will be weighed by the ounce and dispensed carefully. This famine will probably be as bad as the famine that was in Egypt in Joseph's time. Probably drought will trigger crop failures in many places. Only the very rich will be able to buy food. Personally, I believe, God will instruct Christians, who are totally sold out to Him to know when to plant and exactly what to do, as Joseph was told, of God, what to do.

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and [see] thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (Rev. 6:6). 

I heard a voice... saying, A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!

A measure of wheat... The approximate amount necessary to sustain one person for one day.

for a penny... One day's normal wage. One day's work will provide enough food for only one person.

three measures of barley... Usually fed to animals, this grain was low in nutrients and cheaper than wheat. A days' wage provides enough for only a small family's daily supply.

Since in biblical days a penny was a common wage for a day's work, and a quart of wheat or three quarts of barley are basically subsistence diets, John is indicating that a man will have to work all day just to get enough food to eat, with nothing left over for his family or the elderly.

In the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:2), a day's work was a penny. This "penny", in the verse above, means a full day's pay. I believe this means that a loaf of bread will be so inflated in price, because of scarcity of food, that it will take a whole day's wages of a man to buy one loaf.

We surely know that it is a "measure", which is a very small amount. Barley seems to be a third the cost, so perhaps a meager meal of barley for three could cost a whole day's wages. The famine will be so great, that food will be weighed by the ounce and dispensed carefully.

This is run-away inflation to its worst possible conclusion. In many parts of the world inflation is already to that terrible extreme.

When inflation is coupled with famine, we see a situation more horrible than we care to imagine. We must stay closely in tune with God. If He tells us to dig a very deep well, we must do that. If He tells us to plant a garden, we must do that. It is going to be very important to be able to take daily instruction from God. Not to question, just do it. We know God is even now setting up places of refuge for Christians.

And now hurt not... On the other hand, the call to not "harm the oil and the wine," are symbols of wealth, indicates that the rich will do just fine. Or it could mean something referring with Spirit-filled Christians. Oil and wine are symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God. That His Hand will be on the Tribulation Saints protecting them during the tribulation.

I cannot stress enough, that this famine may not be just physical but spiritual, as well. During this time, I believe that many churches will teach false doctrines. Even now there is a terrible famine of truth in the church. Never have so many denied: the virgin birth of Christ, the Red Sea parted, Jonah being swallowed by the large fish, God as Father, or Jesus is God with us, "Immanuel".

Many churches are ordaining homosexuals to preach. Secular Humanism makes man a god.

How much more famine of the Spirit can we take? Truly there will be a physical famine, as well. Stay tuned to the voice of God. He will see you through it all.

The third horseman of the Apocalypse, who rides out early in the Tribulation, will take a heavy toll in deaths and sickness. The black horse he rides is an obvious symbol of famine and disease, which often follow war.

This could be a message of hard times for all of mankind. "black" symbolizes:

1. Woe;

2. Mourning;

3. Terrible times;

4. Famine, physical or spiritual;

5. Evil;

6. Opposite of goodness;

7. Everything that opposes God.

Christian Saints of the tribulation will be saved "in" the famine and not "from" the famine. Noah was saved "in" the flood, not "from" the flood. God can rain manna from heaven if necessary. I believe God will set up places of refuge where these tribulation believers can run, so they can have physical and spiritual food.

There is a great deal of difference in accepting Jesus as your Savior and accepting Jesus as your Lord. When He is Lord, He is totally in control, and we follow His instructions without questioning. The only thing required of us, for Jesus to be our Savior, is for us to believe. For Jesus to be our Lord, we no longer make our own decisions. He makes them for us. It is so much easier when He is Lord. God will not forsake the righteous. This picture is the same as Mt. 24:6-7, which will be fulfilled in the first part of the Week during the wars of the Antichrist.

The fourth seal: Death and Hell

Verses 7-8: The "fourth seal" brings "death" to a "fourth" of the population "of the earth", through war, famine, and pestilence (compare Matt. 24:7; Luke 21:11). "Death" takes lives, and "Hell" (Hades), holds them for judgment.

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see" (Rev. 6:7). 

Christ opens the fourth seal... The fourth living creature says "Come”, This is a phrase often used by the Jews, to stir up attention to what is about to be said:

"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" (Rev. 6:8). 

And I looked... “Pale” is literally a pale green (cf. the same word used of vegetation in Mar. 6:39; Rev. 8:7; Rev. 9:4). John stated that the rider’s name was Death and that hades was following close behind him. Here is the aftermath of war, famine, and death. With war and famine people fall prey to a plague and the wild beasts of the earth.

"Hell": Or Hades, the place of the dead, which is identified as a common and fitting partner for death (20:13; This horse represents death.

power was given... The startling fact is revealed that a fourth of the earth, or approximately a billion people by today’s population figures, will be killed by these means.

The Fourth Seal; "A Pale Horse" Or "Ashen", the Greek word from which the English word "chlorophyll' comes, describes the pale, ashen-green, pallor characteristic of the decomposition of a corpse. God grants this horseman the authority to bring death to 25% of the world's population.

One quarter of the earth's population, almost a billion people, will die as a result of WWIII war. The color of the fifth horse is not mentioned but perhaps it is the color red or black, for the name of the rider is Hell. The rampage of Death and Hell over the fourth part of the earth (ground) will be the natural result of the riders of the the first three seals. The bodies of men killed by the riders of these first four seals will be eaten by the beasts of the earth. Cf. Ezek. 14:21.

That Hades follows Death shows that those slain are unbelievers, for upon death believers do not go to Hades but straight to the Savior's side.

Death is inevitable for every one of us. Death of the body, that is. Hell does await some, but heaven awaits Christians. Hell is sometimes a word used for the grave. In that particular instance, Hell would follow death, because the bodies of the unrepentant will lie in the grave until resurrection day. Believers would immediately go to heaven and be “under the altar”.

I really believe this is a time in the end that is spoken of as a time when men's hearts will fail them for fear of things that are coming upon the earth (Luke 21:26). Fear is rampant, not only here in the U.S., but around the world.

It should be obvious that this is not a trivial judgment but a major factor in the Great Tribulation, thus supporting the conclusion that the Great Tribulation has begun. The first four seals may be considered as a unit and a general description of the Great Tribulation as an unprecedented time of trouble (cf. Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Mat. 24:21-22).

Satan takes peace from the earth, but Christians have THE PEACE, Jesus, in the midst of the problems. In Matthew;

Matthew 24:7 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."

Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

The Fifth Seal: The Lesser Tribulation Martyrs

Verses 9-11: The "fifth seal" presents the martyrdom of Tribulation saints throughout the world. They will come to faith in Christ after the Rapture of The Church during the first half of the Week Rev. 4:1 and martyred from the time of the fifth seal (compare 7:9-17), and many will be killed by satanic opposition to their testimony of Christ. They plead for God's judgment on their unbelieving oppressors (Antichrist and his followers). The "white robes" depict their righteous standing before God. More saints will be martyred, since there is much more of the Tribulation to come.

"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:" (Rev. 6:9). 

Christ opened the fifth seal... John sees under the alter, the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

souls of them... These people will be saved after the resurrection of the dead in Christ—those from Abel to the rapture in Rev. 4:1. They will be martyred between the rapture and the 5th seal in the first 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th week, a period which takes in all the events of the seals and first 6 trumpets. They will be martyred by the great whore of Rev. 17:1-7 while she rules the 10 kings of the old Roman Empire territory and while the Antichrist is coming to power over them (Rev. 17:8-18).

for the testimony... Shortly after the beginning of the Tribulation there will be a great "soul harvest" in which many millions will come to faith in Christ, many as a result of the preaching of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses described (in Rev. chapter 7).

Imagine! Despite the desperate evil of the Antichrist, despite the horrors of war and famine and pestilence and death, God is still so much in control of earthly events that even the number of believing martyrs has been fixed by divine decree.

"Fifth seal": This seal describes the force of the saint's prayers for God's vengeance. Its events will begin in the first half and mark the mid-point and events following, in the 7 year period, which the last 3-1/2 years is called the Great Tribulation (2:22; 7:14; Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4). The second 3-1/2 year period (11:2; 12:6; 13:5), features the Day of the Lord, in which God unleashes His judgment and wrath on the earth in intensifying waves (Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2).

When the fifth seal is broken, John sees Christians martyred for their faith (compare 7:9, 13-15; 17:6; Mt. 24:9-14; Mk. 13:9-13; Lk. 21:12-19).

God tells us, as the apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Thessalonians:

2 Thess. 1:6-8 "It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you," "and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels," "in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So many churches have forgotten that persecution comes to the true believer. Many teach that if you are not living prosperously, both physically and spiritually, that you are not in right standing. That's certainly just not so, quite the opposite is true.

We must be crucified with Christ. We must get our flesh under subjection.

In Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

The Christian has tribulation which makes him strong. We are no better than our Master. If He suffered, we will suffer. The difference in our suffering and His, is that our suffering is generally not unto the death.

"And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10). 

cried with a load voice... This proves immortality of the soul and full consciousness between death and resurrection. John did not see these souls with his physical eye, but saw and heard them in the Spirit.

saying how long... They will cry out to the Lord, asking how long it will be before He will avenge them.

Most of these Tribulation saints will be killed by the forces of Antichrist. These martyred souls will cry out for God to avenge their deaths, but they will be told to "rest a little while longer," until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed and then they all will be resurrected at the end of the Week.

These souls were waiting for the Judge of all the earth to interrupt the evil of the devil and his persecution of the saints who remained there. Their cry was the same, in a sense, as the Christians who say, come quickly Lord Jesus.

This is not a reprimand of the Lord, but just a pleading for it to all be over. These souls are not looking for vengeance, but are just crying out for the Lord to end all of it and set up His kingdom. Who better can sympathize with our generation of martyrs than the martyrs of the past? Some of the martyrs of today are not physically killed, but are persecuted by their peers.

"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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:11). 

white robes were... The soul and spirit, or the inner man, has a form and shape exactly like the outer man and fits into the body even to the outer skin. This is based upon the fact that the soul is that part which feels and the spirit is that which knows. The inner man can wear clothing, rest, eat, drink, and do other things (Rev. 6:11; Mat. 17:5; Luke 16:19-31; Heb. 12:23).

Rest yet for a little season... Until the rest of the tribulation saints are martyred. Then all will be resurrected together and judgment sent upon their murderers (Rev. 7:9-17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6). God will answer their prayer for vengeance, but in His time. God has predetermined the number of the righteous whose death He will allow before moving to destroy the rebels.

These are the ones who were martyred during the tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. White robes are the uniform issued to all believers in the Lord Jesus.

When the fullness of time comes, the time that God has chosen, Jesus will appear in the clouds and blow the silver trumpet. He will gather all believers with Him in heaven. He will not come one hour early or late. He will be on time. It will be at the specific time He (God) chose from the foundation of the earth.

These martyrs are our fellow servants. They arrived in heaven the same way we will, through their faith unto the death, only their time is during the tribulation week, as ours is before the tribulation. The white in these "white robes" shows that these have been victorious over the problems in this earth.

The Sixth Seal: The wrath of God

Verses 12-14: Here under the sixth seal we have revealed for the first time the wrath of God. No wrath of God is contained in the first five seals, for they reveal the things that are only the natural results of the rise of a conqueror and the persecution of God's people. But here because of these terrible persecutions upon the people who will conform to the Roman system of religion, God begins to reveal His great wrath and judgment upon these persecutors. This outpouring of God's wrath will produce great physical changes in the earth and heavens and distress among men. The earth and the heavenly bodies will go into convulsions. (Joel 2:30-31), predicts many of these judgments in nature as signs of the day of the Lord.