I believe it is wise to always be prepared for any type of disaster in America, and throughout the world. Securing an emergency kit with food, water, and medical supplies for 3 – 6 months, is a good idea.

Notwithstanding, there will definitely be a pre-tribulation Rapture. The Lord will call Christians home before the Tribulation begins. Here are some verses that would be good for you to look up: I Thessalonians 4:16,17, I Corinthians 15:51,52 and Revelation 3:10. The book of Revelation was written chronologically. Revelation 1:19 says: “Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter” (past, present and future). Chapter 1 speaks of the past and chapters 2 and 3 speak of the present. Time wise, we are approximately at Revelation 3:15,16 and 17—the cold, lukewarm, lackadaisical Laodicean church. The future is shown in chapters 4-22.

From the passage of Scripture which relates to “groaning in the Spirit,” it does not appear that this is a gift, but rather a ministry of the Spirit on behalf of all Saints. In Romans 8, especially verses 26 & 27, we see that many times we do not know what to pray for or how we ought to pray. At such times, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. He communicates to our Father the need. Notice especially verse 27 as it indicates that the Father searches our heart and in doing so has perfect understanding and communication with the Holy Spirit which indwells our body. This type of intercession is carried on when we, because of human limitations and infirmities, are not able to express perfectly what would be God's will. Until Christ return to earth with His saints, this form of intersession will be in operation.

Concerning the various micro-chip devices and bar-code systems, this is not the Mark at this point. However, it is easy to see how mankind will accept the Mark in the near future (Revelation 14:9,11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).

There are a number of chapters within God’s Word that seem to picture the USA. No other nation throughout history can so convincingly fulfill all of the requirements of the texts. America is certainly included in the judgments upon all nations (Ezekiel 39:21). America also seems to be the political Babylon of Revelation 18. God’s Word mentions three Babylons: a city (Genesis 11), a church (Revelation 17), and a country (Revelation 18). Don’t confuse the three.

Isaiah, Jeremiah, and John describe this country:

Isaiah 18:1,2 – America’s emblem, with outstretched wings; beyond the sea from Israel; a nation, scattered and peeled, meaning spread out and cultured; measured or staked out and polluted in its waterways.

Jeremiah 50 – Here she is called the heritage of the Lord and faces judgment because of her backsliding (vs. 11). A nation or mingled people (vs. 37); a nation whose coexisting “mother” (England) is confounded at the hour of her decline (vs 12).

Jeremiah 51 – In this text America is bordered by the world’s two largest oceans and possesses its longest river (vs. 13); her wealth plagues the nations to jealousy (vs. 7); her space exploits are fantastic (vs. 53).

John pictures two Babylons in Revelation. One is a world religion (chapter 17), the other an internationally respected nation (vs. 3); laden with sin (vs. 5), with a superabundance of material goods producing idleness and sin (vs. 7).

America today is surely laden with iniquity with its drunkenness, drug addiction, tobacco, gambling, prostitution, homosexuality, smut peddlers, immorality, abortions, mercy killers, murderers, robbers, and looters. There is specific judgment administered against Babylon, identified as America. A sneak attack is predicted in Jeremiah 50:24 and in one hour Babylon is destroyed (Revelation 18:10). Some biblical scholars believe that Russia starts the sneak nuclear attack against the USA, crippling her, and then against Israel (Ezekiel 39:2). Whatever the alignment of events, it is clear that both nations fall, Christ returns, and world peace begins.

The falling away, or apostasy, is an aggressive and climatic revolt against God which will prepare the way for the appearance of the man of sin (see I Timothy 4:1-5; II Timothy 3:1-5). The man of sin is literally the man of lawlessness. While it is true that the forces of lawlessness were at work in Paul’s time and are at work today, the man of lawlessness is an individual of the future who will come to power during the Tribulation days.

The antichrist is currently being held back by a restrainer. Some understand this to be God indwelling His Church by the Holy Spirit, while others see human government as the restraint. According to the former view, the removal will be at the rapture of the church, according to the latter, it will happen at the overthrow of human government at the hands of the antichrist.

Paul’s argument in II Thessalonians can be summed up as follows. [1] The day of the Lord will not begin until the antichrist is revealed. [2] The antichrist cannot begin to act until the restrainer, the Church or believers, are removed. [3] Since the restrainer has not been removed, the Day of the Lord cannot have begun.

It is evident from John 16:7,8 that the work of the Spirit in the world is that of conviction and restraint concerning sin. He accomplishes this work through the bodies of those He indwells (I Corinthians 6:19). Spirit-indwelled believers have a purifying effect on the world. The Antichrist cannot be revealed until the Bride of Christ (the Church – all believers dead and living) are removed (II Thessalonians 2:3,7,8).

This does not mean that the Holy Spirit must be removed from the earth. This is not possible since He, as God, is omnipresent (present everywhere at all times) Psalms 139:7-11 and always will be.

Luke 16:19-31 gives an accurate testimony to the fact that existence after death is a very conscious one. This fundamental truth is taught in many other places in the Word of God. II Corinthians 5, written by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is also very helpful. Paul declares emphatically that his absence from his body means his presence with the Lord (vs. 8). There does not seem to be any indication whatsoever that he is looking forward to a cessation of consciousness or an intermediate period between death and the time of being with the Lord. In Philippians 1:23-24, the Apostle Paul again emphasized this same truth. He points out two distinct existences. There is no indication of an intermediate state or a “sleeping.”

Revelation 6:9-12 testifies to the fact that those who have died and gone before are in a conscious presence with the Lord. We must always be careful to remember the words of Jesus to the thief who was crucified with Him. John 19:31-37 makes it abundantly clear that this thief died at the same approximate time as Christ. In Luke 23:43, we have the

authoritative words of Christ that give a promise of hope to a dying man that upon his death he would be taken into the conscious joy of the Lord's presence.

In I Thessalonians 4:14 Christ brings “those who sleep” or the spirits of the dead “with him”, to recover their bodies. The spirit of the believer left the body at death to be with Christ and at the Rapture returns for one’s covering. This is necessary if the redeemed are to rule and reign with Christ (Revelation 20:4; 22:5). In order to do so, one must have a body because a spirit alone cannot be seen.

The Great White Throne Judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15. This judgment is only for unbelievers. The unsaved dead are resurrected from the temporary Hell (Hades), stand before God to be judged out of the books mentioned in Revelation 20:12, hear that their names are not found in the book of Life because they have never received Christ, and are cast ALIVE into the permanent Hell known as the Lake of Fire (Gehenna) to be eternally tormented and separated from God.

It is God's will for all Christians to love and pray for the Jewish people. It is true that no Jew can be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This is true for both Jews and Gentiles. Romans 11:26 has to do with the conversion of Israel in the future when they turn to Jesus Christ. It does not guarantee salvation of all the Jews who have ever lived since salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ.

The Last Trump in I Corinthians 15:52, and the seventh trumpet (judgment) in the book of Revelation are not the same.

First Corinthians 15:51,52 is one scripture passage that post-Tribulationists (those who believe they are going to go through the Tribulation and will meet Christ at the end) use to defend that doctrine. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [be dead], but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.

Then they go over to the trumpet judgments and say, “You see? The seventh trumpet [judgment] brings all this catastrophe, and this is right at the end of the Tribulation hour. And because He calls His church home at the last trump, it has to be at the end of the seven years of Tribulation”.

Hold it! What about the eighth trump, when the trumpet sounds in Matthew 24:31 and He [gathers] together his elect from the four winds for the Millennium?

There’s more by way of contradistinction. The seventh trump produces judgment and death, but the trumpet of I Corinthians 15:51 produces eternal life and joy, as believers sweep into the heavenlies to meet Him. That’s when the dead and the living in Christ go to meet the Saviour in the twinkling of an eye.

It is believed that both Dan and Ephraim are missing because they were guilty of going into idolatry (Jdg. 18; 1 Ki. 11:26; Hosea 4). The tribes of Levi and Manasseh here take their place. Notwithstanding, both tribes are listed in Ezekiel’s millennial temple (Ezek. 48). So, Dan and Ephraim simply surrendered their chance to preach during the tribulation period.

The verses you are referring to is Luke 10:18, where Jesus Christ said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven”, and Isaiah 14:12.

According to the Scriptures, the Devil is real and active. The following verses in the Holy Bible will verify this: Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zechariah 3:1-2; Matthew 4:1-11; 13:19; Luke 10:18; John 13:2; Acts 5:3; Ephesians 6:11-12; I Peter 5:8, and again, Luke 10:18.

It is interesting to note various characteristics concerning the Devil. He is referred to as a person, Job 1:8 (thou); he has intelligence, having the ability to deceive (which implies intelligence); he has knowledge of the Bible, Matthew 4:6; he has a will and makes choices, Isaiah 14:13-14; II Timothy 2:26; he has pride, I Timothy 3:6; wealth, Revelation 12:16; and executive and organization abilities, Revelation 12:7; 20:7, Ephesians 6:12.

It should be further noted that Satan can speak, Job 1:9-10; tempt, Matthew 4:3; I Thessalonians 3:5; accuse, Revelation 12:10; Job 1:9-11; make war, Revelation 12:7; 20:8-9; perform miracles, Exodus 7:11; II Thessalonians 2:9; and he is capable of receiving punishment, Matthew 25:41.

Further study can be found in Ezekiel 28:12-17; showing the original splendor of Satan, while Isaiah 14:12-17 declare his awful sin and his final destination(hell).