The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Verse by Verse
by Donald Robert Clasen
Jan. 4, 2014
The way the last days play out is important to understand so that one has a reliable orientation towards reality. There is no doubt that things are going to get very intense and confusing, and those who can see where we are and the way out will be most valuable to God and man in those days. This is a principle found among other places in I Chronicles 12:32 where it says, “the children of Issachar…were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.”
Here is the basic, short version outline as I see it. The Great Tribulation period lasts a merciful 3 ½ years, not seven as is commonly taught in Bible prophecy circles. I say this because I believe “Daniel’s Seventieth Week” (i.e., the last seven years culminating in the Second Coming of Christ) began with Jesus’ 3 ½ year ministry. This is hinted at in the vague language of Daniel 9:25-27 as I explain in my book American Babylon, American Antichrist. The last 3 ½ years of Christ’s ministry on the earth will take place during the Great Tribulation of 42 months or 1260 days (Rev 11:2,3). This time however it will be His ministry collectively through His people who bring in a great harvest in the nations (Rev 7:9) with great miracles attending (Jn 14:12; Acts 6:8, etc.). It’s an example of the principle of the single grain of corn dying and becoming many hands and feet (Jn 12:24).
This Great Tribulation will begin with World War III, most likely started by a false flag nuclear attack on a U.S. city by Israel. It will be blamed on someone else of course–Iran,ISIL, or perhaps even Russia if the plot in the new Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit movie (Jan. 2014) is a telegraphed message. (Author Tom Clancy is very connected after all.) This is the war described in Revelation 6:1-8 known as the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
This traumatic event will trigger emergency government in a terrorized and confused United States. As is already provided by law, during an extraordinary national emergency the government will revert to FEMA rule by ten regional governors, five Republicans and five Democrats, plus the head of Homeland Security and a few other officials. An Israeli leader or American President known as the “little horn” will arrange to have these ten “invite” him to take their authority to save “Judeo-Christian civilization.” This is the Antichrist of Revelation 13 and 17, a person who may undergo a seemingly-fatal gun shot to the head that he survives, as Satan himself takes advantage to possess him at that time (Rev 13:3). His ascent and the resistance by three of these governors is described in Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12 ff.
At this point, the long-term goal of the Israeli elites will be realized, to effectively merge with the United States and have control over its military, economy and manpower. The aim is to wage unlimited war until all their enemies, those who resist their rule in any way will be eliminated. This is the price America will have to pay for its idolatry of this wayward nation.
During those three and a half years the Antichrist will institute the 666 Talmudic “mark of the beast” economic system wherever it can (Rev 13:16-18) based on a superstition about the talents of gold brought to Solomon in just one year (I Kings 10:14). Almost immediately after he’s in power he will begin a vicious persecution against all knowledgeable Christians and dissident witnesses, prefigured in the fifth seal of souls under the altar (Rev 6:9-11). About the last thing taking place will be a persecution of the Jews except for those who are either Christians or who resist the new Zionist rule.
During those few years, the absolute worst place on earth for Christians or any sane human being to be will be in America. Forget about hoarding gold and silver, they will be cankered (James 5:3). Forget about remote mountain retreats in the U.S.; there will be nowhere to hide. The only hope for survival will be outside the U.S. as some manage to escape Babylon to “declare in Zion (the churches) the vengeance of the Lord” on the great beast empire (Jer 50:28).
On the positive side, it will be 3 1/2 years of the greatest harvest of souls with great miracles, a second ministry of Jesus Christ on the earth, only this time collectively through His people. But in time, the only truly safe places to be will be in the remote jungles and mountains of the earth where the Antichrist’s fury will not be able to reach (Rev 12:14-17). These few Christians and their converts will probably be all that’s left to go up in the Rapture at the Seventh Trumpet (Rev 11:15; I Cor 15:52) as Christ and His saints descend to earth (Rev 19:11ff).
This mark of the beast system will not be instituted worldwide because of the generally chaotic conditions of these few years, great natural disasters, growing resistance, and the simple fact that only developed nations are capable of operating on a strictly cashless system. This resistance will eventually center in the East where at the very end, the “kings of the east” arrive in the Valley of Megiddo for the famous Battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:12-16; Joel 3:2,14; Eze 38,39, etc.) During those 3 ½ years Jerusalem will be “trodden under foot by the Gentiles” (Rev 11:2). It is probably a reference to American and other NATO troops the Antichrist will bring to Israel to defend it from growing global resistance, especially a nuclear (and much irritated) Russia.
During this time there may be an attempt to rebuild a temple there. I don’t have any strong views on that, one way or the other. But the Antichrist will certainly build himself a palace (Dan 11:45), become ever more criminally insane and drunk on power, even declaring himself to be God (II Thess 2:4), and challenging Jesus Christ’s position as Messiah (Dan 8:11).
Because of his great presumptuousness, he will think nothing of eliminating entire populations of people on the earth, causing massive devastation in the process (Dan 8:24). Bio-weapons, Tesla technology-based weather and earthquake manipulation, nuclear weapons—nothing will be out of bounds. Certainly he will worship a martial-like “god of forces” (Dan 11:38,39). The reference there to his visits to “the most strong holds” refers to the vast underground and other military/Doomsday facilities even now being also built in Israel by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
At the time of the very end however, as he is constantly embroiled in strife with any and all in the region and beyond (Dan 11:40-43), he will be troubled by “tidings out of the east and out of the north” (the kings of the east—vs. 44) gathering for Armageddon. He will go forth in his usual self-righteous indignation but still be overwhelmed with no one left to come to his aid (vs. 45).
This is the time of the culmination of the Great Tribulation when the most intense judgments come on the earth (Dan 12:1; Rev 16:18; Mt 24:16-22, etc.) During Armageddon, it is true that 83% of the armies attacking Israel will fall on their mountains (Eze 39:2). But with 200 million invaders (Rev 9:16), that leaves more than enough to get through. Thus a house-to-house battle of Jerusalem is described in Zechariah 14:2. At that time the houses will be looted and the women raped as Israel tragically receives payback for all the unbelievable suffering her government and the Antichrist’s policies have reaped on the nations. Yet God in His faithfulness will give them a last minute victory with Jesus Christ saving the day (Zech 12:10; 14:4; Isa 63:1-4, etc.)
It’s important when studying the book of Revelation to not assume that all things unfold in a linear fashion. The seven seals, trumpets, and vial judgments in particular are embedded within one another with the worst of it all unfolding rapidly at the very end. Anyone still alive will recognize them when they happen. This time period is also likened to “birth pangs” (Mt 24:8) in that they increase in intensity and frequency in the woman until the child is born.
What is important to understand is that the true evil and just desserts of the United States and Israel will become obvious during this time and their judgments will be the worst. Israel as was said above is nearly destroyed with the vast majority of the people perishing. Those surviving will virtually curse the most extremist of the Zionists who prophesied falsely to the people (Zech 13:3-5). These are those like the Hassidic who “wear a rough garment (prayer shawls, robes, black coats, etc.) to deceive” (i.e., to appear especially devout—vs. 4) and the settlers, many of whom are farmers (vs. 5).
Is Burlap Rough Enough? Half a Million Orthodox Israelis Protest Military Service Bill in Jerusalem, Mar. 2, 2014
For the United States (Babylon) no one will be left alive if we are to believe Jeremiah 50:3,26,29 and 51:37 especially. The judgment on New York City which is something of a Tel Aviv/City of London West at this point is also described in detail in Revelation 18. Indeed, the Scriptures are full of details about these times immediately ahead, all of which come alive once we understand the master keys to unlock them found in the identities of the American Babylon and its coming Antichrist as I explain in my book. I urge you to get a copy. You and your family’s very lives and souls may depend upon it.
American Christianity is in a pathetic state because of its greater love for Israel than Jesus Christ who was crucified by the religion of the Pharisees. This is the false church that Christ said He would spew out of His mouth in the last days (Rev 3:16), clinging to their prosperity (3:17; Ja 5:1-6) and who would be burned with fire (17:16). This and much more is described in American Babylon, American Antichrist. You can get an instant download right now by clicking here.
