greater fear is coming

Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.  Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. (Isaiah 13:6-8)

Who has ever seen or heard of such a thing as above described?  "Howl" is not a sound made by humans--except, when they are confronted with something beyond the mind's ability to cope with.  The feeling of terror, referred to in the above quoted passage of Scripture, is not a description of the environment of Hell.  But those verses of Scripture indicate what shall be the reaction of every living person on the earth, to events which shall occur on earth at the time of the opening of the sixth seal.  Moreover, we are certain, based upon the revelation of Scripture, that the time at which those events shall occur is now very near to come.  We furthermore know, by revelation of the Holy Ghost, a great deal about just what those events shall entail: indescribable horror and fear....

But I do not intend to discuss in this brief essay, just what those events are.  Rather, I want to impress upon everyone who may read this essay, the realization, that the soon-coming wrath of God, which shall be poured out upon earth's inhabitants from the time of the Rapture of the Church until the Second Coming of Christ (that is to say, during the Tribulation), shall exceed, in terms of the horrifying and destructive nature of multifarious events during that time period, the expectations and imaginations of even the most thoughtful persons.

An exceedingly great fear is coming.  And none shall escape it.  None, that is, except those who shall be "accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36).  They are the ones who shall be translated, alive, to meet Jesus Christ "in the air," by means of the Rapture.

Yet, even those who thus shall be spared from suffering the wrath of God during the Tribulation, may yet be confronted with events and circumstances which, to those who do not know Christ in truth, shall appear horrifying, unbearable to the carnal mind.  The Bible speaks about that fact:

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21:25-6)

Only those who truly believe the Word of God, and whose faith and trust is solidly placed in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be able, through God, to face these days without fear.  We have been clearly admonished in Scripture, to "take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day" (Ephesians 6:11-3).  God has provided all the "armor" that is needed in order to "withstand" even during "the evil day".  But it is up to each one of us to "take unto" our own self that armor, daily, to 'wear' it, as it were, to be clothed upon with spiritual armor, that we may thus be protected by means of that armor.  And just what is that "armour of God"?

It is the knowledge given by God in and through His Word: the knowledge of the true nature of present and of coming events; the knowledge of God's purpose and will in those events; and the knowledge of God's promises concerning the protection of, and provision for, faithful servants of Jesus Christ.

We must first know the Word of God, before we may then believe that Word.  And, believing the Word of God is what ushers us into the peace of God in Christ:

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, [in order] that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)

Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.  (2 Chronicles 2:20)

I recommend to you who do know the Lord in truth, that you should make serious effort to memorize passages of Scripture which directly speak to building up your faith for times of crisis; for example, Psalm 46 (it is only 11 verses):

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.  The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.  He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

The word "Selah," by the way, is not insignificant.  It means to 'pause, and think about what was just said'.  There are three 'Selahs' in Psalm 46, dividing that Psalm into three easy-to-memorize blocks.  Each block has something important to say.  And those things are particularly relevant to soon-coming events and times.

Of course, Psalm 46 is by no means the only passage of Scripture which is so comforting and strengthening.  But it is a good place to start to "take unto" yourself that holy armor of God.  Amen.