Isa. 66:15-16

15 For, behold, the LORD [Yahovah] will come [bow'] with fire ['esh], and with his chariots [merkabah] like a whirlwind [cuwphah], to render [shuwb] his anger ['aph] with fury [chemah], and his rebuke [ga`arah] with flames [lahab] of fire ['esh].

16 For by fire ['esh] and by his sword [chereb] will the LORD [Yahovah] plead [shaphat] with all flesh [basar]: and the slain [chalal] of the LORD [Yahovah] shall be many [rabab]. KJV-Interlinear

15 For behold, the LORD will come in fire And His chariots like the whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For the LORD will execute judgment by fire And by His sword on all flesh, And those slain by the LORD will be many. NASB

The word for many, indicates a very large number. In Revelation, we have studied that there will be a vast population on planet earth during the Tribulation. Half of the world s population will die from one form of problem or another. Huge numbers of people will be saved by believing in Christ, and they too will die from martyrdom. Only a small remnant of mature believers will survive to see the Second Advent, and become the seed population for the Millennium.

Though the numbers are large, we do not know the extent of the population when the Rapture occurs. If we knew that, then we would of course have some idea as to when the Rapture will occur.

The large numbers could have come from the population back in Christ s day when the worlds population was estimated at around three-hundred million people.

But, the Rapture did not occur back then. Instead, we have seen in history, a population growth to just over six and a half billion people thus far, spreading to the four corners of the planet.

In centuries past, we have seen in history, the formation of empire want-to-be s, which served to push populations into new frontiers. Diseases, weather trends, atrocities and such, have served to push people across the planet.

Then in the twentieth century another trend of wars served to form the nations into the configuration we have today. Now we are faced not generally with alliances of nations, but of beliefs, which are sweeping the world. Two major philosophies have screamed into the forefront of world history. They are liberalism and Islam.

Of course the other philosophies of history past, are still with us, but they only serve to form the stew of world opinion.

What will be the next obvious direction of human history? Problems, big problems. Problems like we are seeing today, and worse. What with oil prices going up, terrorism making us change our way of living, especially in travel. Populations will continue to rise slowly and steadily, which will bring pressure on jobs, transportation, public services and so forth.

The world will likely face huge and insurmountable problems over the course of the next few decades or even generations, which will cause people not to move to new geographical frontiers, because there are no new worlds to move to, but there are new frontiers in beliefs and attitudes and philosophies. And, that is where people will go.

Some will turn to God and a daily Bible study. Most however, will turn to politics, religion, or apathy.

Were it not for some future generation of people of whom God has foreseen faith in their hearts, world history would come to an end before now. But God will allow an otherwise huge and bad crop to continue its growth until His harvest, just to be able to glean the last few remaining good grapes, for His own possession.

Then, things will change dramatically. People of the world will see great power in their numbers. They will see great arrogance in their influence, but that will not be enough when Christ comes screaming across the heavens with speed, like no one has ever seen. Like a whirlwind of fire, He will arrive to see a world in great turmoil.

And turmoil, is the appropriate word to describe the results of human wisdom and effort.

With a world population numbering in the many billions, perhaps even tens of billions, Christ will launch a judgment so great that everyone who witnesses it, will long remember it.

The many, who have rejected Christ, will reap the whirlwind of judgment, and their end will be swift and certain.

There is but one certainty for human history. It will be brought to an end by Christ.

Likewise, there is one certainty for your life. It too, will be brought to an end by Jesus Christ.

So, what do you suppose the obvious question for you is?

Now is the time to post a prayer.