We are now living in the Great Tribulation, which precedes Armageddon. These changes have been foretold by many cultures for the last several thousand years. Similar to hearing thunder and sensing rain before the storm, the Great Tribulation is a prelude of distressing cycles of terrible events we are currently experiencing and seeing in the news today. Like the waves on the sea, these cycles will ebb and flow. There will not be a constant downward spiral, but also times the beach can rest from the pounding of the surf. But as Armageddon gets closer the cycle speeds up, and the time of catching one’s breath will be less and less. This means, for example, that the economy will get better but the time of it being so will not last long; then it will fall back down again, rise back up for even a shorter time, then crash back down, etc.
Seeing this unrelenting ebb and flow of difficulties, many people will be misled into thinking that this is the “new normal,” that this is how life is. During this time, there will be people who are stimulated to great anger, unreasonableness and destructive pursuits. Others will go about their daily lives by trying to distance themselves from other people and minutely controlling every aspect of how the world outside affects them. And because of the difficulties and high emotion of the constant surges of trauma, a kind of shock will set in, where vast amounts of people will go to great lengths to ignore what is going on because facing it seems overwhelming. This is why less people are watching the news, or getting involved in helping their neighbors or the community around them. Some are isolating themselves from the reality of what is going on, even to the point of pursuing self-contained lifestyles or storing commodities and the weapons to defend them. (Luke 17:26-30) (Matthew 24:3-35) These are all decisions based on fear.
However, there are also people who recognize these as signs and are remembering who they are as children of God, and are feeling a need to expand their spiritual pursuits now more than ever. Part of this is a gnawing feeling that they’re not doing all they should be, and that they need to start doing it soon. As they seek God, he allows himself to found by them; and in doing so they find themselves. In questioning who they are, why they are here, who God is, what is going on, etc., the true answers will resonate within them. With this expanded awareness they will often see God differently than they originally believed, and a personal Divine connection of confidence and faith begins to grow. They begin to remember it is all about unconditional love, and that love is the core quality of the essence of God. Their discernment will sharpen between what is of love and what is not; and therefore what is of God or not. They will shake off any negative choices of panic, anger, or apathy and replace them with hope, faith and peace. They begin to hold conversations with God in their minds, and flourish in this undertone of prayer. Many of these connected people will be gifted a strength beyond themselves to be Divine instruments blessed by God to be his hands and mouth for incredible transformations and miracles of all forms. These miracles are another opportunity to help people have less distress during the great shift of Armageddon. For as the dark gets darker, the light gets brighter, and we can have hope for the things to come because love wins. This is why as we go through the tribulation and on toward Armageddon, we do not have to be afraid. (Daniel 12, Joel 2:28-32) But what really is Armageddon?
The word “Armageddon” literally means “God’s War,” it is not brought about by mankind, and it is not nuclear war. During God’s war the earth will not be destroyed, but the world will be. What does this mean? If you are familiar with the Bible, you may have read some verses that seem to contradict themselves in this regard, since in many versions the words “world,” “land” and “earth” have been haphazardly exchanged with each other, but by doing that the original meaning is lost. However, this is not the case when the original meaning of the Greek and Hebrew words are accurately translated, since some words are to be rendered “world,” and some are “earth.” There is a big difference – for example, one of the words translated “world” is from “cosmos,” which is where we get the word “cosmetics,” which means “surface arrangement of things.” This will help Bible students understand that when God promises “the meek shall inherit the earth,” (Psalms 37:11) and “the earth abides forever,” (Psalms 37:29) it is no contradiction to places that reference the world being destroyed, “the world is passing away.” (1 John 2:17) (1 Corinthians 7:31) For those who read the scriptures, remember that reading Holy books are like a big jigsaw puzzle. Looking at one piece is not enough to figure out the image, but as more and more pieces are filled in, the entire picture can be clearly seen. This is also why many inspired references are symbolic, and not literal, though often the real meaning behind it is given in another text. God made the planet earth as a beautiful and treasured creation, but the surface arrangement of how things are done will be absolutely changed, and this shift is called Armageddon.
We were made as reasoning, thinking beings. We are aware of the continuing desolation of the earth and how humankind now stands at a critical crossroads with the environment and with itself. All signs show we are at the brink of many different catastrophes, and something needs to be done quickly. If you were God, what would you do? You might liken the situation to owning a beautiful series of condominiums, which you took great pride to build just so. Each unit is completely furnished - even to the point of the refrigerator being fully stocked – and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. Because of your great wealth and generosity, you have also given all electricity, commodities, and even the rent for free. All you have asked in return of your tenants is to cultivate an attitude of love toward their landlord, their neighbor, and themselves. (Mark 12:28-31) But, tenants in one of your units decide to throw waste all over the grounds, destroy their unit, beat up their neighbors, and even bad-mouth you, the landlord. What would you do? You would not destroy the condominiums – you would simply oust the bad tenants and restore the damaged unit. This is God’s plan too, except that he has repeatedly shown great patience with the tenants; giving them free 24-hour access to his home phone number, offering information, booklets and self-help classes, sending personal representatives to help, and suggesting group meetings for community support. As a perfect and loving landlord who wishes none to be homeless, he continues to give these opportunities to stay and work things out before the eviction notice finally goes up on the door. But who are these bad tenants, and how did they get that way?
In the beginning, all was of God; there was not a place that Divine Love was not. He was complete and whole within himself, lacking nothing. But like a happy couple who decides to have children to share their love, God chose to create. In order to do this he had to make a bubble separate from himself so the thoughts and actions would not be governed by him. God did not want clones or robots simply acting out a program, but individual opportunities for love to grow and expand. This bubble was free will. Angels were the first creations, and each has free will. Each knew from the beginning the difference between kindness and wickedness, between light and dark, and between good and evil. Mankind was also created with free will, and in the image of God. “In the image of God” does not mean the same as God, but rather an image like a mirror reflection. In each of us our spirit has the ability to reflect kindness, forgiveness, generosity, sharing, and all the facets of Divine Love. But besides free will, there is the misuse of free will. Free will works like this: if a person desires ice cream they may drive to a parlor and choose between any number of flavors in any number of cones, with any kind of candies or toppings. The misuse of free will is a person driving to the parlor, taking out a gun and shooting the attendant. Just as there are laws in place in our towns and countries to us help us keep and enjoy our freedoms, there are also healthy perimeters on free will. During the Great Tribulation, and especially during Armageddon, humankind will find it harder to discern what the healthy perimeters are, and many will be injured or killed. Why is this so? There are basically six reasons why people will perish:
(1). God and what he loves has enemies. Some of the Holy Angels decided to misuse free will and made themselves unHoly Angels, and they are bent on causing mistrust and slander of the Great Landlord. This includes trying to destroy all that God holds dear, which includes humankind and the earth. The demons detest a kingship based on the law of love, preferring a dictatorship of fear instead, with them in charge. The demons’ focus has been to prove their point in three original issues regarding humankind’s interactions with God. That humankind: (a). can rule themselves successfully without God, (b). comes to God only for what they can get out of him, (c). will turn against God if it means saving themselves.
Basically, the demons are saying that love doesn’t work and no one wants it, thereby putting the source of love out of the picture. God could have destroyed these rebellers in the beginning, but he had confidence in humankind and Love’s right to rule, and allowed these questions to be answered in front of all Angels and other beings in the universe. This is a major case, and the answer will stand to time indefinite. If the question about Love’s right to rule is ever brought up again it will not have to be settled, but only the previous proof and verdict recited. Similar to a wise judge in a court case, God in his patience has allowed time for the evidence to be gathered and all voices to be heard, and this is why several thousand years of struggle had to go by. This means the world has been under the temporary rule of Satan all this time, although the One in charge is God. (Matthew 4:1-11). Now here we are at the culmination of that great court case, and the jury has just handed the verdict over to be read. The conclusion? History has proven love is the better way - and God is vindicated on all counts. This is what we are praying for in familiar verses of The Lord’s Prayer “…Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, let your kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:9,10) Meanwhile, like convicted criminals on death row, Satan and the unHoly Angels know they have only a short period of time and want to create as much devastation, manipulation and death as possible before they are put out of commission. (Job 1:8-12; 2:4) (Revelation 12:7-12)
(2). Bad upbringing – Adamic generational bondage. Our original parents Adam and Eve chose to side with the unHoly Angels and made themselves “bad tenants” and all of us were born into their household. Yet this is not a death sentence – it does not make us all bad tenants, because we each have free will and can make our own choices on how we behave. However, each of us are now born missing the mark – we do not naturally come in with the God-given clarity and perfection we were created to have, and we have to consciously decide to pursue the better way. It is similar to an aluminum cake pan being dropped and getting a dent in it; now every cake made in that pan will have a dent in it and be imperfect. This makes it crucial to search outside of our own understanding and be open to receiving Divine help and guidance, because we can’t figure it all out on our own. But we have a spark within us from the Great Candle, and that flame will grow stronger and brighter as we add fuel. We just have to take action and choose to do so, and in this way we remember who we are and who we were meant to be, beyond the darkness that we see. (Romans 5:12-19) (John 16:5-11)
(3). Personal attack. Our personal bubble of free will may have holes in it by having been targeted by unHoly Angels and people easily manipulated by them. This can occur through physical, emotional or sexual abuse, addictions, willful sin, some medications, severe lack of self-confidence, overwhelming grief or depression, unforgiveness towards self, others, and situations, and choosing fear over love. These holes can be healed by recognizing what is creating them and asking for specific help by closing them with a Deliverance prayer. Just like a mechanic needs a variety of tools to fix a car, there are also specific prayers for some things that cause people to be broken. Calling the Landlord’s “telephone number” and utilizing “information, booklets, self-help classes, representatives and meetings of community support” gives us prayer, inspired information, help from Angels, and specific Holy words to heal all wounds. This includes not only the Deliverance prayer, but the Divine Decrees and other information to encourage us. We can also choose to go to places of fellowship where the love of God is highlighted, and gather with others for prayer and support as well. (1 Peter 5:6-9) (Hebrews 10:23-25)
(4). Generational bondage. Repetitive difficulties or what seems to be “bad luck” may cloud a person’s life or an entire family because of generational bondage. Centuries of family problems can be passed down this way; stimulated by evil intent, dabbling in the occult, or curses, hexes or negative prayers sent toward certain family members.. This problem can be recognized by pervasive physical, mental or emotional troubles recurring down through family lines. It might present itself as a repetitive physical disease such as cancer or diabetes, or an emotional one such as depression or anger. We will recognize it as a number of recurrent unhealthy things in ourselves, our parents, grandparents or great grandparents. This problem also has a tool to fix it, called the Prayer for Breaking Generational Bondage, which not only helps the person saying it, but breaks the bondage going forward and backward throughout time. This allows one person to be a healer for all their blood line, including any children not yet born. Cutting this bondage helps a person have more clarity and peace, and to identify the things of God much easier; thus making better choices and feeling a better spiritual connection without the additional cloud of negativity hanging over their heads. (Exodus 34:6,7)
(5). Inability to discern between right and wrong. One-third of mankind cannot truly recognize and discern what is a choice of love, and what is not. This is because lifetime after lifetime one out of three people have continually made choices wholly based on fear instead of love. So instead of learning and polishing the facets of love and expanding upon them, they have stagnated and truly cannot discern the difference between right and wrong. And now with the full-court press upon them by the unHoly Angels, it is too late to figure it out. They are under more manipulation than ever before and it is not possible for them to understand what the better choices are. “…the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” (Daniel 12:,9-10) This means not all bad tenants are going to change, and they will end up being evicted. During Armageddon, much manipulation will occur to this group of people, and through this group of people to others. It is as though their bubble of free will is as cheesecloth, and they become pawns of the unHoly Angels to sicken and destroy as much as possible, which also means some of the 2/3, which is their main target, will be killed by their hand. Much of the destruction that occurs during Armageddon is a partnership between the visible third of mankind and the invisible unHoly Angels as they act out against God and what he has created. The rest of the destruction is supernatural cosmic events that the unHoly themselves directly perpetrate upon the earth, but all of this is allowed by God for only a short period of time.
(6). Not asking and not listening. If a person does not ask for directions, they cannot be guided, and no human has a map in their hands for what is coming. During Armageddon, everything will continue to change very quickly, and what seems to be a safe plan now may not be in five minutes. There will be earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, severe storms, rampant sickness and disease, and out of control people looking to perpetrate harm upon each of us. But God has a plan of his own, with myriads of Holy Angels and all Divine information to lead us safely through the mine fields. Our path is not to rely upon our own understanding, but to follow through on what God says, without delay. “As the arrow leaves the bow for your destruction, you will be told to move right, or to move left, and you must do so without hesitation and without question.” This is inspired information for all of us, and each person is encouraged to ask God and hear for themselves what to do in any situation, and to have the discernment to recognize if another person’s inspired answer is for them as well. For God continues to bless individuals with different gifts that glorify him, including leadership in difficult situations. This is the time to nurture your faith, and to recognize it within others, so your clarity will not only help guide yourself, but others. (Hebrews 3:7-19)
Think of the war of Armageddon as a boxing match. God is the referee and always knew who would win – but because of free will he allows the contender to have his day, step into the ring, and try to prove himself against his opponent. But the contenders are unevenly matched - Satan, his unHoly Angels and the manipulated 1/3 of mankind against the tested and proven son of the referee - Jesus Christ, his Holy Angels and the 2/3 of mankind. God has allowed the match, oversees it, and rings the bell. So the boxing match would actually be considered God’s, but he is not the one throwing the punches. Without God’s authority, the match would not have happened at all, and then all onlookers would forever be wondering who would have won if the fight had occurred. So God allowed the fight to happen, and the answer will stand to time indefinite. In this way, Armageddon is God’s war, but he is not the one who does the destruction, but it is by his authority that the seals are broken, the trumpets blow, and the four horseman ride; while his champion son successfully defends his title and awaits his Father’s instructions and timing for the final knock-out. (Revelation chapters 5-9) The winner is announced: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15) How long will this fight go on?
This war will be much shorter than the Great Tribulation. It will only be allowed to go so long – since God is in control and will step in and save, cupping the majority of humankind in his protective hand. (Matthew 24:21,22) When this happens the unHoly Angels have none left to slaughter, and will fight against one another through those left of humanity that they still control, to the death. It is at this time Jesus Christ and the warrior Holy Angels defeat the demons and bind and encapsulate them until the end of the first thousand years of God’s kingdom. This ushers in the beginning of God’s kingdom of great peace upon the earth, with the majority of humankind being saved right through Armageddon and stepping into the new world, having never died. No matter their age, in the kingdom their bodies will now start to change to a state of perfect youth, which individually may be between the ages of mid 20s to early 30s. Then a great resurrection occurs of the rest of the 2/3 who were killed during Armageddon, and others who have been in the heavens. The 1/3 will enter into the new kingdom of God through being born into family units, with a loving mother and father to nurture them, for God continues to show his mercy upon those who fell into subjection. There is a great teaching program on the other side of Armageddon, where all humankind, including those who where once of the third, will have additional chances during the course of a 1,000 years to learn about love without any negative influences to distract them. This opportunity is one of the benefits of the redemption of Christ for all of humankind (not just Christians) for we have been adopted back into God’s family, and no blemish of our previous bad upbringing will remain. (Read also “Why Jesus’ Life is Important Beyond Religion” at TiffanySnow.com) This is a breaking of the Adamic generational bondage, which mankind could not do for themselves. And it is for all of humankind, including the third who were the unwitting pawns of evil. (Hebrews 1:1-14; 2:1-18)(Revelation 5:1-14; 6:1,2)
So when does Armageddon occur? Not in 2012. Why? Because God will not choose what the world thinks it knows as the mind of God. The day and hour is unknown to all but him. “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8) Nevertheless, we are given a season to recognize the shift is at hand. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it (the end) is near, right at the door.” (Mark 13:28,29) It is one of the things that the Angels themselves long to look into. (1 Peter 1:12)
What comes after Armageddon? New leadership will guide all of humankind in perfect love. Governments are often referred symbolically as “heavens,” and what is referenced to as old heavens have “disappeared with a hissing sound.” (2 Peter 3:10) A new government is formed, with Christ as king and 144,000 others beside him as kings and priests to help guide all of humankind to grow to perfection and make the earth a paradise. The teaching program includes witnessing the lives of each person, how their choices for love or fear affected themselves and others, and what was going on behind the scenes by God offering Angelic help. Think of it as a kind of “reality TV;” or a life review that others are watching too. At the end of the 1,000 years all humankind and the earth will be at a state of perfection, which includes being able to physically see and hear God, Angels and other spirit beings with our faultless eyes and ears. This is the same place of perfection that Adam and Eve once were, and each person will have the opportunity to answer whether we wish to live under the Landlord’s law of love or not, instead of being subjected to the choice of our original parents. How will that happen?
God is always fair and continues to uphold individual choice and to respect free will, and this includes not forcing anyone to live a life they do not wish to. Yet at the same time, God will not allow his creation to be harmed again, and the outcome of choices against love were clearly recognized as detrimental. At the end of the 1,000 years Satan and the demons are loosed from their bonds and released again upon the earth, to state just one more time their reasons for rebellion and why love doesn’t work. This time is very, very short and they are powerless to harm. Each person, grown to the state of perfection and fully aware of the history of love versus fear, will make their individual choice to live in a world of love or not. At the instant of their decision, God grants them their choice. For those who choose love, they will receive everlasting life on a paradise earth as God intended from the very beginning. For those who do not choose love, they and the unHoly Angels have the same outcome - their spirit will be physically changed. What does this mean? The spirit is energy, and energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be changed between two things: wave and particle. So these waves now become particle, and become part of the earth itself, thereby physically adding to something they were once bent on destroying. It is possible that none or very few humans will choose this; but the unHoly Angels have already made their choice, because the time for them to make new choices and come back to God had already expired when Armageddon began. Now, Christ hands back the reins of his government to God as a beautiful pearl, and the fullness of the Kingdom of God truly begins. This is officially the end of time, the beginning of timelessness, and the fulfillment of God’s word in behalf of humankind. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
In the kingdom of God, all that we have hoped for in our hearts comes true. Why have people had visions and dreams of a utopian world? Because we were created to live in such a place, that is what has been placed in our hearts from the very beginning. (Genesis 1:27-31) Nothing beneficial will be kept from us; we will know all good things. (Genesis 3:22) This includes developing amazing inventions, traveling this world, and also visiting other places in the universe. As humans, we are living representatives of the answered original issues, and proof that love always wins. No matter where we go, we will be able to tell the story of God’s love and eagerly share the stories of how it all went down in the final days. Will you have a paragraph in that story? How much more exciting to choose to be a pen in the hand of God, and actively involved in this final chapter. Also, knowing about these deeper things of Armageddon and sharing them with others increases hope for the things ahead and helps us persevere by keeping our eyes on the prize. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…and the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)
