In the eighth chapter of the Book of Revelation, John is shown an event that will happen during the last 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation period. His description comes from that of an eye witness, yet he struggles to describe an event that he does not have the capacity to understand. John’s descriptions of things he has been allowed to see that will happen in the Last Days, are based on the limited knowledge of a first century man.
Revelation 8:8-13 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
When Paul was stoned to death in the Book of Acts chapter 14, later on in the Book of 2 Corinthians chapter 12, he describes the fact that he was immediately transported into Heaven. Paul said that the things he saw there in Heaven were impossible to describe in earthly terms.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
How would someone who has never seen a gigantic asteroid, describe the impact that it would make as it strikes the earth? Revelation chapter 8 details the impact of earth by an object that John describes as “Something like a great mountain burning with fire thrown into the sea.” It is clear that what John was viewing was not a mountain, but a huge asteroid making contact with earth. It is a fact that during the final 3 1/12 years of the present earth, during the days described in vivid detail in Revelation chapters 6-18, earth will be pummeled over and over by Asteroids.
One of the signs that a conscientious student of Bible Prophecy would we watching for, would be a marked increase in asteroid activity in our solar system. Just a few days ago earth experienced a near miss by an asteroid that skimmed past earth by just 28,000 miles. As we approach the day of the return of Jesus we can expect more and more reports such as this coming to us from news and Astronomical reports around the world.
For the person trusting in Jesus Christ and waiting for His return, these are not events to bring us fear, but signs that the One in whom we Love so much is about to appear to complete His promise to take us to heaven to live with Him forever. If you have not yet placed your full trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this is just one more limited opportunity to call on the name of Jesus and be saved before it is too late. May the Lord lead all of us to a saving knowledge of Him and make us ready to meet Him soon in “The Clouds”.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
