Welcome to Prophecy Q & A with Jimmy DeYoung!
The “wars and rumors of wars” that Jesus mentions in Matthew 24:6-7 is one of the great indicators that He is about to return. They are not indications that the rapture of the church is about to take place. Matthew 24 does not talk about the rapture but about the second coming. The first event to take place is the rapture, then the seven-year period of time, and finally the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is what He was telling the Jewish people who will be alive during the Tribulation period; they can look for these events and calculate how soon it is before His return will take place.
In Ezekiel 38 and 39, it seems that the Battle of Gog and Magog will take place in the first six months of the Tribulation period. Throughout the entire seven-year period there will be wars and rumors of wars.
There will be seven seal judgments (Revelation 6-8:1). Then, there will be seven trumpet judgments (Revelation 5, 9, and 11). Finally, the seven vial judgments will take place (Revelation 16). Revelation 16:12 says that the River Euphrates will be dried up, making way for the kings of the East to come marching into Jerusalem. The River Euphrates is a natural border between the Middle East and the Far East. Revelation 16:12 is talking about the the sixth vial judgment. Verses 13-16, a parenthetical passage of Scripture, deals with how all of the armies of the world will be gathered in Jerusalem. Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet (the Satanic trinity) will use signs, wonders, and miracles to gather all of the armies of the world into Jerusalem. They will then come for the campaign of Armageddon. Zechariah 14:2 says that, indeed, all of the armies of the world will gather at Jerusalem.
Jimmy DeYoung was a prophecy teacher and journalist who travelled the country and the world educating the Body of Christ of the future events foretold in God’s prophetic Word. His goal was to equip Christians with the knowledge and understanding of what God’s Word says will happen someday soon, so that they can make better decisions today. Dr. DeYoung went home to be with his Savior on August 15, 2021.
