Changes

There is wide disagreement among religious scholars as to the fate of Christians before the Tribulation period.<ref>The three main views are the Pre-Tribulation [[Rapture]] (where Christians are taken out of the world beforehand; the [[Left Behind]] series is based on this view); the Mid-Tribulation Rapture (where Christians are taken out when the Antichrist reveals his true nature; this view is the least-held), and the view that there will not be any Rapture at all and Christians will go through the Tribulation (a variant on this view has all Christians going through the Tribulation, with those successfully going through the entire period being raptured immediately before the Battle of Armageddon).</ref> Revelation itself does not discuss this topic.

There is wide disagreement among religious scholars as to the fate of Christians before the Tribulation period.<ref>The three main views are the Pre-Tribulation [[Rapture]] (where Christians are taken out of the world beforehand; the [[Left Behind]] series is based on this view); the Mid-Tribulation Rapture (where Christians are taken out when the Antichrist reveals his true nature; this view is the least-held), and the view that there will not be any Rapture at all and Christians will go through the Tribulation (a variant on this view has all Christians going through the Tribulation, with those successfully going through the entire period being raptured immediately before the Battle of Armageddon).</ref> Revelation itself does not discuss this topic.

What is understood is that, at the outset of the Tribulation, a figure called the [[Antichrist]] (or the Beast) will rise on the scene.  He will establish a one-world government to which all must pledge allegiance, by taking on themselves a mark consisting of the [[Number of the Beast]] (best known by its numerical designation of '''666''') in order to buy or sell.  Those who take the 666 consign themselves to ultimate eternal damnation.  He is accompanied by a religious figure, the False Prophet, who will establish a one-world religion in direct opposition to Christianity, to which all must adhere.  Though there will be those who resist (notably the Two Witnesses and a group of 144,000 evangelists, often believed to be Jewish), the Antichrist will largely be successful in opposing and killing those who resist him.

What is understood is that, at the outset of the Tribulation, a figure called the [[Antichrist]] (or the Beast) will rise on the scene.  He will establish a one-world government to which all must pledge allegiance, in order to buy or sell, by taking on themselves a mark consisting of the [[Number of the Beast]] (also called the Mark of the Beast, and best known by its numerical designation of '''666'''); however, those who take the mark consign themselves to ultimate eternal damnation.  He is accompanied by a religious figure, the False Prophet, who will establish a one-world religion in direct opposition to Christianity, to which all must adhere.  Though there will be those who resist (notably the Two Witnesses and a group of 144,000 evangelists, often believed to be Jewish), the Antichrist will largely be successful in opposing and killing those who resist him.

The Antichrist will establish a peace treaty with [[Israel]] for seven years, allowing Israel to rebuild its long-awaited Temple and restore the Jewish sacrificial system.  Once the Temple is completed at the mid-way point of the treaty, the Antichrist will reveal his true nature: he will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be the awaited Messiah.  At this point, the world will be subject to a series of ever-harsher judgments.

The Antichrist will establish a peace treaty with [[Israel]] for seven years, allowing Israel to rebuild its long-awaited Temple and restore the Jewish sacrificial system.  Once the Temple is completed at the mid-way point of the treaty, the Antichrist will reveal his true nature: he will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be the awaited Messiah.  At this point, the world will be subject to a series of ever-harsher judgments.