Your question:

Hi. My name is E. W. and I'm and 11 year old boy who has recently began ready the "Left Behind" Series. I myself have been questioning my faith in God and believe I have realized my mistakes. But I still don't completely understand the Trumpet Judgments or The Beast. Please write back. I'm very interested in this and would enjoy a for warning on what might happen.

Thank You,
E. W.

 My answer:

Hi E.,
Thanks for the e-mail.

You said: I'm and 11 year old boy who has recently began ready the "Left Behind" Series

My response: The "Left Behind" series is very entertaining, but I hope you are not taking it too seriously. It is good for Christians to write books that the world might notice, but the doctrine of this series does not match that of the Bible.

You said: I myself have been questioning my faith in God and believe I have realized my mistakes.

My response: Good. Do you talk to your parents about your faith?

You said: But I still don't completely understand the Trumpet Judgments or The Beast.

My response: The trumpets are a view of the desolation (tribulation). They are a more extensive repeat of chapter 6 and chapter 7. The revelation of John is a series of visions that show him the same thing from different physical and spiritual views. Often within the same revelation experienced by a prophet the visions are interrupted by other related visions. The trumpets start in Chapter 8 and go steadily until they are interrupted by another vision at the seventh trumpet. This separate vision is a repeat of events from a heavenly viewpoint and introduces the reader to the antichrist (beast) and his side-kick the false prophet. This vision also gives a glimpse at the battle that will happen in heaven when Satan tries to take the throne through his son the antichrist in the temple on Mount Zion. The seventh trumpet is completed in 14:1-20 where we see the resurrection of the true believers and then follows God's wrath against the earth's inhabitants.

I pray that I have served you well. I realize that this may seem confusing. Feel free to ask more detailed questions.

In the service of the LORD Jesus,

Randy