There seems to be general agreement in the eschatosphere (the “prophecy community”) that Satan will be on the earth and very busy right after the rapture. Rev. 12:1-6 appears to be a highly symbolic but nevertheless chronologically accurate description of events at the time of the rapture. There is a harpazo in verse 5, and then “the woman” – with much speculation about her identity – flees into the wilderness for 1,260 days to escape the dragon’s persecution. This is a 3½-year period beginning shortly after the rapture.
John’s narrative is interrupted to give some back-story on this dragon, how Satan and his angels are cast down to the earth, and that he has “great wrath because he knows that he has a short time.” With that bit of illumination, John resumes the narrative with this Dragon persecuting the woman. She flies to the wilderness – the place prepared for her – for “a time and times and half a time,” the 3½-years noted above. This appears to be the beginning of the “tribulation period” so-called, though the term is rarely defined with any precision. For our purposes, let’s simply agree that the hardships visited on the planet will escalate in frequency and intensity from the harpazo until the Dragon is destroyed.
As life on earth is becoming increasingly unpleasant, Satan is making war against “the rest of her offspring” – some (at present) unidentified group of people living on earth after the rapture who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17). The two most likely possibilities for the identity of this group are 1) people who were saved before the rapture but got “left behind,” or 2) people who got saved after the rapture.
Satan will give his power, his throne, and great authority to someone designated “the beast.” This beast then receives what appears to be a mortal head wound and miraculously (or so it appears) recovers. Speculation abounds, but scripture gives no additional information. But the end result is that this “beast” becomes an object of worship, the dragon is given authority to continue (or “make war”) for 42 months, and his authority is “over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” None of this is conjecture; it’s all written in Rev. 13:1-14 which I encourage you to read.
At this point, we know from scripture that this Beast is perceived to be invincible, he has become an object of worship, he has global authority, and he has declared war against all who will not worship him. Since resistance is futile (Rev. 13:4) it can reasonably be assumed that he has control over the planet, including supply chains, highways, food supplies, energy, air transportation, communications, public facilities and all the rest. He will have this control and authority, granted by God, for 42 months (Rev. 13:5). 42 months is, again, 1,260 days – not necessarily the exact same time period as above, but a lot of overlap.
It is into this arena that our 144,000 sealed “witnesses” (in quotes because they are never identified in scripture as witnesses, evangelists, or anything similar) are going to go, and win “a great multitude which no one could number“ to Christ. Unless, in addition to them being sealed by God, we also assume they have supernatural powers, they would have to be extremely effective evangelists in an extremely hostile environment. In addition, these prospective “new converts” must be reached QUICKLY, because those without the mark can’t get groceries.
One thing needs to be remembered here: the power to save is in the GOSPEL, not in the presentation. We need to disabuse ourselves of the notion that they would be successful soul-winners because of their verbal skills, or that you may be ineffective in evangelism because of your own rhetorical deficiencies. In selling cars or anything else, verbal strength is essential. But not in evangelism. The power of the gospel is released by the faith of the hearer. The skill of the messenger is essentially irrelevant.
I hope I have honestly represented the logistic challenges. Despite these difficulties, it would still be possible for a great multitude to be saved if those to be won were hungry for truth, eager for redemption, passionate for reconciliation with God, and undeterred by the immediate and painful consequences of their conversion. Today, as you have no doubt noticed, people generally are NOT. Will this change after the rapture? The scriptures offer a clear answer to this question.
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