The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 16:16-17, “And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called

HarMagedon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air; and a loud voice came out of the temple

from the throne, saying, “It is done.”

The Final Battle of all times is between the LORD and Satan. It is known as Armageddon.

Notwithstanding the trials we all encounter in this life, there will be one decisive battle which will determine who is most powerful and ultimately in charge of the Earth. Megiddo is in the Plain of Esdraelon, which is part of the great highway from Egypt to Damascus. I have viewed it, and It is flat for as far as one can see.

From the most ancient times to the time of Napoleon, it was one of the great battle-grounds of the world. This is the plain where Barak and Deborah overthrew Sisera and his chariots, where Ahaziah died by the arrows of Jehu; where the good Josiah perished in a battle with Pharaoh Necho, a tragedy which the Jews have never forgotten.

Approximately 34 battles have been fought in the Jezreel Valley (Armageddon). This is the plain where Barak and Deborah overthrew Sisera and his chariots, where Ahaziah died by the arrows of Jehu (2 Kings 9); where the good Josiah perished in a battle with Pharaoh Necho (2 Kings 23), a tragedy which the Jews have never forgotten.

Napoleon Bonaparte declared it “the most natural battleground of the whole Earth.” Thutmose III fought the Canaanites in there; Deborah & Barak defeated Sisera there; Saul fought the Philistines there; Solomon defeated Pharaoh Shishak there; Josiah battled Pharaoh Necho there. There were four separate battles there between Saladin and the Crusaders in the 12th century; Egyptian Mamlouks fought the Mongols there in 14th century; Napoleon Bonaparte engaged the Ottomans there in 1799; General George Allenby fought the Ottoman Turks there in 1918; and Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek fought the Arab Liberation Army there in A.D. 1948.

The Scriptures indicate that Seven Last Plagues will be poured out by the LORD as Judgments on Satan and his forces at Armageddon (Rev. 16:2-21). These are often called the “Bowl Judgments.”

1) Bowl One: will cause sores to break out on those who bear the Mark of the Beast (v. 2).

2) Bowl Two: will cause blood to be poured out on the seas (v. 3).

3) Bowl Three: blood will then infest all the rivers and springs (vv. 4-7)

4) Bowl Four: a scorching fire will descend upon all mankind (vv. 8-9).

5) Bowl Five: deep darkness will cover the entirety of the Beast’s kingdom (vv. 10-11).

6) Bowl Six: dryness will come to the River Euphrates (vv. 12-16).

7) Bowl Seven: a cataclysmic Earthquake will slay multitudes (vv. 17-21).

Remember that all born-again believers will have been previously Raptured (“snatched up”) to meet the LORD Jesus Christ in the air. Only unbelievers will have been left on the Earth. Thus, the Battle that will ensue between Christ Jesus and the Antichrist will require mankind to follow one of these two groups. Those taking the Mark of the Beast will signify that they are with Satan’s Antichrist. Most probably, there will be those who elect to follow Christ, regardless of the severe penalty from Antichrist. Yet, as Scripture has shown us today, the ultimate victory is won by Jesus Christ.

Are you on His side? He loves you and wants you to be. Trust Him today and know the true riches of His love and provisions! And when you know Him, you’ll love Him and want to share Him with others! May God bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Some of you were not able to open the odt file; so I am resending it as a pdf file.

I trust you will find it clear and readable and helpful.

My sincere apologies.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Dear Grands,

Daniel 9:27, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Immediately following the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Great Tribulation falls upon the whole Earth! At this point, there are no Christians left on the Earth. Remember that the believers who had died were raised bodily from their graves and were taken with the living believers, who were alive in the Rapture of the Church.

The Great Tribulation enters somewhat gradually, under the leadership of the Antichrist, and will last for a period of seven years. As Satan is the spiritual counterpart to God the Father, Antichrist is the spiritual counterpart to the Jesus, God the Son. With Jesus and His Church gone from the Earth, Satan’s forces move in virtually unopposed to rule and reign on the Earth. The Antichrist’s primary focus is upon Israel, God’s chosen people, who have descended from Abraham.

Antichrist’s initial move is to convince Israel that he is their messiah. Without her acceptance of the LORD, Israel is at the mercy of the Antichrist. For the first three and one-half years, Israel will be blinded by Antichrist’s apparent congeniality; yet, in the middle of the week (the seven-year period), he will suddenly turn against Israel, and they will then know that Christ, not Antichrist, was the true Messiah.

Revelation 11:3-6, “”And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the Earth. 5 And if anyone desires to harm them, (and they will), fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. 6These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”

The identites of the two witnesses mentioned are Elijah and Moses. It was Elijah who withheld rain from the Earth in the days of Ahab, King of Israel (2 Kings 18:1). It was Moses, who turned the waters of Egypt into blood (Exodus 7:20). Their purpose is to go throughout the land and announce the truth once again to Earth’s lost people, primarily the Jews. For His Covenant was with the Hebrews, and this is their final opportunity to accept Jesus as their True Messiah.

The two witnesses are empowered to spew fire upon those who interfere in the dissemination of their message. In the end, the witnesses are slain, and lie openly dead for three and a half days in the street of Jerusalem, enabling all the world to see. People everywhere will rejoice (Rev. 11:10). Yet, after the three and one-half days, the breath of life from God will come into them, and, while the world trembles in fear, the faithful witnesses, now alive, will ascend into Heaven to be with the LORD.

This is a brief condensation of the events that will comprise the Great Tribulation. It is vital, therefore, that you come to faith in Jesus Christ, if you have not; and it is vital that we, who already know Him, take every opportunity to share the Good News of salvation with the lost.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NOTE: I have attached an additional paper that gives additional reasons why the Church will not experiece the Tribulation.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Immediately following the Rapture, the true believers, who have committed themselves by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Every court room has an elevated platform where the judge is positioned prominently before the accused, the attorneys, the jury and the congregants. Such was the origin of the bema (pronounced bay-ma) seat. In the Olympic Games, the bema was at the finish line. There the judge sat, so positioned that he could determine who was first, second, and/or third in the races.

Paul uses the word and the concept to assure us that one day we believers shall all stand before the Bema Seat of Christ. Unbelievers will certainly be judged –and by the LORD– but they will not be at the Bema Seat. True Believers have already been forgiven and justified through the Death and Resurrection of our LORD Jesus. Now, they will hear the LORD’s witness to a full and complete account of how they lived their Christian lives. He will assess and verify how we utilized our time, our energies, our study, our prayers, and our witnessing –our full and total commitment to Him. Our works in this life will be divinely assessed, and rewards will be distributed for works that resulted in the glorification of our LORD.

Following the Bema Seat, comes the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:7-9, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’”

The New Testament clearly avows that the Church (the body of truly committed believers – not religious denominations, as we think of them today). The True Church is the Bride of Christ. Thus, the Supper is the celebratory activities of Jesus, the Groom, and His Bride, the Church. It will be somewhat as we have in wedding parties today. We are not given a list of the Supper’s activities, but we may rest assured that the Bride’s eyes will be fully focused upon Jesus!

All of this should serve us well as an admonition toward good works – works that serve and glorify Him!

Read your Bible carefully. Savor every word. Pray sincerely, personally, and often. Witness always in love. There’s a GREAT DAY Coming! Be ready! Don’t miss it! God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NEXT LETTER: Armageddon!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Isaiah 13:6-7, “Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore, all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.”

The phrase, “the Day of the LORD,” is repeated more than twenty times in the Bible. That Day commences with the Great Tribulation and continues into the Millennial Kingdom of the LORD – a

Kingdom of world peace that lasts for 1,000 years.

Since the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been living in the Church Age. But,

that age will cease when the LORD Jesus returns and His Church is caught up to meet Him in the air.

This is called the Rapture (snatching away) and Paul speaks clearly of this in First Thessalonians when he says,

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain

until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the

archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

17 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.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thes. 4:15-18).

The Church is not a particular denomination, as we think today (e.g., Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.);

The Church is comprised of all truly born-again people –individuals that have truned away from sin,

asked and been forgiven by the LORD Jesus Christ. They have hope (future certainty) of an eternal

home in Heaven. Salvation is not gained by personal righteousness. Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6 KJV); rather, it is granted freely to those who believe totally in the LORD Jesus Christ, who died for them on the Cross and arose from the dead, and is alive forevermore!

the Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. We will discuss “The Judgment Seat of Christ,” “The Marriage

Supper of the Lamb,” “The Great Tribulation,” “Armageddon,” the Second Coming of Christ,” and much

more. We earnestly seek your prayers for the writer and for all who are recipients of this Letter. We

want everyone we can reach to know and receive the Saving Gospel of Jesus! The time is short!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”