A triumphant vision of Jesus followed by the prophetic proclamations of six angels–a prelude to the bowl judgments.

In August 2025, a reporter asked President Trump about ending Russia’s war on Ukraine. He responded: “I want to end it,” he said. “I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.” His campaign’s political action committee then followed up with an appeal to his supporters to help him get into heaven by giving money.

It has been several weeks since Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated on 10 September 2025 on the campus of Utah Valley University. Much has happened since then, including a memorial service for him in Arizona. I have been thinking about and reflecting upon this momentous event.

Satan constructs a false trinity, when he presents his “Christ” to the world energized by the false prophet to deceive the world into the worship of Satan and his “Christ.”

One of my favorite thought leaders today is columnist and Christian, David Brooks. He recently published an essay on the absence of hope and purpose in so much of America. As I read his essay, I kept thinking of the book of Ecclesiastes. I want to quote from his essay and then turn to the solution in the 3,000 year old book written by King Solomon.

Revelation 12: John identifies the main players in the drama of the Great Tribulation.

Jeffrey Epstein (1953-2019) was an American financier and convicted sex offender who was accused of serial sex trafficking of women and girls. Along with his convicted confederate, Ghislaine Maxwell, he systematically groomed and sexually abused (and enabled the sexual abuse of) hundreds and hundreds of young women and girls. Through his successful financial career, Epstein became a multimillionaire and developed a social circle that included extremely wealthy individuals, prominent politicians, and even royalty. While jailed and awaiting a federal sex-trafficking trial, Epstein killed himself by hanging.

God raises up the two witnesses to challenge the Beast (the antichrist), by faithfully proclaiming the truth for 3 1/2 years.

On 6 and 9 August 1945 (80 years ago), the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, ultimately ending World War II. These bombings killed between 150,000 and 246,000 people. This has been the only use of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. This event, George Will observes, “transported humanity from one geopolitical era to another.”

The 5th and 6th Trumpet judgments are followed by the recommissioning of John as God’s prophet in chapter 10.