We have all seen images of the chaos resulting from the rapture of the Church; pilotless airliners crashing, driverless autos and trucks wrecking, et cetera. However, there are some facets of that great and wonderful event that many have not taken into account.

One major result, in my opinion, will be the absence of sinless young children in this world. Referring to children Jesus said, “for of such is the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The terror of lost children will be overwhelming to the parents who were not taken up to be with the Lord Jesus. At some point parents will realize that all young children are gone, and that their children have disappeared and are not lost or kidnapped.

Here in the United States, over eighty percent of Americans claim to be at least nominally Christian. This is not true of most other nations. How many of these Americans have a saving relation with the Lord I do not know. I know that I count a great deal on the mercy of the Lord. If only one-half of the eighty percent of Americans claiming Christianity are taken up with the Church that would mean that the population of the United States would be decimated. Of the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimated population of 316 million, 126 million would “disappear” leaving the United States with about 190 million people. This might explain why America does not appear to be a major component in End Time prophecy. We would no longer be the great power that we are now.

What this really means is that world commerce would cease. Why build houses when there are so many empty ones? Why make automobiles, or televisions, or computers when there are so many lying around unused? Economics speaks of the “multiplier effect” in which additional jobs result in more jobs being created because of the demand for more goods and services. The opposite of this effect would occur where the loss of jobs would cause the loss of more jobs, resulting in a downward spiral for the economy of the world.

This time of crisis may be an explanation for the ease with which one person of power is able to command the obedience of all the “earth dwellers,” those remaining on earth after the Rapture. The remaining people of the world “will worship” this person called “the beast” in the Revelation 13:1-8, but generally referred to as the anti-Christ.

After the rapture of the Church, the largest religious group on earth will be Islam with approximately one billion followers. Islam, the religion that seeks the submission of all others (that is the meaning of Islam) will probably be pre-imminent in the world. This does not bode well for the women of the world. The freedom they now have will be lost. It may be possible that the blood spilled by Islam in the centuries following its beginning will again come to pass.

There is much speculation as to the identity of the anti-Christ. It may be possible that he will be Islamic. If the End Times are as near as many think, the anti-Christ is alive today and living somewhere in the world. If the End Times are as near as many think, we must earnestly pray for the lost, support the missionaries trying to spread the Gospel, and tell others of the free gift of Salvation offered through the Lord Jesus. May His name be always praised!