The following passages from the book of Revelation reveal the events that occur on earth before the Lord's return.   

Our expectations must be based on Truth and not hope-sos.   Otherwise we will be disappointed at best and devastated at worst.   

Be a Wise Virgin.   

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Rev 8:6 This is at the end of the Great Tribulation.

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Rev 8:7

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; Rev 8:8

And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. Rev 8:9

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; Rev 8:10

And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. Rev 8:11

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. Rev 8:12

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! Rev 8:13 As if the preceding events were not terrible enough, the three remaining trumpets will release unimagineable suffering and death.

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. Rev 9:1

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Rev 9:2

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. Rev 9:3

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of the Lord in their foreheads. Rev 9:4 So, there are believers, sealed with the Seal Of God, still on the earth at the time of the fifth trumpet.     Rev 7:3

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. Rev 9:5 Violent illness but no relief by death.

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Rev 9:6 Excruciating pain and misery which would normally accompany the throes of death simply linger with no abatement.

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. Rev 9:7 Some have speculated that these are flying machines releasing chemical and bacterial agents upon the people.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. Rev 9:8 Could these be paintings or wraps depicting images on the machines.

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. Rev 9:9 Helicopters make a distinct beating sound like horses hooves when on the run.

And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. Rev 9:10 The helicopter imagery is clear.

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Rev 9:11 Abaddon means `destroyer`.     Satan is the destroyer Joh 10:10.      The Spirit Of Antichrist is the spirit of destruction.      The leftists of the world are under the influence of Satan by his Spirit Of Antichrist.      We see world leaders proclaiming grand schemes to address non-existent problems.     As their power increases they will implement those schemes.     Destruction will be the result.      They will bring about the Great Tribulation.      As their schemes begin to fail they will blame non-partipating Christians for the failure.     Accordingly, they will determine that Christians must be eliminated.      Who is causing these machines to release agents of pain and suffering on humanity?         → It is Satan through the Children Of Satan - the cadre of elitist, Secular Humanist leaders around the world.         → They will be give power and serve the Beast for a period of time until all resistance is eliminated.      The Great Tribulation    → issues from Satan through the Children Of Satan.         → is the result of rebellion against the Lord    → destroys life through experimental programs    → results in Christians being persecuted.      Jesus will return    → to end the persecution    → to destroy the destroyers    → to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. Rev 9:12 The three woes which represent unavoidable terror and destruction.

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before the Lord, Rev 9:13 The voice is not the Lord`s voice.     It is coming from a being who is before the Lord.     Likely it is Satan.     Because mankind is submitting to him on earth he is exersizing the authority man has given him over the earth.

Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. Rev 9:14 Satan speaks to one of his angels to loose the four rebellious angels who have been bound up.      The garden of Eden was in the Tigris Euphrates valley.     It is likely these four ranking followers of Lucifer have been bound there for 6000 years only to be released upon the very men whom their master has deceived.      The release of these demons comes by man`s authority as he resists the Lord and gives worship to Satan.

And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. Rev 9:15 Who prepared these angels?      Lucifer, whose plan was and is to destroy humanity.

And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. Rev 9:16 These angels will inspire the human leader (China?) of a great military force of 200,000,000 men to march toward Israel.

And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. Rev 9:17 Tanks and other land based arms will be mobilized to move upon Israel.

By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. Rev 9:18 Fire is a destroyer.     Satan, the destroyer, is known for his lies and deception.      Smoke inhibits vision of the surrounding things and is symbolic of deception and confusion.      Brimstone (sulphur-dioxide) is the stench that arises from the fire.      Brimstone is symbolic of the disquiet, uneasiness, stress, fear and division that arises from the fire of Satan`s lies being believed by the masses.

For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. Rev 9:19 Cannons and rocket launchers.

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Rev 9:20 Men are so disconnected from the Lord at this point, that calling on His name does not even occur to them.     They are Secular Humanists by religion and so trust only in man to solve man`s problems.

Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Rev 9:21 Wicked people are always able to justify their wickedness.      abortion and homosexuality are examples of their justifications.

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: Rev 10:1 This is a good angel - from heaven.     He is announcing the end of the end.

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, Rev 10:2 This demonstrates the power of whom he represents.

And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. Rev 10:3 In these seven thunders are the details of the Day Of Wrath.

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. Rev 10:4 The Lord does not enjoy passing judgment and administering punishment.     But, He must do it because of His righteous integrity.      Accordingly, He does not want this very ugly picture to be recorded and so propagated.

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, Rev 10:5

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: Rev 10:6 It is the absolute End Of The Age.     There will be no further delay.

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of the Lord should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. Rev 10:7 The Mystery Of The Lord is His Plan to produce children who are born of His Holy Spirit and Word and so are gods.

The above represents the context in which the following verse may be properly understood:

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1Co 15:52 There are Seven Trumpets identified in Rev 8,9,10.     At the Last Trump our Lord will appear in the sky as lightening with every eye seeing Him.      When the Last Trump sounds the dead in Christ shall be raised and translated along with those who are alive.      This will happen in a moment of time.