Prophet Leland Earls wrote the following words almost 40 years ago, around 1968. He declared, and I believe him, that the Day of the Lord had already begun even at that time. He testified that the beginning trumpet blasts of judgment had already begun and that they were wake up calls to God’s people. Christians did wake up for awhile in the 60’s, 70’s, and early 80’s, but, strangely, they fell back asleep after that. Now almost the entire Christian church wallows in its apostasy and the filth Satan has spewed from his mouth. Few Christians, relatively speaking, believe the great tribulation is now upon us. But it is. Are you awake and prepared for that which shortly begins?
The Plagues and Trumpets
by Leland Earls
That which is spoken of in the Scriptures as the “Day of the Lord” is now at hand. It has already begun to dawn. The Lord is coming to His people as the rising of the morning sun. Only those who are awake when the dawn begins to break are able to see the light. Others are still asleep, and though the light is dawning, they are still in darkness. It is written in God’s Word that He calls for you to “Awake and arise, and Christ shall give you light” (Eph. 5:14). Awake, for even now the day dawns, and the daystar is arising in your hearts to give light and understanding for this time (II Pet. 1:19).
For those not awake to see the light, it will be a time of gross and intense darkness such as the world has never seen, even as the darkness which covered the land of Egypt, for three days did darkness cover the land. So will there be three years of intense darkness on the earth, for the Lord has decreed a day for a year (Ezek. 4:6). Men will grope as blind men and will not be able to find the way, for the Lord will send them a spirit of delusion because they are now refusing the light and truth. Therefore will judgment be on them in that hour. As the plagues were on the land of Egypt, so will the plagues be on this earth. But the Lord will separate a place for His people even as He separated the land of Goshen in the land of Egypt. There will be a place of safety and there shall be light (understanding) of all the Lord’s ways in that day, so that His people shall not be left in darkness as to what to do and where to go.
As the Lord called for the Israelites through Moses to prepare for the darkness and to call on the Name of their God, even so does He call for us in this hour to prepare for the darkness which is coming; for this is the day of preparation. “Prepare [ ] the way of the Lord and make His paths straight” that you may know and see the way in that day. Make no provision for fleshly ways, but make provision for the life of the Spirit, and give yourself wholly to Him, that you may be a trumpet in this hour. The trumpets of Revelation are now being unfolded, and a trumpet of warning is going forth to warn people of the coming day of battle. So lift up your voice like a trumpet and prepare His people.
It is written that there were ten plagues which fell on Egypt. So is the Lord bringing ten plagues onthis world. Four of the plagues have come to pass (in a measure only—complete fulfillment awaits the Tribulation). Six are yet to come. The last plague will be the worst as the vials of wrath are poured out, and there shall be a great destruction in the land. A great cry and wail shall go up. As the Lord delivered His people when the death angel struck in the land of Egypt, so in the coming latter days, the Lord will deliver those who have the blood of their Savior sprinkled on their hearts, It is written that Moses led the people out of Egypt in that day. Even so will the Lord lead and take a great host out of the world that they may be joined to Him in the heavenly kingdom. Now is the day of preparation. Those taken to Him will be His inheritance, and they will rule and reign with Him over the earth as He brings all things into harmony with His Will.
Of the six remaining plagues that will come on the world, two are yet to come before the Great Tribulation, and the last four shall run simultaneously throughout the Tribulation, even the approximate three years of great terror and darkness. And there will be a great slaughter on the earth as multitudes are killed in the battle of the great Day of God. The battle will begin shortly after the half way mark in the three and one half years described in Revelation 11-13. It will continue throughout a period of almost 21 months even to the end of the age. After the three and one half years have run their course and God’s people have been drawn and lifted out of the world, then will the seven vials consummate all things and bring great destruction so that there will be few men left (Isa. 13:12). For the earth shall be covered with her slain in that day (Ezek. 39:12-14).
Now let me explain to you the seven trumpets of Revelation. Although there will be plagues of destruction taking place during the blowing of the seven trumpets, yet the trumpets themselves herald progressive stages of God’s dealing with His people during that time. The ten plagues which come onthe world are not mentioned as such in the Book of Revelation, but are continually taking place during the time of the seven trumpets. That which is described as taking place during the first six trumpets portrays God’s dealing with His people to awaken them and to bring them to the place where He can use them during the Tribulation period.
The Tribulation period itself is synonymous with the blowing of the seventh trumpet, for this is the time that His people will go forth with power to reap a great harvest on the earth. This is also the time that the final four plagues will be falling on the inhabitants of the earth. By means of the events which unfold during the blowing of the seven trumpets, He is trumpeting a message of preparation to His people, for by means of a trumpet were His people of old called to battle. The trumpets are now sounding for the preparation of the battle of the great day of God Almighty. And as the trumpets are blowing and various events are taking place on the world scene, He is trying to awaken people with trumpet blasts. Even now the forces of the nether world are being unleashed to bring greater evil onthe earth, so that God’s people will see the signs of the time and awaken to their time of preparation.
God’s Word is rich and many-sided. One application does not exhaust its fulfillment. Since God conforms everything to a basic pattern, there will be many phases of fulfillment to the types-in-truth which are portrayed in the Scriptures. From one point of application there is a continuous fulfillment of the plagues during the over-all end time period. From another shorter and more intensive application the plagues are yet future and will take place during the time of Great Tribulation yet to come. The fulfillment of the plagues can also be seen from yet other perspectives, but I will not try to explore this subject at the present time. Needless to say, God is now bringing, and will bring, judgment on this world, which is typified by Egypt of old, that the great Pharaoh (Satan) will be forced to let the people of God go free that they may serve Him.
