I have read the book Trial, Tribulation and Triumph by Birch. It really opened my mind to what is on the horizon.
If I recall here is what to expect:
1. Minor Chastisement - probably will be man-made - God allowing man's narrow-minded focus to cause economic and political upheaval. This will involve a series of regional wars or civil wars especially in Spain, France and Italy. Rome will be mostly / partially destroyed.
Interesting, Iran seems to be taunting the US and has said that the US doesn't have the might to open a 3rd front. (Iraq and Afghanistan / Pakistan being the current two open I guess.) If civil unrest breaks internally (which the political think-tanks in DC have already predicted) we would effectively be out of the picture.
2. Rise of Great Monarch and Holy Pope - i.e. restoration of Christendom (hey WARNING, this part is for you).
3. Period of peace which is of short duration. (probably a generation or less in length)
4. Rise of Antichrist and Tribulation caused by Antichrist then MAJOR CHASTISEMENT which will be an event clearly "Of GOD."
Thoughts?
Mostly correct, although the 'minor tribulation' or 'minor' chastisement you speak about will be a full-fledged nuclear (strategic nuclear war heads) Third World War, involving Russia as invader of Central and Western Europe, and with Three Days of Darkness, which events will decimate the world population literally back until about 300 million or 500 million, from the 7 billion we have now.
'Annihilation of nations [peoples]' during this war.
The 3rd World War will be
preceded by (first) an economic depression, civil unrest in Europe and the United States, and civil wars involving socialists in Spain and other southern European countries.
In the Middle East, a Middle East sudden war will break out, probably involving Israel and Iran and Syria (I am not pointing fingers to who's 'guilty'), after (as Alois Irlmaier says) there has been some (futile) peace movement calling 'Shalom'. This Middle East war will precede the Third World War.
The Asian and Pacific theatre is unknown from Catholic prophecy, but of course will involve Red China and North Korea and Japan and Vietnam, and of course India and Pakistan.
It seems that the personal Antichrist will already be revealed (partially, but not known or identified) prior to his reign after the Era of Peace (which may only last for 5 years or at most 30 years of Christendom's peaceful lives), preceding the Third World War, as he may appear amidst the Jews and Shia Muslems in the Middle East as their "Mahdi" (Shia Muslims) and their "Messiah" (for the so-called Jews, incl. being appointed head of the Israeli state). But I am not sure about this.
However, despite the Three Days of Darkness, the Antichrist will surive, and the Era of Peace will see Catholic reign in Europe, but not the universal conversion of Jews (but it will be universal conversion of pagans!) in the Holy Land yet - this will only occur after these same Jews helped the Antichrist person upon the world throne.
Anyway, the Third World War will probably cost many of us our lives, but it will be followed by the promised restoration of Holy Mother, the Roman Catholic Church, and a restoration Ecumenical Council and conversion of all non-Catholic Christians to the true Church. The (short) Era of Peace will see the Great Catholic Monarch (traditional Catholic), ruling France, Spain, Portugal and possibly Italy, the restoration of a Holy Roman Emperor in Central (German) Europe, and the conversion of schismatic and previously Marxist Russia to Byzantine Catholicism and unity with the Holy Roman Supreme Church.
This Era of Peace will be used and is destined for the bringing of the 'fullness of gentiles' into the Church, about which Saint Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans, which will be the prelude to the personal man of perdition (Antichrist) government over the entire world (incl. with his political secretive allies already vainly preparing the same global tyranny right now), and which precedes the conversion of a great portion of Jews who in the latest end times will enter the Church as to fulfill the prophesy that "all Israel will be saved".
The Antichrist's rule will be ended by his death, held by Church Fathers to be done by Saint Michael or some secret underground Christian defence force (the Antichrist rules the world entirely, but 1/3 of the world population will remain Christian and martyrs), and then by major chastisement of the entire world, before the Final Judgement and Resurrection of the dead, of the flesh.
But remember: the Era of Peace is sometimes called short, but 40 years is also very short in Biblical terms and in prophesy. Even 80 years is "short". It is very relative. The Era of Peace is one last possibility of hope and reconciliation offered to the world, when temporarily the forces of evil will be curtailed and not allowed to dominate and destroy Christendom. It is the context in which the Great Monarch, and other great Christian kings and monarchs (I presume Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, Polish-Lithuanian royalty, may be Catholic-convert czar, or a restored Byzantine Greek Eastern Roman Emperor) will temporarily rule large parts of the civilized world, and help the Church and obey the Church, and stimulate missionary efforts among the pagans in China, Africa, and especially the rest of Asia and India and the presently Islamic world. This short Era of Peace before the reign of Antichrist, according to the summary of Yves Dupont and other specialists and historians and early 19th century authors, will be a blessed era, but technology will have largely been destroyed in the Third World War, so it will be a simple life for many, some will have to build up their lands entirely anew, and oil, gas and electricity will be barely available. (Of course technological knowledge is still preserved in ruins, destroyed universities, and intelligent survivors of the 3rd World War, but it cannot be implemented. Only global Antichrist tyranny may use this technology anew.) Many cynical 'ex-Christians' of the west will have either died or have returned to (Catholic) faith, because of the sheer destruction and chastisement (and the illumination of conscience during the Three Days of Darkness at the end of the 3rd World War), and have been cured of their radical belief in humanistic, secular 'progress'.
But while the short Era of Peace may be glorious for some years or decades, the conversions of many of these people, and of the pagans in Asia etc., will not have taken deep root even after those decades, and some will slowly apostatize anew after the memory of the 3rd world war is taken away and after they fail to fulfill their Christian duties - slowly smaller conflicts and apostaties will happen again, and the Great Monarch after some decades will die or abdicate, or be poisoned by Antichrist's forces, which will mark the beginning of the final persecutions and the final times. In this time, the great Catholic, traditional, Restoration Pope and Pontiff, a Holy Father possibly called Peter II (Petrus Romanus), a Roman Jewish Catholic Christian most probably, will reign over the Church and guide it throughout the underground persecution and the largest persecutions and blood baths of Christians ever seen in history. Worse than under the pagan Roman emperors in the early Church, worse than the massacres against Jews by pagan Near East kings of Assyrians and Babylonians, worse than Pharaoh's enslavement of Jewish people (of which the Church as new Israel is the successor). These were mere pre-depictions of the final events.
That is my summary of what may come. I think the 3rd World War may come quickly (but I hope it will not happen in near future, as I have ideals of a family or marrying or pursuing a religious vocation if necessary too, and I have earthly and academic aspirations for career and honour and power too, as we all have), or within some decades or even few years. It will not be nice, but if we are prepared spiritually by faith, regular Confession and Holy Communion from validly ordained Roman Catholic orthodox Priests, and if we do some food conservation and if we pray, we can at most loose our bodies. Like in any car accident. But never our souls. Harsh times during WW3, but one should not be afraid, I think God will need the few traditional Roman Catholics left right now in Europe to rebuild Christendom - and he will need scientists and other Christian academic persons also to serve the 'Great Monarch's reign' and to rebuild Europe. And the thought of the (longer) Era of Peace after a short WW3 with nuclear onslaught, may be consoling also.
Again, these are only my thoughts. I do not assure you this will happen, I do not give our emergency insurances, nor do I speculate on a war with nuclear Russia or communist party-ruled China.
In fact, I hope these scenarios are merely my wacko imagination and machinations, and that I can continue my comfortable luxurious Western-world life, with a career and computers and a wife and kids etc. in this decadent western society with its luxury, next to prostitution, abortion and homosexuality.
But the impending Economic Implosion and Economic depression coming towards us in reality, just makes me expect other things. And as a Christian and Roman Catholic, I know that the world and the western decadent societies cannot continue on this present path of suicide and self-destruction and 'cultural revolution'.
May God help us all, and let us place our trust in Him. Do not panic! Just live one normal lives as good Catholics. What can happen to us, if God is with us? Yes, some death, some diseases, some casualties in our families, but if we stay close to Him, our souls will not perish. And we are all going to die. You or I as a businessman or university teacher can also be overrun by a bus or car in London or Paris and die on the spot. That would be worse than seeing a Third World War with nuclear small-scale warfare coming and being able to confess and receive Holy Communion in preparation.
One last advice: please wear the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of the Mt. Carmel. No hasty and unexpected death will harm you. That is the promise. Have it imposed by a good, traditionalist Roman Catholic priest or bishop.
