The Fourth Secret of Medjugorje
What: World War 3, which is the first horseman and the first Seal of the Book of Revelation.
Who: The Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East and northern Africa, led by extremists, attack the U.S., then attack Europe, and later attack parts of Africa, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe.
When: 2010 to 2018/2019
Where: New York City is attacked first, with a nuclear bomb. Later, the above-mentioned nations are attacked and invaded. The U.S. is not invaded.
Why: Unrepentant evil persons gain power in many Muslim nations because not enough persons there repented, without relapsing, at the time of the Warning; also, both the Warning and the Miracle strike unrepentant evil persons with profound fear, so they strike out in desperation.
Introduction
The secrets of Medjugorje are divided into two sets of secrets. The first three secrets are blessings on the human person. The Day of Repentance (i.e. the Warning) is a blessing on the soul; the Day of Consolation is a blessing on the spirit; the Day of Healing (i.e. the Miracle) is a blessing on the body. These blessings of the first three secrets prepare the Church and the world for the first part of the tribulation, which is described by the next set of seven secrets, all of which are afflictions for the world.
These seven secrets are the same as the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation, but with the understanding that, although the Seventh Seal is divided into Seven Trumpets, only the events of the first Six Trumpets are for this generation. (The Seventh Trumpet is a set of afflictions for the distant future, in the 25th century.)
I anticipate that some persons will be upset or incredulous when I say that the last seven secrets of Medjugorje are the events signified in the Book of Revelation by the Seven Seals. Perhaps they expect the events of the secrets to be something entirely unheard of; but that is not the way God works. He likes to prepare His people. He spent thousands of years preparing the Jewish people for the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He spent about two thousand years preparing the Christian people for these events of the first part of the tribulation. Within the Old Testament, God placed many indications, foreshadowings, and symbols telling the faithful about the future Messiah. Even his arrival riding a donkey into Jerusalem was revealed in advance. So how can you expect that God would not put these important events of the secrets into Sacred Scripture, though they are partially hidden with symbolic language?
During these events of the last seven of the ten secrets of Medjugorje, many people will think that it is the end of the world, so terrible will those events be. But such is not the case. The tribulation is divided into two parts: the first part is for our generation and is described by the last seven of the ten secrets. But then there will be a time of rebuilding and of relative peace and holiness. And afterward, the world will again slowly progress into greater and greater sinfulness; kingdoms will rise and fall. Then, in the 25th century, the second part of the tribulation occurs, including the brief reign of the Antichrist and the subsequent return of Jesus Christ. So the end of the world is not for this present-day generation, nor is the Antichrist in the world today. And the Return of Jesus is still hundreds of years away. Do not let anyone deceive you! Despite these many very intense worldwide sufferings, now is not the time of the end of the world!
The Fourth Secret Prepares for Future Events
The fourth secret is World War 3. It begins sometime in the year 2010, and continues until the late 2010's, gradually winding down from about 2017 to 2018/2019. This war is the first Seal of the Seven Seals in the Book of Revelation.
Now there were other world wars, and there have been various other terrible events in human history, some due to human action and others due to natural disasters. So why is this war so significant as to be the first Seal? It is not merely because of the amount of suffering, which will be great, but because of the meaning of the events and their purpose within the ineffable Providence of God.
During World War 3, the Arab/Muslim extremists conquer a vast territory, including many Christian nations. God's purpose is to punish the Christian nations for their many sins, because so many persons in these nations will remain unrepentant, despite the Warning and the Miracle, or will repent only to fall back into sin. God's purpose is also to prepare a kingdom for the great Catholic monarch, because the vast territory conquered by the Arab/Muslim extremists will later be freed by the great Catholic monarch and become his holy kingdom, the holiest mere human kingdom that the world will ever see. And then, much later, after his kingdom is divided, and after the nations fall into ever more serious sin, from one of these kingdoms will come the Antichrist, who will reign briefly in the distant future (25th century). So this war is the first Seal because it begins a series of events, eventually culminating, hundreds of years later, with the second part of the tribulation and the Return of Jesus Christ. That is what makes this war unique, giving it an important place in salvation history.
The Fourth Secret in Sacred Scripture
[Revelation 6]
{6:1} And I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seven seals. And I heard one of the four living creatures saying, in a voice like thunder: “Draw near and see.”
{6:2} And I saw, and behold, a white horse. And he who was sitting upon it was holding a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering, so that he might prevail.
The First of the Seven Seals is also the first of the four horsemen: World War 3. The horse is white because this war, as terrible as it will be, is permitted by the Providence of God as a punishment for sins. The bow represents weapons that fly through the air (bullets, artillery, missiles). The crown that is given means that those who go forth conquering will prevail, i.e. they will win the war. The crown is noteworthy because it represents a role of leadership which will continue through many generations, until the return of Christ (who needs no earthly crown). So the kingdom of the Arab/Muslim extremists later becomes the kingdom of the great Catholic monarch; his kingdom is later divided into four kingdoms; centuries later two of those kingdoms go to war, bringing the Antichrist to power over the world; after he is thrown down, Jesus Christ returns and establishes His kingdom on earth.
[Daniel 8]
{8:1} In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me. After that which I had seen in the beginning, I, Daniel,
{8:2} saw in my vision, that I was in the capital city of Susa, which is in the region of Elam, yet I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of Ulai.
{8:3} And I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a single ram stood before the marsh, having two high horns, and one was higher than the other and growing higher still.
{8:4} After this, I saw the ram brandishing his horns against the West, and against the North, and against the Meridian, and all the beasts could not withstand him, nor be freed from his hand, and he did according to his own will, and he became great.
The ram is the Arab/Muslim nations led by two extremist leaders, symbolized by two horns: the leader of Iran and the leader of Iraq. One of these two leaders will be more of a military/political leader; the other will emphasize religion and will use religion to gain and keep power. There is a large marsh between Iran and Iraq; so the march signifies those nations (called Media and Persia in ancient times). The ram attacks to the West (the United States - New York City), to the North (Europe), and to the Meridian (i.e. toward the equator in Africa). All the other 'beasts,' that is, kingdoms, will be unable to stop the ram; this group of nations led by extremists will conquer and rule. Daniel 8:1-4 describes World War 3, which is the First Seal (the fourth secret).
Summary of the War
Overview: In World War 3, the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East and northern Africa, led by Iran and Iraq, invade and conquer Europe, part of Eastern Europe, part or all of Scandinavia, and the northern part of Africa above the equator. World War 3 begins in 2010 and continues throughout the 2010's, winding down in 2018/2019.
2009: A small war will prepare for this great war; this small war is not yet World War 3 and is not the First Seal. In the year 2009, beginning and ending in that year, there will be, in the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East and northern Africa, coups, insurrections, and outright war. Extremist Arab/Muslims will fight against moderate Arab/Muslims, and the extremists will win in every case. If they cannot win with coups or insurrection, then one nation will go to war against its neighbor. In just a few months, those nations will be transformed into a group of nations each led by an extremist leader; and the entire group of those nations will be led by the leader of Iran and the leader of Iraq. This event is the upheaval associated with the First Secret of Medjugorje (the Warning). See that article for more on this point. This small war is a reaction by wicked persons to the Warning and the Miracle.
2010: World War 3 is a very bloody war; millions upon millions of human lives will be lost. It begins in 2010, when the Arab/Muslim nations of the Middle East and northern Africa, led by Iran and Iraq, send a nuclear bomb and explode it in New York City. This is not a 'dirty' bomb, but an actual nuclear bomb explosion. It is not a missile. This event is devastating to the city, the nation, and it sends fear throughout the world. For the world now realizes that these extremist-led nations have nuclear weapons and are willing to use them against major cities. The fact that they would nuke New York City, despite the large military and the nuclear weapons possessed by the United States, sends fear through other nations, lest they also be attacked.
“You will make them like an oven of fire, in the time of your presence. The Lord will stir them up with his wrath, and fire will devour them.” (Psalm 20:10)
The nuclear bomb will be exploded in 2010, but not until a short time after the Miracle (the third secret) is completed. Since the first three secrets prepare the Church and the world for the subsequent sufferings, the event that begins the war cannot occur until after the third secret has happened and has had some time to have its intended effect. Therefore, I estimate that it will be sometime between June 1 and December 31 that the war will begin with this nuclear bomb attack on New York City.
The extremists undertake this war because they have become terrified, due to the events of the first three secrets. Those events are blessings to the faithful, but are a horror to those who are evil, because they realize their time is short. With a fear and desperation that reaches to the very depths of their sinful souls, they attack other nations: first the United States, and then Europe, and then the northern part of Africa. They are willing to use nuclear weapons, and the nations that they attack are not willing to use nuclear weapons, and so they win. But it is a long and bloody war.
2011: Although the nuclear bomb explosion in New York City in 2010 is the clear beginning point for World War 3, some number of months pass after that point in time, before there are major troop movements, major battles, and major incursions by the Arab forces. In 2011, the war develops further, not only with troop movements and battles. In addition to troops and battles, this war is unusual in that rioting and street violence from Arab/Muslims living within the nations of Europe play an important role in the war.
2012: The Arab forces are advancing into Italy and toward Rome. The Pope flees, is captured, put on trial, blinded, and sent to a prison in Iraq, where he eventually dies (in 2012 or 2013). (This Pope is the one called Peter the Roman by St. Malachy; I believe that he will be Cardinal Arinze and that he will take the name Pope Pius XIII.)
2012/2013: The Arab forces capture Rome. A new Pope as well as a prominent antipope will be elected; both elections are not according to the rules for electing the Pope. Later, in 2013, the Allied forces retake the city and drive back the Arab forces. The true Pope and the antipope go to Rome, each to try to claim the papacy as his own.
July of 2013: The Arab forces strike the City of Rome with a nuclear missile, because they could not hold the city. The Pope and the antipope are both killed in the explosion.
2013 to 2017: The Arab forces become unstoppable. The threat of the use of nuclear weapons, and the civil disorder (rioting, street violence, etc.) help them to conquer nations, weakened from within by fear and chaos. They sweep across Europe. Some nations do not even put up a fight, because they are afraid of nuclear weapons and civil disorder. The Arab forces make advances in northern Africa, but are stopped at or above the equator.
2018 to 2019: World War 3 gradually ends, as the fighting subsides and more nations submit to the Arab forces. The war ends and the extremists have conquered a vast territory. All of Europe will be conquered along with the Middle East, the northern part of Africa, part or all of Scandinavia and part of Eastern Europe. Israel will not be conquered, but will be as if under siege during all this time. The nations of Africa below the equator will not be conquered. Russia and China will not be involved in this war in any major way.
2020's: The Arab/Muslim forces continue to occupy the nations they have conquered and to oppress the people. They particularly persecute Christians and do not permit Catholic Christian worship.
by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
published April 9th, 2007
May God give you grace and peace during the difficult years ahead.
