The End of the World

Written by Edgar Whisenant, this pamphlet gained significant attention in the late 1980s for its bold prediction that the rapture would occur in 1988, 40 years after the creation of the State of Israel. Despite Whisenant not being a biblical scholar, the pamphlet sold over 4 million copies and was widely distributed, including 300,000 copies mailed to pastors. The predictions were based on Whisenant's unique interpretation of biblical prophecy, which diverged from traditional dispensationalist thought.

Left Behind is the first book in the Left Behind series and narrates the story of the Rapture and its immediate aftermath. The novel follows characters such as Rayford Steele, a pilot, and Buck Williams, a journalist, as they navigate a world where millions of people, including all children and babies, have suddenly vanished. The story delves into Christian eschatology, particularly dispensationalism and premillennialism, and introduces the character of Nicolae Carpathia, who is revealed to be the Antichrist. The book sets the stage for the seven-year Tribulation period and the formation of the Tribulation Force, a group of Christians resisting the Antichrist's reign.