BIBLICAL PROPHECY 101

      Welcome to Prophecy 101 where some of the basics of end time biblical prophecy will be outlined for you to consider.  The proper understanding of the value of prophecy, as well as knowing the biblical blueprint established by God in His word for the correct, foundational manner in which to interpret all future predictions and symbols is essential if one hopes to comprehend God’s plan for this earth and His interaction with mankind.  For those who wish to obtain a deeper understanding of God’s word on this subject, it is suggested that you order The Revelation Unveiled, as it offers a detailed study of God’s end time plans and timetable. 

BIBLICAL PROPHECY 101

• The Top Ten Signs of the Final Generation
• A 40,000-Foot Flyover – The Most Relevant & Brief End Time Prophecy Bible Study Available Today!
• Answering Some Common Objections
• A Special Point of Interest
• No Private Interpretation Allowed
• The 70 Weeks of Daniel
• Why A 20th Century Interpretation Of Daniel Chapter 7 Does not Work
• The Millennial Kingdom Question
• Does Our View On The Rapture Really Matter?

Key Prophetic Definitions (that can make or break your understanding)

•  The Day of The Lord
• The 70th Week of Daniel ( The Tribulation), The Great Tribulation & The Wrath of God
• The Rapture
• The Imminent Return of Jesus Christ
• The Hour of Testing
• The Antichrist
• How And When The Antichrist Will Be Revealed
• Something For Those Who Refused to Heed The Warning

Counting Down The Top Ten Signs Of The Final Generation

Prior to Jesus Christ’s Return To Earth

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:34)

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told” (Habakkuk 1:5).

The Number TEN Sign …:

 Knowledge and travel will expand to a great
degree at the end of the age (Daniel 12:4).  Here the technology and computer age was
essentially predicted. The exponential factor of increasing knowledge is one very significant and undeniable sign, as the total global knowledge of all that mankind now understands is doubling every year and one half to two years!  The computer chip, which was invented in 1948, as well as the emergence of the Internet, has aided dramatically in this historically unprecedented upsurge of
knowledge.  Also, transportation has gone from the ancient mode of walking, riding animals, animal drawn carts and chariots, and small sailing vessels, to cars, curse ships, helicopters, airplanes, jets and space crafts.  The amount of travel that people are currently doing in this generation is
phenomenal and was completely unthinkable to most in past generations.  All that this single verse of prophecy encompasses is even more amazing when you consider that it was written over 2,500 years ago, long before such things could have even been imagined!  Thus, this one verse of prophecy, alone, should cause even the most hardened skeptics to take pause and give some
consideration to what the Bible has to say for our modern era.

 The Number Nine Sign …:

 False Christs and false prophets will become more noticeably increased (Matthew 24:5, 11, 23-28 & John 5:43).  

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many” (Matthew 24:5). The Scripture is clear about how Jesus Christ will physically and dramatically return to this earth. In Revelation 19:11-21, we have the physical, dramatic and all-powerful return described. The same is true for portions in the book of Zechariah chapters 12-14. Anything short of the described literal and physical return of Jesus Christ at the climax of the battle of Armageddon is an absolute counterfeit.

Yet, mainly due to ignorance and/or an unwillingness to believe the Bible, many people seem very
willing to follow the deception of false Christs, which numerously abound. In fact, in the state of California (USA) alone, there are well over 2,000 people who are claiming to be Jesus Christ. It has become very difficult to even count the number of false Christs any more, as there are so many who claim it today. 

False prophets, too, are prolific. They are both inside and outside the Church. The false prophets
outside the accepted norm of the Church are not real hard to spot, like the Edgar Cayce, Nostradamus and Jeane Dixon types, along with the other sources for the tabloid magazines that get about three out of one hundred predictions right, but usually the three “correct” predictions are so vague and general that they could fit just about anything. These false prophets are fairly numerable, especially when one takes into account all of the psychics with their 1-800-hotlines.  In stark contrast to this, the biblical prophets have a track record of 100% accuracy, which is far more intelligent and
rational to rely upon, but they point to personal accountability, which is unpopular, so their words are commonly ignored, or worse, mocked and scoffed at by skeptical minds, who pretend to believe they are so much wiser that their Creator.

The Number Eight Sign
…:

 Excessive lawlessness will mark out the final generation. 

Here the extreme disregard for the law and worsening corruption by the rich and powerful was
foretold. Jesus indicated that lawlessness was one of the signs that would precede His return.  “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).  Additionally,
lawlessness would be seen inside the Church, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS‘” (Matthew 7:21-23).  And lawlessness would grow in the world, until the ultimate lawless one (the Antichrist) would come to rule over the earth – “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. … And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-10).  Unprecedented lawlessness is rapidly growing in all areas of government and the corporate business world.  Stories of deep corruption and vast scandals are becoming regular headline news on a much more frequent basis, with the perpetrators of these crimes being more brazen and unconcerned about punishment, especially those who are politically connected to the world’s true power brokers.

The Number Seven Sign
…:

 The ability of people around the entire globe
to witness a single, local event is now a reality (Revelation 11:7-13).  

Here we have satellite TV and the global Internet (with all the videos that can be instantly uploaded) in effect being predicted.  The book of Revelation mentions two witnesses of the true God, who Antichrist will finally be allowed to kill just prior to the end of his reign, at the end of Daniel’s seventieth week.  Their dead bodies will be seen by people from all over the world and the wicked will throw their last party on earth to commemorate it, by celebrating the death of these two righteous witnesses.  Amazingly, this type of global gala event was not possible up until the past few decades. Through planetary coverage of events, by sources like the BBC and CNN, through television, cell phones and computer technology, with satellites, and the Internet it has become possible for the whole world to be connected to view a single local event, together instantaneously.
This is just another one, of several prophecies, in which its fulfillment was not possible before this generation’s modern, hi-tech tools.

 The Number Six Sign …:

 The ability to keep track of every person and every “legal” transaction, a requirement for the fulfillment of Revelation 13:16-17. 

Technology, modern economics and big government control are in position to make this a reality. No other generation has ever faced this, much less fathomed how such a thing could exist. This is another of many firsts for our current generation.  Imagine Marco Polo, Magellan, Columbus, Captain Cook, Lewis and Clark, along with every other great explorer being made to carry their national ID card, passport and visa every where they went! Only in this current time period have we known such restrictive measures of control, which are setting the stage for the global acceptance of the mark
of the beast, by which no one will be able to buy or sell or even function in modern society without taking this mark on their right hand or forehead. This type of modernistic sign is one of several that demonstrates those from the many past generations, who thought Jesus could return in their time, were strongly ill-informed in their understanding of biblical prophecy.  Even so, just as many misunderstand today, or are utterly unaware, as to just how close we really are to seeing Jesus’ return – very, very soon.

The Number Five Sign
…:

 The alignment of specific gentile nations will come together in a very particular way (Daniel chapters 2 & 7 and Revelation 16:12-16). 

A revived form of the Roman Empire was needed and we have seen this happen with the formation of the European Union super state. The kings (nations) of the East are mentioned as playing a role in the final battle of Armageddon and we have China, Japan, India, Indonesia, among others, who are
poised to fulfill this prophecy.  Honest interpretation renders a deafening silence among the prophets concerning the United States of America, or some great king of the West, which indicates the prosperity and power of the U.S.A. will soon be significantly diminished, if not entirely wiped out. 
In fact, none of the Americas are mentioned as playing a noticeable role in the final seventieth week of Daniel (the seven-year Tribulation period), unless possibly it’s destruction takes place in the Second Seal Judgment.

We are not told what causes the shift in world dominating power from the U.S.A. to Europe; we are
simply shown that the transfer will take place.  If one wishes to understand how this could actually happen, then they merely need to educate themselves on the world banking elite and their use of central banking systems to create national debts, like the Federal Reserve, which are not part of the
government and truly have no valid reserves to back the reported “value” of their fiat/phony currency. 

By the manipulating and collapsing/resetting of the global economy and using corrupt politicians to
pay off the debts with national resources, combined with a deliberate gutting of the infrastructure, through means like the GATT and NAFTA (now USMCA) treaties in outsourcing companies and jobs, it will assure that the U.S.A. won’t have the assets to recover.  This could possibly lead to confiscation and transfer of key elements of the military arsenal, along with public lands, private property and even Citizens, as payment for the debt.  The free world must give way to a coming tyrannical world rule (Daniel 7:23), thus something dramatic and very detrimental will bring
about this mega-shift and the elite bankers have laid out the economic steal trap, through greed and selfishness, that is about to snap shut and change our world forever as we have known it.

 The Number Four Sign …:

 Mass deception – “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). 

The Holy Spirit throughout the New Testament prophecies echoes this admonition several times.
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). Also see, 2 Timothy 3:1-8 and 2 Thessalonians
2:1-12. The Lord has specified guidelines in the Bible, so that His followers would not be deceived and could easily distinguish the truth, from that which cleverly seeks to mimic it. 

However, since this is a sign primarily given to believers in Christ and not the world, which lives
constantly under the influence of secular society’s seductive lies, quite often reinforced by false religion, most people don’t benefit from the warning. The problem with deception is that if someone is deceived, they really don’t know it, and this ignorance is what empowers deceit.  Thus, because the majority of the people on the planet are relatively clueless concerning biblical truth, it leaves them helpless to be able to apply any discernment in defense of the deception surrounding them. And even though it is a sign of warning to believers, many in the Church do not practice the discernment they have been clearly instructed to employ in their lives from the Bible, which unfortunately reveals the serious lack of respect and care for the authority of God’s word, in their lives.  But far worse is the affect of this, as most Christians are just as deceived as the secular world and it shows up in how they live out their lives.   

Still, deception can be just as much a willful choice, as it is trickery and ignorance (2 Timothy 3:13 & 4:3-4).  One example of this can be found in the left versus right political arguments, a false paradigm that deceives and divides most people, while whichever party that is in power is used to continue to strip freedom and wealth from the people; when the real issue should be right versus wrong, according to Biblical authority, not human reasoning or preference of conservative or
liberal preferences.  

 The Number Three Sign …:

The alignment of a Russian-Islamic coalition that will attempt to destroy Israel through war (Ezekiel 38:2-6, Daniel chapters 2 & 7, Daniel 11:40-45 & Revelation 16:12). 

These prophecies, given between 2500 to 2600 of years ago, describe the exact alignment of the modern Russian-Islamic coalition, which will seek to attack and overwhelm Israel.  Thus, over the centuries Russia would need to develop and become a powerful nation that would become a hostile
adversary toward a future reborn nation of Israel, which is exactly what we have today, with the current exception of the nation of Turkey, which is being targeted by radical Islamic groups for an overthrow of the current moderate, pro-western Turkish government.  At the time of the writing of this book, Turkey is friendly toward Israel, but only within the controlling, political influence of
its capital.  Turkey, as a nation, is very much like Afghanistan.  For once you move away from the capital, the country is run by Islamic Shi’i (Sharia) law, and about the only difference it has from Afghanistan is that it is not currently occupied by Western armies, which should make the coming conversion to Islamic control much easier.  Turkey could perceivably hold out its somewhat duplicitous alliance with the West until the very time for the battle to begin, then deceptively turn on Israel and join in with the attack. An attack Turkey has been prophesied to play a part in, against Israel. Also, for these prophecies to be fulfilled, most of (recently reborn) nation of Israel’s
surrounding Middle Eastern neighbors would need to be exceedingly antagonistic toward her, which is exactly the case, as most have sworn to wipe Israel off the map.

The religion of Islam was not even in existence when the prophets spoke forth who would be against Israel (back around 500-600 B.C.).  Yet, Israel’s neighbors are Islamic, with most being extremely hostile toward Israel, for the very existence and survival of the nation of Israel is absolute proof that the Islamic religion cannot truly be of God, because Islam claims Muslims are God’s chosen people.  Nevertheless, Abraham’s pledged descendants (Israel – the sons of Isaac and
Jacob – Genesis 17:18-21) are in possession of the “promised land”, not the sons of Ishmael, and this infuriates the would be usurpers (who actually believe they can change what God has said in exterminating Israel, which is also why they say the Jews corrupted the Bible, because they want to believe they are the chosen of God, not the Jews.  Thus, they will never cease in their desire to commit genocide against Israel and ultimately all Jews around the world).  Hence, the nation of Israel is a profound and telling thorn in the side of Islam, because its existence openly exposes Islam’s broken theology.  Subsequently, they are hell bent on utterly wiping out Israel (Ezekiel 38), in their vain attempt to nullify this revealing evidence of God’s divine favor and plan for Israel, and their continued attempt to defy the true God of the Bible, Jehovah (YHWY), who is not the Allah of Islam, in even the remotest sense.  The prophets, whom ironically the adherents of Islam say they honor, have warned Muslims that they have nothing but disappointment, ruin and destruction ahead of them, as they war against Israel. But they refuse to listen and continue to believe the deception the devil has ensnared them in.  I sympathize for those who have been raised in such powerful and encompassing deception. Nevertheless, I hope and pray that the words of the
prophets will awaken them to the danger they are in before it is too late, because no one wins when fighting against God, not even when they attempt to use “God’s name” to do it.

This could well be a big part of the reason behind the atheistic Russian leadership’s desire to destroy
Israel, as well, for they have allied themselves with Islam in their desire for global conquest, but underneath it all seethes the same hatred for the true God and His promises to His chosen people. There is little real need for any material value that is in that tiny piece of land, which everyone seems to want so badly.  This is clearly a spiritual battle, and Ezekiel predicted this unholy alliance would come together long ago, before Russian communism and Islamic fanaticism were even a thought in anyone’s mind.  Yet, their evil desire to thwart the purposes, plans and promises of God will be met with God’s fierce wrath, and their armies will be utterly annihilated once they come into
Israel in an attempt to possess it (Ezekiel 38:14-23).

The Number Two Sign …:

Destructive powers will have to be so great that the very existence of the whole of humanity will be in real jeopardy of extinction.  Here nuclear weapons and other WMDs
were predicted.  

“And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.” (Matthew 24:22). Biological, chemical and multi-warhead, mega-ton nuclear weapons with the ability to have them delivered by laser guided missile technology has put the entire world’s population in extreme peril of actual extinction, like never before. Bows and arrows and even the invention of gunpowder were never a real threat toward the planetary annihilation of humanity.  Yet, we now have a nuclear arsenal, just by itself, capable of destroying the world several times over.  Also, we must realize biologically that plague-like diseases were generally limited to specific geological areas, but no more, because of modern travel. Only in this generation has human extinction become a very real and ever-present threat.

 And The Number One “Super” Sign For The Final Generation, Prior To Christ’s

Return To Earth is …:

The prophetic fulfillment of the rebirth of Israel as a nation for a SECOND time! (Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 66:8-9, Ezekiel 11:17; 20:41; 37:1-13, Amos 9:15, & Daniel 9:27; cf. Matthew 24:15-22, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 & Revelation 11:1-2). 

The fulfillment of this one prophecy is more stunning than perhaps all the others combined, as Israel’s second rebirth as a nation is an undeniable hallmark of end time prophecy. Israel’s existence in the final generation is a necessity for the fulfillment of the seven-year covenant (peace treaty) with the Antichrist and his subsequent violation of that covenant (in a temple in Jerusalem) half way into the agreement, as the aforementioned verses describe. From 70 a.d. to 1948 a.d. the nation of Israel became nonexistent. It is historically unprecedented for any nation to vanish for almost two millennia and then reappear right back on the map from where it disappeared!

In Ezekiel chapters 36, 38 & 39, the prophecy tells us that Israel will be reformed physically as a nation, but it will still be disconnected relationally (spiritually) with God until the Lord returns and He breaths life back into them (Ezekiel Ch. 36). Also, “in the latter years” a great war with very dramatic battles will come against Israel from Russia and its Islamic allies (Ezekiel Chs. 38 & 39), which can only happen if Israel exists as a nation.

Additionally, Jesus’ reference in Matthew 24:15-22 to Daniel’s prophecy concerning the abomination of desolation relates directly to Israel at the time of the end, during a time period when the whole of humanity could be wiped off the face of the earth, or made extinct.  Nuclear weapons were being made and put into mass production right around the time Israel because a nation, regathered for that critical second time in the end of the age.  The book of Daniel is the foundational key to understanding all end time prophecy
correctly.  For Daniel was told in chapter twelve of his book that Israel would go through a time of great distress that would last for 3 1/2 years, and Daniel was to go his way, “for these words are concealed
and sealed up until the end time”.  Israel is essential, because Daniel’s end time prophecies make no sense (and could not be understood/unsealed) without Israel in the picture.  Therefore, Israel is the key sign needed for the end of the age to come, during a specific final generation (Matthew 24:34). This fact escapes those who attempt to dismiss all these direct tie-ins to prophecy for the end of the age as a “new
idea” that has only been “invented” within the last century. Further, Jesus’ reference from the book of Daniel (Matthew 24:15-21) demonstrates that Israel will be right in the thick of end time events listed in Matthew 24:22, that states, “and unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved”, which has been only possible after the nuclear build up in this generation), which is included as part of the signs that the final generation (Matthew 24:34) was to watch for.  The word “generation” in the Greek, literal means “a whole multitude of men living at the same time” – Thayer’s Lexicon, Page 112.  

This means that Israel’s second regathering (rebirth as a nation) could not happen at any time prior to the end (i.e. 100, 200, 300 or 2000 years) ahead of all the other signs, because it was all connected to the end of the age.  Israel’s rebirth had to coexist with the other end time signs for the final generation according to the prophets, because Daniel’s prophecies could not truly be unsealed until Israel came back into existence at the fulfillment of the SECOND regathering (Isaiah 11:11-12)!

This is one of many very powerful reasons that demonstrate why attempting to use private interpretations, like the 1st Century events to say that end time prophecy supposedly has been previously fulfilled, or that Israel is no longer a significant piece of the prophetic puzzle, really doesn’t work within any honest framework of history or logical thought.  So, the meaning in Matthew 24 is clear, when we see Israel blossom as a nation, the return of Messiah is near.  Moreover, the fact that Israel is constantly being threatened for utter annihilation by its enemies (the growing threat in the Middle East) puts Israel in a very vulnerable position, to ultimately be willing to sign a peace covenant with someone who could offer them protection, which means that we are not only the concluding generation, but we are on the very precipice of the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week (the seven year Tribulation) and the Day of the Lord that will start when the Antichrist forges a unique seven-year Middle East peace pact! 

How close are we?  A Calculated Reference Point For The Day Of The Lord:

(Note: This is not talking about the Rapture, of which no one knows the day or the hour, expect God, the Father. The Apostle Paul said we should be able to discern the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6), which is different from the Rapture, so that it would not “overtake” a believer.)

Jesus stated that the generation that saw the signs for the end of the age and His return would not pass away until the signs had all been accomplished (Matthew 24:34).  The beginning sign involved the 2nd regathering of Israel and its inclusion for all the events that would transpire, along with it being at a time when humanity could be made extinct (Isaiah 11:11-12 and Matthew 24:15-22).  The final sign, for the final generation, is the physical return of Jesus Christ to planet earth (Matthew 24:30), which will be at the end of Daniel’s 70th week (the 7-year Tribulation – see Daniel 7:23-27; 9:27 and Revelation 19:11-21).

Extremely little time is left, as the final generation is coming to its end – please allow me to explain why.  Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the end of the age and His return by giving several signs that a final generation should be looking for in Matthew 24:1-34 and they would not pass away until all the signs where fulfilled, which included Jesus physical return back to earth at the second coming.  A specific sign involves the fact that Israel would be back in their land and Jesus tied it back to the prophecies in Daniel’s 70^th week (Matthew 24:15-21).  Now, the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 11:11-12 that a time would come when Israel would be regathered a second time (there is no 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th time, only a second and final time).  This key sign was fulfilled on May 14^th, 1948.  Further, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, told us the life span of a generation is 70 to 80 years in Psalm 90:10. (Some may be thinking, ‘well duh’.  But at least this should settle the time period for a biblical generation, as others have made various random assignments of years to fit their opinions, like 20, 40 and 120 years.)

Therefore, the final generation began when Israel was reborn as a nation on May 14th, 1948.  If we set a reference point by using the solar calendar (as Moses was raised in Egypt and they used a solar calendar and this was likely what was meant in Psalm 90:10), we would add 80 solar years (for the furthest point in duration), then still subtract 7 lunar years (because Daniels’ 70th week is still in the format of lunar years – see Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 12:6).  So, by adding 80 solar years to May 14th, 1948 it brings us to May 14th, 2028, then we would subtract 7 lunar years (7 x 360 = 2520 days) to get our other possible point of reference.  This brings us to right around June 20th, 2021 in using the solar calendar reference point scenario for the extent of the final generation, as the furthest reference point for {Daniel’s 70th week/the 7-year Tribulation/the day of the Lord} to possibly begin.  These calculations are based upon the precision of the fulfillment of Daniel’s first 69 weeks, with the understanding that the same biblical precision might hold true.  

Since June 20th, 2021 has past, God has decided to be extremely patient and extend the time of the final generation to the last person living within that generation (say someone who lives to be 103 years old for instance), then it technically could start a little later beyond the range of the calculated reference point.  Yet, regardless of how we examine it, we know we are very near seeing the day of the Lord begin, as the Apostle Paul told believers they should understand, so that it would not “overtake” Christians (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).  No one can be overtaken by something they are not present to experience.  Thus, the church will still be here to see it begin.  The Apostle Paul went on to confirm and clarify this even further in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.  Therefore, the body of Christ needs to get ready for this event and all that it means, whether we like it or not.  So, since it all begins with the peace covenant, we should expect to see global financial and political chaos (war) in the time just preceding it, to set the stage for the needed peace accord to be brokered by the Antichrist, which the world will greatly celebrate, although the celebration will be short lived (1 Thessalonians 5:3 and Revelation 6:1-4).

Christians are to know what the day of the Lord is and when it is expected to arrive on the prophetic time line given to us in the Bible.  This is why I share this type of information, to equip the body of Christ for the days ahead and the kingdom work that must be done.  The Church is largely asleep and will be taken greatly off-guard by this, but that no longer has to include you who have read this formation.  Share this with any and all who will listen.

If you found this insight helpful, then you may wish to obtain a copy of The Revelation Unveiled by author Terrance G. Johnson, as the book plumbs the depths of the Bible’s end time prophecies and coordinates everything together to make sense out of it all.  For the best value package deal that includes the book The Revelation Unveiled that takes you through the whole end time prophetic study in detail, go to https://shop.truthandlife.us/BEST-VALUE-The-Revelation-Unveiled-package-deal-BEST-VALUE-0777.htm. May the peace and wisdom of God guide and the Holy Spirit empower you, as God provides for everything we need for His kingdom and glory in the short time we have left.  For a brief teaser to the book read “A 40,000-Foot Flyover.

A 40,000-Foot Flyover – A More Sure Word – End Time Prophecy Bible Study!

As we begin this Bible study, there is need to talk about the importance of being detail-oriented and very observant of the context.  Too often, many details are left out, or simply missed, and the result causes the context to be distorted, both directly in the text, and indirectly, as to the whole of the Scriptural details on a particular topic.  We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our “mind” (Mark 12:30). This means we are to be engaged, with critical thinking in a rational manner, as we study His word and seek to know Him better personally.

This is true for all doctrine, not just prophecy, yet oddly God’s prophetic word seems to suffer more from this problem of careless disregard, even though it is one of the greatest proofs of God Himself, as it is a revelation about who He is.  Unfortunately, very thoughtless and sloppy exegesis has become quite common in the modern Church.  One group will take three or for details on a topic and another group will take their favorite subset of a few details as well.  Then, they will throw rocks at one another, while declaring they each have the ultimate truth, even claiming at times that those who disagree with them are heretics.  However, usually there are more details than either side has presented for their specific argument, and there is a way (and there must be a willingness) to reconcile all the details together to form sound doctrine, because the Bible is inspired by God, the Holy Spirit, who cannot lie and who does not contradict Himself.

This is the only way to avoid private interpretation and error, but too few seem willing to practice this discipline properly, most likely because it leads to conclusions that are not always favorable and pleasant to the ears.  Sadly, human bias can distort just about anything.  This is why we need a reformation, based upon this principle of careful detail-oriented study.  The real question becomes how willing is an individual to commit to this?  For each one of us is responsible and accountable to God for how we handle His word.  Those who choose to do it correctly, within the proper reverence and respect for God, will not be ashamed at His coming. Also, this is why we must remain open-minded and gracious, in case we missed any valid details in God’s word on a given topic, having a heart for God’s authoritative opinion only, being above all else (with all other opinions considered worth little to nothing, including our own).  Reformation of the Church can only begin with each individual taking this kind of personal responsibility, as well as showing a willingness to reject the things that clearly do not add up, within the whole of the context.

Introduction to the 40,000 foot view.

Before we can move into examining the book of Revelation, we need to have a good basic understanding of the proper historical background, which it is based upon in God’s word.  We must comprehend the biblical blueprint found in the book of Daniel, or we will not have any hope of discerning the context and meaning for the book of Revelation.  Going into the book of Revelation without the correct foundation is like reading the last chapter in a novel, without reading the rest of the novel first; it’s not going to make sense.  This brief flyover does not address all the details, it just puts forward the needed information required to begin to understand the most important aspects the Church should currently be focusing in on.

Revelation is the final chapter, concluding all that the prophets have told us.  Chapters 6 through 19 are the close-up details of Daniel’s 70^th week of prophecy. Therefore, to comprehend end time biblical prophecy we must correctly understand the prophecy of the 70 weeks of Daniel, because it contains the foundational blueprint for biblical end time prophecy.  Those who ignore Daniel’s prophecies, or get them wrong, will only end up with a private interpretation, which is forbidden (2 Peter 1:20).  Sadly, this is largely what we have in the Church today, and it is why next door to nobody correctly understands how end time prophecy will actually unfold, as the vast majority only know bits and pieces. Thus, they lack the understanding of how everything fits together in its proper order, according to this biblical outline set forth in the book of Daniel. There can be only one fulfillment, so there is only one accurate interpretation.  Let’s begin to discover what that is with a rational analysis of the Scripture.  But first, we need to realize why the Bible tells us prophecy is important.

The riches and blessings available in being studious with God’s prophetic word.

1. Biblical prophecy will empower your witness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   Revelation 19:10 – “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Prophecy testifies that Jesus is the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords who will judge the living and the dead.  Daniel 12:3 – says that those who have insight will shine like the stars and be among those who lead many to righteousness (intended meaning here would be in a time of darkness).  Thus, prophecy, correctly taught and understood, is a powerful statement for the Gospel (Revelation 20:11-15).  Therefore, separating it from the gospel, especially in the final generation right before Jesus returns is clearly wrong thinking.
2. Read 2 Peter 1:16-21 – Prophecy is a word more sure than eye-witnessing the glorious transfiguration of Jesus on the mount and seeing Him with Moses and Elijah.  So, if you rightly know biblical prophecy, then you will have a greater supernatural faith and confidence, than if you had witnessed the transfiguration personally!
3. Revelation 1:3 & 22:7 – These verses tell us that those who read and heed the book gain a special blessing from God.  The book of Revelation is the only book that has this distinct “bookended” blessing from God in the entire world, including all the other books in the Bible.  Think about how extremely special that is!
4. For those who obtain a proper grasp on God’s prophetic word, they will be the ones who are ready with an answer and have wise understanding, while the rest of the world (including most in the Church) flounder and/or fail in all the soon coming trials, chaos and fiery ordeals everyone will face globally.

The Historical Evidence Behind The Fulfillment of Daniel’s Sixty-nine Weeks.

Parallel Visions of Daniel’s Six Kingdoms Summarized

{Kingdoms 1-4 Historically Fulfilled – Isaiah 44:6-7, only God can supernaturally predict the distant future and see it completed it in a historically verifiable, physical, earthly, evidential and literal manner.}

Daniel Ch. 2 (Vision #1)    Daniel Ch. 7 (Vision #2)      

                          Man’s Perspective             God’s perspective                    The Actual                            Scriptural              

           A Beautiful Statue        Wild and Grotesque Beasts     Kingdoms Historical                 Evidence              

  {Kingdoms 5 & 6 Have a Future Fulfillment}

Daniel Ch. 2 (Vision #1)   Daniel Ch. 7 (Vision #2)             

Man’s Perspective            God’s perspective                    The Actual                         Scriptural              

A Beautiful Statue       Wild and Grotesque Beasts     Kingdoms Historical                 Evidence               

When Did The First Week of Daniel’s Prophecy Begin? 

Read Daniel 9:24-27 – As we shall investigate and discover, the complete and literal historical fulfillment of the first of Daniel’s sixty-nine weeks has indeed already transpired in absolute and supernatural precision.  According to this prophecy, the sixty-nine weeks were to begin at the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Historically, four separate decrees were issued to rebuild, but when the decree in the 20^th year of King Artaxerxes’ reign in Nisan 445 B.C. was given, it was the only one that actually carried out all of the specific parameters laid out for us in Daniel’s prophecy, which actually brought about the restoration of the city, Jerusalem, something the three decrees in Ezra never accomplished. Thus, the decree given in Nehemiah Chapter 2 becomes our starting point and history tells us it was March 14^th, 445 B.C.  To look into all of the multitude of Scripture references and the historic foundation and calculations for all the precise details you will need to get the book mentioned at the bottom of this study, because there is just not time to cover it all here in this brief flyover.

What was the time frame for the 69 weeks?

The “weeks” were based on the Lunar Calendar, which the Persians used in that day.  Each “week”, a common term in that culture and time period, representing a 7-year period of 360 days per year.  So, the math looks like this:  69 (weeks) x 7 (years per week) x 360 (days per year) = 173,880 days.

When we fast forward 173,880 days from March 14^th, 445 B.C., it brings us to the 6^th of April, 32 A.D.  This date is significant, because it was “Palm Sunday”, the exact day of Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, with Jesus Christ being hailed as Israel’s king and savior. Then, just as the prophecy indicates, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.  Jesus was crucified/killed within/after a few days of Palm Sunday and then the city and the temple were destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans.  Yet, even Jesus said, they could have known of His prophetic first coming if they had paid attention – “you did not recognize the time of your visitation” – Luke 19:43-45.

Thus, just as the sixty-nine weeks were literally fulfilled to the day, so will the rest of God’s prophetic word be fulfilled in the same precise (literal, physical, earthly) manner, particularly Daniel’s 70 week, which was set in the future by Jesus at a time of a final generation (Matthew 24:34) in which Israel would be restored back in the land (Isaiah 11:11-12; 66:8) and in a time when the possibility for all life to be extinguished on the planet (Matthew 24:15-22).  Israel became a nation in 1948 and nuclear weapons were beginning to be mass produced around that same time. So, we do well to take heed to what God has outlined for our future, especially since much of it involves this current generation. There is no rational explanation for the existence of Daniel’s 70^th week, as being fulfilled in the annals of history, since the ending of the 69^th week on that notable Palm Sunday.  Thus, we are still looking for the prince who is to come (out of a world dominating empire which will directly influence Israel) who will make a seven-year peace covenant with many, promising security to Israel (Daniel 8:23-25; 9:27).

Any deviation from the given pattern of the execution of Daniel’s seventy prophetic weeks, when interpreting the final seventieth week, will bring nothing but confusion and a failure to understand the message.  This is the simple ‘secret’ (blueprint) to understanding God’s prophetic message; a pattern of continued precision!  Anything else is merely private interpretation and false teaching!  Neither are there any special hidden “Bible codes” or Hebrew calendar “Jubilees” and Sabbatical years (“Shemitahs”), which are just some of the many fads selling openly out on the market today.  These ideas privately invent (or add) something from outside the plain context of God’s word, to profit from a gullible and poorly informed Church/public, much like the “blood moons” nonsense, which fizzled and flopped, as there is only one blood moon in God’s prophetic word that matters as a sign, and it is not until the 6^th Seal judgment is broken open on the scroll (Revelation 6:12-17), something which has clearly not happened yet. 

Those involved in such things would do well to take the time to read the warning given at the back of the Bible in Revelation 22:18-19, which states, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”  This is extremely serious!  In these two verses Jesus is putting people on scriptural notice!  For to cross this line is very dangerous and it can even end up in an “unexpected” eternally separation from God for many, just like the warning Jesus gave to many in Matthew 7:21-23, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness”. 

Amillennialists and Preterists are examples of those who TAKE AWAY from God’s prophetic word by saying most of Revelation has supposedly already been fulfilled back in the first century.  These ideas use mostly a spiritualized method of interpretation, with very incomplete “historical explanations” that are inconsistently sprinkled in, all which defy and contradict far too many of the biblical details for any honest, rational thinker to take it seriously.  For instance, a quick read through the 21 judgments in the book of Revelation demonstrates why this type of gross and mythological spiritualization is used for these ideas, because there is clearly no notable, physical evidence to support the possibility that these things took place historically.

For instance: when did the demon locusts of the 5th Trumpet judgment sting people for 5 months with their scorpion tails and make them wish they were dead?  When did the army of 200 million sweep over the earth and kill a third of mankind?  When was the mark of the beast issued on the right hand or forehead, and everyone who refused to take it killed?  When did the battle of Armageddon take place, with the blood up to the horse’s bridles for 200 miles? And so on, and so on.  These people seek to then spiritualize away every prophecy that has been given for a literal physical fulfillment that fits the biblical blueprint, to satisfy their private and insufficient interpretations.  In other words, since they cannot obviously avoid all these hundreds of prophetic details, they just redefine and erase them through the magic of spiritualization that can’t be tested or proven.  Yet, the historic record confirms a literal, physical, earthly fulfillment of biblical prophecy.  Only verifiable fulfillment proves that God’s word is true.  Anyone can claim a spiritualized fulfillment of anything, which proves absolutely nothing, and it’s just not how God does His business. 

 In Isaiah 44:6-7, God tells us He alone can declare or predict the future from ancient times before it happens.  God predictions show a pattern of verifiable, physical, historical, literal, earthly fulfillments.  And it only makes logical sense that it would be this way, in order to prove the truth of His word, and His personal reality/existence, to humanity.  Anyone can make up stuff and then claim it was all fulfilled in an non-provable spiritualized fashion, because it cannot be verified in the natural realm.  Such claims are entirely meaningless and absurd.  Prophetic fulfillments that have been tested and verified is what sets the Bible apart from all other claims, demonstrating it is God’s authoritative word.  This is likely the number one reason Satan seeks to marginalize, vilify and distort God’s prophetic word.  Sadly, much of the Church has been deceived by this rebellious mentality, readily dismissing or demeaning God’s word involving end time prophecy as irrelevant, unnecessary, divisive and/or “negative”.

Perhaps, now Revelation 22:19 makes more sense, as to why God gave such a severe warning, because such thinking disrespects God’s truth and power, showing that God is the Savior for the lost souls contaminated by sin, whom He loves and wants to redeem, if they would just believe in Him.  Yet, the irrational, spiritualized distortions of these corrupt imaginations creates a barrier, making it harder for the coherent mind to believe.  So, is it any wonder why they are condemned by Jesus Christ for taking away from this important part of His precious word? There is still time for repentance from believing these things, so this is not an irreversible position, yet. The warning Jesus gave was more for those who would stubbornly stand firm with these types of positions and continue to lead people astray, rather than turn away from them.

Those who say God’s prophetic word is just a “side issue” or “disunifying” have no clue as to how wrong they really are!  It is wrong teaching to tell people God’s prophetic word is only a “side issue”, which is “not linked to salvation”, because Revelation 19:10b & 22:19 says it isdefinitely directly connected!  It is the private interpreters (false teachers and prophets) who are being divisive and disunifying, not God’s prophetic word!  They are not showing us the future things in the Bible correctly (i.e. the day of the Lord), so that the body of Christ will understand and be prepared.  No, they are only offering inaccuracies and side show distractions that create confusion and muddy, or fully distort, God’s pure prophetic word.  Tragically, the vast majority in the Church have been quite content to keep it that way, which brings us the other part of this problem.

The Bible teaches Christians to be responsible with God’s word, and we are without excuse if we choose to be negligent.  Acts 17:11-12 speaks to those who were noble minded and honorable in Berea, as they searched the scriptures daily and tested the Apostle Paul’s teaching to see if it was truly accurate.  Paul was commending the Bereans for this, not ostracizing them for daring to question or disagree with his authority.  For Paul knew they were establishing their own convictions, correctly, according to God’s word, instead of accepting it as merely his human opinion, which they might discard for another opinion they liked better in the future.

More than once Christians are admonished to be responsible, thorough and careful with God’s word. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we are told to, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” And in 1 Peter 3:14-15 it tells us, “And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” Our hope comes from salvation, but just as equally, our hope is from the prophetic promises of deliverance, justice, mercy, and the promise of being able to graciously experience heaven and an eternity with God, all which are prophetic in nature. 

Sadly, the body of Christ, corporately (in general) is guilty of negligence when it comes to the prophetic word of God.  Thus, we are seeing the fulfillment of apostasy, which is growing within the Church, because more tares are being sown into the wheat fields every day, due to a multiplicity of compromises within the leadership to accept worldly standards and philosophies contrary to the Bible’s clear boundaries for righteousness.  This has made it easy and comfortable for the tares to have access and fertile ground to grow.  This has been done because this makes for “good business”, bringing increase numbers into the church, with it all wrapped in the guise of spirituality and the outward appearance of expanding Church growth (i.e. mega-churches with multiple branches), but it has come with a steep cost of seriously diminished quality.  And then we wonder who the Bible was referring to when it says, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant … holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)?  Or we think that when the Bible says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:1-4), it must be speaking about some other part of the Church, but not where I fellowship.  How convenient the denial has become!

Apparently, most people in Christendom are equally unaware of the statement of fact for the timing and order of the prophetic things given by the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 4:17-19) which states, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? ¹⁹ Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” In its essence, it becomes a very relevant prophecy for our time.

Responsibility means accountability, and disobedience brings consequences. As it was pointed out to King Saul, as an example for all who say they believe in God, follow God, or love God, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23.  No one who is in a true relationship with God will take this lightly.

Additionally, discernment is not really that hard to practice, for those who honestly want to do it.  Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” – Matthew 7:15-16.  But even plastic replicas of fruit can be deceptive, unless we examine them closely.  So, we must be cautious to look carefully, and not just listen to what is said.  Anyone can go sleep in a barn, then come out the next day and declare that they are a horse, but it does not make them a horse.  So too, many claim they are Christians; that they believe in God and Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  But, if the fruit they produce leads people away from God (and the truth in His word), whether it is a deliberate misrepresentation or even just a distraction, then Jesus said to beware of them.  Those who are false only offer confusion and distraction with their fancy misinformation, which they disguise as “secret” or “hidden” knowledge found only through “special means” (i.e. Bible “codes” or Shemitahs).  These methods are formed outside of the plain context of the Scripture – “the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints – Jude 3”. 

These religious hucksters never offer a clear picture of what God’s prophetic word explains in its context, so that the body of Christ can be rightly informed and watch for those things to take place.  They do not wish to speak forth plainly, but rather they are vague, even within their “specific” declarations, so they can’t be pinned down or easily tested concerning their disinformation, especially when it comes to the full details of the biblical context, which they like to ignore or abuse, because the complete details expose their private interpretations.

An example of this is false typology from partial details within prophetic interpretation; a very common form of malpractice used by the false teachers. Whether it is multiple blood moons, the Chernobyl nuclear accident as the 3^rd Trumpet judgment, the leopard with four heads and four wings as Germany, or Jesus fulling the first half of Daniel’s 70^th week during His first coming, when He did His ministry for 3 ½ years, etc., a careful examination of the rest of the details quickly shows these concepts to be utterly false (private interpretations). Another significant give-a-way, as to those who are false, is that they try to wow people with their “special knowledge” and unique presentations, but they don’t share any kind of realistic Gospel message, which a great deal of biblical prophecy is tied directly into.  So, if they are not strongly sharing the Gospel, but instead they are just selling you their products, then again, be very wary.

Now, we need to first examine some key prophetic Scriptural definitions that will help lay the ground work for Daniel’s 70^th week to help us fill in the time gap between the 69^th and 70^th weeks of Daniel.  So, let’s first look at 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 – Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ³ While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶ so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

Most Bible teachers only read and comment on the first three verses in this passage, because reading the full context would quickly cause their private interpretations to disintegrate, so they simply avoid it. Verses 4-6 clarify that it is the world that the day of the Lord will come to just like a thief in the night, not believers. Also, that the day of the Lord should not “overtake” believers, like it will the world.  This raises a serious question: Can believers be overtaken by something they are not present to experience?  Obviously not.

A Key Biblical Definition:  The Day of The Lord

Three of the foremost concepts that are paramount to understanding end time prophecy correctly are “the day of the Lord”, “the wrath of the God” and “no prophecy of Scripture is of one’s own interpretation” (or the Bible is self-explanatory in its contextual interpretation of prophecy 2 Peter 1:20).  We have discussed 2 Peter 1:20, so now let’s examine the meaning of the day of the Lord, then after that, the wrath of God.  

Most Christians cannot correctly define what the day of the Lord is or when it is expected to begin.  This is because it has rarely, if ever, been taught from the pulpit, on the radio or in TV Christian teaching programs.  Most Christian leaders do not even know how to properly define the day of the Lord, as the vast majority of seminaries they attended do not teach it, or they teach a distorted and inaccurate view of it.  This collective ignorance has left a very serious void of knowledge concerning one of the most critical areas in biblical prophetic end time understanding.  Because most have the idea that the day of the Lord is just referring to the time Jesus returns to earth, when they read a passage referring to it, or containing it, then they completely miss what is being stated in that passage as a result.  Thus, the ignorance is compounded concerning end time prophecy, with many false teachings and private interpretations being inappropriately forced out of the text, or entirely brushed over and ignored. 

Perhaps, this is why we are repeatedly told “the only three real choices” we have, for those who even believe in a Rapture (a minority in Christendom), is the Pre, Mid or Post Tribulation views, and of these we are told to accept the Pre-Tribulation view as the best, when all three ideas are actually biblically flawed and insufficient to the whole of all the details in their true context.  Yes, I understand many will find that statement shocking, but just keep reading.

Lest someone think I made this up, the following is quoted from the study Bible notes of Charles C. Ryrie, Th.D., Ph.D., page 1809, on the scripture reference of 1 Thessalonians 5:2, “the day of the Lord – An extended period of time, beginning with the tribulation and including the events of the second coming of Christ and the millennial kingdom on earth.”  (Some places to confirm this are found in Isaiah chapters 2-4 & Zechariah chapters 12-14 where ‘in that day’ or ‘on that day’ speaks indirectly, yet clearly, to the day of the Lord, in which the context is referring to both the time during the Tribulation judgments and the millennial kingdom blessings.)  Please see the following graph for further clarity on the time frame of the day of the Lord.

(7 yr. Trib.)       +       1000 year millennial reign    =   (~ 1007 year period)

|<  ___>|____< _______________________________________>_____|

|                           <       THE DAY OF THE LORD    >                                |

Further, very often when the day of the Lord is used in Scripture, it is referring to events that take place in the last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s seventieth week (or the great tribulation).  But it is not exclusive to that particular time frame, as 2 Peter 3:10 states, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up”.  According to Revelation 20:7-11, this is at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ when the entire physical universe disappears at the time of the great white throne (or final) judgment.  Here is where the most rigid and narrow view of this term, “the day of the Lord”, as being just within the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week or the last 3½ years of the tribulation (the great tribulation), fails within the context, which not a few have dogmatically tried to claim.  So, discerning the context to carefully look for which part of the 1007 years of “the day of the Lord” that is being addressed is absolutely essential for correct exegesis of the time frame that is being referred to in the passage.  When this is not practiced properly, then confusion and private interpretation will most certainly result.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 – Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, ² that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.  (The context here is saying that Jesus Christ’s coming and gathering believers together, at the Rapture, will be within the day of the Lord and it will not come until the apostasy happens and the Antichrist is revealed. The definite article, “the” in the Greek here, indicates that the apostasy is a very specific event that transpires in time and space, with a clear beginning and end, like the 2000 Olympics games.  The apostasy we see now is merely like a large body of water building up behind a dam.  The pressure is increasing to a very dangerous level and water in spilling over the top of the dam, with leaking cracks forming within the dam.  However, the apostasy will be the equivalent of the dam bursting and flooding the valley below.  There will be great damage and carnage to the Church at this point in time and it will be a very obvious event to any with even a small amount of discernment (Matthew 24:9-12).   The first revealing of the Antichrist will happen at the signing of the seven-year peace covenant, which is at the beginning of Daniel’s 70^th week, or the seven-year Tribulation – Daniel 9:27.)

1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9 – The Bible tells us it is an absolute certainty that true believers are not destined for God’s wrath.  Very true!  So, how does that work?

 What is God’s wrath and when does it take place?

Most claim God’s wrath is the whole 7-year Tribulation.  But is it?  All we need to do is read Revelation 6:9-11 to see that this popular idea/definition is completely flawed.  This is true because IF all 21 judgments were the wrath of God, then God’s wrath would be poured out on the saints in the 5^th Seal judgment, which would be a direct contradiction with 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9.

Revelation chapters 15 & 16 – clearly defines for us the where, what and when of ‘the wrath of the God’.  The Greek language’s use of the double definite article in Revelation 15:7, here solidifies that the wrath of the God is unquestionably contained within the 7 bowl judgments and poured out during the last 3½ years of the Tribulation upon the beast and his marked followers (the English versions generally do not show the second definite article, as this is not how English is commonly spoken, but it is in the Greek text).  The other place wrath is mentioned is in Revelation 6:16-17 and it is prematurely announced by wicked, terrified men who have just committed mass murder against Christians all over the earth, as opposed to the declaration from God’s throne room in Revelation Ch. 15.  God’s wrath only begins once, so it is not hard to distinguish that the correct and authoritative beginning is found in the later of these two.

Thus, we have narrowed down Jesus Christ’s coming for the true believers in the Rapture to any time after the revealing of the Antichrist and prior to the mark of the beast, since we now have a correct definition of the day of the Lord and the wrath of God. 

So, now let’s look just a bit further at some of the other clues Jesus and the Apostle Paul left for us to discern God’s blueprint accurately.

John 14:1-3 – Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 – Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (All those in Christ will be Raptured – there is no partial Rapture, despite what some claim, as grace covers all true believers – Ephesians 2:8-9 & Romans 8:1.  The only question is: Who really is in Christ?  Additionally, it is important to recognize from these passages the Bible tells us that true Christians will be gathered to Christ in a Rapture, before we return with Him in the Second Coming at the end of the seven-year Tribulation – Revelation Ch. 19 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13.)

            Now, there are only two possible choices for the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15 within the Tribulation prophecies.  One is at the gathering of the elect in Matthew 24:30-31.  Yet, this takes place; after Jesus has appeared in His physical, second coming to earth.  However, in Revelation 19:8,14 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13 it describes Jesus returning with His saints, who are already with Him.  Thus, Matthew 24:30-31 is directly connected to the elect individuals who specifically missed the Rapture, realized their error, repented and gave their life to Christ, and then were then beheaded for refusing the mark of the beast (Revelation 20:4), as they are resurrected promptly after Jesus as returns.  Additionally, Revelation 19 shows the saints up in heaven rejoicing over the judgment of the great harlot and Revelation 14:6-11 tells us the harlot is judged just before the mark of the beast.  So, just as there is no Pre-Tribulation Rapture, there is no Post-Tribulation Rapture either.  And technically, the middle of the Tribulation is the abomination of desolation and the mark of the beast (Daniel 9:27 & Revelation 13).  So, since the Rapture must precede this event there is technically no traditional “Mid-Tribulation” Rapture either.

So Where are the Saints Raptured on the Prophetic Time Line? 

The “Church” has other names:

Revelation 1:6 – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen

Revelation 5:10 – You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. (Some versions use “kings”, instead of “kingdom” in these two passages, but the representation here is of the body, which is a corporate/community entity, not individual, potentate kings, with their own separate kingdoms.  Thus, “kingdom”, not “kings” is the proper usage here for the Greek here in these passages).

Revelation 10:7 – You but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.  (But what is the mystery of God?)

Colossians 1:26-2:2 – that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, ²⁷ to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. … ²resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.  (So, why is the mystery of Christ in believers finished at the 7^th trumpet???)

Revelation 11:15 – Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (The correct Greek rendering is in the singular form, not plural, for the word “kingdom” here.  Also, where is Jesus Christ located at this 7^th Trumpet?  He descends from Heaven in the clouds and receives His Bride/Church, then takes us to the Father, where He begins His reign (fulfilling His promise in John 14:1-3). Jesus does not physically return to earth until later on in Revelation chapter 19:11-21, when His saints then come back with Him riding on white horses – cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:13.) The dual aspect of the kingdom of God in heaven and on earth in believers is joined together at this point, in the Rapture.

The kingdom of God exists wherever God is resident, both in heaven and on earth, in the hearts of believers – Colossians 1:26-2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19:17-20.  The Rapture, at the 7^th Trumpet, brings together the kingdom (the Church, the true bride) to Christ in heaven to present her to the Father (Daniel 7:13-14).

This exit of the kingdom of God from earth is before the wrath of God, yet it opens the door for both the wrath of Satan (Revelation 12:9-12) and the wrath of God (Revelation Chs. 15 & 16) to be unleashed on those remaining back on planet Earth.  Revelation 11:18 – “And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

            This fits perfectly with the bema seat judgment for the rewards of the saints/believers as stated in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. This is not the final judgment of souls, which we will see at a little later on in Revelation Ch. 20.

As we look into the precise, contextual, biblical prophetic pattern of interpretation, the book Revelation shows us a scroll containing 21 judgments.  As we let the text explain itself, we see the 7 Seals of Judgments on the outside of the scroll, broken by Jesus up in heaven and sequentially one after the other taking place.  Then, the scroll is unrolled, and we see the 7 Trumpet Judgments blown sequentially, one after the other.  Again, in context, these all take place prior to the mid-point of the 7-year Tribulation, with the mark of the beast, after which the wrath the God is poured out on the beast and his followers in the 7 Bowl Judgments. 

There is a need to speak to growing deception in the body of Christ. Confusion has come lately about the mark of the beast and forgiveness from God.  Some prominent, “well-respected” Bible teachers have been saying that God is willing to forgive those who take the mark of the beast.  But these lofty opinions are in complete contradiction with God’s direct/contextual word. 

Revelation 13:4-9 – they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” ⁵ There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. ⁶ And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.  ⁷ It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear.  (The remaining elect will be killed here for refusing the mark of the beast – Revelation 7:9-17; 20:4.  So then, the “All” in verse eight is referring to the wicked who take the mark of the beast, just as the context indicates, also see Revelation 20:15.)

            Revelation 14:9-11 – Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (That’s as eternally permanent as it gets!)

“It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” – Hebrews 9:27. Revelation 20:11-15 – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (All who trust in their deeds, including all the good deeds, will end up in Hell. This would include all those who took the mark of the beast, which we just read about in Revelation 13:8. Also, see 2 Peter 3:7-13, Colossians 1:15-17, Matthew 5:18 and Revelation 21:1.  This is the end of the day of the Lord – the final judgment.  The way to eternal life is narrow and only for a few – Matthew 7:13-14.)  How do we get our name in the book of life and not end up in the lake of fire, because of trusting in our deeds, or believing we are a good person, but really not being remotely nearly good enough?

            A parable about the Rapture in Matthew 25:1-12 tells us, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’” 

They were expectantly waiting on Jesus and they even called Him Lord, but He did not know them – as in spiritual oneness, because they had not truly been born again – John Ch. 3.  Example: If the President walked into the room, we would all know him. But, would he know us?  It’s the same with Jesus.  This example of the virgins is even more profound and amazing when it is realized that the ten virgins represent the body of Christ after the great apostasy and the 5^th Seal Judgment genocide!  Meaning, this group of believers is very serious and sincere in their faith, operating in an underground Church, which is enduring in extremely life-threatening conditions if caught.  Yet, still 50% get left behind, because they were not truly born again spiritually!  Wow!

            Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’  (This tells us that the power for the supernatural things they did in Jesus’ name, came from demonic powers. Think about it and how it may apply to much of what we see going on in the Church today.  Are God’s miracles real today?  Absolutely yes and amen.  Nevertheless, there is much counterfeit as well. How can we know the difference?  Are they truly preaching salvation by repentance and faith?  Are lives truly being transformed in Christ through His grace, or seriously coming to faith and showing a born again difference?  These are the things that help give discernment.)

So, how do we know that we have been truly save, when we prayed to receive Christ, or that salvation has really happened for us, and we are truly born again?

Romans 8:15-17 – For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

1 John 5:10-13 – The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. ¹¹ And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  (A person “knows” because God told them so – period.  If you don’t have the witness of the Holy Spirit that God has told you that you are His, then you aren’t – it really is that simple.  This is not referring to the counterfeit occultic/satanic burning in the bosom that the Mormon/LDS Church uses as a “testimony”.  This is an all-powerful witness that comes from God, which only He can speak into a person.  Mormons experience the burning, but still attempt to do deeds to gain God’s favor for their souls, because they have no true witness from the Creator Himself.)

            Luke 6:46-49 – ⁴⁶ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them …” (A person’s response is not coerced, rather it is a supernatural cause and effect of being spiritually reborn.  This passage goes on to say that those who listen, but don’t act on it will end up in apostasy and ruin. See 1 John 2:1-6; 3:7-10, the key word in this passage to understand is “practice”, as in either a self-justified lifestyle of sin, or a lifestyle seeking not to sin.  Our perfection does not come until we see Jesus face to face 1 John 3:2).  We are all sinners; these passages are speaking to those who are truly forgiven through Christ (being in Him) and those who are not. However, even those who believe they are Christians are called to honestly examine themselves, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” – 2 Corinthians 13:5.

So, how does a person make sure? We must make God our Boss, instead of just having Him as a benefactor. We must admit we are a sinner and our soul is contaminated by sin and we are helpless to do anything about it, and so we need a Savior. We must repent (have real remorse over our sin and choose to willfully turn away, in a practice of lifestyle, from our sinful behavior and our independent control over our “own” life).  Thank Jesus for coming to suffer and die for us and pay for all our sins. When asking for Jesus to forgive us and come into our life to be our Lord, our God and our Savior, we are literally surrendering our life to Him.  We acknowledge Jesus as God, the Son, and thank Him for physically rising from the dead to give us new life and hope in His Holy name. 

If we mean it sincerely, then God, the Holy Spirit, will witness to us that we are His, as He has come into us and sealed us for the day of our redemption, when we will be taken to heaven and perfected in Christ. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (God does not lie and so He cannot break His promise! The only question is are we really His possession/child?)

This passage was written after the events in the book of Acts transpired. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, was using it to show precedence over how some things had happened differently with the operation of the Holy Spirit in Acts, when the Church was being established in its early transitional stages.  It’s like God is saying, from now on, this is how I’m doing it.  Either this is true, or we have a major contradiction with what happened in Acts. Additionally, this was not the first time God made a transition on how He did things.

What should we expect to see next on the prophetic time table (or when is the day of the Lord and what is likely to happen to get it started)?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 tells us, they (the world) would be saying “peace and safety!” and then sudden destruction would come upon them.  Later, the Apostle Paul adds to this and tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 that before we are gathered together to Jesus Christ, the apostasy would come first and the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) would be revealed.

The Peace Treaty:  The Antichrist is revealed when he signs the unique seven-year peace covenant with Israel and several other nations to start the 70^th week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27).  The parallel verse for this found in Revelation 6:1-2 with the 1^st Seal judgment, the rider on the white horse, which Jesus, up in heaven, cracks opens on the judgment scroll.  These passages both speak to the peace pact at the beginning of the 70^th week (or seven-year Tribulation).  But notice how the book of Revelation begins to immediately add in more details, for Revelation 6:3-4 tells us that a great war, where many are killed, follows right after the peace treaty.  Only certain nations are a part of the Antichrist’s peace covenant (made with “many”, not all), which leaves the rest, outside the peace covenant, vulnerable to this war.  This war, after the peace treaty, will most certainly be the sudden destruction that follows close behind, which 1 Thessalonians 5:3 told us will happen. Meanwhile, many will falsely think the world has been rescued from a potential military disaster, which will actually only be temporarily averted by the Antichrist’s peace covenant.  Why else would the world celebrate peace and safety just before sudden destruction comes?  After all, the last Middle East peace treaty was signed and later broken without the world caring all that much.  What most have failed to see here is that the peace covenant is limited to several nations and does not include everyone, so they mistakenly have believed that the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation would be a time of peace.  This could not be further from the truth, as multiple wars with massive casualties in the millions will transpire during this time.

Apostasy and Persecution:  Further, in Matthew 24:9-12, Jesus told us that Christians would be delivered to tribulation, we would be killed and hated by all nations because of His name.  During this time of global persecution and difficulty for Christians, many will fall away (the apostasy previously mentioned).  There will be a move to set up a one world government and a one world religion, and they will work together in tandem against the true saints/believers in God (see Revelation chapters 13, 17 & 18).  

When global persecution comes many will fall away, with most who do, turning to join the Mother of Harlots (plural), the one world religious system, for their “safety and security”, as “good” and “obedient” Citizens and Christians, who “lawfully” submit to the world’s religious and governing authorities. Yet, God is calling His people out of her, so they won’t have to share in her sins and receive her plagues (Revelation 18:4 & Acts 5:27-29).  The religious Harlot will be drunk with the blood of the saints (Revelation 17:6; 18:20-24).  Yet, we must not be deceived, for apostasy and cowardice will have a big price for those who go there.  So, the majority who think joining the Harlot is the best, safest, most “obedient” option will definitely regret their short-sighted foolishness if they don’t repent of it (Revelation 19:1-3; 21:8).

The set-up for the Coming Shift in Global Power:  Daniel 11:35-39 tells us that the Antichrist will use money and military might to rule the world.  When we put these clues together correctly it tells us that we should be watching for a global shift of wealth and military power, which will be used to set the stage for the kingdom of the Antichrist to gain complete control at some point in the near future.  For those who have been paying attention to the world’s money systems (stacked high with irreversible, catastrophic debt) and political growing tensions, it’s not hard to see that very soon there will be a devastating financial collapse/reset. Also, the potential for very serious wars in places like the Middle East, Kashmir and Korea, with the likelihood of limited nuclear weapons being used in one or all three arenas being very high.

The Solution and the Fallout from it:  When this happens, the world will need someone to come onto the scene and broker a peace that will stop the war(s) from escalating into a full blown global nuclear disaster that would wipe out humanity. So, now 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 makes sense, as to why everyone in the world is celebrating and declaring “peace and safety!” so emphatically.  But shortly afterward, a great war breaks out and destruction comes to many.  Unfortunately, the political and financial climates seem to be telling us that this could involve a very deadly exchange between the China and the USA as the primary players, in the war of the rider on the red horse of the 2^nd Seal Judgment, who will take peace from the earth, as men will kill one another and many will die.  So, peace on earth is immediately removed, once the 2^nd Seal is broken on the scroll, which follows right after the 1^st Seal Judgment.

The Christian Perspective: A Christian’s home is not on this earth, but with the Lord.  Thus, we do not need to fear these things.  Plus, God has our days numbered and we are safe in His hands.  Either, we go home, or God protects and sustains us for His service here on earth until it is our time.  Those living for God are not bothered by this (Psalm 91).  But those living for this world are greatly disturbed by these things, because of what it will mean for “their plans” for this life on earth now, which they are trying to live out to their own satisfaction.  So, discern where your treasure is, because that is what your heart will respond to and act upon (Matthew 7:24-27).  It is important to learn what God’s prophetic word tells us we will soon be facing, so that we can be prepared.  This hard truth is also why the Western Church has not wished to hear this message, because so many are living for themselves and their money.  To speak to this reality would be very disruptive to the successful business of most churches, as most members and attendees would quickly flee to another nearby church that would still tickle their ears (2 Timothy 4:1-4), because the worldly will not tolerate this truth.  Thus, most Church leaders steer well clear of any honest examination of God’s prophetic word, as it honestly applies to the body of Christ today.

A Summary of Things to Look for:  The financial crisis will reduce much of the USA to a third world status, wiping out most all of the middle class.  Serious war will break out in the Middle East, and likely elsewhere, creating a need for a global solution. The world will be restructured into 10 global regions (the ten toes/horns), each with its own leader, to establish the prophesied kingdom of the Antichrist, just as the books of Daniel and Revelation prophesied (as we saw in the chart on the six kingdoms). The USA, Canada and Mexico has been designated to be one of those regions, along with Western Europe as another region, the place where the Antichrist will come from (Daniel 2:33; 2:41-43; 7:7-8, 19-25; 8:23-25; 9:25-27 and Revelation 17:12-13).  The peace covenant will be signed.  Shortly after this, the other shoe will drop on what is left of the USA and the free world, as China appears to be a very good candidate for the rider on the red horse, attacking across the Pacific and into the Americas, most specifically against the USA, and in doing so could cause significant harm and destruction in those areas.  China will likely be partly crippled during this exchange, because it does not participate as a military power globally until the very end of the Tribulation (Revelation 16:12).  But the USA will be taken off the world’s scene as a global power and not play any major role during the rest of the Tribulation, as no king or power from the far West is mentioned at all.  China has planned a first strike with multiple EMP’s, which would cripple almost all of the life-supporting infrastructure in the USA.  No more electricity or clean, running water would empty most cities and cause most of the population to die within a year if they are able to migrate out sucessfully.  Government styled FEMA camps will become a temporary home for many refuge Americans, but this will be used to cull out the useful workers and dispose of the rest.  The vast majority of the useful workers will essentially become slaves, just working for food to try to stay alive.

On the religious front, Christians that remain will either run to the Mother of harlots for “safety and acceptance” or they will be a part of secret underground churches (Matthew 24:9-13), much like we see in Communist and Islamic countries currently.  Yet, some will join the world’s secular beast system and turn on the Christians they once fellowshipped with as well, choosing to become hardened atheists full of the spirit of the antichrist in this dark time.

Many Christians will be betrayed by friends and family (Micah 7:2-8), persecuted and killed (Matthew 10:16-39).  Yet, those who have insight will lead many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3).  We must prepare now – the wise will do what they can to get out of debt and paper assets, and buy food, water, extra medicines, an alternative energy source, silver, gold and other materials helpful to endure the trials ahead.  Yet, setting our minds and hearts solely on the kingdom purposes of God (Ephesians 6:12) and being sure to learn God’s word greatly for full discernment. 

How much time do we have left until the day of the Lord begins (which is different from the return of Christ)?

A Calculated Reference Point For The Day Of The Lord

(Note: This is not talking about the Rapture, of which no one knows the day or the hour, expect God, the Father. The Apostle Paul said we should be able to discern the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6), which is different from the Rapture, so that it would not “overtake” a believer.)

Jesus stated that the generation that saw the signs for the end of the age and His return would not pass away until the signs had all been accomplished (Matthew 24:34).  The beginning sign involved the 2nd regathering of Israel and its inclusion for all the events that would transpire, along with it being at a time when humanity could be made extinct (Isaiah 11:11-12 and Matthew 24:15-22).  The final sign, for the final generation, is the physical return of Jesus Christ to planet earth (Matthew 24:30), which will be at the end of Daniel’s 70th week (the 7-year Tribulation – see Daniel 7:23-27; 9:27 and Revelation 19:11-21).

Extremely little time is left, as the final generation is coming to its end – please allow me to explain why.  Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the end of the age and His return by giving several signs that a final generation should be looking for in Matthew 24:1-34 and they would not pass away until all the signs where fulfilled, which included Jesus physical return back to earth at the second coming.  A specific sign involves the fact that Israel would be back in their land and Jesus tied it back to the prophecies in Daniel’s 70^th week (Matthew 24:15-21).  Now, the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 11:11-12 that a time would come when Israel would be regathered a second time (there is no 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th time, only a second and final time).  This key sign was fulfilled on May 14^th, 1948.  Further, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, told us the life span of a generation is 70 to 80 years in Psalm 90:10. (Some may be thinking, ‘well duh’.  But at least this should settle the time period for a biblical generation, as others have made various random assignments of years to fit their opinions, like 20, 40 and 120 years, for the length of a generation.)

Therefore, the final generation began when Israel was reborn as a nation on May 14th, 1948.  If we set a reference point by using the solar calendar (as Moses was raised in Egypt and they used a solar calendar and this was likely what was meant in Psalm 90:10), we would add 80 solar years (for the furthest point in duration), then still subtract 7 lunar years (because Daniels’ 70th week is still in the format of lunar years – see Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 12:6).  So, by adding 80 solar years to May 14th, 1948 it brings us to May 14th, 2028, then we would subtract 7 lunar years (7 x 360 = 2520 days) to get our other possible point of reference.  This brings us to right around June 2021 in using the solar calendar reference point scenario for the extent of the final generation, as the reference point for {Daniel’s 70th week/the 7-year Tribulation/the day of the Lord} to begin would potentially be at the end of 73 years (80-7=73).  

           Since God is allowing sin to run its full course (2 Peter 3:9), the time of the final generation can technically be extended (from our perspective anyway, but not God’s sovereign plan) to the last person living within that generation (say someone who lives to be 103 years old for instance), then it would start a little later beyond the range of the above calculated reference point (which it has already clearly has done).  Nevertheless, we know we are very near seeing the day of the Lord begin, as the Apostle Paul told believers they should understand, so that it would not “overtake” Christians (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).  No one can be overtaken by something they are not present to experience.  Thus, the church will be here to see it begin.  The Apostle Paul went on to confirm and clarify this even further in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.

         Therefore, the body of Christ needs to get ready for this event and all that it means, whether we like it or not.  So, since it all begins with the peace covenant, we should expect to see global financial and political (wars) chaos in the time just preceding it, to set the stage for the needed peace accord to be brokered by the Antichrist, which the world will greatly celebrate, although this celebration will be very short lived (1 Thessalonians 5:3 and Revelation 6:1-4).

Christians are to know what the day of the Lord is and when it is expected to arrive on the prophetic time line given to us in the Bible.  This is why I share this type of information, to equip the body of Christ for the days ahead and the kingdom work that must be done.  The Church is largely asleep and will be taken greatly off-guard by this, but that no longer has to include you, as you have now read this formation.  Please, share this with any and all who will listen. For the storm is coming against both houses (Matthew 7:24-27).

May the peace and wisdom of God guide and the Holy Spirit empower you, as God provides for everything we need for His glory in this coming final moment.

Answering Some Common Objections

     When the examination of end time prophecy is brought up, those who do not understand its significance, or do not want you to understand it, often raise objections to avoid looking into God’s prophetic word at all. Below is a common list of those objections and the biblical response to such erroneous thinking.

Objection #1: No man knows the day or the hour of Jesus return and He is coming like a thief in the night. Because of this, there is no way we can know for sure, so why bother trying to figure it all out? It will just cause division and strife and nothing good will be accomplished by pursuing it.

Answer: When we review the context of Matthew chapter twenty-four more carefully, we realize that “the day or the hour” that no one will know is a literal 24-hour day and a literal hour within that time frame, because Jesus just gave us a large number of signs that the final generation should expect to see within a time span of a final generation (Matthew 24:34 & Psalm 90:10). It would be contradictory for Him to say, “Here, look for all these signs that will take place within a give time frame, but don’t bother taking them seriously because you really can’t know”.

The correct understanding of this prophecy is the exact opposite of the way it has been misapplied in the objection. For Jesus is coming as a thief in the night to an unbelieving world, but not to His true followers, as the apostle Paul pointed out to us in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6. “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they (the world) are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are neither of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober”. The apostle Peter also admonished us concerning prophecy in 2 Peter 1:19, “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts”.  Christians really have no excuse to be ignorant about what God’s prophetic word has told us to expect. This really all boils down to various heart issues, like the love of this world, selfishness, laziness and unhealthy fear, which Proverbs warns is a snare (Proverbs 9:10 & 29:25). These snares can harden an individual into refusing to take an honest and careful look at biblical end time prophecy.

Additionally, unity at the price of truth is neither love, nor holy, biblical harmony. “For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part, I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you” (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). “(Love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;” (1 Corinthians 13:6). God’s love never sacrifices the truth, because truth is one of the standards for measuring authentic love. Most in the Church today do not like God’s tough love approach that comes out of the mouths of His prophets, so they stay away from biblical prophecy, avoid the whole counsel of God’s word and simply run to certain passages that seem to confirm what their itching ears want to hear.  They have also heap up unto themselves those teachers that would tickle their ears with these types of “soothing” distortions, which is yet another fulfilled prophecy (2 Timothy 4:3).

Objection #2: We really don’t need to bother with prophecy, because we are supposed to be focusing on Jesus.

Answer: First of all, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” — 2 Timothy 3:16.  This would include prophecy, would it not?  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” – 2 Timothy 2:15.  “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” – 1 Peter 3:15. 

We cannot obey these verses completely if we are ignorant on matters of prophecy, especially in the days ahead!  God spent 25% of His time speaking to us in the Bible concerning His Second Coming and takeover of the Earth to rule it in righteousness.  This is the greatest amount of coverage on any topic! So, every effort to minimalize, marginalize, ostracize or vilify God’s prophetic word is not from the Holy Spirit!

To actually have a true Christian, biblical worldview, one must have a correct and fairly complete comprehension of eschatology, or they can be easily be misled, as to the direction the Lord is taking and what He is actually doing within His kingdom purposes.  Anyone who dismisses, ignores, or demeans end time prophecy, only displays the shallowness and immaturity of their faith, at best.  When prophecy is studied, understood and applied correctly, it lifts up, proclaims and testifies to Jesus in a very powerful way!  Prophecy, correctly utilized, is one of the most potent evangelical witnessing tools available to the body of Christ. “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10b).  Daniel 12:3 (in its broader context) tells us that those who have prophetic insight (into what the Scriptures say for the time of the Messiah’s return to Earth) will lead many into the kingdom of God.  Those who properly value and respect prophecy are truly among the wise of heart and will shine brightly in these last days, leading many to Christ!

Objection #3: Biblical prophecy is nothing but a negative doom and gloom message, which is just not something anyone in their right mind would be interested in.

Answer (and reality check): First, and foremost, for believers biblical prophecy is anything but negative news.  It is God’s promise of hope for a tremendously improved future, far better than we ourselves, or all of humanity combined, could ever provide for us.  The coming earthly judgments are remarkably brief compared to the eternal paradise promised in Heaven (Revelation chapters 21 and 22). 

Nevertheless, for the unredeemed, biblical prophecy is like a friend who comes and wakes them up in the middle of a really nice dream, while they are in a deep sleep, and it tells them that their house is on fire and they have to get out immediately or they will be burned alive.  They can either ignore the friend by going go back to sleep, or perhaps become angry with him for being awakened, tell him to stop being so “negative” and to just get lost, because they did not appreciate their dream being interrupted. Another option could be the choice to mock him and laugh at him in disbelief, denying that the fire even exists.  But hopefully, they will take him seriously and get out of the burning house to save their life.  Yes, the house is burning down, but denying this won’t save the house or the person who stays in it. 

God’s prophetic warning only appears as negative and discouraging to the worldly and unbelieving, who don’t want to accept God’s stipulations concerning sin and holiness. They don’t want to give up their sin, which signifies their eternal undoing biblically (Revelation 20:11-15).  Yet, God is their friend trying to warn and save them, as He does not wish for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). For it is really the rebellious and unrepentant that are the ones acting in an irrational manner toward Him, refusing His kind offer of forgiveness.

Anyone spinning the truth and claiming that biblical prophecy is nothing but a negative or harmful message of doom, destruction and gloom is just like a fool in a building being consumed by the flames of a raging fire, who won’t allow a friend to help them, simply because it means they would then have to be real with God, which reveals the true condition of a person’s heart (John 3:19-20).  The most interesting part of this issue is that the majority of those who use this kind of unfounded disapproval are located within the Church itself, not outside of it, which may well be a very unfortunate indicator of the true condition of most within the Church (Revelation 3:14-22).

Objection #4: Earthquakes, famines, wars and pestilence have always been with us. The only reason that they seem to be increasing is that we now have a larger population and the technology to be able to better track these things.

Answer: Actually, accurate historical data tells us that marked increases are indeed being seen, particularly over the last half of the 20th century up to now. One does not need a sophisticated instrument to make note of a major earthquake that shakes the ground you stand on, leveling the buildings around you. Besides, there are many more signs than the wars and disasters that would increase in frequency and intensity, like a woman with “birth pangs”, which were given to us for be on the lookout for. The key is to realize that all these things were to intensify at the same time (Matthew 24:3-8), something that is truly unique to our current time period. In fact, the very technological advances that help us keep track of all these things are just one further area of fulfillment, among many, of several biblical prophecies that tells us the return of Jesus is very near. Knowledge and travel increasing dramatically (Daniel 12:4), destructive powers able to make mankind extinct (Matthew 24:21-22), the ability to keep track of every financial transaction on earth (Revelation 13:16-17), the ability for the whole earth to witness a single, localized event (Revelation 11:9-10), along with a globally connected economy and society that is setting the stage for the rapid rise of a tyrannical world leader (Daniel 7:15-28).

Objection #5: There are many other books and prophecies outside the Bible that predict some of these same things. The Bible is just one among many, therefore its prophecies aren’t anymore special than the others.

Answer: It is true that there are several other books that contain some prophecy and there are an innumerable number of seers just about everywhere you look these days as well (like a psychic on practically every street corner and infomercial). However, there are two very distinctive differences between the other written prophecies outside the Bible (along with all these other seers and prophets) and the prophecies within the pages of the Bible. The first is that the biblical prophecies have always been 100% accurate, where as the others, spoken or written, have a track record of about 10%. So, in other words, nine times out of ten they don’t come true. First, this is not a very reliable way to determine our future! Secondly, these extra-biblical prophecies usually are accompanied with a message that is contrary to the Bible, and most specifically the good news concerning Jesus Christ for the salvation of lost souls.

The Lord warned us about this: “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). “But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). The warning is clear for those who have an ear to hear. 

No one would spend their money with a financial planner that was only right 10% of the time with their forecasting of other peoples’ investments.  On the other hand, everyone would want to put their money with investment advice that was always 100% accurate, like the biblical prophets. Yet, when it comes to the future of their soul, most humans seem to have little trouble ignoring the only reasonable and wise advice available.

Objection #6: Prophecy is just symbolic. Besides, it’s just too hard to understand and way too controversial.

Answer: Reality check: most of what Jesus said was controversial. In fact, if Jesus were here today and spoke out, at the very least, He would be labeled politically incorrect, a racist, a bigot and even a hate monger, among many other false accusations, because truth is almost always just that controversial, particularly among those who attempt to redefine or deny the existence of absolute truth (God and His word, the Bible). Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).

As far as understanding goes, the best rule of interpretation is to take the prophecies in their context and as straightforward as possible. When a figure of speech is used and there is a representational meaning within a passage, then we must simply look for the literal meaning within that symbolism. Past-fulfilled prophecies demonstrate to us that this simple approach is a valid way to expound on the prophecies. As chapter three of this book clearly demonstrates, Daniel’s prophecies fit this pattern and the historic record confirms that they were fulfilled in a literal manner.  Departing from the only reliable model that the Bible has established quickly reduces a person to the folly of private interpretation, which is the primary reason for the lack of comprehension.

God offered His special blessing for the one who would read and head the prophecy of Revelation, at both the beginning and end of the book (Revelation 1:3 & 22:7).  Even the Apostle Peter said it would be a person’s guiding light (2 Peter 1:19).  The understanding comes when you seek the Lord the right way (1 John 2:27).

Objection #7: But, what does prophecy have to do with salvation?  Does it REALLY even matter?

     Answer: This common objection is often used by the insincere to dismiss any honest examination of the Scriptures on this issue.  Well, the answer will surprise most everyone, because Jesus said it may well have everything to do with salvation!  Just look at Jesus’s final warning in the word of God in Revelation 22:18-19.  “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”  Thus, Jesus Himself said twisting or dismissing His prophetic word carries with it some very serious consequences, the worst of which is not being allowed life (the tree of life) in heaven (the holy city where God will dwell).  Something to think about.

       Further, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” – Revelation 19:10.  Prophecy testifies that Jesus Christ is the soon returning King of kings and Lord or lords, to whom everyone must give an account and they need to have their name found in the book of life (Revelation 20:11-15).  That’s equally as much the gospel as John 3:16. Therefore, the wrong-headed idea that insists upon everyone just focusing solely on the cross, seeks to censure biblical prophecy in the name of comfort and conformity (ear tickling, false unity?), which one might even consider is the devil’s trick to keep the vast majority of people ignorant of God’s powerful prophetic word that could guide many to the truth.

A Special Point of Interest – The Psalm 83 and the current Middle East War.

There is an intriguing battle is mentioned Psalm 83 concerning the nation of Israel and those who are determined to “wipe them out as a nation” (v. 4).  The enemies listed who come against Israel, as stated in Psalm 83 are thus: Edom (part of modern Jordan), the Ishmaelites (modern Saudi Arabia), Moab (part of modern Jordan), the Hagrites (possibly descendants from Hagar, who was from Egypt, but a tribe that had settled in an area of Aram or Eastern Syria to NW Saudi Arabia), Gebal (part of modern Jordan), Ammon (part of modern Jordan), Amalek (descendants of Esau which lived in part of modern Jordan to part of modern Saudi Arabia), Philistia (modern Gaza), Tyre (in Lebanon), Assyria (modern Syria) and the sons of Lot (who
settled in Ar, within Moab – Deuteronomy 2, which is part of modern Jordan).

So, to sum up the enemies of Israel that will attack them in this battle, seeking to annihilate the existence of the nation of Israel, we have attacks coming from Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, with a slim possibly from Egypt.  If Egypt was country mentioned here, then this prophesied battle fits well with what took place in the ten-month 1948-1949 conflict between Israel and its hostile neighbors right after it was declared as a sovereign nation in May of 1948.  Yet, I remain open to the possibility that Psalm 83 also may fulfill a prerequisite future battle to set the stage for a needed Middle East peace covenant for Israel, which the Antichrist will craft with his seven-year agreement (Daniel 9:27).

The June, 1967 (six day) War, which was fought between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, with the nations of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces, does not seem to meet the criterion of the nations mentioned in Psalm 83.  Therefore, since this does not appear to be a match and nothing historical matches this battle, we should be open to what is happening now.

Equally, the nations in the battle described in Ezekiel 38 do not match the nations described in Psalm 83.  Ezekiel 38 describes, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Ethiopia and Libya, among others, which come from much further out geographically and it involves a wider conflict that appears to come against the Antichrist when he is in Israel toward
the middle of the coming seven-year Tribulation (Daniel 11:40), and even though
Israel is the nation being attacked, it is a completely different battle.

Wahhabism, the Islamic branch that Muslims practice in Saudi Arabia, and all other forms of radical Islam have the same goal, to convert the Middle East into their idea of an ultra-orthodox, ultra-conservative, austere, fundamentalist, 7th Century form of the Islamic religion.  The followers of this kind of Islam are willing to kill, steal
and destroy anything and everyone in their path that does not agree with their
very exclusive and intolerant worldview, and this also includes any non-radical
Muslims that possibly stand in their way.  Radical Islamic forces, with the financial backing from Saudi Arabia are in Syria and Lebanon.  But, for this to work Saudi Arabia would need to openly declare war on Israel.

Nothing is said of this next concept biblically, yet considering the political climate in the USA, it is worth noting.  If the USA makes a military action of support for Israel in a Middle East conflict, this could unleash the enemies of the USA to attack on US soil. There are literally hundreds of thousands of various hostile and well-armed terrorists in groups and cells, both from within multiple Islamic factions and open Marxists
factions (ANTIFA, BLM, La Raza, etc.) prepared to commit open slaughter of US
Citizens and the destruction of critical infrastructure, once they are given the green light.  So, this is something to keep an eye on, as another aspect globally for the Psalm 83 battle.

What strongly indicates that this might still have future fulfillment is that in verses 14-15 of Psalm 83 it prophesies of fire in the forest and on the mountains, which seems to indicate the possibility of limited nuclear warfare.  Also, Isaiah 17:1-3 and Jeremiah 49:23-27 prophesy against the city of Damascus (the Capital of Syria, located in the southern part of the country only about 50 miles from the border of Israel), being utterly laid waste by fire, which could happen at this time. (The IDF has already
threatened to destroy Damascus, just three days into the current conflict, 

which started 10-7-2023.)

These prophecies are the most significant concerning any upcoming Middle East battle; making them the ones to take note of far more that Psalm 83.  Now whether Egypt engages in this battle or not is still unknown.  I personally lean against Egypt’s involvement, as Isaiah 19:1-3 prophesies that Egypt will be weakened by a civil war and not likely wish to engage with Israel’s superior military, especially remembering what happened to them back in the war of 1967, when they thought they had a better military position against Israel.  Also, with the Muslim Brotherhood ousted from power recently, Egypt is less likely to join the radical agenda.  But we will 

have to wait and see.

If the Psalm 83 battle unfolds in this manner, though being won by Israel, it will only set the enemies of Israel all the more against her.  Iran, Russia, China, and many other nations would strongly decry the use of nuclear weapons, with the “evil” and “inhumanity” of the destruction and death against the “innocent” who were killed in the blasts, when Israel defended itself.  We can expect to see the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel rhetoric and propaganda to go full tilt from every corner of the global.  The Muslims and the other allies of the defeated nations who tried to annihilate the Jews
will shout for revenge and “justice” against Israel. The threat of retaliation from this biased outrage will grow, moving the world rapidly toward a terrifying WW III scenario of all out nuclear destruction, which could easily be sold to convincingly put fear on everyone, through the mainstream media mouthpieces of the global elitists.  (In addition to this chaos, possible fallout events could happen, as it would not take much for places like Korea {North/South conflict}, Pakistan/India, and China/Taiwan, Russia/Ukraine, to explode into serious wars, as some others may use the turmoil, as an opportunity to push their political agendas, creating even more damage, panic
and crisis on the global scene.)  There is a strong desire to destroy the old Nation State order and bring in a ten region New World Order in its place, which would fulfill Daniel chapter 7 and the beast with ten horns. Thus, destruction would proceed their “build back better” plan.

The war will create the need for a peacemaker to arrive on the world’s scene and forge a peace pact that will hopefully remove the threat of WW III and the intense threat of possible annihilation of the human race.  The Bible tells us that a peacemaker will come, and when he does it will be none other than the Antichrist himself (Daniel 9:27).

However, because the Bible also prophesies a global New World Order that must be set up with ten rulers over it (Daniel chapters 2 & 7 and Revelation 13 & 17), it is very likely that a global financial crisis will coincide with such a crisis, which will allow for these ten rulers to be put in place and then control everything through a more restricted financial system of the elites with CBDCs and UBI, eventually seeking to make all monetary transactions digitally controlled on the entire planet.  Something that is definitely coming because the Bible tells us that the Antichrist will rule by both military might and complete financial control (Daniel 11:35-39 and Revelation Ch. 13).

Another sad, but interesting factor to consider in all of this is the fact whenever there is a serious financial crisis in a country these days antisemitism grows just as equally as high as the fortunes of the vast majority of people in that country move closer to the poverty level, through creditor confiscations via the central banking systems.  Instead of focusing on those directly responsible, Jewish, or not, most just start Jew-hating across the board, rather indiscriminately. Now, imagine this on a
global scale, all at once!  I would expect the Jewish people to look for a safe haven at this point, and guess where that will be?  That’s right, it will be in Israel when the peace treaty is signed!  They will migrate home, just as it has been prophesied that God would gather them back into the land for the final act of this age (Ezekiel 34:13; 36:24; 37:21, Jeremiah 16:15 and Isaiah 11:11-12).

Both a serious global financial crisis and Middle Eastern war (along with other wars) are looming on the near horizon and these things will not take long to develop once they are initially triggered.  These events will change the world as we have known it, forever, and move us into what the Bible defines as the day of the Lord, which will begin with the seven-year Tribulation, when the Antichrist “saves the day” with the signing of his seven-year peace covenant with many, which convinces the world with the deception that he has saved them from certain destruction (1 Thessalonians 5:3). 

The time for the final generation certainly seems to be quickly running out, meaning
there is little time to prepare for the coming storm physically and spiritually.  It would be a very good idea to study God’s word, the Bible, of which 25%+ was dedicated to this subject of end time events, because God obviously thought it was significant for us to know.  

Some reasonable advice here would be to get out of debt immediately and set aside strong reserves in gold, silver, barterable items, and some cash (until it crashes) if you have the means to do so.  Also, as a priority, acquire extra food, water, energy, and disaster supplies, as you can afford to do it.  Prepare to serve the kingdom of God and not your own interests, for time left on this earth is short for almost everyone (Matthew 24:45-47).  Take note: for once the day of the Lord begins, within
seven-years’ time, most now alive on this planet will be ushered into eternity (Isaiah 13:12 & Matthew 24:21-22).  Remember, you do not have a soul, you ARE a soul, and you have a temporary body.  “And the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” – Ecclesiastes 12:7.

“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

So, know the Lord your God and be properly submitted to Him through Jesus Christ (John 3:1-18). Thus, use the time wisely.

No Private Interpretation Allowed

God’s prophetic word tells us that there can be no private interpretation.  In 2 Peter 1:20-21, we are told this,

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

So why is it then that we have so many conflicting opinions from the so-called experts like Hal Lindsey, James Lloyd, Jack Van Impe, Irwin Baxter, etc. etc.?  Well, a wise man once said, opinions are like noses, everybody has one.  Except my uncle Freddie – fishing accident – a huge snapping turtle – ouch, it hurts to even talk about it – you don’t want to know the rest. 

Anyway, the Bible must have but one meaning with one fulfillment for end time prophecy.  What this means is that a whole lot of people are going to be disappointed who listen to all these private interpreters that only have small bits and pieces correct.

Therefore, to avoid disappointment we must look within the Bible itself and allow it to teach us how we should interpret the words of God that He gave to His prophets.  Simple deductive reasoning would tell a person that if a pattern or method of fulfillment had been established, then that is how we can determine how the rest of prophecy will be fulfilled in the future.

This is where we must examine the foundational book of end time prophecy, the book of Daniel, which was to be sealed up until the end of the age, when what was in it would be revealed and fulfilled.  In Daniel 12:4) it was written, “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

This tells us that at the end of the age knowledge and travel will expand to a great degree, which fits our current generation like no other before it. The exponential factor of increasing knowledge is one very significant and undeniable sign, as the total global knowledge of all that mankind now understands is doubling every year and a half to two years!  The computer chip, which was invented in 1948, as well as the emergence of the Internet, has aided dramatically in this historically unprecedented upsurge of knowledge.  Also, transportation has gone from the ancient mode of walking, riding animals, animal drawn carts and chariots, and small sailing vessels, to cars, curse ships, helicopters, airplanes, jets and space crafts. The amount of travel that people are currently doing in this generation is phenomenal and was completely unthinkable to most past generations.  All that this single verse of prophecy encompasses is even more amazing when you consider that it was written over 2,500 years ago, long before such things could have even been imagined!  Thus, this one verse of prophecy, alone, should cause even the most hardened skeptics to take pause and give some consideration to what the Bible has to say for our modern era.

The prophetic fulfillment of the rebirth of Israel as a nation for a SECOND time! (Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 66:8-9, Ezekiel 11:17; 20:41; 37:1-13, Amos 9:15, & Daniel 9:27; cf. Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 & Revelation 11:1-2). The fulfillment of this one prophecy is more stunning than perhaps all the others combined, as Israel’s second rebirth as a nation is an undeniable hallmark of end time prophecy. Israel’s existence in the final generation is a necessity for the fulfillment of the seven-year covenant (peace treaty) with the Antichrist and his subsequent violation of that covenant (in a temple in Jerusalem) half way into the agreement, as the aforementioned verses describe. From 70 a.d. to 1948 a.d. the nation of Israel became nonexistent. It is historically unprecedented for any nation to vanish for almost two millennia and then reappear right back on the map from where it disappeared!

In Ezekiel chapters 36, 38 & 39, the prophecy tell us that Israel will be reformed physically as a nation, but it will still be disconnected relationally (spiritually) with God until the Lord returns and He breaths life back into them (Ezekiel Ch. 36). Also,“in the latter years” a great war will come against Israel spearheaded by Russia and its Islamic allies (Ezekiel Chs. 38 & 39), which can only happen if Israel exists as a nation. 

Additionally, Jesus’ reference in Matthew 24:15-21 to Daniel’s prophecy concerning the abomination of desolation relates directly to Israel at the time of the end.  Again, the book of Daniel is the foundational key to understanding all end time prophecy correctly.  For Daniel was told in chapter twelve of his book that Israel would go through a time of great distress that would last for 3 1/2 years, and Daniel was to go his way, “for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time”.  Israel is essential, because Daniel’s end time prophecies make no sense (and could not be understood/unsealed) without Israel in the picture.  Therefore, Israel is the key sign needed for the end of the age to come. 

In Matthew 24:34, we are told of a final generation that would see the signs.  The word “generation” in the Greek, literal means “a whole multitude of men living at the same time” – Thayer’s Lexicon, Page 112}.  Thus, Israel’s second regathering (rebirth as a nation) could not happen at any time prior to the end (i.e. 100, 200, 300 or 2000 years ahead of all the other signs).  Israel’s rebirth had to coexist with the other end time signs for the final generation according to the prophets, because Daniel’s prophecies could not truly be unsealed until Israel came back into existence at the fulfillment of the SECOND regathering (Isaiah 11:11-12).

This is one of many very powerful reasons that demonstrate why attempting to use private interpretations, like the 1st Century events to say that end time prophecy has been previously fulfilled, or that Israel is no longer a significant piece of the prophetic puzzle, really doesn’t work within any honest framework of history or logical thought.  So, the meaning in Matthew is clear, when we see Israel blossom as a nation, the return of Messiah is very near.  Moreover, the fact that Israel is constantly being threatened for utter annihilation by its enemies (the growing threat in the Middle East) puts Israel in a very vulnerable position, to ultimately be willing to sign a peace covenant with someone who could offer them protection, which means that we are not only the concluding generation, but we are on the very precipice of the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week (the seven year Tribulation) and the Day of the Lord that will start when the Antichrist forges a unique seven-year Middle East peace pact! 

The 70 Weeks of Daniel

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city (Israel and Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in ever-lasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place (to wrap things up).  So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.  Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary (not desecrate). And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.  “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week (the context tells us this is referring to the final 70th week), but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one (a person) who makes desolate”

The Historical Fulfillment Of The First 69 Weeks Of Daniel’s 70 Prophetic Weeks

   In Daniel Chapter nine, Daniel asks what will become of Israel and God answers him with the prophecy of the 70 weeks. So, we need to determine what are the 70 weeks of the prophecy given to Daniel. What is their meaning and what significance do they hold for us now, if any? These are the important questions that are fully addressed and answered in my book, The Revelation Unveiled.

 What Is A Prophetic Week?

 A “week” was a common term in Daniel’s era of antiquity that stood for a seven year period of time based on a 360 day lunar year.  So, 69 weeks would equal (69 x 7) 483 years of 360 days each or (483 x 360) 173,880 total days from start to finish.

 The Fulfillment Of The First Seven Weeks

 Jerusalem was rebuilt in times of distress as was testified to us in the historical record of Ezra (written between 456-444 B.C.), which is confirmed by the writings of the Jewish Elephantine Papyri discovered in 1903, and as indicated by the book of Nehemiah chapters 4-6 as well (written between 445-425 B.C.).  So, the city, the plaza and the moat were finished in the first 49 years (7 years per week x 7 weeks) from the initial decree.

According to the prophecy, the sixty-nine weeks were to begin at the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Historically, four separate decrees were issued to rebuild, but when the decree in the 20^th year of King Artaxerxes reign in Nisan 445 B.C. was given, it was the only one that actually carried out in precise fulfillment all of the specific parameters laid out for us in Daniel’s prophecy, which actually brought about the restoration of Jerusalem.

King Artaxerxes’ decree as recorded in the book of Nehemiah chapter two, exactly fulfilled the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem with plaza and moat in times of distress and it was finished within the first seven weeks or forty-nine years required by Daniel’s prophecy.  This leaves sixty-two more weeks that must be completed for the fulfillment of the first sixty-nine mentioned in Daniel 9:25-26.

 Other References Of Timing To Understand

 In the West the completion of a year is used and in the East the current year in progress is used.  An example of this would be a reference to a person’s age, in the West they are said to be 20 years old, but in the East they say they are in their 21^st year.

Historical dates differ from astronomical dates, as well.  Historical dating does not recognize and count 0 B.C., but astronomical dating does count 0 B.C. as one year in time.  This is why one author might refer to Nisan 445 B.C. as a starting point and another author might refer to Nisan 444 B.C.  Yet, they are talking about the exact same moment in time, just from different points of dating references.

    The math for the historical dating, which is taken from the secular solar calendar system, is a bit more meticulous to attain than the straightforward lunar calendar method, but to do the math accurately there are certain measurements we must know how to make corrections for, within the Western historical dating process, in using a Julian calendar. 

To start we take the whole years and add them together 444 B.C. to 31 A.D. = 475 years or 173,375 days (475 years x 365 days per year = 173,375 days).  Then we add up the two partial years of 445 B.C. and 32 A.D.  The beginning partial year of 445 B.C., when the decree was given, would have all the days from March 14^th through December 31^st, which equals 293 days.  The ending partial year of 32 A.D. would have all the days from January 1^st through April 6th, which equals 96 days.  Yet, we still need to add in the leap years (.25 days per year x 476 years = 119 days).  [We get this by adding the total years in time spanned (444 B.C. to 31 A.D. = 475 whole years, plus 1 other year for the combination of the two partial years that equal just over a year {475 + 1 =  476}, multiplied by a quarter of a day per year because leap year is once every four years) or 476 x .25 equaling 119 days.]  However, a Julian calendar year is 129^th of a day longer than the mean solar year.  This causes the Julian calendar to be in error 3 leap years (equaling 3 days) too many over a period of the four centuries involved.  So it would be 119 minus 3 days of leap years (for the adjustment of error in the leap years over four centuries) to equal 116 days. 

SUMMARY:

 Julian Solar Calendar

 Whole years of 444 B.C. to 31 A.D. = 475 years; 475 years x 365 days

per year                                                                                                              =  173,375 days

 Partial year of 445 B.C. = March 14^th – December 31^st [(5 x 31 day months)

+ (4 x 30 day months) + (partial March 31-13) or 155+120+18 = 293 days]      =        293 days

Partial year of 32 A.D. = January 1^st – April 6th [(31 days in January + 28

days in February + 31 days in March + 6 days in April or 31+28+31+6 = 96 days)] =     96 days

 Then you must still add 116 days for the correct leap year adjustments

[(.25 x  476 (475 + 1{for the two partial years}) = 119days) – 3 (days) of leap

 years (for the error in leap years over four centuries adjustment) = 116.]          =        116 days

 Total historical days via the Julian dating process                                       =  173,880 days

Ancient Lunar Calendar from Daniel’s prophecy 

69 (weeks) x 7 (years per week) x 360 (days per year)                                   = 173,880 days 

 A key issue to understand here is that April 6th, 32 A.D. is the very day Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey colt and was pronounced to be the Savior/Messiah by the throngs of people who gathered and participated in the event.  This day was day 173,880, the concluding day of Daniel’s 69th week of prophecy!  Within that same week Jesus was crucified (cut-off) and in 70 A.D. the city and the temple were destroyed.  Now we are waiting for the sign for the 70th week to begin; a unique seven year peace treaty forged by a European that will “guarantee” peace for Israel and many others, but not everyone.

If the mathematical precision and exact fulfillment of this prophecy doesn’t convince a person to become a believer, then what else possibly could?  The odds of this prophecy being fulfilled so accurately, and to the exact day, by pure random chance are beyond astronomical!  Only an omnipotent and omniscient Creator could know such things and reveal them before they happen (Isaiah 44:6-7).

 Daniel’s 70^th week

 Many believe the final 70^th week of Daniel was fulfilled back in 70 A.D. at the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans.  But the only way for a person to come to this conclusion is by violating the prophetic pattern that the Bible has given us for a literal and precise understanding from the 69 week fulfillment. 

 Partial prophecy is commonly used out of context for an appearance of some “literal” fulfillment, along with a distortion of the historical facts, in order to spin their explanation (private interpretation) of the completion of the prophecy.  Yet, ironically, the vast majority Scripture involved with this event must be completely spiritualized away for their interpretations to even remotely seem plausible.

 You see, there was no seven-year peace covenant made between a Roman leader and Israel in the first century at all!  For 70 A.D. to fit Daniel’s 70^th week, a peace covenant would have to been signed in February of 66 A.D., because the temple was burned on August 10, 70 A.D. (3½ years later).  This obviously did not happen.  Further, in February of 73 A.D. Jesus would have returned to the earth to set up His 1000 year reign (mentioned six separate times in Revelation chapter 20), which also did not happen.  This is where the false teachers attempt to use a massive amount of spiritualization to explain away the prophecies in Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-21 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9, which tell us that the temple will be desecrated, not destroyed.  Jesus is to return to Earth in a rather dramatic and visible fashion, physically, at the end of the seventieth week or seven-year period (Revelation Ch. 19 & Matthew 24:29-31).  Also, when did the great battle of Armageddon take place, with Jesus destroying the false prophet and the Antichrist?  How did these things get left out of the historical record?  Such spiritualized interpretations say that it happened up in heaven, but that would make God a liar, for most all of the passages on the millennial kingdom directly reference something concerning the Earth, not any kind of heavenly pie-in-the-sky state.  Finally, if this is true, then where are we in church history?  If Revelation is fulfilled, then we must already be in eternity, which we clearly are NOT (see Revelation chapters 19-22)! 

 Daniel’s 70^th week is going to be as literally fulfilled as the first 69 weeks were fulfilled.  And once one discovers that Revelation chapters 6-20 are simply the many details that describe what takes place within Daniel’s 70^th week, then we broaden the perspective of just how absurd a 1^st century fulfillment falls short.

 The peace treaty of the Antichrist begins in Revelation 6:1-2, the seal and trumpet judgments follow, then the temple is desecrated in Revelation 13 and Jesus returns and takes over the earth in Revelation chapters 19 & 20, with the bowl judgments in between.

Why A 20th Century Interpretation Of Daniel Chapter 7 Doesn’t Work.

If we start with the wrong foundation, then everything else that is built upon that foundation, no matter how good it may sound to us, is flawed.  Private interpretation can usually be traced to a defective foundation.  Although, it occasionally is developed when people stray from the correct foundation they started from. 

When the 20^th century interpretation is objectively examined, it is found to be very liberal with its application of symbolism, which then contradicts verifiable history several times.  The chief problem for using the 20^th century interpretation is that it just doesn’t actually work for any real “world kingdom” ascendancy, particularly as it concerns Israel’s involvement, which is integral to the context of Daniel’s visions.  When the visions were explained to Daniel, the kingdoms involved were explained collectively and in succession, from the first to the last.  The 20^th century view gives the appearance of working in this manner, when each nation is viewed individually, but once the suggested nations are scrutinized together, as the prophecy was intended, then this interpretation fails miserably and demonstrates no real merit.

In this view, the Lion is interpreted as the national symbol of England, which by itself is plausible.  The Eagle’s wings on the lion are given a national symbolic meaning, as well, and are said to represent the USA.  The reason for this claim is that the USA essentially came from England.  Yet, from its inception, this is a weak historical argument, as the North American colonists hailed from all over Europe, and it was only after England had defeated France, primarily for the northeastern area of what is now the United States, that England began to impose its imperial will on everyone who lived there, mainly through taxation in an attempt to pay for the expensive war they had just waged against the French.  Thomas Paine, in an effort to rally the separate colonies together for united independence against the new tyranny of England, used this very point of contention with multinational Europeans to stir up the colonists in his article “Common Sense”.  

However, far more damaging to this liberal interpretation of England as the lion and the USA as the “plucked-out” eagle’s wings (Daniel 7:4) is the fact that first you must combine the two nations together as one, not separated, to make a theory of dominion even plausible.  For England only had dominion over “Palestine” (Israel) at one point in history and only after WWII did the USA have the potential for dominion over the world.  Yet, neither the USA nor England, separate or together, had solid worldwide dominion, with control over Israel, which the context of Daniel’s prophecy demands.  The prophetic interpretation must all fit together to be correct, as selecting bits and pieces, while ignoring all the other contextual information, is a clear indication that private interpretation is present.  But this theory becomes far worse, as everything immediately falls apart from this point on.

The Bear is said to be Russia, which again seems to work as a national symbol.  But did Russia overthrow or replace England and the USA?  No!  Did Russia dominate, or will Russia ever dominate, the world and Israel with it?  No!  The prophecies in Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 make it very clear that Russia is defeated in its attempt for world conquest.  So this “bear” can’t be Russia here, it just doesn’t work, because Russia will never truly achieve domination of either Israel or the world!

The Leopard is supposed to represent Germany.  It’s worth noting here that a serious deviation from the pattern of using national symbols takes place here.  The national symbol of Germany was an eagle, so the interpreters had to go fishing for another way to fit Germany into their reconstructed picture.  Some conveniently selected one particular tank out of hundreds of pieces of military equipment, a type of tank that required four people to operate it (supposedly the four heads).  The tank that was opportunely selected just happened to be labeled a “leopard” tank and was used by the Germans during WWII.  This is one simple version of how the leopard was crafted into the “national symbol” of Germany.  Others use more complex versions linked to the German heritage and culture to achieve the same end.  Yet, all the various adaptations are merely private interpretations that only work superficially and they are easily exposed when examined more carefully.

For instance, which nations came out of WWII the victors, Russia and the allies, or Germany?  The leopard was given dominion over its predecessors in the vision, yet Russia and the allies defeated Germany, which is just the opposite of what this interpretation of the prophecy requires.  Also, let’s not forget that Germany lost WWI as well, which contradicts any rational claim of Germany being dominate in the 20^th century; a player with influence, yes, but hardly a governing world power that the prophecy demands.  This view relies strongly on an ignorant disconnect of coherent historical facts to convince its adherents of such a preposterous interpretation.  Also, when we review Daniel 2:39; 7:6; and 8:8,21 we see how the context of these scriptures tie the prophetic visions together, demonstrating that it is ancient Greece being spoken of, not Germany.  

This becomes easier to understand when we review the history of the Greek Empire.  When Alexander the Great died, his four generals divided up the kingdom.  To try and recover from such a glaring interpretive flaw, some have imaginatively tried to say that Germany losing WWII was the third head of the leopard being wounded, as it were to death.  They claim the fourth head of the Leopard was Germany reunified.  This clever revision is a desperate attempt to salvage some kind of credibility, as there is no real biblical support for it and therefore no valid basis for any rational person to believe in it.  This becomes even more apparent when this view is examined further, as it wishes to claim that this wounded third head was one of the seven heads of the beast that was wounded, in the book of Revelation, making the fourth head (reunified Germany) the imaginary final system of the beast. 

A careful look at Revelation chapters 13 and 17:9-11 makes this interpretation impossible.  Revelation 13:1-5 tells us that once the deadly head wound is healed, the beast will have authority for only 3 ½ years.  Which means, if this were the reunified Germany of 1989, which is the fourth head of the leopard in this interpretation, time ran out for the end of the age several years ago!  Further, Revelation chapter 17 reveals who the seven heads are for us and Germany does not even meet the criteria in the text at all. 

There are several other versions and spin offs of the 20^th century version, but they all fail miserably when put under similar scrutiny.  We will quickly look at only a couple of them, as it is not worth the time to chase down every rabbit trail of private interpretation. 

One popular version asserts that the UN is the fourth beast of Daniel chapter seven (believing that chapters two and seven are separate visions).  But this view leaves out the when, where, who, how and what concerning the fulfillment of the ten toes of Daniel chapter two, which actually coordinates with the ten horns of chapter seven and is not past history, as this view relegates the ten toes to be.  The ten toes should be as easy to see in history as all the other kingdoms mentioned in Daniel chapter two, but they are mysteriously missing, without any realistic explanation.

There are a few modernized versions that like to use Psalm 83 in an attempt to have the ten toes be the Islamic nations that surround Israel today, which defies any reasonable interpretation of both the book of Daniel and Revelation chapter 17 concerning the role of the ten horns.  Additionally, sound biblical investigation does not leave room for the world to be controlled by ten small Middle Eastern countries, as the nations described in Daniel chapters two and eight refute this idea. 

The Millennial Kingdom Question

What is the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ and when will it happen?  Sadly, there are false teachers who try to disconnect the prophecies of the Old Testament from the prophecies in the New Testament and selectively twist everything out of the context of the whole of scripture, to the point of attempting to claim that no millennium for the kingdom of Christ on earth even will exist at all.  As we walk through the whole of what the Bible has to say about the millennial kingdom, it will become clear that the cherry-picked arguments are entirely false, to the point of utter absurdity.  

The millennial kingdom is a thousand year time frame in which Jesus Christ will rule in supreme righteousness and establish true peace on the earth.  Among Bible scholars, there is little debate over an existence of a millennial kingdom that Jesus Christ presides over for a thousand years.  This is so, because Revelation chapter twenty does not leave any room to deny this event.  Jesus Christ’s peaceful reign will also have dominion over the animal and reptile kingdoms as well, so that the lion and wolf will lay down with a lamb, cows and bears will graze together and poisonous snakes will not harm a child that is playing around them (Isaiah 11:6-8).  The argument of “when and where” enters in on the point of whether Jesus’ reign for this thousand year period is a literal physical event that will transpire here on earth, or whether it is a symbolic, metaphysical/spiritualized event that takes place in the heavenly realm. 

Those who wish to interpret biblical prophecy mainly as symbolic, with generally a spiritualized meaning, fall into one of two major camps on their millennial view; either they take a Postmillennial position or an Amillennial position.  Both of these views strongly reject and/or deny a straightforward literal consideration of biblical prophecy that is associated with reliable/verifiable historical facts, directly correlating to those already mentioned in the book of Daniel.  It will be shown that both views rely heavily on private interpretations and an audience that is poorly informed and/or desirous to dismiss any serious view of a literal nature, which could demonstrate an authentic physical and future fulfillment of the prophecies within the book of Revelation.  Remarkably, against much sound logic and rational thought, these positions are decisively held by the vast majority within Christendom. 

 Another common presumption worth mentioning here is the idea that God just gave the prophecy within the book of Revelation as merely a warning, like Jonah’s declared warning of destruction to the city of Nineveh, which was nullified by their repentance.  However, the context of Jonah’s warning was a proclamation, not a prophecy, and it came with the understanding that repentance was an escape clause for the people of Nineveh.  This is why Jonah ran away and got into trouble with God, because he did not want the people of Nineveh to even have the opportunity to repent; he wanted God to utterly destroy them and he was fuming mad when God didn’t. 

 In direct contrast to this, the context of the book of Revelation demonstrates that it was not given just as a warning for repentance, but rather as a certain coming, future prediction of judgment, during the time just prior to Jesus Christ’s return to earth.  In fact, we are directly told that many the people on this planet will not repent of their sin during this time, even after awesome judgments are brought forth due to sin (Colossians 3:5-6, Revelation 9:20-21 & 16:11).  God’s wrath will be unleashed upon sin and the wicked, who cling to and love their sin more than their Creator.  As a result, they will be removed from the earth by Jesus Christ upon His return. 

 This is what makes the truth about Christianity within the book of Revelation so repulsive to a world in rebellion against its true Creator, the God of the Bible.  Moreover, it is what terrifies sinful mankind more than death itself; being brought face to face with their living & holy Creator, to be judged for their rebellion against Him.  It is also the reason why the imminent reality of the prophecies within book of Revelation are attacked and distorted, both inside the Church (hypocrites, false teachers and false prophets) and outside the Church (by atheists and others of false religion).  Truly, it may be the number one reason why the world so vehemently hates and persecutes true Christians, who have never done any evil to them.  Although it is a largely unspoken truth, with many wishing to deny it, deep down people do recognize they are accountable to their Creator and they must either repent according to God’s terms or face judgment and eternal damnation, because they instinctively know that they God exists (Romans 1:18-21) and that they will live beyond this life (Ecclesiastes 3:11) to ultimately face Him (Revelation 20:11-15).  For those rebels who have no intention of repenting and being right with God, the only way they can take out the frustration of their futile position is to attack those who have agreed with God and given their life over to God, not unlike self-righteous Cain, who killed his righteous brother Able. 

 There is no other adequate explanation that can be given as to why modern Christians are so brutally persecuted and murdered all over the earth, when they have done so much good for so many who are poor, down trodden, afflicted and without any means to help themselves.  Many false representations and accusations are being made to justify this evil by the world, like stating, the United States President (fill in the name) said they are a Christian (and “the Christians” voted him/her into power) and now look at all the evil policies and fallout that has happened as a result.  Therefore, “the Christians” will deserve whatever they get, within this deluded mindset, even though none of these accusations truly will hold up under any type of honestly and rational scrutiny.  The major means of deception occurs because of the many pretenders that cloak themselves in Christian garb, claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and the ignorant make no distinction between the true and the false (usually very willfully) – Matthew 7:13-23.

 The vast majority of politicians are corrupt, paid-off technocrats (puppets) of the elite European banking families or globalists power brokers, who are attempting to establish a manmade New World Order, apart from the Creator, and their ultimate and final ruler will be the Antichrist. This system will not only be global, it will be very evil and oppressive. The grave problems developing in the world are deliberately being orchestrated and fostered behind the scenes to bring about this final government.  Then, these God-haters will bring in their “needed and desired solution”, to conveniently stabilize a world that will soon be ready to come apart at the seams form the chaos they cultivated, bringing about the fifth world kingdom that Daniel predicted. 

 With all the politically correct trends we now see in the world, it is not hard to foresee how Christians will be blamed for everything from global warming, pollution, and the spread of disease to shortages of food, wars, earthquakes and even cosmic disturbances.  For many in the world, when something bad happens, they will want to blame God, instead of take responsibility for the consequences of their sin.  Since they can’t get at God, the wicked will find God’s children (John 1:12) to falsely accuse and attack as an alternative.  And although this is not new, the intensity and scope of the coming persecution against true Christians will be like nothing the world has ever produced before, or ever shall again (Matthew 24:9-13).   Christians need to understand the predicted result of this coming evil when it bubbles over from the cauldrons of Hades upon the earth, especially in the West were persecution has been minimal.

The Postmillennial, Amillennial, and Premillennial Viewpoints

Biblical Challenges To Postmillennialism:

The meaning of the postmillennial view can be somewhat confusing, because it refers to Christ’s second coming after the millennial kingdom is finished, which is completely the opposite view of the description given in Revelation chapters 19 & 20.  In this view, the millennial age is spiritualized to mean the last 1000 years of a current “Church Age”, which is stated to be an era of great tranquility and prosperity manifested through the efforts of the Church.  In other words, this position claims that after the Church has become so wonderful and influenced the Earth to become a magnificent utopia of tranquility and peace, then the Lord will be irresistibly influenced to return and set up His earthly kingdom. 

The “Kingdom/Dominion” and “Kingdom Now” theologies are based upon the Postmillennial philosophy, which is founded upon only a small amount of scripture that uses partial quotes, which are in turn distorted out of context with the whole counsel of God’s word.  Not only does the postmillennial view deny the reality of what we can obviously see in this world, it directly contradicts several prophetic passages that warn us about the time just before Christ’s return, which is predicted to be worse, not better, in regard to evil, both inside and outside the structure of Christendom. 

What Has Been Prophesied, Increasing Good Or Increasing Evil?

Jesus Foretold:

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.  And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.  And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved” [emphasis added] (Matthew 24:9-13).

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.  And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short” [emphasis added] (Matthew 24:21-22).

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” [emphasis added] (Matthew 24:37).  This is speaking to the account in Genesis 6:11-13 which states, “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.  And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.  Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth” [emphasis added].

The Apostle Paul Predicted:

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these” [emphasis added] (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

The Apostle John Foresaw:

“And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him, which no one knows except Himself.  And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies, which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, ‘Come, assemble for the great supper of God;” in order that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.  And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat upon the horse, and against His army’.  And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” [emphasis added] (Revelation 19:11-21).   

Why this final battle of Armageddon here, if the world has already been subdued by the Church peacefully?  These prophecies were not given with a stipulation; they were stated in the absolute sense of events that would irrevocably take place and conditions that would exist in the future.  Moreover, from what the above verses tell us, the spiritual climate will become much worse just prior to Jesus’ return, not better!  These scriptures hardly depict the Church making the Earth so magnificently good that the Lord just can’t help Himself but to come back to it, because the world becomes such a wonderful place all of a sudden.

The Bible tells us some of the things we would have seen already if this interpretation were true.  We would be seeing very long life spans of people living for several hundreds of years, peace and prosperity for all men, and complete harmony in the animal kingdom (Isaiah 65:20-25).  

In addition to this, the Scriptures warn Christians to expect immense religious turmoil and persecution (Matthew 24:9-13), which will be fostered by a hostile global religious system (the great mother of harlots, who will be supported by the global government; the system of the beast). “Mother” will essentially declare herself the true spiritual institution representing God, while she literally slaughters the real Christians wholesale throughout the earth in the final time just before Jesus’ return.  “And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.  And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, and upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” [emphasis added] (Revelation 17:3-6).  

A simple question lends discernment here: Is forcing religious conversion at the pain of torture or death the way of Jesus Christ, or is it how the devil behaves (John 10:10-11)?  Beware!  A Postmillennial view is very likely the position that the great harlot will undoubtedly use to justify her murderous acts in the name of God.  God gives every person a freewill choice to choose his or her own destiny, so how could anyone claim torture and/or death (to attempt to “cleanse and purify” a soul) is a divine instrument or process ordained of God.  Only those who have no true knowledge of God could abuse their fellowman and humanity’s God given freewill in this manner, particularly those who do it in God’s name (John 16:2 & Revelation 6:9-11). 

So, I feel obligated here to give a concerned warning to anyone who would chose to accept the postmillennial idea.  For I do perceive it to be a very dangerous doctrine that will lead many, even within Christendom, to feel justified in doing violence in the name of God, to supposedly help purge from the Earth all that is considered to be a “bad or unrighteous influence”. 

Yet, as previously mentioned, Jesus defined such behavior as the work of the devil, which will be accomplished through false teachers and prophets (or false Shephard’s), whom He referred to as thieves who “come to kill, steal and destroy”, not offer true life. 

So, although they will spin the reason for their actions to attempt to justify their evil, they will be known by their fruit of torment, violence and destruction.  “The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids (narrow to) test the sons of men.  The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates” [emphasis added] (Psalm 11:4-5).  So, let the reader beware of anyone trying to recruit you or persuade you to partake in a plan of action for taking over the world for God, which will help supposedly bring Jesus back to earth.  A prerequisite of the Church supposedly purging the earth of its evil is just the opposite of what the New Testament teaches.  Jesus forbid His disciples in this action and said it would be His angels who would do the separating of the tares (the bad people) from the wheat (the good people) at the end, not the Church or some spiritual entity representing Him (Matthew 13:24-43).

Other Scriptural References To Consider: 

Revelation 11:15 describes a moment when the kingdom of the world (Christians on earth) is translated to the kingdom of our Lord up in heaven.  Although this will join together both aspects of the dual kingdom of the body of Christ in heaven, the Holy Spirit will still be at work on earth rescuing souls (John 16:8 & Revelation 7:9-17).  The fact that this is describing believers is confirmed in Revelation 1:6 & 5:10. 

Later in Revelation chapter 19 this same group of people (holy ones, saints, followers of Jesus Christ), called the kingdom earlier, return with Jesus Christ back to earth.  This dual facet of the kingdom is verified directly for us in one verse in particular, Matthew 24:14, where it states, “And this gospel of the kingdom (s) shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”  The Greek word for kingdom here is strangely written in the plural form (basileias), which only makes sense if it contains at least a dual characteristic. 

Not until we see Christ will we be like Him (1 John 3:2 & 1 Corinthians 13:8-13).  Sin will always reign in our mortal bodies, Romans 3:23 & 1 John 1:10, and that’s why our current bodies must be replaced with new bodies (1 Corinthians chapter 15).  The verses in 2 Peter 3:10-14 and Ephesians 5:25-27 are misused out of their context to justify a “need to purge unrighteousness from the earth” prior to Christ’s return.  These passages are simply exhortations to holy living, not some sort of sadistic purging of the flesh to endeavor to obtain sinless perfection in our current bodies, a feat that even the apostle Paul admitted was impossible (Romans 7:15-21).  Paul made it clear that sin permeates every last cell of our current body and this is why it must be done away with and we must be given a new body, which will be sin free.  It is at this point that this teaching becomes very dangerous and it is a perversion that the harlot of Revelation will very likely employ, in light of the prophetic description of her evil, murderous deeds.

Biblical Challenges To Amillennialism:

Next, we will take a look at Amillennialism.  The dual aspect of the kingdom of God is a serious scriptural flaw or blind spot for this particular idea as well.  This viewpoint basically only acknowledges the facet of the kingdom of God on earth currently, while mythologizing the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ into a past event.  It essentially holds that the second coming of Christ happened around 70 A.D. with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.  Amillennialism maintains that Christ’s return was not followed by a literal earthly thousand year reign, as is articulated in Revelation chapter twenty.  It perceives the Millennial reign as a spiritualized heavenly state that began back in the first century.  Yet, all one has to do is read Revelation twenty to see some very serious problems with this idea.  Six different times a period of exactly 1000 years is mentioned, with final judgment and eternity following directly after it.

If this has happened already, it would have been from the first century to the eleventh century.  So, where would that put us in Church history?  Well, according to the book of Revelation we should already be in the eternal future in heaven with God.  I don’t know about you, but when I look around me, I don’t see heaven, angels or God on His throne.   Also, I haven’t received my new body either.  Unless one is inclined to live in a relativistic fantasy world, they are forced to reject the concept as utter nonsense from the onset. 

 I have yet to find a single Amillennialist that will even attempt to answer this problem.  To accept the Amillennial theory, we would have to believe we were currently floating along in some unspoken nebula of time that is outside everything the biblical prophets foretold to us concerning prophetic events and timing.  We would be waiting for the final judgment to come suddenly, without any significant warning, which would contradict all the signs Jesus stated in Matthew chapter twenty-four.  This is because the Amillennial view maintains that the prophetic signs for the end of the age were all fulfilled back in the first century A.D.  This idea spiritualizes or uses replacement theology for the remaining promises to the nation of Israel, as well.

Because the Amillennial viewpoint holds to the thinking that Revelation and the most of rest of end time prophecy has already been fulfilled, this would include all the twenty-one tribulation judgments in the book of Revelation, all the signs in Matthew 24, the false prophet bringing fire down from heaven (Revelation 13:11-13; 19:20), the Antichrist dominating the entire world so that no man could buy or sell without his mark on their right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16-18), the battle of Armageddon, with the river Euphrates drying up and the kings of the East marching into Israel (Revelation 16:12-16), and the awesome return of Jesus from heaven with all His armies and the one thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation chapters 19 & 20) as being historically behind us, without any legitimate evidence to support it.  Again, if all this has happened already, then, where are we?  And what are we doing here?  This type of thinking could easily lead one to relativistic thinking and/or a very deluded/broken theology with a dangerous position of subjective/relativistic faith as its basis, since there would be no more prophetic guideposts to light our path (2 Peter 1:19-21), because the literal authority of God’s word has been discarded in one’s thinking.  Jesus Christ, right in the heart of His prophetic discourse made an emphatic statement.  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

Jesus Gave A Severe Warning

Those who carry the Postmillennial and Amillennial views as their own must be cautioned to carefully reconsider their position, for Jesus gave a very severe warning to anyone who would attempt to add to or take away from the prophecy He gave John to write down in the book of Revelation.  “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” [emphasis added] (Revelation 22:18-19).  I mention this because it will be demonstrated that both the Postmillennial and Amillennial positions effectively remove the forthright meaning and a real physical outcome of most, if not all, of the prophecies that are stated in the book of Revelation, as they essentially “take away” their significance with an altered metaphysical/spiritualized meaning.

And we must ask ourselves, how does the Amillennial view of history fit the prophecy in Zechariah?  “And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” [emphasis added] (Zechariah 12:9).  Ancient Rome is not “all the nations”.  Further, ancient Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., not of the other way around!

What Can We Expect To See At the (Real and Physical) Second Coming?

The Mount of Olives will be split part, daylight will be changed, the geography around Jerusalem will be dramatically altered and Jesus Christ will reign supremely over the whole Earth.  “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.  And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!  And it will come about in that day that there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle.  For it will be a unique day, which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.  And it will come about in that day that living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.  And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.  All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.  And people will live in it, and there will be no more curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security” [emphasis added] (Zechariah 14:4-11).

There will be vast and very devastating worldwide judgments like those mentioned in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and the book of Revelation 6-19 within the seven years just before Christ’s return.  The dramatic and awesome return of Jesus Christ to Earth will be physically seen by the people that are alive at that time (Matthew 24:24-27 & Revelation 19:11-21).

What We Will See In The Real Millennial Kingdom On Earth?

Very Long Life Spans, Again: “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Shall be thought accursed” (Isaiah 65:20).

Peace and Prosperity For All Men: “And they shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  “They shall not build, and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My chosen ones shall wear out the work of their hands.  They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, And their descendants with them” (Isaiah 65:21-23).

Harmony In The Animal Kingdom: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain, says the LORD” (Isaiah 65:25).

What We Will See Immediately After The 1000-Year Reign?

At the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ, heaven and earth are dissolved, as God rips away the very fabric of the universe, and the final judgment at the great white throne takes place.  “And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.  And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.  And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.  And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things that were written in the books, according to their deeds.  ….  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” [Emphasis added] (Revelation 20:1-15).

There is absolutely no valid historical evidence demonstrating that the Amillennial viewpoint fulfills the aforementioned scriptural passages or many others like them.  Therefore, it is easy to see that this thinking equates to nothing more than speculative mythology.  Moreover, once the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy begins, the nonsense of this flawed theology should quickly disappear from the minds of rational Christians.

History testifies to us that the best rule of interpretation is to take Bible as literally as possible, and when it uses figures of speech or symbolism, use prayer in seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance and a bit of our common sense to seek the most obvious literal meaning that was intended within the whole of the context, just as was done in the Book of Daniel, then the meaning is not so mysterious.

The Premillennial Viewpoint

Finally, we will look at the Premillennial viewpoint.  The Premillennial perspective accepts the literal authority of the verifiable historical account, which states that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be a very real, material world event that precedes a physically existent 1000-year reign of peace and harmony by Jesus over the entire earth.  This will occur after the 70^th week of Daniel or, as it is often referred to, “the seven-year tribulation”.  According to the Premillennial view, final judgment will occur after the 1000-year reign is completed.  Then a new heavens and a new earth will be established and we will go on into eternity.  The method of interpretation is straightforward, literal, historic, and grammatically correct within the true context of the passages.

An Objection To Premillennialism:

Revelation 1:3, 22:7 and 22:20 state, “for the time is near”, “And behold, I am coming quickly”, and “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly’” respectively.  1 Peter 4:7 states, “The end of all things is at hand; …”  These prophecies dealing with the timing issue are the strongest argument against the Premillennial viewpoint, at least from the perception of the natural mind.  This is the Amillennialist’s best case to attack the “literal” and historical viewpoint.  Ironically though, these are about the only scriptures that detractors wish to take “literally” when they argue their positions. 

It is far easier to understand that God literally exists completely outside of the dimension of time, where from God’s perspective a literal format is still maintained, than it is to unrealistically ignore and/or distort the vast majority of prophetic passages that clearly have a literal meaning to them, established by a consistent pattern of straightforward historical fulfillment from the book of Daniel.  If we accept God’s eternal state of being, then it’s not hard to picture Him looking down upon the dimensional timeline and seeing all things from the beginning to the end.  And if we are willing to accept God’s viewpoint, as One who can easily look out infinitely beyond either side of our confined little dimension of time, it is not hard to reconcile this one issue of timing to still fit in with everything else that is literal.

For what are a couple, or even a few thousand, of years compared to eternity?  From God’s vantage point, it is still very, very quick. Scripture backs this up in several places, like Psalms 90:4, which states, “For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night”.  And 2 Peter 3:8 which says, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

Matthew 24:34 states, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”  A complete and honest view of history does not support the idea that this verse was fulfilled back in the first century A.D., which is the Amillennialist’s claim for the meaning of this verse.  Some partial comparisons are creatively made and used to support this idea, but the fullness of satisfying all of the prophecies is wholly lacking, for it to be seriously considered as anything valid.  Again, the attempt to use about a 5% literal justification and a 95% spiritualization is a rather schizophrenic technique of interpretation and lacks both wisdom and credibility.  Since that first century generation obviously did not see all the signs Jesus talked about, it is not hard to figure out that it was referring to a future generation that would see all the signs fulfilled together, and that generation would be the final generation.

The Nation Of Israel Is The Nation Of Israel; There Is No Substitute!

“Then it will happen on that day that the Lord Will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people, who will remain, From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, And from the islands of the sea.  And He will lift up a standard for the nations, and will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” [emphasis added] (Isaiah 11:11-12).  May 14^th, 1948 Israel was reborn as a nation, being recovered for the second time historically (the first time being after the Babylonian captivity). 

The Amillennial and the Postmillennial hypotheses deny that the nation of Israel has any future promise or plays any significant role in the current scheme of things.  For most people, the confusion on this matter enters in when they are unable to distinguish the biblical difference between the national Jews and spiritual Jews.  National Jews are the Jews living as citizens of the nation of Israel.  “Spiritual Jews” are the people who believe in the Lordship and salvation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, over their life (Romans 2:28-29).  These people can be either Jew or Gentile physically. The Amillennialists and Postmillennialists use a false replacement theology, stating that the Church is now Israel.  Thus, attempting to dismiss the importance of the Nation of Israel in God’s end time plan.  Many prophecies and promises have been given by God to demonstrate that Israel, as a nation of physical people, in Israel (the Jewish nationals), will have a blessed future and favored position with the reigning Messiah, upon His return (i.e., Isaiah 45:14,24-25; 49:22-23; chapter 60 and Zechariah 8:20-23). 

The Truth about Israel

Those who wish to call themselves Israel and/or do a historical revision on the physical nation of Israel, as it relates to God’s overall big plan for the universe and the future blessings of promise to the Jews, have seriously mishandled God’s rather obvious instructions concerning this matter. Unfortunately, there are several various teachings circulating that attempt to supplant the actual scriptural inheritance of God’s promises to physical Israel. It’s nearly laughable when one inspects the divergent assortments of various religious groups trying to pass themselves off as the new and improved “Israel” or “chosen people of God”.  Perhaps, the reason so many wish to usurp Israel’s rightful place is the recognition that God has made many marvelous promises to Israel that He will yet fulfill. But it is utter vanity and the worst sort of folly to covetously lay claim to a promise of God that will only be fulfilled in those for whom it was actually intended. God has not forsaken the nation of Israel, because He would be a horrific liar if this were true.      

Let’s look at just a few of several scriptural passages that bear this out in an undeniable manner. “Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day, and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the LORD of hosts is His name: ‘If this fixed order departs from before Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘Then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done,’ declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 31:35-37).  Here, in the book of Jeremiah, God is saying in no uncertain terms, it is impossible for him to cast off the nation of Israel.

“Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. ‘But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD’” (Leviticus 26:44-45). Even after all the rebellion of Israel in the wilderness, God said that He would still honor the covenant that He made with their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God will do this because His faithfulness and trustworthiness are on the line.

Much truthful insight can be gained when one examines the actual covenant that God affected with Israel’s primary ancestor in the book of Genesis chapter fifteen. It is, most often, referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant, because Abraham was the original man to whom God made the wonderful promise of an enormous inheritance and blessing. It was not uncommon in Abraham’s day, when individuals made a covenant with one another, that, as part of the agreement animals would be split in half laying each half opposite the other half. Then, as the different parties spoke their promises of covenant to each other, they would walk in between the severed animals. The vivid meaning of this act was to impress upon those who were making the covenant, that if they ever broke their promise, they would end up like the animals.

With this point being made on how a covenant transpired in general, let’s look at how God specifically enacted His covenant with Abraham. God put Abraham into a deep sleep and He alone passed through the pieces of the animals, giving His oath of faithfulness with respect to His promises, thus placing the whole obligation of the covenant’s fulfillment solely upon Himself. So, there is literally nothing Israel can do wrong to nullify this particular covenant, because it was not made subject to Abraham or his seed’s ability to keep their promise. Even if all the rest of the Scripture was silent on this subject, Genesis chapter fifteen clearly demonstrates that all the claims against Israel and the alleged Jewish forfeiture of God’s promised inheritance are altogether absurd!

Another deceptively clever attempt to rewrite the history of Israel has been in the form of claiming that ten of the twelve tribes were lost when they were carried off into captivity by the Assyrians (2 kings 15:29 and chapter 17). This idea is just another incorrect assumption made by those who desire to remove God’s blessing that rests upon the nation of Israel, by inventing other peoples and nations, as a substitute for the tribes of Israel. It doesn’t take a genius to see that these substitutes aren’t in the land of modern Israel and in control of Jerusalem. However, the real Jews are there. This is why some false teachers and false prophets try to dismiss the miracle of the rebirth of the modern Israeli nation, as if it had no significance, despite the fact that it is extremely obvious to any honest thinking person. The tribes were never lost, they merely scattered. Some interpret the “lost” as no longer in existence, but what would be the point of God regathering a people that no longer existed, as mentioned by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 11:11-12)? Further, the so-called lost tribes are mentioned, as existing and not lost at all, in Scripture several times, long after they had been carried off into captivity (cf. 2 Chronicles 30:6; 34:6; 34:9 and Luke 2:36). All shall come to pass just as it has been foretold, and no amount of innovative misrepresentation of God’s word will ever change that fact.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is returning to rescue physical Israel, not a counterfeit group of clever spiritual usurpers with a mysterious origin that have appeared on the scene in recent history. The book of Zechariah makes this clear. “In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them. And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born” [emphasis added] (Zechariah 12:8-10, also see Jeremiah 33:21). “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south” (Zechariah 14:4). When anyone simply takes these prophecies as God’s straightforward promises, no confusion remains, because Jesus the Messiah is physically returning to the Jews in the nation of Israel.

As far as New Testament proof, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, dealt with this issue all the way back in the first century in the letter to the Romans. Speaking of Israel, Paul writes, “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” (Romans 11:11-12). The entire eleventh chapter of the book of Romans makes this case in further detail.

One more interesting note about Israel should be mentioned prior to moving on. By the very context of Daniel 9:27, at the onset of the seven-year peace pact, not only will Israel entrust Antichrist, handing over the majority of its national security to him, but many other nations will enter into this peace agreement, meaning a very broad acceptance of Israel’s right to exist as a nation by the world. Antichrist will make his covenant with the physical nation of Israel, not some substitute ecclesiastical organization.

A closer look at Revelation chapter three, within the message to the Church at Philadelphia, serves as a bit of a warning for those who would wish to usurp Israel.  “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door, which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.   ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie‘ — behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you” [emphasis added] (Revelation 3:7-9). 

This is a strong message here to those who would falsely insist upon calling themselves Israel’s replacement, for Jesus Himself says they are liars from Satan’s Synagogue!   The Church at Philadelphia likely represents true saints who are loyal to Jesus, the Word of God, and uphold His name, as the One, True, Creator God, who alone can save lost human souls, and even though the saints will be heavily persecuted during the final years preceding the Rapture of the Church, Christians still will be granted enough power to get His true message out.  This warning may well be speaking to members of the apostate harlot, who while claiming she is the “true Israel” and the “true Church” of God (i.e., the apostate church that claims to be the “New Testament/Covenant” Israel), she will actually become the true Christian’s chief and most virulent persecutor in the first half of Daniel’s future seventieth week.  Yet, these false Jews will come and bow down before faithful believers, understanding that God loves us, because He is undeniably with us. 

Then, Jesus wraps it up with some tremendous encouragement in Revelation 3:11-12, “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.  He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name” [emphasis added]. 

Wow!  Jesus seems to be saying here that these people who steadfastly uphold the truth and endure during this time will be given very high honor!  Pillars in the very temple of God, who will stay very close to Him Forever and the name of God, the name of the city of God and Christ’s new name will be written on them!  Being made merely of dust, I cannot fully fathom what this means. Nevertheless, I strongly believe this much, you and I may well have the opportunity to become pillars in the temple of God, because this appears to be a prophecy given for the final generation, our generation (Revelation 3:10).

I have personally witnessed, and have had it confirmed by others on good authority that a spirit of compromise and rejection concerning the authority of God’s word has strongly infiltrated every Christian denomination (including most conservative evangelical non-denominational, inter-denominational and Bible based churches), with only a hand full of local churches still resisting this poisoning influence.  Recent surveys have demonstrated that only one third of Evangelicals still believe that Jesus is the only way to get to heaven!  We are very, very close to the fulfillment of the great apostasy prophesied by Jesus and the apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:3 & Matthew 24:9-13).  What we are seeing is akin to the building up of pressure from water behind a dam and soon it will overflow and the dam will burst once the stress of persecution is applied.

Those who espouse the preterist viewpoint (a form of Amillennialism), along with every other form of replacement theology concerning the nation of Israel, which endeavors to substitute the Church for physical Israel, also will fall into the category of Jesus’ description of the “SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN”.  I believe that many in the Church have inadvertently brought into this bankrupt thinking and they should repent of this deception and false teaching that they may have unwittingly adopted, lest they find themselves in league with the harlot and in opposition to God. 

Be forewarned, if teachers are willing to distort history and the Scriptures to maintain their theological positions, do you think they will acknowledge the obvious when it occurs right in front of them?  They have already dismissed and denied the key sign of the second rebirth of Israel.  So, will they do any less when the seventieth week of Daniel begins, with the signing of the seven-year peace covenant?  You can bank on the fact that the vast majority of those teaching falsely will not acknowledge their error and repent.  But God still calls their followers to separate themselves from them.  “Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

This false concept is not unlike other westernize interpretations of the Bible, which depart from the contextual meaning of Scripture.  How often have we heard the verse of 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted to call Christians to pray for the restoration of their land?  “And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  This was a promise to ancient Israel in King Solomon’s time, about three thousand years ago.  Replacement theologians and immature Christians, though perhaps well meaning, miss much of the New Testament message, by trying to transfer the blessings and promises made to the nation of Israel from Old Testament (or Old Covenant with Israel) to the New Testament (or New Covenant with the Church).  In the New Covenant a transition was made from the temporary physical realm to the eternal supernatural realm, not physical to physical.  The Church has been commissioned under the New Covenant to carry forth the message of the one true God and humanity’s Messiah (Jesus Christ), but this does not now make the Church, Israel.

This is the defining difference Peter makes in his first two chapters of his first letter.  Peter states that Christians are aliens, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation who are of a different make up than the world.  Since Christians live in almost every nation on the earth, then according to the applied interpretations of replacement theology they could lay claim to basically the whole earth.  A Christian’s true home is in heaven, or the supernatural realm, not here on this temporary and passing Earth.  Therefore, Christians cannot legitimately claim 2 Chronicles 7:14, for it is miss applied, and God will not honor His promise twisted out of context, no matter how well intended the outcome from our human perspective may be.  Unfortunately, such misinterpretations are commonplace in the modern Church today, most particularly in the U.S.A., where many Christians seem to treasure their national citizenship and the rights that go with it, above or equal to their heavenly citizenship, which is not even comparable.  It is worth noting here that much of the health, wealth/prosperity westernized “Christian gospel” is misapplied in this same way.

Paul made many references to this life being temporary and not to be equated or valued with our true life, which is eternal in Christ.  Why else would Jesus say, “And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying.  For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you.  Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” [emphasis added] (Luke 12:29-34).  “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” [emphasis added] (Matthew 19:21).  The context of the last verse was concerning the rich young ruler, who loved his money more than his Creator, which could easily be compared to many wealthy, idolatrous, materialistic western “Christians” today.

Those who wish to live for this momentary physical existence will seek to massage scriptures to promote their worldly, material and selfish interests and desires.  The true saints of God (believers in Jesus Christ) will read Hebrews chapter eleven and take the hint to look to, and live for, the promised world to come in the awesome and wonderful presence of the Creator of the universe.

The only other major religious group making an effort to usurp Israel’s God given birthright is Islam, through their claim of Ishmael being Abraham’s first born.  However, God made it clear that He chose the second son of Abraham, the miracle child, Isaac.   Genesis 17:18-21 states, “And Abraham said to God, ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!’  But God said, ‘No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.  And as for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.  But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year’” [emphasis added].  Sarah was 89 years old and had suffered her whole life long from infertility when God told Abraham this!  Isaac was the miracle child from God, not Ishmael, and God often by-passed the first-born and chose another (i.e. Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, Moses, etc.).  Besides, whose children did Moses lead out of Egyptian slavery into the promised land, Isaac and his son Jacob’s (whom God renamed Israel) or Ishmael’s?  And who was reborn as a nation a second time in 1948, according to Isaiah’s prophecy? 

In conclusion, the reader must be reminded at this juncture that the book of Daniel, with his prediction of the physical, sixth and final kingdom of the Messiah is merely the starting point of this journey through prophecy. So, if the reader does not yet fully see the big overall picture, it’s because the canvas has only now had some of the initial base paint colors applied.  Patience will reveal, a clarity of unmatched beauty that will unfold before us, when the canvas receives its many colorful brush strokes; the majority of which will come to us by way of the correlating New Testament prophecies, most particular those from the book of Revelation, which will provide us the precise details needed to understand and appreciate the end time masterpiece of God’s unfolding prophetic plan.

Perhaps, this is part of the reason why several prophecies clearly indicate that the current secular State of Israel will suffer horrible devastation at the hand of Antichrist and only a remnant will survive, and that by supernatural protection from God (cf. Daniel 9:27; 12:7, Matthew 24:15-22, Revelation 12:13-17). Yet, Zechariah prophesies that it is this surviving, purified remnant that will overcome with the Messiah, Jesus Christ, upon His return to earth, at the end of this current age. “And they will be as mighty men, treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; and they will fight, for the LORD will be with them; and the riders on horses will be put to shame. And I shall strengthen the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph, and I shall bring them back, because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 10:5-6).

Does Our View On The Rapture Really Matter? 

Does it really make any difference whether we believe in a Pre-Trib. Rapture viewpoint and say a Rapture at some point after the Tribulation starts?  Most agree that as long as you are loving and serving Jesus it really does not matter, and therefore, it is not really worth the effort or time to bother discussing the differences.  This sounds nice, but does the Bible confirm this common sediment?

 Actually, the Bible shows us that it does matter – consider the five foolish virgins, who called Jesus ‘Lord’ and were expectantly waiting for His coming (Matthew 25:1-13). These five foolish virgins (“believers”) were told by Jesus that He did not know them, even though they thought they were right with Him and being faithful.  How can we say we really love Jesus and then trivialize or be dismissive toward His holy word, in areas we are uncomfortable with or just don’t like?  We have to move past being fed the milk and living by foolish sediments that breed indifference or self-righteous contempt, if we want to grow spiritually.  The Apostle Paul said we were to be aware of the day of the Lord so that we would not be overtaken by it, like the world will be (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).  This raises the question; can we be overtaken by something we are not present to experience?  The Apostle Peter told us that we would do well to pay attention to God’s prophetic word and that there is no private interpretation allowed for it (2 Peter 1:19-21).  Why then so many views, when there can be only one fulfillment?  Did God give us a blueprint of prophetic/historic fulfillment to go by (perhaps in Daniel), so that we could know how the rest of prophecy will unfold?  If He did not, then why does God condemn and judge private interpretation (Revelation 22:18-19)? 

 Also, Daniel told us that those who have insight will lead many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3), thus eschatology plays a huge role in salvation of the lost in the end time, when interpreted correctly, while bringing condemnation and judgment if it is not (again Revelation 22:18-19).  In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, the Apostle Paul told us not to be deceived about our gathering together with Jesus at His coming that is within the day of the Lord, which will not begin until the apostasy happens and the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed.  The Antichrist is revealed at the signing of the peace covenant (Daniel 9:27). This deeper (and contextually correct) understanding demonstrates to the mature Bible student that the Church will be heading into the Tribulation, even though that is not a pleasant thought.

The truth is that it does matter and God’s return to planet Earth, and the events surrounding it, should be taken seriously, because God spent over a one fourth of His time in the Bible speaking to this one subject, more than any other.  Therefore, it is not pious or spiritual to be a “Pan-Triber” (whatever way it pans out is okay).  We need to speak the truth in love, but accepting a position that discourages an honest pursuit of God, with an honest discourse in any legitimate area like this, regardless if it is considered controversial or not, is not honoring to the Lord.

Yet, there are other real concerns.  Will those who insist on believing in a Pre-Trib. Rapture be unwilling to acknowledge the obvious revealing of the Antichrist, because the Church has not been Raptured yet?  If they waiver at that point, it will provide a deceptive cover for the Antichrist in the minds of these people, and they will very likely end up declaring “Peace and safety!”, along with the blind world. But what immediately follows is very ugly (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

Further, the Pre-Trib. Rapture concept has developed an escapist mentality, as those believing it have spun “the blessed hope” to mean being removed from the planet before the trouble starts.  However, it really means we are anticipating the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, which will be the completion of our Salvation when we see Him face to face (Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 13:10-12 and 1 John 3:2)! Hallelujah! 

Predictive results:

Unfortunately for many, the Pre-Trib. Rapture is a strong delusion that will be a catalyst for many to depart into apostasy and fall away from the true faith in Christ.  This is one of the consequences of placing faith in a false hope.  Moreover, those who dogmatically preached and taught this false view will lose their credibility.  Yet, much worse, the truth of God’s word will be significantly maligned in the eyes of a great multitude by this.  Tragically, it will also will open the door for the false prophets and false religious “authorities” to move in and set up camp throughout the Church.  Additionally, it will be a huge springboard for the Mother of all harlots to strongly establish herself and condemn all who would dare to believe the Bible in any honest manner.  Heavy persecution against true believers who hold to the authority of God’s word will come in like a flood, especially against any who would hold to a biblical end time belief.  The devil will use every tool in his toolbox to snuff out every light that is shining on what he is doing to destroy mankind in the final days of this age.

The wise will inform themselves and prepare. 

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Key Prophetic Definitions
(that can make or break your understanding)

The Day of the Lord

One of the foremost concepts that is paramount to understanding End-Time Prophecy are “the day of the Lord.  The following is quoted from the study Bible notes of Charles C. Ryrie, Th.D, Ph.D., page 1809, on the scripture reference of 1 Thessalonians 5:2, “the day of the Lord – An extended period of time, beginning with the tribulation and including the events of the second coming of Christ and the millennial kingdom on earth.”  (Some places to confirm this are found in Isaiah chapters 2-4 & Zechariah chapters 12-14 where ‘in that day’ or ‘on that day’ speaks indirectly, yet clearly, to the day of the Lord, in which the context is referring to both the time of the “Tribulation” judgments and the millennial kingdom blessing.)  Please see the following graph for further clarity on the time frame of the day of the Lord.

 (7 yr. Trib.)       +       1000 year millennial reign    =   (~ 1007 year period)

|<  ___>|____< _______________________________________>_____|

|                           <       THE DAY OF THE LORD    >                                |

Often when the day of the Lord is used in Scripture it is referring to events that take place in the last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s seventieth week (or the great tribulation).  But it is not exclusive to that particular time frame, as 2 Peter 3:10 states, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up”.  According to Revelation 20:7-11, this is at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ when the entire physical universe disappears at the time of the great white throne judgment.  Here is where the most rigid and narrow view of this term, “the day of the Lord”, as being just within the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week or the last 3½ years of the tribulation, fails within the context.  So, discerning the context to carefully look for which part of the 1007 years of “the day of the Lord” that is being addressed is absolutely essential for correct exegesis of the time frame that is being referred to in the passage.  If this is not practiced properly, confusion will most certainly result.

 The 70th Week of Daniel (The Tribulation), The Great Tribulation, &The Wrath of God 

The reason these three pivotal terms are together is because their definitions have often been confused and mixed together, as if they were the same thing.  Yet, they are each separately stipulated when examined in context, with their own distinct biblical definitions. 

As previously discussed in “The 70 Weeks of Daniel”, the 70^th prophetic week is both future and to be as uniquely fulfilled as Daniel’s other preceding 69 prophetic weeks have been precisely fulfilled.  Therefore, it will be a future time that will span seven years of 360 days, as it was predicted on the time frame of the lunar calendar.  This seven-year span of time, which will involve great judgment against sin on the earth, has often been coined with the label of “the Tribulation” (cf. Matthew 24:9).

One of the main problems that enters in at this point is word substitution of the terms by private interpreters, which they use to wrongly redefine these various requisites that the Scripture plainly delineates for us.  The “Tribulation” is equated to judgment, judgment is then equated to God’s wrath, and God’s wrath is equated to the Tribulation, which is nothing more than confusing circular reasoning.  Yet, each of these things is unique and they do not equate at all within their contextual, biblical definitions.

The “Tribulation” is never stated in the Bible to be God’s wrath, directly or indirectly.  The common assumption made is that the “Tribulation” is unquestionably “the wrath of God”.  The way this is done is by equating the word “judgment”, a broadly defined term within Scripture, with “the wrath of God”, a very narrowly defined and specific term.  God has brought many judgments throughout history, but “the wrath of God” is precisely defined for us in the book of Revelation chapters 15 & 16.  The idea of defining all the judgments in the book of Revelation, as “the wrath of God”, was invented to support the private interpretation of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory and cannot be substantiated biblically as a valid argument.  This was done because the Bible does tell us that Christians will be delivered from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10).  So, it became convenient to substitute judgment for the wrath of God to bolster the theory’s position that Christians will be removed before the “Tribulation”. 

The promise of 1 Thessalonians 1:10 can only be appropriately applied to Revelation chapters 15 & 16, and not any judgments before the specific mention of God’s wrath, which does contain the worst final seven bowl or vial judgments, and contextually falls within the last half of the seven year period or “the great tribulation”, which begins at the mid-point of the seven year Tribulation, when the Antichrist betrays Israel, breaking his peace covenant with them, and goes into the temple to commit the abomination of desolation, declaring Himself as God Almighty, as the mark of the beast is issued to kill all those who refuse to bow to Satan (Revelation 7:9-17).  The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation should never be confused or equated as the same time frame, but many private interpreters do interchange them subtlety in their teaching to massage their pet theories.

The Rapture

Believe it or not, the idea that there will be “no Rapture” is the most commonly held belief in all of Christendom, outside of the minority evangelical community, as it generally goes hand in hand with what we have previously discussed concerning the Amillennial and Postmillennial belief systems, although some of the Premillennialists believe it as well.  So, what is the argument that is put forth to justify the position that no Rapture will take place?

There are those who hold that the Rapture is not found in Scripture and that it is purely an invention of the modern western Church.  Again, this view primarily comes from those who hold to the Amillennial and Postmillennial viewpoints, as their previously discussed illogical and corrupt ideology rules out the purpose of such an event altogether.  The best attempt at “proof” for this position is made through the logically flawed lack of evidence argument, by claiming that since the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, therefore it was made up by mere mortals (only recently) and it really doesn’t exist.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to be clever and take advantage of people who are not well read in the Scriptures.  They will say that because certain words, phases, or terms are not specifically listed in the Bible (often in the English version) the concepts that represent them are false.  They then build on this false premise and lead their listeners off to a rather poor conclusion.  Even though the word “rapture” does not appear in the Bible, the principle for it does, much like the word “trinity” doesn’t appear in the Bible, yet the evidence for the triune Godhead does.  Another common example that you may have heard is that the Bible never uses the term of a “seven-year Tribulation”.  Yet, we have seen that both Daniel and Revelation demonstrated a seven-year Tribulation rather clearly.  The Rapture is a special and unique ‘resurrection’ of both the living and the dead, where Jesus will come back for His own removing them off the earth by translating them from the mortal realm to the immortal realm.  So, where is the proof for such a fantastic claim?

 Biblical Support For The Rapture

“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” [Emphasis added] (John 14:1-3).  Here, in this passage Jesus promises to come back for His own and take them to Heaven, where He was going to be.  This is clear by the fact that Jesus states He would be going to His Father’s house where there are many dwelling places (in Heaven).  Later, Jesus would promise to come back with His own to defeat the Antichrist, the false prophet and all of the marked minions of the beast’s evil kingdom, to then establish His millennial reign of righteousness on Earth (Revelation 19:11 through 20:6).  This is clearly a different event from when Jesus returns for just His followers/believers.  Thus, it is very important to understand that since these passages do indeed mark out two separate events involved within Jesus Christ’s return, we should be looking to carefully understand where they both fit in on God’s prophetic timeline. 

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words” [Emphasis added] (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).   This is the same event Jesus describe in John 14:1-3, as Jesus is talking about snatching up those on earth who are His and still living, and taking them to be with Him forever.  If this doesn’t describe a “Rapture”, then I’d like to know just what’s going on in this passage and how it could honestly be interpreted any other way.

The English word “rapture” comes from the Latin term rapio for “caught up or snatch up” and it is from this expression that the modern phrase “Rapture” was developed, primarily being adapted to describe the wording in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, of being caught up.  Generally, those who argue against the existence of a Rapture for the Church in the Bible do so on the basis of historical arguments based upon the opinions of men.  Yet, the Scripture speaks quite well for itself, without any additions from us mortals.  Someone’s opinion about it should never be elevated to a level of equal or greater status, regardless of their viewpoint or reputation.  Therefore, cases for or against men’s opinions, whether valid or not, do not carry the weight of the Scripture itself.  Those who wish to dismiss the scriptural basis for the Rapture do so by willful choice in spite of the biblical evidence, not because of it.  Yet, there is more than this to demonstrate a Rapture.

“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.  But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.  “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” (1 Corinthians 15:50-55).  Here again, is another passage speaking to the same event, only with a little more detail, in that it will happen very quickly and at the time of the sounding of the last trumpet.  Also, we are told that the bodies will be changed instantly from mortal physical bodies over to immortal spiritual/supernatural bodies.

So, now that it has been established from the pages of the Bible that the Rapture is a real event that will occur, we must investigate when it could take place within the prophetic panorama of God’s vivid end time picture.  This is where things become very interesting and detailed, as many claims and definitions have been attached to many scriptures, yet the majority of these assertions do not honestly match the standpoint they have been drawn from.  Incomplete and inequitable conclusions are often reached by stretching a meaning out of the framework of the passage, with a partial mix and match approach from other sections of scripture, which are blended in, then conclusions are formed that are wholly inadequate to the context concerning the segments being used.   In other words, private interpretation has been forcefully applied, usually resulting in a false assumption or premise, which ends up being misleading.  Unfortunately, this is practiced widely by several of the prophecy teachings that are available on the Rapture.  Yet, still worse, the more popular the teachings on the Rapture are the ones with the greatest number of flaws, as they have been continually worked over and misrepresented, to wrongly fit into a place that itching ears wish to hear, particularly within the materialistic western Church’s conservative element.

Most of these viewpoints and theories assume one very fundamental thing, “the book of Revelation cannot be taken in its written order”, at least as far as the chronology of the timing factors listed in the text.  Yet, the book of Daniel’s precise historical fulfillment gives us the interpretive pattern to follow and it must be realized that the book of Revelation is essentially a close up, direct view of Daniel’s seventieth week.  Therefore, it is best to take Revelation as stated.  Otherwise, we would be left with the need for extra truth and enlightenment from someone or something outside of the inspired Word of God itself to tell us what God “really meant” by what He said.  Yet, the proverb warns us, “Do not add to His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).  Also, Revelation chapter 22:18-19 gives a very strong warning for anyone who would tamper with its content, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”   Rearrangement of the events as written in Revelation is equivalent to a Pandora’s box of private interpretation and it is a violation of 2 Peter 1:20. Those who are wise will leave the book of Revelation alone and let it speak for itself.

To find out when the Rapture will occur on the prophetic time line, go to the store order The Revelation Unveiled.  https://shop.truthandlife.us  

The “Imminent” Return of Jesus Christ

A very prominent assumption that has been made is that “the return of Jesus Christ is imminent” or “Jesus could come back at any moment”.  Unfortunately, this idea has been wrongly upgraded from a theoretical position to the status of a “doctrine”.  So much so, that there are those who consider it heresy to disagree with them on this point.  But is the legalistic, religious fervor and condemnation scripturally justifiable?  Three of the main reasons for this thinking are as follows:

Initially, the claim is made that “there are no signs that must precede the Rapture”.  Jesus is coming like a thief in the night and “we don’t know when a thief is coming do we?”  Therefore, it is concluded that we cannot know the prophetic time frame of the Rapture either (not just a day or hour, but the general time period).

However, when we Review 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 this is not what we see.  “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” 

But, as we have seen, Paul contrasts the unbeliever’s blindness to the fact that believers should know, because we have been informed by scriptural teaching to understand the signs and we would not be catch off guard. “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief”.  Yet, there is more to it than that, because how could you be over taken by something that you would not be around to see, or not here for???  This revealing insight strongly reinforces Paul’s correction in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 all the more!   The Church will be on earth to witness “the day of the Lord” begin and we are supposed to see it coming and not be caught off our guard.  But, how many in the Church actually know what the correct definition of the day of the Lord even is, much less know about the signs that will precede it, to be able to discern it?

Further, “No one knows the day or hour of Jesus coming, so we won’t be able to anticipate it.  In other words, Jesus could return at any moment.  Even Jesus himself said in Matthew 24:36, ‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.’”

Not unlike the previous argument, this is an argument taken very much out of context, for this is within the answer Jesus gave his disciples concerning the end of the age and His return in His Olivet discourse of Matthew chapter 24.  Jesus had just listed a large number of signs to look for that were inclusive of both questions together as one answer, the end of the age and His return, then He added, ‘But of that day and hour no one knows’.

If Jesus had not of been not speaking to a literal day and a literal hour, then He would have contradicted Himself.  For He would have just listed all these signs to look for and then turned around and said, but you can’t really know or anticipate it.  Extending the literal day and hour to a position of “we just can’t know the time frame at all”, goes completely beyond the true meaning of the context and any honest theological rendering of this passage.  This is an unfortunate problem that is not that uncommon when people seek to protect their pet theories.  Therefore, reading a verse in the whole of its contextual meaning is an essential practice that no serious Bible student should ever neglect.–                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                        Signs of the Return

The cross                                                                                           The Rapture ^    ||

|_______________________________________________The Signs>>>>>>>>>>>>||_ V

                                                      ~2000  YEARS                                                              ( <10 yrs. apart )

The extremely close proximity on the prophetic time line of these two events is not denied by any of the theories.  All the signs Jesus gave in Matthew chapter 24 speak to this final time frame, which includes both the Rapture and the return.  Jesus did not separate the two events as He listed the signs for His disciples in answering their dual question!  To say that there are no signs that must precede the Rapture and then turn around and say that the fulfillment of all these signs are evidence that Jesus return is really close, is contextually inconsistent.  Yet, the proponents of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory commonly do this.

Another argument is that, “The early church believed in an imminent return, that Jesus could return at any moment for them.  For we see in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, the 1^st century Christians were waiting for His return.”  Then the conclusion is drawn, if the early church believed it, it is right and cannot be questioned.  Two things should be recognized here in the faulty premise that was drawn.  First, there was a second letter, with a correction concerning their understanding, which dealt with this issue and it takes precedence over the first letter.  Second, there were many things the early church believed that were absolutely wrong, causing the majority of Paul’s letters to be filled with correction, reproof and extra clarity on the issues.  Paul was speaking to the heart issue of looking forward to the Lord’s return in his first letter to the Thessalonians, but apparently many of them misunderstood his meaning, not unlike many today, thinking it meant the imminent return of Christ.  How do we know this?

There are several biblical passages that dispel the idea of the any moment return of Christ, signifying that this idea should never have been given doctrinal status.  Could the Lord’s return have been imminent BEFORE the following (signs):  Peter lived to be an old man (John 21:18-19), the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. (Matthew 24:1-3), the gospel would be preached unto the uttermost part of the earth (Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20 & Acts 1:8), Israel was regathered a second time, which did not happen until May 14, 1948, when the modern State of Israel was born (Isaiah 11:11-12), the book of Daniel became unsealed and understood, which didn’t happen until within the last century (Daniel 12:4)?

Further, Paul corrects the wrong thinking in his second letter to them.  According to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, someone had come along, after the first letter and before the second letter and told them that they had missed the Rapture (which is a special and unique ‘resurrection’ of both the living and the dead that we are told about in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 & 1 Corinthians 15:50-55).  The culprits were likely the two false teachers Paul marked out in 2 Timothy 2:17-18, “and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some.”

Paul cleared it up in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction”. 

The very context of this passage exposes a fatal theological flaw in the Pre-Tribulation theory by revealing the impossibility of its primary line of reasoning, the “doctrine” of imminence.  The context of this passage places the Rapture within the time frame of the day of the Lord, as we have discussed that the day of the Lord begins with the opening of Daniel’s 70^th week or “the seven-year Tribulation”.  Therefore, this passage places the Rapture’s timing somewhere within Daniel’s 70^th week, because Jesus will come back for His saints before He returns with them at the end of the week of seven years (for we are “gathered together to Him” at the Rapture, then we later come back with Him riding on white horses – Revelation 19:11-21).

It states that these two signs must happen prior to the Rapture as well; the apostasy (which is described in Matthew 24:9-12 — “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.  And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.  And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold”) and the revealing of Antichrist, which is described in Daniel 7:8 & 9:27 – The eleventh ruler who comes up among the ten rulers and masterminds a special seven-year peace covenant, which will involve Israel and many other nations.  This will be the first of three times that the Antichrist is revealed, but only to those who understand prophecy. 

The Hour of Testing

Revelation 3:10 — ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.  To the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theorists, “the hour of testing” is automatically assumed, without question, to be “the Seven-Year Tribulation”.

But what is the ‘hour of testing’?  Is it defined for us anywhere in Scripture?  Once again, no it is not.  It could be the tribulation, the mark of the beast, the great tribulation, or possibly something else.  To select out “the Tribulation” and absolutely declare it to be the unalterable “hour of testing” is pure assumption, and a rather poor way to contend and make a case for one’s favorite theory.  The Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory it is declared that “the hour of testing” is undeniably the “Tribulation”, as if it were written in stone, because this helps make the theory look more plausible, but not because the Bible supports this assumption in any real way.  Do a word study on tribulation, wrath of God, and the hour of testing, and you will see the point on how this word, or term substitution, is only wishful conjecture that really proves nothing sound for the theory.

Another private presumption made by the Pre-Tribulation theory is that God is through dealing with the church and He starts dealing with Israel at the beginning of the 70^th week of Daniel (the Tribulation).  The assumption here is that Daniel’s 70^th week must be entirely exclusive for Israel, and not include the Church, even though both entities exist side by side today and well into the book of Revelation itself!

The frivolous counter to this is the stated ‘proof’ that the word ‘church’ is not mentioned from Revelation chapter four onward, which beginnings the details of Daniel’s 70^th week, and that “the Tribulation” is referred to as the time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) trouble.  Jeremiah 30:7 – ‘Alas! For that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it.  Please note that no exact timing or definition is given in this verse, nor will you find it in the surrounding context.

As far as the usage of the word ‘church’, are any other names used to describe followers of Jesus Christ besides ‘church’ in the Bible?  Has the Church ever been referred to as Saints, Christians, believers, a royal priesthood, priests, a holy nation, a kingdom, holy ones, etc.?  Does Revelation chapter four onward contain any of these terms that could possibly be applied to the presence of the Church on earth?  Absolutely it does!   There are several references to believers throughout the book of Revelation, yet to attempt to excuse them all as converts after the Rapture is just an argument of convenience, not proper contextual definition.

Further, restricting the definition to just ‘Church’ in order to attempt to fit it into this particular concept of the church age dispensational thinking is a logically flawed presupposition, by assuming that the beginning of the “Tribulation” is equivalent to the end of the Church Age and the beginning of Israel’s time of difficulty.  The time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) distress best fits the last 3 ½ years of Daniels 70^th week, rather than the whole 7 years (cf. Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15-21, Revelation chapters 12 & 13).  These verses plainly tell us that Israel will have peace granted to them during the first 3 ½ years of “the Tribulation”, but not the last 3 ½ years, which is when their trouble truly begins, with the betrayal from their new (false) messiah, one half the way into the seven-year period.  As we read these verse references, we see that Jesus further confirms this in His Olivet discourse concerning the signs of His return (Matthew chapter 24), where He defined the ‘great tribulation’ as beginning with the time of Antichrist’s betrayal, which comes at the mid-point of the seven-year peace covenant the Antichrist will make with Israel (Daniel 9:26-27).

For it is written, “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak.  “But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days!  “But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath; for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.” — Matthew 24: 15-21

Daniel’s entire 70^th week (the “Tribulation”) is seven years long and should not be confused with the “great tribulation”, which is the last half of Daniel’s 70^th week and only three- and one-half years long.  These terms are frequently interchanged with one another, in a rather thoughtless manner by those who hold to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory, when they are quoting Scripture concerning the “Tribulation”.  Please be aware of the difference, as they are two different spans of time, the latter within the former.

Another important issue is the correct understanding of the exact onset of God’s wrath.  “The wrath of God” has but one initial starting point, yet this is where much controversy and private renderings abound.   Basically, we have two choices on this matter, either we will choose to believe one of the various opinions of men concerning the wrath of God (which would include defining it as the entire 70^th week of Daniel, by wrongly equating any Tribulation judgment as the wrath of God, or by defining it as the time spoken of in Revelation 6:12-17, when very frightened men declare it) or we will believe God’s direct edict, which comes to us from His throne room, as is declared to us in Revelation 11:18.

For in Revelation 6:15-17, we see men declare, “hide us … from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”  Yet, notice who is making the declaration here.  We need to be careful and study all that is mentioned to us about the wrath of God.  Those who see this as the wrath of God overlook the fact that this sixth seal judgment, in Revelation chapter six, where a bunch of very frightened men, with the blood of the saints still fresh on their hands, from the fifth seal judgment, suppose that the awesome judgment they are witnessing within the sixth seal judgment is the wrath of God.  Nevertheless, the actual time or place it is revealed from heaven as coming, or beginning, is in Revelation 11:18, after the 7^th trumpet judgment (or 14^th judgment of the twenty-one total judgments listed).

In Revelation 11:18 it states, “And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”  This is the first time that it is announced from Heaven and the actual time or place it is mentioned as coming, or beginning, and it happens after the seventh trumpet judgment has been blown.  And notice who announces it, the 24 elders who are around the throne of God (Revelation 11:16).

Because of the double definite article used to define it in the Greek text as “the wrath of the God”, in Revelation 15:7, it is a specific future event that has a definite beginning and end to it.  Therefore, it can only begin once.  And this edict from the throne room of God is not creative, speculative or man centered in any way.  This allows the description given in Revelation chapters 15 and 16 to stand for WHAT “the wrath of God” actually is, instead of what it is often redefined as being (i.e., the entire Tribulation, with all the judgments).

Revelation 16:1 — And I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth.”  Additionally, the timing of this passage is very much sequential to Revelation 11:18, as many descriptions and some explanations are given in the next three chapters of the book of Revelation (chapters 12-14).  Yet, the final seven judgments (the bowls or vials) containing the wrath of the God, which follow the seventh trumpet, continue on as written.  The contextual chronology of the book of Revelation (which is largely straightforward and orderly) is the same as the passages within the book of Daniel from which it correlates (Daniel chapters 2, 7 and 9:24-27).   This is the principal pattern to follow for avoiding the mistake of private interpretation and thus, properly define the wrath of God here.

The Antichrist

      For many in Christendom today, the term of “the Antichrist” is believed to be merely generic; meaning anyone or thing that works on earth to oppose Jesus Christ, or even God, the Father, the Church or that which is holy.  And although the Bible does use the term “antichrist” primarily in the generic sense, when specifically mentioning it in the letters of 1 and 2 John, we do have other strong evidence that tells us that there will be a final, solitary man who will be the ultimate culmination and fulfillment of “the Antichrist”, just prior to the physical return of Jesus Christ to earth. 

      The proof for this is found in Daniel chapters 7 and 11, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and Revelation chapters 13 and 19, where this final Antichrist is unmistakably personified as a distinct individual committing specific acts.  This is why he has been given the label “the Antichrist” in end time teaching and he is held out independently, by good students of Bible prophecy, from the other more generic description.

      In Daniel chapter 7, he is marked out as the eleventh ruler who will come to power closely following the ten rulers that are put in place for the final human world government (the New World Order) around seven years just prior to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.  He starts out as appearing smaller in power, but ultimately, he will dispossess three of the ten rulers of their authority and position, then rise above all the other leaders as the supreme ruler on the earth (Daniel 7:20 & Revelation 17:12-13).  This ruler (the eleventh horn) is described to have eyes like a man and to speak forth immense boasts for himself, speaking out against and blaspheming the true Creator, God (Daniel 7:8, 25; 11:36 & Revelation 13:6).  Also, he will have no desire for women or the gods of his fathers (Daniel 11:37-39).  When he comes to full power, he will have 1260 days to rule before Jesus Christ returns to end his reign of terror (Daniel 7:25-27; 12:7 & Revelation 13:5).  At the end of this time, the Antichrist will be thrown into the lake of fire or “Hell”, with his false prophet, 1000 years ahead of everyone else, including Satan (Daniel 7:11 & Revelation 19:19-20; 20:1-3, 7-10).

      Yet, most of all, the Antichrist is clearly personified in two key passages of the Bible (Daniel 9:26:27 & 2 Thessalonians chapter 2).  Besides everything already mention above about his personal characteristics, Daniel tells us the Antichrist is the “prince who is to come” and that “he will make a firm covenant with many for one week” (or seven years).   Then he will break the covenant and commit the abomination of desolation.  However, the apostle Paul absolutely seals the personification of the Antichrist for us in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9.  Here we are told that the “man” of lawlessness, the “son” of destruction (the Antichrist), who exalts himself as God in the temple of God, displaying himself as God (the ultimate abomination of desolation is committed by a human being, not an impersonal government system).  There is no “alternative” argument here in this passage against the individual personification of the Antichrist, because the use of multiple personal pronouns is indisputably present.

      The analysis of the above correlating passages instructs us to apply the personal meaning of the pronoun, instead of the optional neutral meaning, to the parallel/correlating passage of Revelation chapter 13:3-17, where it refers to the beast.  Granted, “the beast” is also used to describe the final governmental system from which the Antichrist will rule, but the evidence within the parallel passages, as well as, the personal traits mentioned in this passage of Revelation chapter thirteen, do validate the use of the personal pronoun, as basically all translators have employed.  Nevertheless, when reading about “the beast” in the Bible’s prophetic passages, one must then be careful to distinguish which beast is being referenced, the governmental system or the person who will be at the head of it.

How and When The Antichrist Will Be Revealed

Most people rarely realize that there are three very distinct and detached time frames that the Antichrist is revealed.  When we look carefully into the prophetic word, we can see three unique points at which “the Antichrist”, this lawless man of destruction, will be revealed and to three different sets of people.  A hint of the first revealing, with a direct mention of the second and third instances of revealing are given to us in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed (1), the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed (2). For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed (3) whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.”

The second revealing will be at the time of the mark of the beast or the abomination of desolation, where Antichrist will exalt himself in the temple, as if he were God, making everyone take his mark or die (Revelation chapter 13). At the second revealing, Israel will realize who he is, although too late (Matthew 24:15-21).  Also, those who fear the true God, yet were slow in coming around to submitting to Him (giving their lives to Jesus Christ), these will realize who Antichrist is at this point, in the middle of the tribulation, as well, but their procrastination will come with a costly price (Revelation 7:9-17; 14:6-11 & 20:4).

The third revealing of Antichrist is when he is slain by Jesus Christ, upon His triumphant return, to take back planet Earth from Satan and his chief pawn, the beast or “the Antichrist”. At the third revealing, all who foolishly took the mark and worshiped Lucifer and his Antichrist will be rudely awaken from their deception, upon the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world at the Second Advent and then will come the demise of their dark, iniquitous leader (Revelation 19:19-21).

However, the first revealing will be to Christian’s who correctly comprehend God’s prophetic word from the book of Daniel. Daniel gave us two identifying marks to look for concerning “the Antichrist”. The first inkling is that he will be the eleventh horn, a little horn, which comes up among the ten horns, eventually uprooting three of them (Daniel chapter 7). It may possibly be difficult, for even the very well trained in the prophetic word, to pick him out immediately, when he first appears as the eleventh little horn, because we don’t know what capacity, or function, he will have at that time or how well publicized it may be. But most people, with even the slightest clue about biblical prophecy, should not miss diagnosing who “the Antichrist” is when he initiates and signs the seven-year peace pact.

The signing of the seven-year peace treaty will begin the seven-year Tribulation, as they are one in the same. This means the Rapture (“our gathering together to Him”) must take place sometime after the falling away and the seven-year Tribulation begins, and therefore, Jesus Christ’s coming for His church cannot be imminent, because these two signs of the apostasy and the revealing of Antichrist must precede the Rapture. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (our gathering together to Him – the Rapture – within the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). 

Hence, not a few Christians will be shocked when the witness the signing of the seven-year peace pact.  Sadly though, many more “Christians” will cheer the peace pact, right along with the entire unbelieving world, thinking it has brought them peace and safety, as they will be clueless as to its true meaning.

Something For Those Who Refused To Heed The Warning

Tragically, many will not take the warning seriously concerning the collapse of the dollar, the ruin of the US economy, or even the day of the Lord coming upon us.  As a result, most of these people will find their situation to be rather dire, as they likely made no preparations and the basic commodities to sustain life will be very hard, if not impossible, to come by in a very short span of time.

With personal savings and most all normal resources wiped out, desperation, panic, civil unrest and dangerous conditions will be wide spread.  The unprepared, which rightly refuse to resort criminal activity, will have a difficult time coping or even knowing what to do.

When the government finally begins to restore some order back to the country through martial law, basic food and water supplies will be less important than controlling the population.  In other words, the police and soldiers are going to be concerned about whether you are part of a riot, robbery or uprising, then whether your baby has milk, or whether you have any food or water.  Anyone who gets angry about the fact that government (the politicians, bureaucrats and the foot soldiers) really don’t care if you and your family starve, or dies of thirst, will quickly find themselves being shipped off to a FEMA containment facility (prison camp).  If anyone tries to get physical concerning their dissatisfaction, they will likely be shot on the spot, because control is all that will matter to the government in such a massive crisis.

So, here is some advice concerning what you need to first come to terms with, let go of all the dreams and plans that you had for “your” life or you will remain too traumatized to be able to think straight and you will continue to make very bad decisions that will only hasten your demise.  If you had a pension or something put away for retirement in paper, forget about it, because you will never get your paper retirement “nest egg” back, ever.  It’s gone, just accept it, have your little moment of grief, and move on.  

 Life will be very treacherous and fleeting from the collapse onward, so don’t believe ANY promises to the contrary, because they will all be empty lies.  Therefore, you will need to make your peace with God, through Jesus Christ, because time will be short for everyone.  Sit down and make a list of your tangible assets, food, water, tools, valuables and items that you might be able to barter.   If you have a very good friend or relative, especially one that lives away from the urban areas, who prepared and is willing to barter, share, or put you up for a while, then that might buy you a little more time, if you are able to get to them.

However, you should not feel too bad though, regardless of your circumstances, because when this hits the fan over 99% of the people on the planet will be dead in less than ten years.  When the seven-year peace treaty is signed, then you can make it seven years until most everyone will be dead, with many dying right at the end of that seven years, because they took the mark of the beast.  Sorry that I can’t give you more positive news concerning that, but that’s just the way the biblical prophets break it down for us.  In other words, God told the prophets to tell us what would happen, and God does not lie.  So, it is what it is. 

The mark of the beast will be offered to “give you hope”, but it is the ultimate rip off, because while it will buy a person 3½ more years to live on earth (and that’s all it will buy), it comes with a horrible price tag, as it will guarantee a person certain death within less than four years and your soul a permanent ticket into Hell for all eternity with no way out (Revelation 14:9-11 & 19:11-21)!  Oh, and did I mention that those extra 3½ years will be basically hell on earth anyway, as God pours out His Wrath on all who take the mark of the beast and worship His arch enemy, Satan (Revelation chapters 15 & 16)?

The gruesome truth is that about half of the world’s current population will be dead within the first 3½ years of the signing of the seven-years peace pact.  This could easily take place by 2016 or 2017.  So, again, getting your soul right with God for eternity is the real issue for anyone with even the smallest measure of good sense.

This is the end of the age after all and no wishing it away will change any part of it, not even one tiny bit.  The pages from the book of Revelation will come to life before our very eyes.  For anyone who needs some kind of evidence to believe, they will have more than enough once this all starts.

Consequently, facing the reality of the situation is the only smart and wise choice to make, as denial of the truth never changes it.  Nonetheless, most people will not be real, so if you find yourself siding with the majority and viewing the state of affairs some other way than what the Bible honestly states, beware, for broad is the way to destruction and many are those who go down it (Matthew 7:13-14).

God is doing it this way to force all of humanity off the fence to make their choice.  It would be better to surrender to His lordship and ask forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ, the only sin solvent or remedy available to mankind, than to die in your sin and paying the price for it in the lake of fire for all eternity (John 5:24, 8:24 & 14:6, along with Revelation 20:11-15).  The choice is yours, however, choose wisely, because once you draw your last breath in this world, you will not have a second chance to change your mind, as the deal will be sealed forever (Hebrews 9:27 & 10:26-31).  So, don’t gamble or mess around, for you do not know if you have tomorrow (2 Corinthians 6:2).