THE END IS NEAR – Or is it? (Part 3)

Where are we now, on the Eschatological Clock?

This can be a great mystery. But it need not be. Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary:

Section A.1. The opening of Tribulation Seal ONE began between AD 1 and AD 70, and perhaps as early as 2 B.C. Seals ONE through FIVE have been broken, progressively, up until this day. We are now standing at the precipice of the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal .

Section A.2. With the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal we will see that THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31 & Revelation 6:12-16)

Section A.3. Sometime after the rapture of the church, which occurs at the 6th Seal, the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel. This begins Daniel’s Seventieth Week, also known as the Seven-Year Tribulation.

Section A.4. At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days later, which occurs at the 6^th Tribulation Trumpet), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.

Section A.5. At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.

Section A.6. During the next 30 days (leading up to 1,290 days after the desecration of the temple), Israel is rebuilt, and the earth is restored.

Section A.7. During the next 45 days (leading up to 1,335 days after the desecration of the temple), the Gentile nations are judged for their treatment of Israel.

Section A.8. The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:3, 5–6).

Below here is a more complete description of the Tribulation Timeline. Concern yourself with the first SIX SEALS.

First, notice that the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy refer to the “Last Days” in a time frame that began as early as 2 or 3 B.C. (the birth of Christ Jesus) or as late as 69 A.D. This is a clear indication that the Last Days and the first 5 Tribulation Seals were in the process of being broken (opened) during that time.

NOTE: When a Tribulation Seal is broken, (opened), the events it triggers continue to occur, overlap and intensify until the Great Tribulation period begins – which marks the final 7 years of the Tribulation, also known as Daniel’s 70^th Week or the Days of the Wrath).

TO WIT:

Hebrews 1:2, “In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world”. (The Apostle Paul).

Hebrews 9:26, “For then He, (Jesus) would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He, (Jesus), has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself”.

* Hebrews, written around AD 60.

Acts 2:14-17, “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15“For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel”:

‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;

*Acts written around AD 60. (The Apostle Peter).

2 Timothy 3:1-4, “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; Avoid such men as these”.

*2 Timothy, written around AD 60. (The Apostle Timothy).

1 Peter 1:20, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you”.

1 Peter 4:7, 8, 9 “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling”.

*1 Peter, written around AD 60.

2 Peter 3:3. “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

* 2 Peter was written around AD 68.

(There is also a good teaching video by Pastor and teacher John Piper on this subject:)

REPEAT: When a Tribulation Seal is broken, (opened), the events it triggers continue to occur, overlap and intensify until the Great Tribulation period begins – which marks the final 7 years of the Tribulation, also known as Daniel’s 70^th Week or the Days of the Wrath).

Conclusion: The “Last Days” began with the 1st Advent of Christ.

Section B.1. The ‘tribulation period of birth pangs‘ (Matthew 24:8 & Revelation 6) begins with the breaking of the 1st Tribulation Seal and continues through the 5th Tribulation Seal, during which time we will see the

- Apostasy,
- the great persecution of Christians,
- the revealing of the man of perdition and
- the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and her enemies.

The 1st Seal of the tribulation was being broken just after the death and resurrection of Christ and the succeeding seals (Seals 2 – 5) have been broken at various periods of time since A.D. 1 and that we have now entered the time of the breaking 5th Tribulation Seal. Jesus refers to this period, the breaking of the tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE as “the beginning of the birth pangs”, and He points out that “this is not yet the end”.

Section B.2. Then, with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal , THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD, THE GREAT TRIBULATION, BEGINS. (Matthew 24:29, & Revelation 6:12)

As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

Section B.3. The “7 years of Great Tribulation” (aka Daniel’s 70th week) begins with the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal, and, will reach the mid-point of the tribulation period, (after 3.5 years) with the sounding of the 6th Trumpet of the Great Tribulation.

Section B.4. Then, the Great Tribulation will end with the pouring out of the 7 Bowls of Wrath.

– THE TRIBULATION JUDGMENTS LEAD TO THE END OF THE AGE –

The world has endured, and is enduring, the first 4 tribulation seals, and is now experiencing the beginning of the 5th tribulation seal. Concern yourself with being ready before the breaking of the Tribulation 6th Seal and the Great and Terrible day of the Lord!

Here is a Short outline comparing Jesus’ account of the Tribulation period both in the Book of Revelation and in the Book of Matthew:

Revelation Ch. 6 – as corresponding to – Matthew Chapter 24

the 1st Tribulation Seal – Global conquest and political intrigue (Continuing since A.D. 1, intensifying, overlapping other Seals.)

the 2nd Tribulation Seal – Wars and Rumors of War (Continuing since A.D. 1, intensifying, overlapping other Seals.)

the 3rd Tribulation Seal – Famine (Continuing since A.D. 1, intensifying, overlapping other Seals.)

the 4th Tribulation Seal – Death (Continuing since A.D. 1, intensifying, overlapping other Seals.)

the 5th Tribulation Seal – Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away (Continuing since A.D. 1, intensifying, overlapping other Seals.)

The 6th Tribulation Seal is The BEGINNING OF the final 7 years of Tribulation. “THE GREAT TRIBULATION: (a.k.a., “Daniel’s 70^th Week”, “The Wrath of the Lamb”).

The 6th Tribulation Seal – Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun.

Followed quickly by:

Sealing of the 144,000
The Rapture (Revelation 7) – (corresponds with Matthew 24:29-31)
- - *It is at this time that all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, will rise “in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” The origin of the term extends from Paul the Apostle’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians in the Bible, in which he uses the Greek word ‘harpazo’, meaning “to snatch away” or “to seize,” and explains that believers in Jesus Christ would be snatched away from earth into the air and ushered before the Throne of God. All others are stranded on earth to face the God’s judgment during the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, which will extend through 7 Trumpet Judgments and 7 Bowl Judgments.
Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God