BE THE WATCHMAN – The Signs of Christ’s Return

BE A WATCHMAN

The Signs of Christ’s Return

We completed the last chapter, “WARNINGS ABOUT THE RISING PHARISAICAL SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST, HIRELINGS & THE 8 WOES”, with the words from Matthew chapter 23 which are both an indictment of the Pharisees of Jesus day and a warning of the coming Apostasy as prophesied in the Bible. An Apostasy which is now spreading and intensifying and is evident in many, if not most, so-called mainline churches.

There are still many good and well-intentioned Churches, pastors and disciples of Jesus working diligently to follow Jesus and to do the Works He has prepared ahead of time. But, even among these faithful, there are the temptations and distractions of the Pharisaical spirit which have crept into their hearts and minds, leading them astray.

The easiest thing and yet the most difficult thing you can do is to…

1. Be the salt and light of the Gospel of Christ where you are. Make your closest associations with likeminded Christ following believers. But do not hide. Make His influence felt through your life and behavior, wherever you go.

2. Try to find a Church (a local Body of Christ) who are not staining themselves with the things of the world (see Galatians 5:19-21).

3. Seek to become “the living stones, being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.( 1 Peter 2:5).

Remember that you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Next, Jesus gives us an account of the Last Days and The End of the Age from two distinct perspectives. We need to look at a Biblical comparison and correlation of The Seals of the Tribulation as seen in the book of Matthew and correlated with the book of The Revelation (1). so we can know the sequence of these events that may be prepared and ready at all times. (2). It is also important so that we will not be taken by surprise or frightened and lose focus and composure; (3). It is also a remember that we are to inform and warn others of the present and coming judgements. To Wit:

• Matthew 24:1-5 tells us, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

• Revelation 1:1, says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place…”

These words were written sometime around A.D. 90. Over 1,900 years have passed since this prophecy was written, and according to the God-breathed and Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. The first ‘contradiction’, if that is possible, is if these were ‘to soon take place’, why haven’t they? But that is the wrong question to ask.

• The right question to ask is, “Is this is more rock-solid evidence that the breaking of the first tribulation seals began at the birth of Christ and ‘the things which must soon take place’  began to appear around the time John the Apostle wrote his Apokalupsis?”.
  

• Later, Jesus and these same disciples testified that these present and coming prophetic judgments and events had already begun in or around A.D. 30, calling them “events of These Last Days”: 
• Hebrews 1:2, “but in these last days He (God) has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
• Hebrews 9:26, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He (Christ) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
• Acts 2:14-17, “But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

It is important because we must be mentally, physically and spiritually of and ready for the things that are upon us so we do not faint or fall away.

It is important because the context, the uses and meanings of these various words which refer to Tribulation affect our attitudes and our motivation for GETTING and STAYING READY for His return. They also affect our view of the timing of the coming Tribulation and the Great Tribulation.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Why does it matter “when” the tribulation starts or “when” Christians are to be raptured into heavens?

It matters because being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.

It matters because He has warned that “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.’

It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.

It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.

It matters because as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior
Are speaking louder than our words if these things are coming to pass – we need to be getting ready.

Correlation of the Seals from equating Matthew to Revelation:

(Jesus, in the book of Matthew gives a present view looking to the future – Jesus, in The book of The Revelation gives a panorama of a continuous past, present and future.)

After reading the following, please ask and answer, WHAT IS GOING ON in:

• Matthew 24:1 –5, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them. “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

• Revelation 6:1-2, “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” I looked, and behold…”

Seal 1 – Matthew 24:6-7 – also in Revelation 6:1 – 6:3 – WARS & RUMORS OF WAR, RIDER ON WHITE HORSE.

 

WHAT IS GOING ON in the First Seal in Matthew 24?

Matthew 24:6. “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

• “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars -Matthew 24:6”
  • (future tense – spoken in A.D. 30).
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the First Seal in Matthew 24?

Matthew 24:7-8, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

• “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against – Matthew 24:7”
  • (future tense – spoken in A.D. 30) .
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur have been are increasing in intensity to this day).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the First Seal in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6:1–2, Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

• “A white horse rider went out conquering and to conquer – Revelation 6:2”
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D.)
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 95, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).
    

-The Completion of the First Tribulation Seal –

Seal 2 & 3: Matthew 24:7-8 – also in Revelation 6:5 – FAMINES & EARTHQUAKES & A RED HORSE.

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Second and Third Seals in Matthew 24?

Matthew 24:7-8, “…and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

• and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).
• “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
  • (This is the beginning – in or around A.D. 30,and they have been continuing to occur and are increasing in intensity to this day).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Second and Third Seals in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6:3-4. “When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

• “A red horse went out to take peace from the earth and people would kill one another – Revelation 6:4”
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95)
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 95, are continuing to occur and has been increasing in intensity to this day).

• People would kill one another.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 95, are continuing to occur and has been increasing intensity to this day).

 -The Completion of the Second & Third Tribulation Seals –

Seal 4: Matthew 24:9 – also in Revelation 6:7 – PERSECUTION, DISEASE, FAMINE, DEATH.

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Fourth Seal in Matthew 24?

Matthew 24:9, “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

• “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Fourth Seal in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6:7-8, “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

• An ashen horse of death.
• Death by sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts.
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 95, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity and will culminate with over one-fourth of earth’s inhabitants killed).
    

– The Completion of the Fourth Tribulation Seal –

 

Seal 5: Matthew 24:10-15 – also in Revelation 6:9 – APOSTASY, FALSE PROPHETS, HATRED, LAWLESSNESS, ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, GREAT EARTHQUAKES, MARTYRS, DEATH.

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Fifth Seal in Matthew 24?

Matthew 24:10-15, “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. 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. (this is the last of the prophecies to come).

• Many will fall away and hate one another (the great Apostasy).
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).
• False prophets will arise and mislead many..
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity to this day).
• The Abomination of Desolation (<-link).
  • (A past event foreshadowing the future event which marks the last of the prophecies and the coming End).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Fifth Seal in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6:9-11, “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”

• Persecutions, martyrs and death of the saints of God.
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 30, are continuing to occur and have been increasing in intensity until the end).

 – The Completion of the Fifth Tribulation Seal –

Seal 6: Matthew 24:29-31 – also in Revelation 6:12 – COSMIC CATACLYSMS after the tribulation of the previous days, TERROR, SUN DARKENED, MOON WILL NOT SHINE, STARS WILL FALL, HEAVENS SHAKEN, SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN, SON COMING ON THE CLOUDS, GREAT TRUMPET BLAST, GATHERING OF THE ELECT, RAPTURE.

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Matthew 24?

“But 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. 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 BLAST, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

• “But immediately after the tribulation of those days
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET BLAST, and
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).
• THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
  • (A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Revelation 6?

Revelation 6:12-17, “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

• There was a great earthquake.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95)
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• The sun became black
  
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95)
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• The moon became like blood.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95)
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• The stars fell from the sky.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• The sky was split apart like a scroll.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• Him who sits on the throne.
  • (Present historical tense; is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (It has always been this, from the past to the present).

• Hide us from The Wrath of the Lamb.
  • (Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95).
  • (has been prophesied to occur as of A.D. 95, therefore, it is continuing to occur in God’s Time until its completion).

• The Great Day of Wrath has come.
  • Notice this is in the Aorist tense; has occurred, is occurring, is continuing to occur – spoken in A.D. 95)
  • (has been occurring since A.D. 95, are continuing to occur and has been increasing in intensity).(A coming event such as the world has never seen before and never will again – The Great Tribulation and the Wrath of the Lamb – the final 7 years).

An Interlude between the 6^th Tribulation Seal and the 7^th Tribulation Seal. (the last of the prophecies yet to come)

 

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Revelation 7?

• Revelation 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”

 WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Revelation 7?

The 144,000 Sealed

• Revelation 7:4-5 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
• from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation – The Rapture

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Revelation 7?

Who is the ‘great multitude’

• Revelation 7:9-16, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10and they cry out with a loud voice,
  

 WHAT IS GOING ON in the Sixth Seal in Revelation 7?

Where is this great multitude?

• saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
• saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Where did this great multitude come from?

• “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”

• “I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

• “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
  • See Revelation 22.
  • All of these final events have culminated with the elect of God having been raptured before the Throne of God and in their eternal home, God’s Eternal Tabernacle.

– The Completion of the Sixth Tribulation Seal –

Seal 7: Revelation – SILENCE IN HEAVEN for half an hour, SEVEN ANGELS and SEVEN TRUMPETS, PEALS OF THUNDER, SOUNDS AND FLASHES OF LIGHTENING AND AN EARTHQUAKE.

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Seventh Seal in Matthew 24?

Silence. (Jesus will continue in Matthew with instruction of recognizing the times and days, preparing for these Last Days and the Blessings and Consequences for not preparing ahead of time – preparing NOW!

• The scene now moves to the heavens (see Revelation chapter 8).

WHAT IS GOING ON in the Seventh Seal in Revelation 8?

• Revelation 8:1-2, “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
  • A lull in the cosmic and terrestrial storms.
  • 7 angels standing BEFORE GOD and 7 trumpets are given to them. (These are the 7 trumpets of judgement).

•  Revelation 8:3-5, “Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

 – The Completion of the Seventh Tribulation Seal –

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: Jesus’ Instructions and warnings about getting ready, being ready and staying ready for His return.