The 5th Tribulation Seal

 

The 5th Tribulation Seal

The Apostasy, Martyrs, The Peace Treaty, The Antichrist

BE ALERT:  Are we witnessing the completion of the events of the 5th Tribulation Seal?

Revelation 6:9 tells us, “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;

Verse 10.  “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?”

Verse 11.  “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.”

I was having a conversation with a Christian friend and during our talk, he made these four points:

1.  “I believe the return of Jesus is near”.

2.  “I am looking forward to the rapture”.

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3.  “I believe the tribulation will begin as soon as the rapture happens”.

4.  “The antichrist will appear after the rapture and give the Mark of the Beast”.

When I asked him to elaborate by telling me where he gets his information, he said, “From the Bible”.

So, I pressed him a little, and asked “where in the Bible”.  And, he answers with “The Book of Revelation and elsewhere”.

I decided to go to the ‘full court press’ and asked, “Yes, but, exactly where?  And why do you believe what you have said?”

A bit exasperated, he responded with, “This is what I have always heard.  It’s what my pastor says.  Read it for yourself”.

I have had this same conversation with scores of well-meaning Christians, and it always ends the same way, “Someone else told me” but they cannot find it in scriptures OR they find a reference and ‘interpolate’.

Well, I have read it for myself – over and over for the last 10 years – I have studied eschatological matters and re-studied them, and used “good Bible study techniques and methods”, and here is what I found (for the ‘umpteenth time’):

Now, finally, well-known and respected men and women like Pastor and teacher John Piper and missionary Corrie Ten Boom have come to this realization.  Bible teacher and author and Biblical pioneer, Marvin Rosenthal, founder of Zion’s Hope Ministries, authored “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church” revealing and promoting sound Biblical evidence overlooked by the bias of religious denominationalism.

I.  WHEN  DID”THE LAST DAYS” BEGIN? Look for and make note of ‘clues’ in the following verses:

Matthew 24:4-31, (Jesus), describing a panorama of the tribulation and the Last Days. 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 Matthew 24:3-4),

(1). Jesus warned that “In the Last Days, there will be a rise of false Christs and false prophets. (This was an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. See Matthew 24:4-5). Do you see these things in our day? Is this a clue pointing to the “Last Days”?

(2). Jesus said, “In the Last Days, there will be famines and earthquakes”. (This has been a regular occurrence since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:7 and the 4th Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:5-8). Do you see these things happening in our day? If you aren’t ‘denominationally biased’ could this reasonably be a clue to the timing of the “Last Days”?

(3). Jesus said, “In the Last Days, there are wars and rumors of wars. (Wars and rumors of war have been occurring since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:6 and the 2nd Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:3-4).

(4). Jesus said, “In the Last Days, there will be a persecution and martyrdom of Christians. (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. “See Matthew 24:9 and the onset of the 5th tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:9-11).

(5). Jesus said, “In the Last Days, there will be a falling away from the faith.” (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35, and has been increasing to this very day. See Matthew 24:10).

These things, false Christs, wars and rumors of war, famines, earthquakes and plagues, persecutions, martyrs, which Jesus calls the ‘Birth Pangs’ of the tribulation (see Matthew 24:8), are nothing new; and from these cited verses, we can plainly see that the first 5 tribulation Seals have been broken, and the effects had begun between the time of the birth of Jesus and A.D 95, and have been overlapping and increasing in their intensity since those early days.

Jesus calls the 1st phase of the tribulation the ‘Birth Pangs’ (Matthew 24:8). Jesus then calls the 2nd phase of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21), also known as the 6th Tribulation Seal (Revelation 6:12-14), and the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31), and the Wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16).. (Please click these links for verification and understanding).

Do you now see the clues to the timing of the first 5 tribulation seals?

Acts 2:14-17, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “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:And in the last days it shall be…(Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60). Do you see this clue to the timing of the Last Days?

1 Peter 1:20, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “He, (Jesus), was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60). Do you see this clue to the timing of the Last Days here?

1 Peter 4:7, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “The end of all things is at hand.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60). A clue!

2 Peter 3:3. (the Apostle Peter), saying, “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days.(Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60). Is this true in our day, also?

If these verses say all these things began occurring in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60, and Peter called those days the LAST TIMES, THE LAST DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

What would you think, now?

1 Corinthians 10:11, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 1:2, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 9:26, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “But as it is, Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60). Could it be any clearer? The Last days began at the appearance of Jesus!

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE LAST DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

What would you think?

2 Timothy 3:1, (Timothy), saying, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE LAST DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS.

Would you now think the Last Days began? Want more?

1 John 2:18. (the Apostle John), saying, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.(Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Revelation 1:9, (The Apostle John), saying, “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 95 to A.D. 100).

According to the words and the testimonies of Jesus , His disciples and Apostles, the “LAST DAYS THE LAST TIMES THE END OF THE AGES THE END OF ALL THINGS THE BIRTH PAINS OF THE TRIBULATION” began with the Birth of Christ Jesus.

(The following in these parentheses is very detailed, technical and written language and context specific. But this is very important for a correct and complete understanding of these eschatological matters. It is probably best suited for the devoted follower of Jesus and the serious Bible student. And I am available via this website for discussion or to answer honest and serious questions.

I have been told by several ‘self- proclaimed bible experts’ that these things were only the times of persecution and not the tribulations of the Judgment Seals. Let me be Biblically clear: the use of the word ‘tribulation’ appears just 19 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible.

Sixteen of those instances are in the New Testament, and each instance, tribulation is translated from the Greek word ‘thlipsis’, whether referring to a time before or after the Sixth Tribulation Seal and the rapture.

Then in Matthew 13:21 we see, “yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation (thlipsis) or persecution (diogmos) arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” Each word is distinct in its meaning and in its context – tribulation versus persecution.

Additionally, Jesus makes a distinction between the Birth Pains (odin) of the tribulation (thlipsis) leading up to the Great (megas) Tribulation (thlipsis) in Matthew 24:21, when He says,

For then (tote) there will be (eimi = future tense) great (megas) tribulation (thlipsis), such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.”

And again, in Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus makes a distinction between the Birth Pains phase of the tribulation (Seals 1 through 5), and the Great Tribulation (Seals 6 and 7, and the Trumpet and Bowl Judgments) when He says,

“Immediately (eutheōs) after (meta) the tribulation (thlipsis) of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Finally, these same experts will say that Matthew 24:29-31 is neither the rapture nor is it the second coming of Jesus. But the scripture says,

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory…and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We can also see in the corresponding scriptures in Revelation 6 and 7, After these things (see Revelation 6:1 through Revelation 7:9)

I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs 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, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

In recapitulation, Jesus appears in the sky, the angels gather the elect and immediately, a number too great to be counted is standing before the Throne of God, giving praise! Don’t be misled. This is THE RAPTURE!!)

II.  WHEN IS JESUS COMING BACK?

2 Thessalonians 2:1 tells us, Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him (i.e., “raptured”) we ask you, brothers,

Verse 2.  “not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

Verse 3.  “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, until the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed (i.e., the antichrist), the son of destruction,

Verse 4.  “who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Verse 5.  “Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?

Verse 6.  “And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

Verse 7.  “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only He who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

Verse 8.  “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”

III.  WHAT’S NEXT?

Every event and all the prophecies regarding Jesus’ 2nd Coming and the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord have been fulfilled up through the 5th tribulation seal – except for the revealing of the antichrist and the rapture of the saints, (which occurs at the 6th Tribulation Seal).

The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal which marks the BEGINNING OF the 7 years of THE GREAT, (megas), TRIBULATION, (thlipsis) ”, (Matthew 24:21THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD“).

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

Revelation 7:13,“Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” verse 14.  “I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

IV.  WHAT AM I TO BE DOING?

1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near; therefore,

(1). Be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

(2). verse 8.  “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

(3). verse 9Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

(4). verse 10.  “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

(5). verse 11. “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God;

(6). whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(7). verse 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

(8) verse 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Verse 12. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

(9). verse 13. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

(10). verse 14Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, verse 15. “and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; verse 16.  “in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. verse 17. “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

(12). verse 18.With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

(13). Matthew 10:7, And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

(14).  verse 8.Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

(15). verse 19.Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

(16). baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

(17) verse 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I have tried my best to make this simple and clear yet thorough:  we are at the end of the age and at the precipice.  Denominational bias and clutter have clouded these matters.  But, now they are plain, and now several well known and credible Bible scholars, Bible teachers and pastors are shaking off the heavy cloak of denominationalism and coming to this revealed Truth.

I want to give special credit to Marvin Rosenthal who pioneered the uncovering of this Bible truth through his tireless and groundbreaking teaching on this matter and his book, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church.  Also, to his son, David Rosenthal and the entire staff – THANK YOU.  An untold number have benefited and been saved by your hard, selfless and God-centered work.

May God protect, preserve and bless us all.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Also, Here are 5 excellent videos on the Pre-Wrath Rapture.  Just click on this text.

PS:

Luke 21:25“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, verse 26, people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 27. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Verse 28. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

3 MAIN THINGS – you really should know

 

THREE MAIN THINGS – You Really Should Know

(Please note that I use page links in lieu of footnotes, citations and references. These links also give important details regarding statement and references in this article. I urge you to please use them.)

Whether you know it or not,  whether you will believe it or not, and whether you like it or not, there are three urgent things everyone needs to know. There should be no doubt that:

      1. God exists.
      2. There is A Plan for all humanity, the earth, the heavens and the entire cosmos.
      3. Everything is going according to plan – and you are included in The Plan – whether you know it or not, whether you believe it or not, and whether you like it or not.

If you scoff at the THREE MAIN THINGS, then scoff if you must. But it would serve you well to take a closer look, and seriously investigate what is being presented here.

i. GOD EXISTS

There was a time, when in its infancy, science was compatible with religion. (When I speak of religion in this article, I am referring to Christianity). It was inevitable with the passage of time, however, that certain influential atheists, would become influential scientists. Their science would be defined by and framed by their humanist idealism, imagination and secular-humanist worldview. That is to say that since it is their conviction that there is no God, they concurrently would see the world, the universe and the cosmos, strictly as a natural occurrence.

By the way, I have heard it said that it takes faith to believe in God, but that it takes exponentially more faith to believe that everything that exists came from nothing and randomly ‘evolved’ into a precision that defies all reason, logic and science – all by chance; that all of existence has been a series of serendipitous events.

There was a period of about 175 years that America was considered a Christian nation. However, the Christian America thesis would be sidelined after the Scopes Trial of 1925, and it would find a new, yet brief life in the 1970s. It continues to be a burning issue today. Those who now argue that America was founded as a Christian nation inherit a long and consistent tradition.

Then in June 2006, then president Barak Obama stated, in a prepared speech, “that America is no longer a Christian nation – at least ‘not just’”, which marked a dividing line in America.

“It was also in the 19th century that pair-structured phrases “religion and science” and “science and religion” first emerged in the literature. This coincided with the refining of “science” (from the studies of “natural philosophy”) and of “religion” as distinct concepts in the preceding few centuries, partly due to professionalization of the sciences, the Protestant Reformation, colonization, and globalization. Since then the relationship between science and religion has been characterized in terms of “conflict”, “harmony”, “complexity”, and “mutual independence”, among others.” (see the foregoing excerpt from Wikipedia).

It is also interesting that these humanist-atheists-scientists found it expeditious to use the language of the Bible as academic stepping stones to sell their new scientific idealism to succeeding generations – effectively separating God and science in the public mind and coining the new term, ‘creationism’ – a victory for atheists and humanists and a sad acquiescence on the part of Christian apologists and theologians.

For example:

Carl Sagan – Cosmos – Its Only Sacred Truths:

Carl Sagan – Cosmos- Stars – We Are Their Children

Only recently have a few notable Christian apologists offered a sound public rebuttal, which may have galvanized the beliefs of the faithful, but has done little to undo the damage to public perception caused by Saganists. Damage which has obscured the truth of scriptures and which has reached inside the Christian church and community.

                                

Ken Ham’s “Answers in Genesis”.          “Is Genesis History?” Del Tackett.

 

NEXT – JUST CONSIDERING THE ODDS

In case you have been unduly influenced by the “Saginists” of the science world, let me present you a case in favor of the fact that GOD DOES EXIST.

The Bible states that, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel –  (which means God with us.)” Isaiah 7:14.

Again, the Bible says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.

Imagine these odds: 1 to 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. (that is 1 to 10 to the 157th power).

These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having sent by God, born, live on earth and fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.

In order to give you some perspective, consider that electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES of 10 to just the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long.  NINETEEN MILLION YEARS!

Read that again, please.  Why is that significant?

It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.

Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS!

(And by the way, it gives you evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE Source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.)

ii. There is A Plan.

The Bible, when read as a whole, reveal an amazing narrative reaching back in time to creation and extending in time to the conclusion and rebirth of all things.

The logical question to ask, I believe is, can you prove it? I will rely on one source and refer to another to validate this point.

THE ONE SOURCE

The Bible lays out God’s complete plan, from before creation through the end of the age and into the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. His is a ‘Plan of Perfecting’. God is perfecting all who would believe and follow Jesus in humble submission in preparation for us to live with Him, worship Him and to rule with Him for all eternity.

Most theologians and Bible apologists will outline the Bible by giving a book-by-book topical overview and details of events contained in the individual books, which is probably the very best way to study the entire Bible. However, considering that the Bible (New American Standard version) contains 782,815 words, composing 31,103 verses and 1,189 chapters and 66 books written by 40 authors over a span of 1,500 years, (and further complicating this matter, there are about fifty mainline versions of the Bible, not counting revisions), it is easy to see how one could fail to see ‘the forest’ for the many trees of words, verses, chapters and recorded events.

(The forest is the entire body of work of the Bible which is a straight line from the beginning of creation to end of all things and into a new creation.)

(ANOTHER SOURCE – Note: this small section is not included in the audio).

Scientist say, on the one hand, that all things had a beginning – including time and space – and they named it the Big Bang. Then on the other hand certain leading scientists are beginning to speculate that perhaps something existed before the ‘Big Bang’. But, they all agree that everything will likely end in an event they are calling the Big Crunch. So, at least on two points there is agreement: There was a beginning and there will be an end.

Scientists are quick to point out that they are still learning and what they know may change and that is just the nature of science. (Oh, my). That means we can depend on scientific truth, sort of.

That it is true until it is not – and this validates my point about the existence of God. Science says it is right, until it is not!

The Bible says it is right because it is God-breathed, yesterday, today and forever!

THE JOURNEY TO PERFECTION

If you will patiently walk with me, I will take you on an amazing journey. A journey from the beginning of time through recorded world and Biblical histories. We will identify important past Bible prophecies and correlate them to the actual past world events; then we will compare both prophecies and histories to one specific prophecy known as Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’, which will bring us to current events and the final epoch of time known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation”, which are now unfolding with frightening accuracy.

I will not stop there, however. I will conclude by laying out a successful response to these events, a plan of action by which you can both survive and thrive in these final days.

Finally, there is an event coming which is so fantastic as to be unbelievable. But I will show the evidence leading to this event, known as the ‘Rapture’ and I will even help you calculate the odds of its occurrence.  You will then be faced with the most monumental decision you have ever faced.

 The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is “Perfection”.  He is maturing and perfecting His people into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

“Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of  God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

This journey is not any easy one. In fact, it is impossibly difficult. It is something only God can accomplish; and as difficult as it is, and at times, terror filled, it is also filled with purpose with a glorious end.

The Purpose of Daniel’s 70 Weeks six-fold plan.

The prophecy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass: Verse 24 says this purpose is:

1) “to finish transgression,” (that is, to end man’s rebellion toward God)

2) “to put an end to sin,” (that is, to bring an end to sin)

3) “to atone for wickedness,” (that is, to make amends or reparation for wickedness)

4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” (that is, the quality of being morally right or justifiable)

5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and (that is, to confirm these prophetic visions)

6) “to anoint the most holy.” (That is, to anoint, or to confer divine or holy office upon; in this case the Holy One, Jesus.)

Notice that the results of this six-fold purpose concerns the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness.

The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom.

iii.  EVERYTHNING IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN

The world has entered the final epoch of time, known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation Period”, which was marked by the birth of Jesus.  There are reportedly visible and observable signs and ancient writings to help you. However, most people either don’t recognize the signs or writings or don’t believe. Even among those who believe these prophecies are coming to pass and see the signs, few know what they are seeing, where they are leading or what to do in response.

The best description of the purpose, length and, outcome of this end time, variously known as the “birth pains”, the tribulation and finally, the Great Tribulation.

Here is a Biblical outline of the seals broken up to this very day:

Revelation Chapter 6 – as corresponding to – Matthew Chapter 24

the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue. (This Seal was broken around A.D. 1 to A.D. 95, and is overlapping seals 2 through 5, and is intensifying).

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War. (This Seal was broken around A.D. 1 to A.D. 95, and is overlapping seal 1 and seals 3 through 5, and is intensifying).

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine. (This Seal was broken around A.D. 1 to A.D. 95, and is overlapping seals 1 through 2, and seals 4 and 5 amd is intensifying).

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death. (This Seal was broken around A.D. 1 to A.D. 95, and is overlapping seals 1 through 3 and seal 5, and is intensifying).

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away. (This Seal was broken around A.D. 1 to A.D. 95, and is overlapping seals 1 through 4, and is intensifying).

There is clear and staggering testimonies and evidence that the Last Days began in our around A.D. 1 through A.D. 95 and that tribulation seals 1 through 5 have been progressively opened, are overlapping and intensifying to this day.

We are on the precipice of the opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal which triggers the beginning of the period known as the Great Tribulation or the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of the Lamb – which will continue with the breaking of tribulation seal 7, then the blowing of the 7 tribulation trumpets, and ending with the pouring out of the 7 tribulation bowls.

The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years

“THE GREAT TRIBULATION”

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

  • Sealing of the 144,000
  • The Rapture
  • Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God

(Also see Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22 and Revelation 7:14; and for the Wrath of the Lamb, see Revelation 6:16), is found in Daniel 12:1.)

YOU ARE INCLUDED

Whether you know it or not, whether you believe it or not and whether you like it or not, you are included in God’s Plan.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

AS THE SHEEP

“And He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

 

AS THE GOAT

“Then He will also say to those on His left, Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

“These (on My left hand) will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous (those on My right hand) into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46).

Dear friends, you and I get one chance at this. The Bible says “And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27).

The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

If you will “confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)

Now it is up to you. Choose wisely.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young.

“THE JOURNEY TO PERFECTION” – A brief and abbreviated study, from the beginning to the end, and beyond.

REVELATION 12 – A Prophetic Panorama from the Birth of Jesus to Armageddon

WHEN DID THE tRIBULATION BEGIN?

WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR – ARE WE AT WAR?

 

WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR – ARE WE AT WAR?

(Please Note: I have condensed this page by using external page links in place of detailed explanation of footnotes, references and citations.  Please use these links for insights, details and references.)

Wars and rumors of war have been waged since the beginning of time. Whether between brothers, families, clans, tribes or nations, there has never been a true time of peace on earth.

Rather than recounting all the wars in the history of the world, let’s consider the most recent physical manifestations of this long-running war and see what we can determine.

Ukraine and Russia.

The United States has provided over $75 billion in aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia. We are in great part, funding this war instead of fighting it directly.

Israel.

The U.S. has provided Israel with over $300 billion in aid since 1971, and U.S. has provisionally agreed to provide around $4 billion per year through 2028. Recently, the Biden administration has requested an additional $14 billion in emergency funding as Israel wars with Hamas terrorists. Although we are not directly engaging Hamas, Hezbollah or other terror groups in the region, we are helping by funding the war against them.

Iran.

The United States is spending billions of dollars responding militarily to attacks by Iranian military proxies, such as the Houthis, Hamas, Harakat al-Nujaba, Hezbollah and others. We also respond militarily on occasion.

China.

The United States has been in a trade war and a war of economic and geopolitical strategies with China. But recently, rhetoric between the two nations is sounding like saber-rattling. There is a deep concern that an actual war with China could be on the horizon.

Fear of a new full-blown global war is real. The reasons for this fear are complex. A multitude of opinions and facts quickly overwhelm the average reader. But all lead to the same conclusion: Any misstep could bring us dangerously close to a full scale war. A war that would be unimaginably costly and just as deadly.

Russia.

Russia is wary of the growth and encroachment of NATO on her borders. President Vladimir Putin has said as recently as October 2023 that suggestions the United States should prepare for a war against Russia and China were nonsense. Then warns the West that any war against Russia would be on a whole different level to the conflict in Ukraine, suggesting that nuclear arms are ‘on the table’ in such a turn of events.

The United States Borders.

We are waging a war for our sovereignty. It is common knowledge that our borders are not secure and it is estimated that over 11 million people now reside in the U.S., who entered illegally.

There are justified fears that there are those who have entered the United States illegally are here to commit illegal activities or who plan to harm the United States acting as foreign spies or through terrorist activities.

Aren’t we already fighting a war and just won’t acknowledge it? We read and hear about the wars being fought around the world, every day. These are physical wars, taking scores of lives daily. They are devastating communities and destroying states and nations.

But what’s new with all of this? Haven’t things like this been going on for decades, even centuries?  The difference is that there is now a concurrence and a convergence of events that give additional meaning and urgency to what we are seeing.

Whether as a proxy or in direct confrontation, it would seem that the United States is already engaged in a physical global conflict, an undeclared state of war.

I would like to point out that there is also a spiritual war being waged in and unseen realm. A realm which is in the hearts and minds of men and women and is projected from these hearts and minds into the physical realm of our world.

This spiritual war is not just between nations and armies. It is being fought in our everyday lives. It is a war between good and evil, between God and His adversaries.

The end of this war was determined from its outset; but it must be fought to its conclusion. Your life in this present time, as well as your life eternally, are at stake.

  1. Simply put, the dramatic rise of Globalism is a main concern. A Marxist-style of Globalism is being promulgated and propagated by entities such as the United Nations (through their Agenda 2030), U.N.E.S.C.O, and the World Economic Forum. There is, however, a new twist on this approach to Globalism, which I shall dub as “The New Global Cabal” (T.N.G.C.).
    1. “The New Global Cabal” (T.G.N.C.) has renewed its efforts at world conquest by diminishing or eliminating the influence of global superpowers in order to merge all nations into a global community to be organized under a global commission to police and manage a one world government.
    2. What is new is that this new Global Cabal is replacing threats of warfare as a means of conquest, with something called Sustainable Development. This could be looked upon as a modern day Trojan Horse. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, promises to provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
  2. The second greatest problem facing this Globalist movement is the seemingly impossible task of getting the major world religions to cooperate in the formation of a one-world community with a one-world governance. This Global movement has formulated a genius method, however, to get the cooperation needed, and the crowning achievement is the establishment of the Abrahamic Family House. This is being introduced as a “Human Fraternity”. Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, issued and signed the Document on “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is jointly bestowed on His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Ahmed Al-Tayeb. Three religions, Catholicism (2 billion), Islam, (1.9 billion), and Judaism, (15.2 million), are represented. What is glaringly absent is (non-Catholic) Christianity, (1.3 billion). (See “The One World Church” for more detail).
  3. Finally, there is a concurrent fulfillment of multiple Biblical prophecies converging and coinciding with ongoing and developing world events.
    1. The first is an apparent reappearance of the prophetic harbinger known as The Tower of Babel.
    2. Secondly, is the ongoing fulfillment of the words of Jesus, delivered on the Mount of Olives (around A.D. 30). His disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign of Your (second) coming, and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you.” Jesus then went into summary detail of the convergence of end time events which lead to a One World Government, the steps to a One World Religion and the End of the Age. (See “Is This The End?”)

There has been centuries of talk about a tribulation, the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, the End of the Age, the second advent of Christ, a rapture of Christians from the earth and The Wrath of the Lamb.

We are told by Jesus and some of the Apostles that the End of Days, also known as the “birth pains” had begun as early as AD 1, but more likely between AD 30 and AD 100. For example:

Jesus called this period the LAST DAYS or the END OF THE AGE in Matthew 24:3-8.

The Apostle Paul called this period the LAST DAYS in Hebrews 9:26.

The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in Acts 2:14-17.

The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in Hebrews 1:1-2.

The Apostle Timothy called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Timothy 3:1.

The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 1:20.

The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 4:7.

The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Peter 3:3.

The Apostle John called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 John 2:18

It is very likely that the beginning of Sorrows, also known as the birth pangs as described in tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE  which have been broken, progressively, up until this day.

 the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away

 Are we now standing at the precipice of the breaking of 6th Tribulation Seal?

There have been many times and events that have led Christians to believe that the day had arrived, only to discover that the time had not yet arrived. I believe many are growing skeptical when comparing current world events to prophecies. They are perhaps taking the stance that ‘it will happen when it happens’, and are becoming inattentive or doubtful, swallowed up in their own worldly affairs. But Scriptures tell us we will not know the day or the hour, but we can know ‘the season’ by the prophecies fulfilled and the events taking place.

Scriptures say that in comparison to those days, before the (great global) flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” (See Matthew 24:38-41). Now is the time to be on watch and to be on the alert.

There has never been such a concurrence and convergence of both prophetic and world events as are now occurring. The Bible warns us to remain vigilant and ready and it gives examples and warnings of what will happen to those people who are not ready. (See Matthew 24:42 – 25:30).

All of this to say, that despite the chaos of political upheaval, the likelihood of wars, climatological fearmongering, famines, and earthquakes, Jesus tells us, “do not let your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me.” Our hope and peace is found in Him.

Let’s be about the work of the Kingdom as we stay ready for His triumphant return and pray to hear Him say, “well done, good and faithful servant”.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

IT IS TIME – THE DAY IS UPON US

 

THE SIGN OF CHRIST’S RETURN AND THE END OF DAYS

‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God has said,

‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;

AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,

AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS,

AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL HAVE DREAMS;

AND EVEN ON MY MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS

I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS,

And they will prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18 and Joel 2:28-29))

There are testimonies, warnings and plain statements regarding at time in the Bible known as the Last Days or the End of the Age. For example, 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 reminder 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 1:1-3, which was written around A.D. 95 says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place ; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

Verse 4. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who [c]is to come, and from the [d]seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— verse 6, and He made us into a kingdom, priests to [e]His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING

Jesus and these same disciples testified that these present and coming prophetic judgments and events may have already begun. in or around the birth of Christ or as late as A.D. 95, 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.” 

(This was written by the Apostle Paul, is written in the present tense, in or around the year A.D. 70 and is referred to as these last days ).

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.”

(These events were occuring in or around A.D. 30. The book of Hebrews is written by the Apostle Paul, and is written in the past and present tense, in or around A.D. 70 and is referred to as the end of the ages.)

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:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.”

(This occurred in or around A.D. 60 and as written in the past and present tense, by Peter the Apostle, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is referred to as  being ‘in the last days’).

2 Timothy 3:1,“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.’

(This was written by the Apostle Timothy, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in or around the year A.D. 67, was written in the present tense and is referred to as being ‘in the last days‘.)

1 Peter 1:20-21, He (Jesus) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

(This is written in the past tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘in the last times ‘.)

1 Peter 4:7, The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

 

(This is written in the past tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘the end of all things‘.)

2 Peter 3:3, “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

(This is written in the future tense as a testimony about. things that were already beginning to occur, and was recorded in or around A.D. 90. This is referred to, by the Apostle Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as being ‘in the last days‘.)

1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have (already) come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

(This is written in the present tense was recorded in or around A.D. 90, and is referred to, by the Apostle John, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as referred to as being in ‘the last hour‘.)

Matthew 24:29-31, ““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.”

This is written in the future tense was recorded in or around A.D. 70, and is referred to, by the Apostle Matthew, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit as referred to as being in ‘after the tribulation of those days’ , speaking of the tribulation of those days already referred to (above here.)

RECAP:

Seals ONE through FIVE have been broken, progressively, up until this day.

  As seen in Revelation      –      As seen in Matthew

 the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution,Anti-Christ, falling away

 We are now standing at the precipice of the breaking of 6th Tribulation Seal . 

(CONCLUSION: These events (the breaking of Tribulation Seals 1 through 5) began in or around the birth of Christ or as late as A.D. 95, and have been overlapping and intensifying.  We are still waiting for the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal as described in Matthew 24:29-31 and Revelation 6:12-16)

Considering the ‘seasons’ which we have entered, and considering the Seal which is upon us, this prophecy from Isaiah 61 is being fulfilled. This is the calling of the Shofar to gather around and begin the final assault!

NOW, HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD has come upon us, because the LORD is anointing and commissioning us to bring good news to the humble and afflicted;

He is sending us to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim release from confinement and condemnation to the physical and spiritual captives, and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, that is a day of salvation (49:8), and the year of His redeemed (63:4), and the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, so that we will no longer be prey to the nations, and the predators of the earth will not devour us; but we will live safely, and no one will make us afraid in this day of the Messiah’s reign.

To comfort all who mourn, To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning, the oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment expressive of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So, we will be called the trees of righteousness strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

We then will rebuild the ancient ruins, and we will raise up and restore the former desolations; And they will renew the legacy of the ruined cities, the spiritual desolations, deserted spiritual settlements, of many generations.

Strangers will stand and feed our flocks, and foreigners will be our farmers and our vinedressers.

And we shall be called the priests of the LORD; People will speak of us as the ministers of our God. We will eat the wealth of nations, And we will boast of their riches.

Instead of our former shame we will have a double portion; And instead of humiliation we will shout for joy over our portion.

Therefore, in this our land, we will possess double what we have forfeited; everlasting joy will be ours. (personalized from Isaiah 61)

(Then, at The Breaking of The Sixth Tribulation Seal (See Matthew 24:29-31))

‘I, (GOD), WILL DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE

AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,

BLOOD, FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS

AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,

BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’  (Acts 2:18-20 and Joel 2:30-32, Matthew 24:29-31)

The Lord is calling and. I am inviting you into the ranks of His earthly army. I am inviting you to join together as an earthly contingent of God’s heavenly armies to join in this final assault.

What does this mean?

First know, that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly and supernatural places.

Secondly know that we will encounter physical opponents who are of the spiritual forces of wickedness, but it is not ours to destroy them physically, but We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when our own obedience as a church is complete.

The time has come that the Church is no longer to be an idle building, a gathering place for pleasure and entertainment.

“The Apostle Paul says the foundation of this building called the church is made up of the prophets and the Apostles, that is, the Old Testament prophets and New Testament Apostles. Why? It’s because the prophets and Apostles are the agents of revelation by whom God speaks to His people. They delivered the Word of God. Another way of saying this is that the foundation of the church is the Word of God.

“That’s why we must pay close attention to our doctrine of Scripture. The attacks launched against the integrity, authority, sufficiency, and trustworthiness of Scripture are attacks not upon a side alcove of this building. They don’t put a dent in the roof of the church. They’re attacks on the church’s very foundation. To have a church without Apostolic authority, without the Word of God as its foundation, is to build a church on sand rather than on rock. The foundation of the prophets and the Apostles is necessary for the entire edifice of the church to stand securely.

“Paul continues the building metaphor in Ephesians 2:20b: “Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.” Christ is the cornerstone, the point that holds the foundation together. Take out the cornerstone, and everything falls apart. “In [Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:21–22). The church is a new temple built in Christ, by Christ, and for Christ. Obviously, Paul isn’t saying the church is a building made out of mortar and brick, but that we are the stones, the living stones, as 1 Peter 2:5 tells us. Each believer is part of this church just as each stone is part of a building. The church, the new temple, is still under construction. Every day, new stones are added. This new temple will not be finished until Jesus returns to consummate His kingdom. Christ is still building His church, not by adding cement but by adding people who are the stones that hold together in Him.

“Paul continues in Ephesians 3:14–19,

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

“The Apostle Paul explains the doctrine of the church so that we might understand what God has done and so that we may understand who we are. And in calling us to understand who we are and what we’re called to do, Paul says that we’re the church. We’re the church that God ordained from the foundation of the world. We’re His people; we‘re His household, so let the church be the church.

“Christ is the cornerstone, the point that holds the foundation together.

“We’re living in a time of crisis. Many Christians are decrying the decadence of American culture and complaining about the government and its value system. I understand that, but if we want to be concerned for our nation and culture, our priority must be the renewal of the church. We are the light of the world.

“Government merely reflects and echoes the customs embraced by the people in a given generation. In a real sense, our government is exactly what we want it to be, or it wouldn’t be there. Change in culture doesn’t always come from the top down. It often comes from the bottom up. The change we need to work for, chiefly, is renewal within the church. As the church becomes the fellowship of citizens of heaven who manifest what it means to be the household of Christ, and when the church walks according to the power of the Holy Spirit—then the people of God will shine as the light of the world. When people see that light, they will give glory to God (Matt. 5:16). This will change the world. But Paul says, first of all, let the church be the church. We must remember who we are, who the foundation is, who the cornerstone is, who the head of our building is, who the Lord of the church is.

“Do we love the church? I doubt if there have been many times in our history when there has been as much anger, hostility, disappointment, and disillusionment with the institutional church as there is today. It’s hard not to be critical of the church because in many ways the church has failed us. But if the church has failed, that means we have failed. We are called to serve the church in the power of God the Holy Spirit.

“We, the church, have been made for this task by the indwelling presence and power of God’s Spirit. Yet, we are called not so much to rise up but to bow down. And if we bow down to our Lord, as Paul says in Ephesians 3:14, the church will be the church, and our light will pierce the darkness.” (the foregoing in quotes is from Ligonier.com, by R.C. Sproul)

PUTTING OUT THE CALL

This is an all-volunteer force. I you need financial support, you will eventually have to raise that funding as you go.

This is not a call to build buildings, to establish religious corporations nor to leash ourselves to any 501-c-3 contract. This is not a hierarchy of priests. You are like living stones, being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture:

You are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A CONSECRATED NATION, A special PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies, the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were NOT A PEOPLE at all, but now you are GOD’S PEOPLE; once you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

We will consider others as more important that ourselves. We will continually and faithfully devote ourselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers. Day after day we will meet, continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. We will eat their meals together with joy and generous hearts.

I am putting out the call, first for:

Apostles:   The title apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos which means “a messenger, one sent forth with orders”.  It refers to one who has been delegated authority by another in a foreign land.  Apostles were the first leaders of the Church; they were commissioned by Jesus to initiate and direct the preaching of the gospel. (There is no passage in the Bible saying this gift was temporary nor that is has ceased)

Prophets: In the New Testament, the office of prophet is to equip the saints for the work of service through exhortation, edification, and consolation (1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:3 Ephesians 4:11).  The prophet’s corresponding gift is prophecy. Prophecy is “reporting something from God’s Word that God brings to your mind”.

Prophecy is addressed to the human understanding “he who prophesies speaks to men,” Corinthians 14:1-25. The prophet “edifies the church” (14:4).

Evangelists:   An evangelist is one who devotes himself to preaching the gospel. In the New Testament, evangelists preached from city to city, church to church.

Pastors:   This term derives from a Greek word for “shepherd”.  Pastoral Gifts include integrity and compassion.

(The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep to defend the sheep from attackers to heal the wounded and sick sheep to find and save lost or trapped sheep to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.

During World War II, a shepherd was a pilot who guided another pilot whose plane was partially disabled back to the base or carrier by flying alongside him to maintain visual contact.)

Teachers:  Someone who devotes his or her life to preaching and teaching the Christian faith. When teaching is provided for the Church by God, two gifts are actually given—to the Church is given a teacher and along with the teacher comes a divine capacity to teach.

Also, Those with the spiritual gift of Service: The word translated as “ministry” is diakonia, which can also be translated “service”.  Since there are many types of ministries and service to the Church, this then describes a broad array of gifts rather than a single gift.

Those with the spiritual gift of Exhortation: The ability to motivate Christians “to patient endurance, brotherly love, and good works”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Giving: Those with this gift share their own possessions with others with extraordinary generosity. While all Christians should be givers, those possessing this gift will go beyond this normal giving.

Those with the spiritual gift of Overseeing:  This gift speaks to the various roles found in the Church. While many think of roles such as administration, management of funds, strategy planning, etc. as functions outside of the supernatural realm, in reality individuals in these positions are just as in need of supernatural empowerment as are ministers of the gospel.  This is sometimes inappropriately called ‘leadership’.

Those with the spiritual gift of Mercy:  Possibly identical to the gift of helps, the mercy-shower possesses a ministry of visitation, prayer, and compassion to the poor and sick.

Those with the spiritual gift of a Word of wisdom:   An utterance or message of wisdom supernaturally granted to an individual. For Paul, wisdom refers to “the knowledge of the great Christian mysteries: the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ, and the indwelling in the believer of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 1:17)”.

Those with the spiritual gift of a Word of knowledge: The knowledge referred to is often said to relate to understanding Christian doctrine or scriptural truth.  It is sometimes said to be connected with the ministry of teachers.

Those with the spiritual gift of Faith:  This refers to that strong or special faith “which removes mountains, casts out devils (Matthew 17:19–20), and faces the most cruel martyrdom without flinching”.  It is distinguished from the “saving” and “normal” Christian faith.

Those with the spiritual gift of Gifts of healing:  The ability to supernaturally minister healing to others. The plural indicates the variety of sickness healed and the many forms the gift takes, such as healing by anointing with oil, by the laying on of hands, by saying the name of Jesus or by the sign of the cross.

Those with the spiritual gift of Working of miracles: The performance of deeds beyond ordinary human ability by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Visions. An outpouring of this gift is prophesied in Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 and is expected to increase and be of great value in the “last days”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Discerning of spirits:  The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation—whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit. It seemed to have been particularly associated with prophecy as it would be necessary to know whether a prophetic utterance was truly inspired by God.

Those with the spiritual gift of Helps:  This gift has to do with service to the sick and the poor.   Possessor of this gift has a “spiritual burden and a God-given love for the needy and afflicted”.

Those with the spiritual gift of Administration:   Also called the gift of governing, the Greek word translated “governments” is “kubernesis”, the verb form of which means “to steer” or “to be a helmsman”. This gift then refers to the God-given capacity to oversee or guide the Church through storms and difficult seas.

 

CONCLUSION

This is not meant to be and is not a ‘new movement’. It is a continuation of the Church that Jesus built, as the Bible describes it. There are to no assumptions to be made about anything that is not written in the Bible (such as special or new revelations, unwritten words of knowledge, new prophetic words, cessation, reformation, replacement). If the Bible is silent, we are silent. Where the Bible speaks, we speak.

We must become (recreate in our own lives) what Jesus created as His Church. The fruit of the Spirit, the result of His presence within us, is love and unselfish concern for others, joy, inner peace, patience, not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Remembering that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified and are crucifying the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

We must strive to remember that as we claim to live by the Holy Spirit, we will also walk by the Spirit with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

Pray that, following the lead and example of Jesus, as our numbers grow, God’s influence will become an irresistible force as the day of His return draws ever-so-near.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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Signs Of The 5th Tribulation Seal

Signs of the FIFTH Tribulation Seal

 

Matthew 24, Verse 10. (Seal #5), And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24, Verse 13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Revelation 6, Verse 9. (Seal #5) When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; Verse 10. 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 live on the earth?” Verse 11. And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

2 Timothy 3:3, “But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].

The things described in these verses seem to be recognizable and occurring, especially in our day-and-time. But these things have been occurring since the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, not only have the continued to occur but they have been increasing in frequency and in their intensity. (see “Is This The End?”).

The foregoing prophetic statements referring to the “last days” fit perfectly with the words of Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy as they describe the events and times of the “last days”, which were written around A.D. 30, and are found in :

The progression and timing of the breaking of the Tribulation Seals in Matthew 24 and Revelation chapters 6,7 and 8 can be seen in this short outline (below, with links) which compare Jesus’ account of the Tribulation period both in the Book of Revelation and in the Book of Matthew:

Revelation Chapter 6 – as corresponding to – Matthew Chapter 24

the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal   Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away

(The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years

“THE GREAT TRIBULATION”)

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

  • Sealing of the 144,000
  • The Rapture
  • Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God).

WARNING:  Prior to the SIXTH TRIBULATION SEAL, scriptures tell us that God will send a ‘deluding influence so people will believe a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness”.

This malaise and apostasy has infected Christian Churches across the globe and nowhere is it more evident that in the western world and in America. You can visit just about any church and find an ‘entertainment-oriented’ production, dedicated to move the emotions of the visitor, practitioner and adherent to moments of emotional ecstasy. The ‘sermons’ can better be described as intellectually fulfilling – a religious sales pitch about how things should be. . The ‘congregation has become an audience attending a play’ in large part.

The sense of ‘Church is like family’ has become a social affair. Cliques have taken the place of the Body. The day of lamenting one’s sins, brokenness and repentance at the altar are gone. (See “I Will Build My Church”).

This transformation, this apostasy has been developing over the decades and centuries. It was subtle at first. Now it is in full bloom and is unrecognized by the perpetrators – church-goers and Christians.

A more complete description of the attitudes and behaviors of people in these ‘last days, which are precursors to the Great Apostasy (the great falling away from the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus) and the Great Martyrdom and persecution of Christians,  (the fifth Tribulation Seal) are found in 2 Timothy chapter 3.

Verse 1, For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, verse 3,  [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, verse 4,  traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Verse 5,  holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith].

 Avoid such people and keep far away from them.

Verse 6.  For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate morally weak and spiritually-dwarfed women weighed down by [the burden of their] sins, easily swayed by various impulses,

 The term “morally weak and spiritually-dwarfed women” as it is used here, may seem to be specifically aimed at women and to the exclusion of men. That is incorrect. This description is anachronistic. It must be understood in the social context of that day. Women, in general were considered to be second class members of society when these verses were written. Women’s lives and value were defined almost solely in relation to men: their fathers and husbands. This description is being used contemptuously to define anyone, and specifically a man who would be considered to behave in such a way. (It could be said, in a contemporary and derogatory way, “he acts just like a silly old women” or “he is such a Nancy”.)

 Always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Is this not what is occurring in our churches? People lament, “I am not being fed”. So, they are relieved of their own duty to ‘get off the milk of the word’ and feed themselves the meat of the word by doing the Word of God.

Too many churches and pastors placate ‘the sheep’, who by now should be pastors, teachers, deacons, elders, ambassadors for Christ, by substituting the ‘Work of the Gospel’ with always learning and listening and never actually ‘going into the fields which are ripe for harvesting’.

Just as Jannes and Jambres, [men, in the court magicians in the court of the Pharaohs Egypt] opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, unqualified and worthless [as teachers] in regard to the faith. But they will not get very far, for their meaningless nonsense and ignorance will become obvious to everyone, as was that of Jannes and Jambres.

The postmodern religious teachings of ‘hyper-grace’ and ‘soft-sell salvation’ has convinced millions upon millions that a small ritual of bowing one’s head and praying a simple prayer is all that is needed to be saved from the coming wrath and to go to heaven. This is not so.  Jesus is clear. It is the one who does the will of the Father who will be saved.

Finally, the importance of recognizing the intent of this letter by Timothy and the placement of the breaking of the 5th Tribulation Seal is that the first FIVE TRIBULATION SEALS are, accoring to Jesus, ‘the birth pangs’ – forerunners of the Great Tribulation, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of The Lord, which begins with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal.

You and I must be the ‘salt and the light’. We must be the initiators, the ambassadors, the martyrs for Christ. We must demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] by our love [unselfish concern for others], by our joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], by our kindness, by our goodness, by our faithfulness, by our gentleness, by our self-control.

Against these things there is no law.  And those of us who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26)

We have now been warned against false teachers, false teachings, false prophets and our ominous proximity to the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal.

We have now been instructed how we are to engage this fallen world as the Day of The Lord draws near.

We have now been instructed about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and about living and walking by the Spirit with personal integrity, Godly character and moral courage, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The day and the hour of the SIXTH TRIBULATION SEAL is near. It will initiate the 7 years of Great Tribulation, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. A time when the world will see a God’s judgements, tribulation and devastation as it has never seen and will never see again.

Prepare yourself and your household and know that at that time, Immediately after the tribulation of these days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not provide its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor].  And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31).

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

THE WORDS OF JESUS THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “It Will All Be Torn Down”, Part 54

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 54

“It will all be torn down”

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them,

Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly, I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them,

“See to it that no one misleads or deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ (the Messiah), and they will mislead and deceive many people. 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.

 “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.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 24:1-8

The date is sometime around A.D. 29. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, instructing and warning them of things at hand, things they must concern themselves about.

Jesus is giving an outline and an overview, a synopsis of the tribulation period, beginning in Matthew chapter 24 with the breaking of the first tribulation seal through the sixth tribulation seal and concluding in Matthew chapter 25 of Matthew with this prophetic pronouncement of:

The signs of the tribulation period  (the breaking of the first through the sixth tribulation seals; the 6th Seal is the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation.

His glorious return in the clouds for all to see.

The Trumpet blast and the Gathering of His Elect (i.e., the rapture).

The parable of the fig tree as a metaphor for the timing of His Return and the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, (the final 7 years of tribulation).

A warning to get ready and to stay ready for His Return.

Teaching on readiness and preparation.

An overview on the Judgment.

It is important to recognize that Jesus is speaking directly to His disciples in answer to their question, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus is teaching, instructing His disciples of the things, some of which they will encounter, regarding “the sign of His coming and of the end of the age”.

(I will cover through Matthew 24:31 in this “Part 53”, the partial events of the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal, and then complete Jesus teaching on the ‘season’ of these events, the need for preparation and the consequences of being unprepared in the next episode.)

Most teachings on this matter, mistakenly conclude that ALL the tribulation period is contained in one seven year future period. That is a misconception and is erroneous.

The tribulation began at or around the time of the birth of Jesus, with succeeding seals broken, overlapping and intensifying up to our current day, all of which we have seen and have or are experiencing now – except the 6th Tribulation Seal! (Click here for a full explanation with detail comparing Jesus’ prophetic teaching and instructions from Matthew 24, correlated with His extended teachings in Revelation chapters 6 through 8).

Jesus, warning against false messiahs, false teachings, misconception and error on these matters, clearly says, See to it that no one misleads or deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ (the Messiah), and they will mislead and deceive many people.

 NO ONE has the knowledge nor the authority to restate, reinterpret or to change what Jesus has taught. No man, no woman, no institution, no theologian, no teacher. No one.  It is better to say, “I do not know” or “I am not sure” than to invent a meaning from man’s perspective. Jesus has said, “Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (see Matthew 5:19) and again, “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.” (see Revelation 22:19)

Beware of institutional (false church) deception. It is present and growing at an alarming rate. You have been warned.  (Click here on how to spot a false prophet and false teaching).

Jesus’ next words are repeated with detail and more clarity in Revelation chapters six and seven (and greater details can be found through Revelation chapter twenty-one).

Jesus next words encapsulate tribulations seals ONE through FIVE and conclude with the clear and amazing statement that, all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.”  Not the entire period, nor are they the end of all things. They are merely the beginning of birth pains.

Here is Jesus’ enumeration of the breaking of the initial tribulation seals found in Matthew 24:6 through Matthew 24:31 coded in red, which ostensibly had already begun. Please carefully read (Matthew 24) verses twenty-nine through thirty-one and see them correlated and compared them with Jesus’ teaching on these same events in Revelation 6:1 through Revelation 7:17 coded in blue.

Matthew 24, Verse 6. And you will be hearing of (Seal #1), wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Revelation 6, Verse 1. (Seal #1). 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!” Verse 2. I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Matthew 24, Verse 7. (Seal #2), For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and

Revelation 6, Verse 3. (Seal #2). When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” Verse 4. 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 people would kill one another; and a large sword was given to him.

(Seal #3), there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Revelation 6, Verse 5. (Seal #3). When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

Matthew 24, Verse 8. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.”

Matthew 24, Verse 9. “(Seal #4), Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

Revelation 6, Verse 7. (Seal #4). When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” Verse 8. I looked, and behold, [i]an ashen horse; and the one 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 famine, and plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

Matthew 24, Verse 10. (Seal #5), And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24, Verse 13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Revelation 6, Verse 9. (Seal #5) When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; Verse 10. 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 live on the earth?” Verse 11. And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

(The Abomination of Desolation)

Matthew 24, Verse 15. (Seal #6), So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

Matthew 24, Verse 21. (Seal #6 continued), For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

Matthew 24, Verse 22. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

Matthew 24, Verse 29. (Seal #6 completed), “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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Verse 31. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet-call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Revelation 6, Verse 12 (Seal #6 begins). And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; Verse 13. and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. Verse 14. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Revelation 6 Verse 15. (Seal #6 continued) Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; Verse 16, and they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; Verse 17, for the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand.

Revelation 7, Verse 1. (Seal #6 continued) 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. Verse 2. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, holding the seal of the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, Verse 3, saying, “Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”

Revelation 7, Verse 4. (Seal #6 continued) And I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: Verse 5, from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,  

Verse 6, from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

 Verse 7, from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

 Verse 8, from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

Revelation 7, Verse 9.(Seal #6 Continued). After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; Verse 10, and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Verse 11. 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,  Verse 12, saying, “Amen, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 7, Verse 13. (Seal #6 Continued). Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”  Verse 14. 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.

Revelation 7, Verse 15. (Seal #6 Continued – the rapture).  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.  Verse 16. They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; Verse 17, for 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.”

Revelation 8, Verse 1. (Seal #6 COMPLETED). When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Verse 2. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Verse 3. 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 [b]saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. Verse 4. And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God. Verse 5. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder and sounds, and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Verse 6. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.”

THIS IS IMPORTANT

These verses from both Matthew and Revelation show:

The first five seals had already begun to be broken as early as A.D. 29.

His glorious return in the clouds for all to see.

The Trumpet blast and the Gathering of His Elect.

The parable of the fig tree as a metaphor for the timing of His Return and the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, (the final 7 years of tribulation).

A warning to get ready and to stay ready for His Return.

Teaching on readiness and preparation.

An overview on the Judgment.

The Sealing of the 144,000 from the 12 Tribes of Israel.

The multitude saved out of the Tribulation.

The multitude before the Throne of God, i.e., THE RAPTURE.

If you will pray and study and ask God for understanding and clarification, you will see that the first five Tribulation Seals have been broken and that we are at the precipice of the 6th Tribulation Seal – the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord – The rapture and the final 7 years of the Great Tribulaion.

Prepare. Stay Ready. Tell others.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, The lesson of the fig tree”, Part 55.

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “You Will Find Rest”, Part 53.

GOD’S PLAN – COMING INTO FOCUS

COMING INTO FOCUS

CREATION  –  THE FALL  –  SIN  –  DEATH  –  REDEMPTION  –  TRIBULATIONS  –  THE DAY OF WRATH  –  JUDGMENT  –  BOOK OF LIFE  –  LAKE OF FIRE  –  A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.

One of the prevalent eschatological teaching (study on the matters of the end of the age) is the Pre-tribulation Rapture and Premillennialism. it was originated by John Nelson Darby in 1833. Darby is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism and Futurism. Pre-tribulation rapture theology was popularized extensively in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren, and further popularized in the United States in the early 20th century by the wide circulation of the Scofield Reference Bible.

Other eschatological views include:

Preterism (1554–1613)

Historicism (mid 1500s)

Futurism (mid 1500s)

From these views spring major theological positions of

Premillennialism,

Pretribulation Rapture,

Mid-tribulation Rapture,

Post-tribulation Rapture,

Postmillennialism,

Amillennialism, and the

Pre-Wrath Tribulation Rapture.

Because there are a myriad of Church denominational and doctrinal positions, it is understandable that so many differing eschatological views have emerged.

But, with the passage of time, historical events and particularly religious, social, economic, and political developments are revealing the frightening accuracies and the realities of Biblical prophecies which are coming to life and are bringing Biblical prophecies into focus. A reassessment is under way.

In the meantime, however, most theologians and Bible teachers doggedly adhere to their sixteenth century, long-held denominational-based and man-invented views of Biblical eschatology, despite the clarity of scriptures when viewed outside of denominational bias and when examining the emerging evidence to the contrary.

For example, there are those who call themselves Bible teachers or theologians who teach and claim that all Biblical eschatology is metaphorical, and idiomatic, analogical or parables used to explain natural events and their outcomes. This puts Jesus and His Teachings in the category of fantasies, fairytales and lies – although the Bible clearly warns otherwise.

Some other so-called teachers  have been teaching that is no literal 2nd coming of Christ although, again, the Bible clearly and plainly teaches otherwise.

Others teach there will be a 2nd advent of Christ, however, they would have you believe that the second coming will be ‘in secret’, and that Jesus’ visible and actual 2nd coming will not occur until the battles of Armageddon.

And if that isn’t enough, others teach that there will be BOTH a visible 2nd coming as described in Matthew chapter 24, and a visible 3rd advent (coming) of Christ when He will defeat Satan at the battle of Armageddon.  And, things get even more convoluted when it comes to the various denominational doctrines of The Millennium.

Most of these same preachers, pastors and ‘bible teachers’ will tell you that the entire tribulation period is a yet-to-be experienced, future event, putting you at ease when Jesus clearly teaches the very opposite thing. Jesus warns that you must be on the alert, standing at the ready at all times, during “these last days”! (See Matthew 24:36-44)

There have always been debates on these matters, reaching back centuries, some erupting in to divisive arguments, growing into hatreds and even schisms within the Church. Sometime in the 1600s the phrase “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity” emerged (the authorship is disputed). Then, on June 29, 1959 The phrase in its current form is found in Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Ad Petri Cathedram, where he uses it favorably. It has been somewhat successful in the Church’s attempts to ‘agree to disagree’ and accepting that each church can hold their own eschatological positions without the infighting, There continues to be, however, widespread disagreement due to denominational differences.

 WHY DOES IT MATTER?

 You might ask, “why does it matter when the tribulation starts or when Christians are to be raptured into heavens (if at all)?

It matters because Jesus says it in plain face-value language. And, He says that we are to be ready.  Believing the plain language of the Bible and 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 coming ‘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.

And, it matters, especially ‘in these last days’ because, there is a convergence and a concurrence of events and prophecies occurring as never been seen before and they are increasing in frequency and intensity.

Alarming events have, from time to time, caused people to wonder if the End of Days as spoken of in the Bible had arrived.  But, never, have events coincided with prophetic fulfillment as we now see. Once a Tribulation event begins, it may continue for days, weeks, months,  years or decades.  Then, as a second or third event occurs, events may overlap and occur simultaneously.

 Additionally, it is important to note that when a Tribulation Seal is broken, ana an event or a series of events occur which can last for long periods of time.  Most of these tribulation related events will continue to occur until the “Consummation of the Age”. (See The Sixth Tribulation Seal)

Now, specifically regarding the approaching SECOND ADVENT OF CHRISTRevelation 1:7, tells us, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.” English Standard Version.

(Revelation 1:7, REPEATED in the Amplified Bible Version:  BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes, that is the nations of the earth will mourn over Him, realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath. So, it is to be. Amen.”

Jesus also teaches, in Matthew 24:20-31, “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 [a]elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

THE EVIDENCE

First in Revelation 1:7, John is warning that the return of Jesus is imminent and that on that occasion “every eye will see Him” which precludes a ‘secret appearing’.  These words along with testimonies of other Apostles, confirm that the ‘tribulation period’ began as early as the birth of Christ and the early tribulation seals were broken (opened) immediately following Jesus’ birth.

Secondly, John’s words mirror and are confirmed by the words of Jesus found in Matthew 24:29-31. These words of encouragement and warning lead to the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal which is the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of the Lamb (the beginning of the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation, as distinct from the ‘birth pains’ and the breaking of the first 5 tribulation seals.)

HEAR THE WORDS OF JOHN THE REVELATOR, (John of Patmos), “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (see Revelation 1:9) John is clearly telling us that in or around the year A.D. 95 the tribulation was well under way.

These words of John found in Revelation 1:9 and his reference to the fact the tribulation is under way, he is participating in the early stages of the tribulation period and his words are echoed and confirmed by:

The Apostle Paul, in 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.”

This was written Around A.D. 60.

The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews 9:26,  “For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

This was written Around A.D. 60.

The Apostle Peter, in  Acts 2:14,   “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. Verse 15. “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; verse 16, but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

Verse 17.  ‘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;”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Paul, in, 2 Timothy 3:1,  “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Verse 2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, verse 3, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, verse 4, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, verse 5, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Peter, in 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”.

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

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Peter, in 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, verse 4, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Matthew, in Matthew 24:3, 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?”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle John, in 1 John 2:18, tells us, “Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.”

This was written around AD 90.

The Apostle John, in Revelation 1:9, tells us, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

 This was written around AD 95.

SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

I will approach this question using a 3-fold-ministrhy approach.

  1. Christians are called to be servants of Christ.
  2. Christians are called as Ambassadors for Christ.
  3. Christians are called as Soldiers of the Cross.

You are either a conscript in God’s army or an enemy of the Cross of Christ. As a Christian, you are involved in a cosmic battle, a spiritual war fighting for souls, minds and the lives of every person born during your time on planet earth. You may not have thought about it this way, and you may not like hearing it now, but that is exactly what is going on.

It is important to acknowledge, that though we walk in the flesh as mortal men and women, we are not carrying on spiritual warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.  The weapons of our warfare are not physical weapons of flesh and blood. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,  being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience as a Christian is complete.

 Put on the full armor of God for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier, so that you may be able to successfully stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places. (See Ephesians 6:10-17)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

 

ESCHATOLOGY – The Study of the End Times – Part 4

ESCHATOLOGY – The Study of the End Times – PART IV

WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR

 THE ANSWER TO WHEN – part 2:

Matthew 24:6. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Verse 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Verse 8. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

(Correlated verse found in Matthew 24 – links in red, with Revelation 6,7,8  – links in blue/green.)

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

Global conquest and spiritual deception and political intrigue (Matthew 24:4-5) – as corresponding to – the 1st Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:1-2. These seals have been opened around A.D. 1 through A.D. 1, and they have been overlapping and intensifying to this day.)

Wars and Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6-7) – as corresponding to – the 2nd Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:3. These seals have been opened around A.D. 1 through A.D. 1, and they have been overlapping and intensifying to this day.) )

Famine (Matthew 24:7) – as corresponding to – the 3rd Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:5-6. These seals have been opened around A.D. 1 through A.D. 1, and they have been overlapping and intensifying to this day.) 

Death (Matthew 24:9) – as corresponding to – the 4th Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:7-8. These seals have been opened around A.D. 1 through A.D. 1, and they have been overlapping and intensifying to this day.)

Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away (Matthew 24:9-12) – as corresponding to – the 5th Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:9-11. These seals have been opened around A.D. 1 through A.D. 1, and they have been overlapping and intensifying to this day.)

Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun (Matthew 24:29-31) – as corresponding to – the 6th Tribulation Seal (Rev. 6:12-17) These seals have NOT been opened yet, but we are on the precipice of Seal 6, which is the beginning of the Great Tribulation, a.k.a. as the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord or the Wrath of the Lamb and the final 7 years of Great Tribulation.)

The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Scroll Seal is The BEGINNING OF the 7 year, also known as “Daniel’s 70th Week” and “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period.

During the 6th Tribulation Seal, all of these events occur:

      • Sealing of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4-8)
      • The Rapture – Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God (7:9-17)
      • The breaking of The 6th Tribulation Seal is the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel, which are the final 7 years of the great Tribulation.

The 7th Tribulation Seal  – The announcement of the 7 Trumpet Judgments

AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL MARKER:

Jesus’ disciples heard of wars and rumors of wars in their day, and His disciples, since that day, have been hearing of wars and rumors of wars. These conflicts have increased in frequency and intensity, but Jesus is clear that wars and rumors of wars are not yet the end. He also said nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and we have had a myriad of global conflicts including two world wars, but once again he is clear that this is not yet the end for these things must first take place.

Jesus goes on to tell his disciples, both then and now, that we will experience famines and earthquakes, and we have seen an increase in the frequency and the severity of famines and earthquakes over the ensuing decades, in various places. Again, Jesus says these are just the beginning of birth pangs, which is an apt metaphor to describe the coming birth of something new and terrible.

IMPORTANT:  Jesus’ words, as recorded in Matthew 24:6-8, regarding ‘wars, rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes’ are a summary of His remarks recorded in the book of The Revelation, chapter 6, which goes into greater detail about the breaking of the first 4 seals of the scroll of the tribulation, also known as ‘birth pangs’ or the ‘days of distress’ which had begun sometime around A.D. 1 to A.D. 25.

BACK to Part 3 – Click Here.

NEXT:  Part 5 – Click Here.

NOTE: CHRONOLOGICAL MARKERS are useful for identifying events in their chronological order, which can help us identify our placement on God’s End of Days ‘calendar’.

ESCHATOLOGY – The Study of the End Times – Part 2

PART II.

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. Verse 2. The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.”

WHY IT ALL BEGAN

The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan, as I have already pointed out, is “Perfection”.  He is maturing and perfecting His people into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

“Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” – Hebrews 10:14

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

We also learn that God has included us, He has called us as His disciples, to join Him in His plan, purpose and ways and His mission while in this world.

We are not and will cannot be idle bystanders waiting for the end. We are part of God’s Plan,  part of His Army, to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus”. (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

 If we begin in Genesis, which is the foundation of all eschatology, we will see what has happened, what is now happening and what is yet to come. We can trace the stages leading through time and history, to the final epoch of time, known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation Period”.

THE FINAL EPOCH OF TIME, the beginning of LAST STEPS OF TIME, the end of all things, is marked by the birth of Jesus.

This will be more than just a trip through history – this will be a journey of discovery. We will discover, not just WHAT or WHEN certain events happened, but we investigate WHY they occurred, so we can endeavor to know the  purpose.

There are visible and observable signs and ancient writings to help you identify the stages in this progression of time. Most people, however, either don’t recognize the signs or writings or don’t believe in their literal fulfillment. Even among those who believe these prophecies are coming to pass and see the signs, few know what they are seeing, where they are leading or what to do in response. It is my intention to make the truth of these matters intelligible, understandable, believable and useful.

God’s plan is unfolding exactly as He purposed; Each event from

  • The Creation, through
  • the Garden of Eden, and
  • the Fall of Man, to
  • the Great Flood,
  • the Tower of Babel,
  • the Exodus from Egypt,
  • the possessing of The Promised Land,
  • the Destruction of the First Temple and
  • the Jewish Captivity in Babylon,
  • the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus,
  • the Destruction of the Second Temple,

and each event is a sequential step in God’s perfectly coordinated plan to purge, cleanse, refine and rescue His creation and cleanse it from sin in preparation for the final day, the final judgments and the New Heaven, the New earth and eternity with Him.

Our steady march through time has been exactly as Bible prophecy has foretold.  We have entered an era leading to the destruction and, eventually, a rebirth of the heavens and the earth.

DANIEL’S 70 WEEKS – A glimpse into the future

The “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. It is found in Daniel 9. The chapter begins with Daniel praying for Israel, acknowledging the nation’s sins against God and asking for God’s mercy. As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision of Israel’s future.

The Divisions of the 70 Weeks

In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.

The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:

49 years + 434 years = 483 years

The Purpose of the 70 Weeks

The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is

1) “to finish transgression,”

2) “to put an end to sin,”

3) “to atone for wickedness,”

4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,”

5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and

6) “to anoint the most holy.”

These purposes are THE END OF ALL THINGS. Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).

The Fulfillment of the 70 Weeks

Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem.

  • From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).
  • The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.
  • Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years becomes 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.
    • AD 33 and the crucifixion of Jesus marks the end of the ‘69 weeks’ or 483 years.
      • The early stages of the Last Days began at or sometime between the birth of Jesus and the destruction of the temple (AD 70).
      • (1).  Jesus called this period the LAST DAYS or the END OF THE AGE in Matthew 24:3-8.

CLUES (PROOFS) THAT THESE ARE THE ‘LAST DAYS’

    • (2). The Apostle Paul called this period the LAST DAYS in Hebrews 9:26.
    • (2). The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in Acts 2:14-17.
    • (3). The Apostle Paul called this period the END OF THE AGES in. 1 Corinthians 10:11.
    • (4). The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in Hebrews 1:1-2.
    • (5). The disciple Timothy called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Timothy 3:1.
    • (6)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 1:20.
    • (7)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 4:7.
    • (8)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Peter 3:3.
    • (9)  The Apostle John called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 John 2:18.
    • (10). The Apostle John called himself a FELLOW PARTICIPANT IN THE TRIBULATION in Revelation 1:9.
  • Since the birth of Jesus, the first 5 tribulation seals have been broken, have been overlapping and intensifying.
  • From AD 33 until the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal (a future event) is the ‘church age’ of the ‘gap’ of time.
  • The breaking of the 6th Tribulation seal begins the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation (a.k.a., the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, The Days of Wrath, etc.
  • Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.

DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK – The Final Week of the 70 Weeks.

Of the 70 “sevens,” 69 have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Most scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week – but the ‘gap theory’ omits the facts of history – it appears, graphically, that the first 5 tribulation seals have been broken and intensifying, leading up to the 6th Seal, the Great Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of God’s Wrath . The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period.

 Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven’, he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins (Matthew 24:21, NKJV).

Daniel also predicts that the Antichrist will face judgment. He only rules “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27). God will only allow evil to go so far, and the judgment the Antichrist will face has already been planned out.

Conclusion

The prophecy of the 70 weeks is complex and amazingly detailed, and much has been written about it. Of course, there are various interpretations. One thing is certain: God has a time table, and He is keeping things on schedule. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we should always be looking for the triumphant return of our Lord (Revelation 22:7).

It appears we have entered the Last Days as described in the Bible, and the best description of the purpose, length and, outcome of this End of Time, variously known as the “birth pains”, the tribulation and the Great Tribulation, (see Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22 and Revelation 7:14) or the Wrath of the Lamb, (see Revelation 6:16), is found in Daniel 12:1,

Daniel 9:24-27 gives us the PURPOSE or the WHY for Daniel’s 70 Weeks..

  1. Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression,
  2. to make an end of sins,
  3. to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness,
  4. to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God),
  5. to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and
  6. to anoint the Most Holy Place.

So, you are to know and understand that from the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [the coming of] the Messiah (the Anointed One), the Prince, there will be seven weeks [of years] and sixty-two weeks [of years]; It will be built again, with [a city] plaza and moat, even in times of trouble.

Then after the sixty-two weeks [of years] the Anointed One will be cut off [and denied His Messianic kingdom] and have nothing [and no one to defend Him], and the people of the [other] prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

And he will enter into a binding and irrevocable covenant with the many for one week (seven years), but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifice and grain offering [for the remaining three and one-half years] (NOTE: This occurs at the 6th Tribulation Trumpet); and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror.”

Daniel 12:1-13 gives us an accurate overview, a summary of what has already begun and that which is yet to come:

  1. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, (The tribulation period beginning with the first seal broken sometime around the time of Jesus’ birth or as late as the destruction of the 2nd Temple.)
  2. everyone who is found, written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. (This begins at and during the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal and is.)
  3. Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven,
  4. and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Verse 4. But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.” Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. Verse 6. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,
  5. “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” Verse 7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that

(a)  it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.  Verse 8. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so, I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”  Verse 9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time.

  1. Verse 10. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but  those who have insight will understand.
  2. Verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up (NOTE: This occurs at the 6th Tribulation Trumpet), there will be 1,290 days. Verse 12.
  • Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 day!s
  • (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.
  • 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.
  • The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:3, 5–6).

Verse 13. But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

Sometime in the early stage of the events described in Daniel 12, there will be an event which is so fantastic as to be unbelievable. But I will show the evidence leading to this event, known as the ‘Rapture’ and I will even help you calculate the odds of its occurrence.  You will then be faced with the most monumental decision you have ever faced. You don’t want to miss this.

Back to PART I. –  Click Here)

(PART III – coming soon)

REVELATION 12 – A Prophetic Panorama from the Birth of Jesus to Armageddon

Revelation 12

Revelation chapter 12 Is a type of simile a summary by metaphor recapping the entire tribulation period, beginning with the birth of Jesus, around B.C. 2 and continuing through the Sixth Tribulation Trumpet Judgment (This is useful and helpful for getting ready for Jesus’ return and the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord):

In summary, here is the timeline:

  • The Messiah, the Christ Child is born (Luke 2).
  • The Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. (Matthew 27).
  • The Birth Pains Breaking of Tribulation Seals 1 through 5).
  • At or immediately after the rapture of the church (which is concurrent with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal – Matthew 24:29-31), the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel. This begins the seven-year tribulation.
  •  At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days which is 3.5 years later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.
  •  At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple marked by the blowing of the 6th Trumpet Judgment), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.
  • 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.
  • 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.
    The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years (
    Revelation 20:3, 5–6).

Revelation 12:1,And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman (Israel) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (the 12 Tribes of Israel). verse 2. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth (the Christ Child). Verse 3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon (Satan), with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. Verse 4. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child (Jesus, the Christ Child) he might devour it. Verse 5. She gave birth to a male child (The Christ Child), one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, Verse 6. and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days (equals 3 1/2 years when using the Hebrew calendar of 30 days per month).

The interpretation of the 1260 days, or 3.5 years, coincides here with Revelation 11:2, “But do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it shall be (future tense) given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.”

Not merely “leave out,” but “cast out.” The “court which is outside the temple” was entered only by Jews. It seems, therefore, to be part of the Church, but that part which is separated from the “inner circle of true believers” and this outer court will be given over to the world, which is here symbolized by “the Gentiles.”

The Gentiles, the nations, throughout the Apocalypse, signifies either (1) all mankind whatsoever; or (2) that portion of mankind which is left when the true Church of God is withdrawn, and therefore which embraces the unrighteous part of mankind in contrast to the godly (cf. Revelation 2:26; Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:23; 22:22).

This is further proof of the timing of the Fifth Tribulation Seal, the Great Apostasy of the Church, persecution of the saints, occurs prior to the 6th Tribulation Seal.

**It is also important to note that the 6th Tribulation Seal will not be broken and the rapture of the Church will not occur until after the anti-Christ is revealed:

Please read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, Verse 2, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Verse 3. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion (the apostasy, the great falling way from the faith) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is (the antichrist) is revealed, the son of destruction (the antichrist) verse 4, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”

Now, back to Revelation 11:2, “And the holy city shall they tread underfoot.” The holy city – which is Jerusalem – is always a type of the Church in the Apocalypse. “The nations” (Gentiles or non-believers) are the instrument by which the Church is trodden underfoot, and the mention of the Gentiles in connection with the apostate portion of the Church leads to the description of the oppression of God’s faithful by the world. (This is referring to the present and growing great persecution of the saints during the 5th tribulation seal. The Church is removed – raptured – at the 6th Tribulation Seal and those who are left may appear to be the church (‘the Gentiles’) are not believers and the shell of the church is void of true believers and void of the Holy Spirit ).

In summary, following here is the timeline (in this color text):

  •  At or immediately after the rapture of the church (which is concurrent with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal – Matthew 24:29-31), the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel. This begins the seven-year tribulation.

This Antichrist will bring false hope and peace to the world, and will do what no one else has ever done- bring Israel and Palestine together.

In fact, the king will make a 7-year peace treaty with the people and there will be peace for 3 1/2 years, which will bring us to the 6th Tribulation Trumpet – the mid-point of the 7 Year Great Tribulation. After that, the Antichrist will break his pledge and stop the Jews from all their sacrifices, and he will set himself  in the temple proclaiming to be God. This is called the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel the Prophet.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week  –  this ‘one week’, or 7 years, also known as Daniel’s 70th week, occurs at the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal – and in the midst of this week, or after 3.5 years, coinciding with the blowing of the 6th Tribulation Trumpet, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. “And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate”. Daniel 9:27.

Again in Matthew 24:15-16:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let them that be in Judea flee unto the mountains.”

And when you see this, Jesus said to flee to the mountains for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world or ever shall be. And, unless those days be shortened, no one will be spared.

Let him that is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him that is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:15-22.

  • At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days which is 3.5 years later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.
  • At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple marked by the blowing of the 6th Trumpet Judgment), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.

 Revelation 9:12, “The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

Verse 13, “Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, (the first 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation is finished. This is the mid-point). and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, Verse 14. saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Verse 15. So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

 Verse 16. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand  (200,000,000 is the approximate size of the Chinese military in 2022); I heard their number. Verse 17. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. Verse 18. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. Verse 19. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.”

Verse 20. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,Verse 21. nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (No one is saved after the 6th Tribulation Trumpet is sounded)

(Note: When the 6th Tribulation Seal is broken, which could occur at any time, the will be 3.5 years until the battle of Armageddon.)

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

The prophecy from Daniel 12;1 tells us that, “At that time shall arise (future) Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be (future) a time of trouble such as never has been since there was a nation (also see the Words of Jesus in Matthew 24:21) till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, (upon the breaking of the 6th Seal, the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, see Matthew 24:29-31) everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.

Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Verse 3. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Verse 4. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream.

Verse 6. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 

Verse 7. And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.

Verse 8. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 

Verse 9. He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

Verse 10. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Verse 11. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away (at or just before the 6th Tribulation Trumpet) and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days (3.5 years).

Verse 12. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days (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).

Verse 13. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

REPEATIn summary, here is the timeline:

  •  At or immediately after the rapture of the church (which is concurrent with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal – Matthew 24:29-31), the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel. This begins the seven-year tribulation.
  •  At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days which is 3.5 years later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.
  •  At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple marked by the blowing of the 6th Trumpet Judgment), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.
  • 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.
  • 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.
    The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years (
    Revelation 20:3, 5–6).

Where does this put us, today (12/11/2022)?

WHAT IS NEXT?

Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days (i.e., after tribulation seals 1 through 5), the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Verse 31. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet-call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

 AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL MARKER:

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days”.  It is important to take careful note of the wording, “immediately after”, and the tribulation of those days which is referring to something that came previously and that there is something to follow. We have already read and established that the “tribulation of those days“ is referring specifically to the time period known as ‘the birth pains’, the breaking of the first five tribulation seals, from around A.D. 1 to this current day, (footnote 1), (footnote 2).

Now, we will discover what follows the breaking of the first five tribulation seals,

IMPORTANT:  Matthew 24:21, says, For then, there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be (again).

Specifically,

      • Matthew 24:29. The sun will be darkened, and
      • The moon will not give its light, and
      • The stars will fall from heaven, and
      • The powers of the heavens will be shaken.
      • Verse 30. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
      • They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
      • Verse 31. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet-call, and
      • They will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Jesus reiterates the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal in Revelation 6:12-17, this way, And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as 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 drops 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 was removed from its place.  Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;  and they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the sight 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?”

IMPORTANT:  Then, in quick succession (see Revelation chapter 7),

  • the wind currents of the earth stop moving,
  • 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel are seal by God;
  • then suddenly, from out of the tribulation, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  The long-anticipated Rapture of all the saints of God has occurred.

Each of these events should be carefully considered individually and then corporately. Each event is a summary of what is to come and gives great insight of EACH event, which is described in greater detail in the book of the Revelation. It is important to note that these events happen quickly and either concurrently or in rapid succession. (Some bible teachers erroneously say that Jesus will come back another time to finish these events and to rapture the church, which is patently false. There is only one second coming and only one 2nd appearing. Jesus will have already returned and continues to be present even up to the battle of Armageddon. Jesus does not appear, Matthew 24:30-31, disappear and then reappear in Revelation 19:11-21.) There are no three advents or ‘re-appearing’ for a third time!

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT and 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; He has said to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
  • 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 may be 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. Because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior are speaking louder than our words.

If you have bought into the “One and Done” doctrine of ‘saying a little prayer and accepting Jesus’ as being all you needed to do to be saved, you may have been deceived and may not ready for His return.

We are to ‘work out our salvation with fear and trembling’, repenting daily, following Him closely, obeying Him completely, confessing frequently, rejoicing regularly, praising Him and praying to Him without ceasing! (You will. Know the difference).

COMING NEXT:  “The Rest Of The Story”, verses 7 through 17.

Your Brother and Friend – Getting Ready

Mike Young

WHEN DID THE TRIBULATION BEGIN?

THE END OF DAYS CLOCK

ARE WE APPROACHING THE FINAL HOUR?

Please ask yourself these most important questions:

  1. When did the tribulation begin?

  2. When was the 1st tribulation seal broken?

  3.  Where are we in the tribulation seals (one through seven)?

  4.  When do the 7 years of Great Tribulation begin?

  5.  When does the “Great and Terrible Day of The Lord” being, and what is it?

  6.  And, When does the “midpoint” (3.5 years of the final 7 years) occur?

You may have heard or have been taught in certain denominations that these are future events which, if you are a Christian, you will never have to experience. But what if the Bible clearly is saying otherwise? What if Jesus, the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy say otherwise?

This can be a great mystery. But, it should not be. Remove the denominationalism and read the clear face-value teachings of the Bible:

You will read in Matthew 24:3-8, “And as He 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 [b]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 they will mislead many people. 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. 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.

The phrase “the beginning of birth pains” is a statement made by Jesus in or around the year AD 30 and is a translation of the Greek archē ōdin (ἀρχή ὠδίν). The meaning of the phrase, translated in the KJV as “the beginning of sorrows” is a direct reference to preliminary birth pangs that ultimately lead to the full scale contractions and travail, which leads to the actual birth.

Recognizing the Old Testament reference that Jesus was hearkening to is an essential, but often overlooked, key to determining the timing of the prophecy. Jesus was pointing his disciples to two key passages from the prophet Isaiah.

The first passage is Isaiah 26, a portion of Scripture found in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as “Isaiah’s little apocalypse”. There, the Lord speaks through Isaiah, specifically contrasting the expectations of the Jewish people regarding deliverance, redemption and physical resurrection with the reality of the pain, suffering and travail that they had corporately experienced. In verses 16-18, the complaint of Israel is raised that despite having endured the great suffering of labor, the expected “birth” of deliverance, redemption and resurrection had not arrived.

This makes clear that the Last Days and the opening of the tribulation Seals began sometime between 2 B.C., and AD 30.  Other references which confirm this date as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy, are found in :

(Also see “The 5th Tribulation Seal”)

Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary:

Section A.1. The opening of Tribulation Seal ONE began between A.D. 30 and A.D. 69, 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 the seven-year tribulation.

Section A.4. At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days later), 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.)

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 perhaps sometime just after the birth of Jesus up until just after the death and resurrection of Christ. The succeeding seals (Seals 2 – 5) have been broken at various periods of time sometime since A.D. 1 and that we have now entered a time of the intensification of the 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. The breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal , also known as ‘THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD’, or ‘THE GREAT TRIBULATION’, is yet to happen. (Matthew 24:29, & Revelation 6:12)

The 6th Tribulation Seal, as described in Matthew 24 we see in Verse 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 five tribulation seals, and is now experiencing the intensifying of the 5th tribulation seal (which will include the appearing of the Antichrist, martyrdom of Christians, the great falling away from the faith,).

You should concern yourself with preparation and the immediacy of 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 Chapter 6 – as corresponding to – Matthew Chapter 24

the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away

The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years

“THE GREAT TRIBULATION”

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

  • Sealing of the 144,000

  • The Rapture
  • Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God

I will continue through the ‘Bowl Judgments’ in part 2 of this article, but, for the Christian, The Rapture will have occurred by this point and Jesus has taken His Spotless Bride, The Church, to the Throne of God, Her eternal home.

Be Sure. Be Ready. Be Secure.

Receive Him and Declare Him as Lord Today
Become a Child of God Today

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and surrender my heart and my life to you.  I will trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior the rest of my days.

Eternally In His Grip – Your Brother and Friend

Mike Young

PS: Please don’t be confused or deceived by denominationalism. Trust the Bible.The Pre-Wrath-Tribulation view says that (#1). The first tribulation judgement seals were broken (opened) at or just after the birth of Jesus, and (#2). Tribulation seals ONE through FIVE have been opened sequentially, progressively, overlapping, and the effects have been intensifying to this date. 

The SIXTH tribulation seal is still a future event, at which time and Matthew 24, verse 29 “immediately after the tribulation of the previous 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 blast, and they will gather together His [c] elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

The 7th Tribulation Seal – (click to continue) – The announcement of the 7 Trumpet Judgments.

IS THIS THE END?

16 of the best articles on “Clues pointing to the Last Days, the Beginning of the Days of Distress, Birth Pangs and the Beginning of the Tribulation and the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord”.

 

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 6th 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 70th 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, 9The 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 70th 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 24:29Immediately 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. (This Seal has NOT been broken yet. It is the beginning of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION, a.k.a., “Daniel’s 70th Week”, “The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord”, “The Wrath of the Lamb” and marks the beginning of the final 7 years of Great Tribulation).

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

NEXT:  Part 4 – The 7 Trumpet Judgments.

PREVIOUS:  Part 2 – Daniel’s 70 Weeks.

THE END IS NEAR – Or is it?

 

Whether you think of it as a joke or take it seriously, people ranging from doomsday prognosticators, Nostradamus followers, MIT grads who have build end-of-worlds computer predictive models, to climate-change-fatalists, there is intense interest in the End of the Age and the Last Days of earth. The most reliable source in terms of up-to-date accuracy and detailed prophecies, however, is the Bible. For example the Bible tells that in the coming decades, there will be events which are harbingers to the end of this earth age. These events will occur in sequence, then begin to overlap and increase in intensify until a great cosmic cataclysm will occur, wiping clean the face of the earth and eventually, the both the heavens and the earth will be consumed in a fervent heat.

PART 1.

The Bible tells of the harbingers to watch for and of the events that will lead up to the End of the Age:

  • False Christ’s and false Messiah’s,
  • Wars,
  • Famines,
  • Earthquakes,
  • Hatred, persecution and martyrdom of Christians,
  • A great falling away from the Christian faith.
  • The appearance of a charismatic leader who will seem able to solve the world’s worst problems, only to become a vile person of unimaginable evil, creating a global nightmare of unrivaled carnage, death and destruction.
  • Cataclysmic cosmic events.
  • Cataclysmic terrestrial events.

Here is the beginning of the discourse of the End of the Age between Jesus and his disciples:

Matthew 24:3 says,  “As He, (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?”

Verse 4, And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

Verse 5, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

Verse 6, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Verse 7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

Verse 8, “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Verse 9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

So, when will these things happen?

Many of these harbinger events began as early as B.C. 2 and have progressively appeared, overlapping one another and increased in intensity and frequency:

I. Many will come IN MY (Jesus’) NAME:

This can be someone literally saying ‘I am the Christ’, but it is proving to be those who consider themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following ‘new age’ or errant doctrines; or, as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, ‘institutional deception’, where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray. (Also see“Shipwrecked”).

So, how can we know ‘which of the false Christs‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’? Keep reading!

II. WARS and rumors of war:

There have been thousands upon thousands of wars and conflicts since the time of Christ. Most notable for their scope and breadth are the

  • Religious Crusades (1095 – 1291, Muslims vs Latin Church, almost 2 million dead),
  • WWI (1914 – 1918, 17 million dead), and
  • WW2 (1939 – 1945, over 70 million dead).

Current wars and conflicts 2018: Interactive global conflict tracker.

historical_activity_200years.jpg

So, how can we know ‘which wars and rumors of wars‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’? Keep reading!

III. EARTHQUAKES & VOLCANOES:

Earthquakes are nothing new. In fact, they are so numerous that I can only give you a web link by period of time and let you view what has been recorded. But, Jesus did warn they would come.

Lists of earthquakes by period

HISTORY_of_earthquakes_1900-.svg.png

Seismic Event List Index

Volcanoes are nothing new, either, but it would seem that seismic events (volcanoes) are on the rise.

historical_activity_600years.jpg

Figure 1. Graph showing the number of volcanoes reported to have been active each year since 1800 CE. Total number of volcanoes with reported eruptions per year (thin upper black line) and 10-year running mean of same data (thick upper red line). Lower lines show only the annual number of volcanoes producing large eruptions (>= 0.1 km3 of tephra or magma) and scale is enlarged on the right axis; thick red lower line again shows 10-year running mean. See text for discussion.

Figure 2. Graph showing known historically active volcanoes, number of volcanoes reported to be active each year, and population. The line labeled “Known Historically Active Volcanoes” (right scale) is the cumulative number of volcanoes with an historically recorded eruption by that year. “Volcanoes Active Per Year” since 1400 CE (black line) and 10-year running mean of same data (thick red line) is also based on reported eruptions (those with uncertainty dates greater than 1 year are not included, nor are uncertain eruptions). “Population” (right scale) is the world’s estimated human population; data from McEvedy and Jones (1978) and (since 1750) Population Reference Bureau, Washington, D.C. See text for further explanation.

At first glance the nearly exponential increase through recent centuries suggests that the planet may soon be overwhelmed by volcanic activity, but this increase tracks the striking growth of global population (dashed line on figure 1) that has spread potential observers of eruptions over much of the Earth and the technological advances that have facilitated reporting of those eruptions. Another indicator of the growth of the record is the increase in the total number of known historically active volcanoes (upper line on figure 2). These are not newly-formed volcanoes, but already established features (or volcanic fields) that clearly had numerous previous eruptions. If a list had been continuously kept, about 2000 years ago, it would have contained only the names of nine Mediterranean volcanoes and West Africa’s Mount Cameroon. In the next ten centuries, the list would have grown by only 30 names, 18 of them Japanese. Although newly settled Iceland soon added seven volcanoes, the list totaled only 63 by 1400 CE.

Global Volcanism Program, 2013. Volcanoes of the World, v. 4.8.5. Venzke, E (ed.). Smithsonian Institution. Downloaded 14 Jan 2020.

So, how can we know ‘which EARTHQUAKES‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’? Keep reading!

IV. FAMINES:

Famines have taken hundreds of millions of lives since the time of Christ, so this is nothing new, either.

Famine-victims-and-world-population-sinc

So, how can we know ‘which FAMINES‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’? Keep reading!

V. PERSECUTION:

Jesus tells us there will be a worldwide persecution of Christians. A look at history shows us that In the first few centuries, Christianity grew quickly. By A.D. 325, an estimated 7 million people were Christians, with as many as 2 million killed for their faith in Jesus.

However, according to a Christian think-tank. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) says 900,000 Christians have been ‘martyred’ in the last decade, equating to 90,000 a year and one every six minutes.

This may be the most dangerous time in history to be Christian

persecution.jpeg

At least 327 million Christians face persecution, according to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which released its biannual report on Religious Freedom in the World in November 2018. That is 7 percent of the world’s 2.3 billion Christians, estimated by Pew Research Center in 2015.

245 million Christians in the top 50 countries on Open Doors USA’s 2019 World Watch List experience high levels of persecution (i.e.: torture, rape, sex-slavery, for conversion to Christianity, murder and genocide), an increase of 14 percent from 2018. Sixty percent of those enduring persecution are children; women and girls are most violated. Release International, a UK-based human rights watchdog in operation for the past 50 years who partner with U.S.-based “Voice of the Martyrs” said they expect global anti-Christian persecution is set to rise ‘sharply’ in 2019. – (Read the report here)

So, how can we know ‘which period of Christian Persecution‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’? Yes, Keep reading!

So, where does all of this lead?

1. You will know when ‘The End of the Age’ is near, not when one or two of these events occur, but when ALL of ‘these things’ occur and converge concurrently, as Jesus said they would; then these things are the harbinger of ‘those things’ which have come to pass. (Also, see “The Tribulation of Those Days’).

2. The phrase “the beginning of birth pangs” is a statement made by Jesus in or around the year AD 30 and is a translation of the Greek archē _ ōdin . The meaning of the phrase, translated in the KJV as “the beginning of sorrows” is a direct reference to preliminary birth pangs that ultimately lead to the full scale contractions and travail, which leads to the actual birth.

Recognizing the Old Testament reference that Jesus was hearkening to is an essential, but often overlooked key to determining the timing of the prophecy. Jesus was pointing his disciples to two key passages from the prophet Isaiah.

The first passage is Isaiah 26, a portion of Scripture found in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as “Isaiah’s little apocalypse”. There, the Lord speaks through Isaiah, specifically contrasting the expectations of the Jewish people regarding deliverance, redemption and physical resurrection with the reality of the pain, suffering and travail that they had corporately experienced. In verses 16-18, the complaint of Israel is raised that despite having endured the great suffering of labor, the expected “birth” of deliverance, redemption and resurrection had not arrived.

PART 2.

The Bible’s “Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’ Prophecy” is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. Starting around 538 B.C., it presents a prophetic path of earth’s history as it concerns God’s Plan of Perfection for humankind and the cosmos, to its fiery conclusion. This amazing prophecy is found in the Bible’s Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter nine.

The chapter begins with Daniel praying for Israel, acknowledging the nation’s sins against God and asking for God’s mercy. As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision of Israel’s future.

In verse 24, Gabriel says, Seventy ‘Sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.

The prophecy goes into such detail as to divide the 490 years into three smaller units:

  • one of 49 years,
  • one of 434 years, and
  • one of 7 years.
  • The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says,
      • “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (445 BC)
      • until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, (30 A.D.)
      • there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and
      • sixty-two ‘sevens.’”
  • Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and
  • sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:
  1. When did Daniel have his vision about the End of Days?                  

538 B.C.

  1. What is Daniel’s Seventy Weeks?                     

The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is

1) “to finish transgression,”

2) “to put an end to sin,”

3) “to atone for wickedness,”

4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,”

5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and

6) “to anoint the most holy.”

Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before the End of the Age, and when Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom.  (From Gotquestions.org, seventy weeks)

  1. When did the 70 Weeks (490 years) begin?

Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree, 445 BC, to the time of the Messiah (30 AD) would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).

The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (see Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.

Using the Jewish custom of a 360-day year, 483 years after 445 B.C. places us at A.D. 30, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see Matthew 21:1-9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.

Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.  (From Gotquestions.org, seventy weeks)

  1. When does the final week, the 70th Week of Daniel, begin?

Read again, in Daniel 9:26, the prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

This issue has been hotly debated for centuries.  Scriptures have been clear. A simple face-value reading of scriptures leads to the conclusion that the final 7 Weeks, the ‘times of distress’ also known as a period of tribulation (not to be confused with the Great Tribulation Period or the “Wrath of the Lamb”), will begin with the breaking of the breaking of the 6th Seal of 

 After that, the Mid-Point of the Great Tribulation, (after 3 1/2 years) begins with the blowing of the 6th Tribulation Trumpet and will conclude after the pouring out of the 6th Tribulation Bowl Judgment.

  1. What will happen to the people on earth?

All of those who, by faith, have repented of their sins, and who have confessed Jesus as savior and followed Him in obedience, will be saved. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “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. Verse 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.”

  1. Is there anything I need to do to get ready for these events?

Yes.  Romans10:9, says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; verse 10. For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Matthew24:42 also tells us, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Verse 43. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Verse 44. “For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Verse 45.  “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Verse 46.  “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.”

“Giving hem their food at the proper time” means you are to be teaching them about Jesus, His Gospel Message, and making them disciples of Jesus and teaching them to go and make other disciples.  (Click the link here for a timeline comparison chart:  Daniel’s 70 Weeks – A comparison of a  World History Timeline, Daniel’s 70 Weeks Timeline, and A Biblical Timeline.

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 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 6th 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 70th 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 70th 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 24:29Immediately 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. vere 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 70th 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

PART 4.

The Tribulation Seals Completed – The announcement of the 7 Trumpet Judgments.

The first 5 Seal Judgments are completed and the 6th Seal Judgment is the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of the Lamb. Next comes the Trumpet Judgements:

Revelation 8:7 says, The first (trumpet) sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”

Verse 8.  “The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood,

Verse 9. “and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.”

Verse 10.  “The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.

Verse 11. “The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.”

Verse 12.  The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

Verse 13.  “Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

Revelation 9:1.  “Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Verse 13.Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

Verse 14.  “one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

Verse 15. “And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

Verse 16. “The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

Verse 20. “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”

(* “How Long?”) This is very complex and confusing for almost every reader. This is meant to be a footnote: There will be 1,290 days of desolation)

Daniel 12:11“From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

Verse 12.  “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

Both of these prophecies deal with specific time periods associated with the seven-year tribulation. The tribulation begins with the signing of a peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel, intended to be for one “seven,” that is, a set of seven years.

But the “seven” is divided into halves: midway through the seven years, the Antichrist breaks the treaty and sets up in the temple a sacrilegious object (the “abomination that causes desolation”).

The phrase “in the middle” indicates that the first half of the tribulation lasts for 3½ years (1,260 days, using a “prophetic year” of 360 days). Likewise, the second half of the tribulation lasts another 1,260 days (another 3½ years), for a total of seven years.

The 1,260 days of the second half of the tribulation begins as the Antichrist breaks the treaty, occupies the third Jewish temple, and sets up a profane and sacrilegious object of worship. This 1,260-day period ends when the Antichrist is defeated at the battle of Armageddon upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, the tribulation will be at an end.

NOTE: The Sixth Trumpet is a Key ‘Time Marker’ for the Mid-Point of the Great Tribulation. It is at this point that no one will be saved from the remaing Judgments.

Revelation 9:13. “Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

Verse 14. “one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

Verse 15.  “And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

Verse 16.  “The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

Verse 17.  “And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.

Verse 18.  “A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.

Verse 19.  “For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

Verse 20.  “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; Verse 21, and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”

The Angel and the Little Book – Key Time Marker Mid-Point of the Tribulation

(The first 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation have passed at this point)

Revelation 10:1  “I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;

Verse 2“and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;

Verse 3“and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.

Verse 4 “When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”

Verse 5“Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,

Verse 6“and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer,

Verse 7“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.

 Verse 8“Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”

Verse 9“So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”

Verse 10.  “I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Revelation 11: 1  “Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.

Verse 2“Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.

Verse 3“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Verse 4 “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Verse 5“And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.

Verse 6“These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”

Verse 7.  “When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.

Verse 8.  “And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Verse 9.  “Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.

Verse 10.  “And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Verse 11.  “But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.

Verse 12.  “And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

Verse 13.  “And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Verse 14.  “The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

PART 5.

The Seventh Trumpet — Christ’s Reign Foreseen

Verse 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.” 16And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,

Verse 17 . “saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.

Verse 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.”

Verse 19.  “And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

  • Revelation 11:3 specifically mentions 1,260 days, which corresponds exactly with Daniel’s prophecy of the abomination of desolation.
  • In Revelation, we have an added detail: two divinely appointed witnesses will preach and perform miracles for half of the tribulation—the first half—according to the chronology of Revelation.
  • These two witnesses are killed at the midpoint of the tribulation; their bodies will lie in the streets for three and a half days as the world celebrates their demise; then they will be resurrected and taken up to heaven (Revelation 11:7–13).
  • The 1,260 days of the second half of the tribulation begins as the Antichrist breaks the treaty, occupies the third Jewish temple, and sets up a profane and sacrilegious object of worship.
  • This 1,260-day period ends when the Antichrist is defeated at the battle of Armageddon upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, the tribulation will be at an end.

In Summary:  Here is the Time Line

  • Sometime after the rapture of the church, which occurs at the 6th Seal, the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel. This begins the seven-year tribulation period.
  • At the midpoint of the tribulation, at the blowing of the 6th Trumpet Judgment, (1,260 days later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.
  • At the end of the tribulation period, (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for a literal 1,000 years (Revelation 20:3, 5–6).

PART 6.

THE 7 BOWL JUDGMENTS

Revelation 16:2  “So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

Verse 3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Verse 4Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

Verse 5 “And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things;

Verse 6“for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.”

Verse 7“And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

Verse 8The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.

Verse 9“Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

Verse 10Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,

Verse 11 “and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

Verse 12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

Verse 13“And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;

Verse 14“for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.

Verse 15(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”)

Verse 16“And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

Verse 17.  “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”

Verse 18 “And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.

Verse 19“The great city was split into three parts, and the ‘cities of the nations’ fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.

Verse 20 “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

Verse 21“And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.”

Armageddon –

7th Bowl of Wrath – “It is done.”

What follows:

Revelation 17.

The Doom of Babylon,

Victory for the Lamb,

 Revelation 18.

Babylon Is Fallen,

Lament for Babylon,

The Fourfold Hallelujah,

Revelation 19.

Marriage of the Lamb,

The Coming of Christ,

Doom of the Beast and False Prophet,

 Revelation 20.

 Satan Bound,

Satan Freed, Doomed,

Judgment at the Throne of God,

 Revelation 21.

 The New Heaven and Earth,

The New Jerusalem,

 Revelation 22.

 The River and the Tree of Life,

The Final Message:

Revelation 22:6And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

Verse 7. “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Verse 8. “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, verse 9, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

Verse 10. “And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Verse 11. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

Verse 12. “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. Verse 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Verse 14. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Verse 15. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Verse 16. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Verse 17. “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Verse 18. “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, verse 19, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

Verse 20. “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” – Revelation 22:21.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

DEAR FRIENDS, PLEASE NOTE:  *If you are a devoted follower of Jesus, you need to be concerned with the first 5 Tribulation Judgment Seals. You have a responsiblity which you cannot escape during these days and dereliction of your calling and duties will reveal the true nature of your heart and of your salvation. The advent of the 6th Tribulation Seal is the beginning of the Days of Wrath, to which you are not appointed.

*If you are not a believer and follower of Jesus, I thank you for reading this far, but I must warn you that you fate is almost completely sealed. If you die before the 6th Judgment Trumpet without having surrendered your life to Jesus, seeking Him as your Savior and salvation, you are doomed to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Turn to Him today.

A TIMELINE AND CHRONOLOGY OF THE “LAST DAYS” – Simplified

A Timeline Chronolgy of the Last Days

Genesis to Revelation

A Chronology of the

TRADTIONAL DENOMINATIONAL TIMELINE OF THE “END OF DAYS”

– VS –

THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE – SIMPLIFIED.

It is important, as a Disciple of Jesus, to know where you are on God’s historical and prophetic Timeline so you will not panic, or faint from the faith as the End of Days come upon you We will explore what it means to you to ‘endure to the end to be saved’; what is required of you and what it means to be ready and how to prepare for these Last Day.

I will conclude with why these things must come to pass and why God plannned and ordained trials and tribulations since the time of creation which will culminate in a final Seven Years of Great Tribulation, ‘such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.‘.

This is the outline we will follow:

  1.   In the Beginning
  2.    Prophecy of things to come
  3.    Foreshadowing of things to com
  4.    Events missing in the Outline of the End Times
  5.    The tribulation’s days of distress begins
  6.    The Signs
  7.    The Events
  8.    The Eschatological Clock – The 5th Seal
  9.    Daniel’s 70th Week – The Great Tribulation – The 6th Seal
  10.  The Rapture of the Church – The 6th Seal- The Interlude- The 144,000- A Multitude from the Revelation
  11. The Wrath of the Lamb – Trumpet & Bowl JudgmentsThe Battle of Gog and Magog
  12. The Abomination of Desolation
  13.  The Battle of Armageddon
  14. The judgment of the nations
  15. The binding of Satan
  16. The Great White Throne Judgment
  17. The new creation.

Eschatology of the End Times –  Chronology 

  1.  In the Beginning – Prophecies of the coming New World Order.  God creates mankind, with a flaw.  Failure is planned; a Savior is provided; The Plan has begun.
  1.  The Tower of Babel– Then and Now.  Man rebels and reaches for the heavens.
  1.  The coming of Messiah.  The Messiah is foretold.
  1.  Prophetic warnings1st century AD.  No one is listening.
  1.  The Days of Distress of the tribulation.The End has begun.
  1.  The countdown – The first 4 Seals of the Days of Distress
  1.  The World Events of the Seals.  ONGOING.
  1.  The 5th Seal has been intensifying; the Great Apostasy is well under way, which is the falling away from the faith and the corruption of the church,and the Antichrist is revealed. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:20)
  2. The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From the perspective of today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The time for the rapture is close at hand;  The only things that must yet happen are, (#1), the revealing of the anti-Christ, and (#2), the breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation.
  3.  The Breaking of the Sixth SealThe Great tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week begins. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).
  4. The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)
  5. The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).
  6. The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).
  7. The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell.
  8. The binding of Satan. Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).
  9. The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).
  10. The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.
  11. The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.
  12. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him (Revelation 21–22).

There are multiple views of the chronology of the Biblical End Times.  I do not want to pursue or repeat what has already been written.  The following outline is a generally accepted chronology and is from the pre-tribulation view.

Almost every such outline or chronology of this sort, is the same.  They begin with the rapture of the church and go from there.  They usually ignore the prophecies about the coming End of Days, the events which foreshadow the coming Day of the Lord (a.k.a., End Times) and the most recent first century warnings which are leading up to the tribulation and the Great Tribulation periods.

I will use this outline, taken from Gotquestions.org – end times timeline, as my template and fill in the missing parts.

  1. IN THE BEGINNING

It is difficult to imagine that God planned the entirety of time.  We cannot go back far enough to discover when this began, because there is no beginning with God.  In so few words, such an incomprehensible statement:  “God has always existed”.

It is equally difficult to imagine “a world without end”, but God is eternal, even beyond “the new heavens and a new earth”.  (Revelation 12:1)

But, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, and in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.  And it is by these ways that we can know.

  2. THE PROPHECIES

First, God has spoken to us through the prophets in various ways.  God’s warnings are warning of coming judgment for His people’s rebellions and disobedience.  God’s judgments followed His warnings, and each of these events, known as The Day of the Lord, are a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.  A time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation.  (Daniel 12:1)

The words and the imagery of the destruction during the great and Terrible Day of the Lord would be difficult for most to accept or to understand.

(The good news is that God’s people, everyone who is found written in the Book of Life, will be rescued.)

Here is are those prophecies:

Isaiah 13:9 See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with …

See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger–
to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

Lamentations 2:22 “As you summon to a feast day, so you summoned …

 terrors on every side. In the day of the LORD’s anger no one escaped or survived;
those I cared for and reared my enemy has destroyed

Ezekiel 30:3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near– a …

For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near– a day
of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

Hosea 9:5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals …

 What will you do on a festival day, on the day of the LORD’s feast?

Joel 1:15 Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it …

Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it
will come like destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For …

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day
of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Amos 5:18 Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you …

….. Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why

Obadiah 1:15 “The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you …

….. The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As

Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before …

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that
great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

Zephaniah 1:7 Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of …

….. Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.

Zephaniah 1:8 “On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish …

“On the day of the LORD’s sacrifice I will punish the officials and
the king’s sons and all those clad in foreign clothes.

Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near– near and coming …

….. The great day of the LORD is near– near and coming quickly.

Zephaniah 2:2 before the decree takes effect and that day passes …

 the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the LORD’s
fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon

Zechariah 14:1 A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your …

A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will
be plundered and divided up within your very walls.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 for you know very well that the day of the …

for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

 

Each of these prophecies tell us what is past, what is present and what is yet to come.  This is important because in order to look forward, we must look back.  This is how prophecies work.

 3. FORESHADOWING OF THINGS TO COME

Besides the prophecies in the Old Testament, we can foreshadowing of what is to come.  It is as if we “see through a dark glass dimly”.

  1. Genesis 6– The Flood shows us God’s judgment on a global scale.  A catastrophe for mankind.  God judged the world because (Genesis 6:5) “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

2. Genesis 6  –   The Corruption of Mankind

– Building the Ark of their Salvation

3. Genesis 7  –   The Flood; purging, cleansing the earth of sin

4. Genesis 9  –   The Covenant; restoring

5. Daniel gives us a glimpse into our present and future.  We know this by looking back.  (the Book of Daniel chapters seven through 12)

6. Daniel 7 – Daniel’s vision of the 4 Beasts and a future Tribulation

7. The “Ancient of Days” – The Son of Man presented – The Vision Interpreted

8. Daniel 8 – Daniel’s vision of the Goat and the Ram

– The Little Horn

– The Vision Interpreted

10. Daniel 9 – Daniel’s Prayer for his people

11. Seventy Weeks and the Messiah

12. Daniel 11 – Conflicts to Come

13. Daniel 12 – The Time of The End

These are just two of many foreshadows of the coming Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

  1. *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: from Gotquestions.org – end time timeline, as my template:
  2. *MISSING FROM THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINESof thing to come: The rapture of the church. Christ comes in the clouds to “snatch away” all those who trust in Him. (1 Corinthians 15:52). At this same time, the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected and taken to heaven, too. From our perspective today, this is the next event in the eschatological timeline. The rapture is imminent; no other biblical prophecy needs to be fulfilled before the rapture happens.’
  3. *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come: Prior to the rapture of the church.  We are told by Jesus and some of the Apostles that the End of Days, also known as the “times of distress” had begun as early as AD 1, but more likely between AD 60 and AD 100.

(1).  Jesus called this period the LAST DAYS or the END OF THE AGE in Matthew 24:3-8.

(2). The Apostle Paul called this period the LAST DAYS in Hebrews 9:26.

(2). The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in Acts 2:14-17.

(3). The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in Hebrews 1:1-2.

(4). The Apostle Timothy called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Timothy 3:1.

(5)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 1:20.

(6)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 Peter 4:7.

(7)  The Apostle Peter called this period the LAST DAYS in 2 Peter 3:3.

(8)  The Apostle John called this period the LAST DAYS in 1 John 2:18

(The following are an update to this list, but are not on the audio):

(9).  The Apostle Paul called this period THESE LAST DAYS in 1 Corinthians 10:11,

(10). The Apostle John called this period the TRIBULATION in Revelation 1:9.

The Bible tells about the END OF DAYS and the Tribulation.  It is important to know that the Tribulation period actually is called by three prominent, although variant names:

(a)  The beginning of Sorrows, Birth Pangs, The End of The Age or the Last Days

(b)  The Tribulation also known as The End of Days

(c) The GREAT Tribulation also know as the Wrath of God or the Wrath of the Lamb.

The beginning of Sorrows, Birth Pangs The End of the Age or the Last days, begin with the opening of Tribulation Seal ONE began between AD 60 and AD 100, and perhaps as early as AD1.  

 Seals ONE through FIVE have been broken, progressively, up until this day.

 the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution,Anti-Christ, falling away

 We are now standing at the precipice of the breaking of 6th Tribulation Seal . 

(4).  *MISSING FROM“THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES” of things to come:  The Denominational Outline says His Return is IMMINENT. BUT,

 1.  2 Thessalonians 2:3 “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”

There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.

2.  The rise of the Antichrist. After the church is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the Antichrist. (Revelation 19:20).

3.  MISSING FROM “THE DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINE”:  

 First, as has already been stated from 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “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”

There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.

Secondly, a simple face value reading gives you a timeline.  That timeline is deliberately blurred by denominational bible teachers who have to make the Bible fit their doctrinal statement.  This can be confusing for the Christian Bible student and dangerous for those preparing in earnest.

4.  The tribulation. A period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10).

5.  The Battle of Gog and Magog. In the first part of the tribulation, a great army from the north, in alliance with several other countries from the Middle East and Africa, attacks Israel and is defeated by God’s supernatural intervention (Ezekiel 38–39). (Some commentators place this battle just before the start of the tribulation.)

6.  The abomination of desolation. At the midway point of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and shows his true colors. The Jews are scattered, and many of them turn to the Lord, realizing that Jesus is their Savior. A great persecution breaks out against all those who believe in Christ (Daniel 12:11; Mark 13:14; Revelation 12:17).

7.  The Battle of Armageddon. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus returns with the armies of heaven (Mark 14:62). He saves Jerusalem from annihilation and defeats the armies of the nations fighting under the banner of the Antichrist (Revelation 19:11–21). The Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).

8.  The judgment of the nations. Christ will judge the survivors of the tribulation, separating the righteous from the wicked as “sheep” and “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). (It is thought that at this time the Old Testament saints will be raised from the dead.) The righteous will enter the Millennial Kingdom; the wicked will be cast into hell

 9.  The binding of Satan.Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).

 10. The Millennial Kingdom. Jesus Himself will rule the world, and Jerusalem will be the capital. This will be a 1,000-year period of peace and prosperity on earth (Revelation 20; Isaiah 60–62). Memorial sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40–48).

 11. The last battle. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.

 12. The Great White Throne Judgment. All those in hell will be brought forth, and all the wicked from all eras of history will be resurrected to stand before God in a final judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). The verdicts are read, and all of sinful humanity is cast into the lake of fire.

 13. The new creation. God completely remakes the heavens and the earth. It is at this time that God wipes away all tears and there will be no more pain, death, or sorrow. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and the children of God will enjoy eternity with Him. (Revelation 21–22)

Finally, here is a table showing the alignment of World History, an historical overview of Daniel’s 70 Weeks and a Biblical Historical outline:

Timeline of World History compared to Biblical Timeline of Daniels 70 Weeks

I know that this is a long read and study, but, (#1), it is important for you, as a Disciple of Jesus to know where you are on God’s Timeline so you will not ‘faint’ when all this comes upon you, (#2), what it means to you, (#3) what is required for you to be ready, and, (#4) what it means to be ready for what is at hand and (#5), how to prepare.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: 

He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.

This is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.

This is a thesis on the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way. My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you’ve wondered about the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place.

“The Journey To Perfection”.

Don’t miss these important and relevant videos:

IS THIS THE END?

… You won’t see this in the Mainstream Media

Matthew 24:3 says,  “As He 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?”

Verse 4, And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.

Verse 5, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

Verse 6, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Verse 7, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

Verse 8, “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Verse 9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

So, when will these things happen?

I. Many will come IN MY NAME:

This can be someone literally saying I am the Christ’, but it is proving to be those who consider themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following ‘new age’ or errant doctrines; or, as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, ‘institutional deception’, where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray. (Also see“Shipwrecked”).

So, how can we know ‘which of the false Christs Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’?

II. WARS and rumors of war:

There have been thousands upon thousands of wars and conflicts since the time of Christ. Most notable for their scope and breadth are the

  • Religious Crusades (1095 – 1291, Muslims vs Latin Church, almost 2 million dead),
  • WWI (1914 – 1918, 17 million dead), and
  • WW2 (1939 – 1945, over 70 million dead).

Current wars and conflicts 2018: Interactive global conflict tracker.

historical_activity_200years.jpg

So, how can we know ‘which wars and rumors of wars‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’?

III. EARTHQUAKES & VOLCANOES:

Earthquakes are nothing new. In fact, they are so numerous that I can only give you a web link by period of time and let you view what has been recorded. But, Jesus did warn they would come.

Lists of earthquakes by period

HISTORY_of_earthquakes_1900-.svg.png

Seismic Event List Index

Volcanoes are nothing new, either, but it would seem that seismic events (volcanoes) are on the rise.

historical_activity_600years.jpg

Figure 1. Graph showing the number of volcanoes reported to have been active each year since 1800 C.E. Total number of volcanoes with reported eruptions per year. (thin upper black line) and 10-year running mean of same data (thick upper red line). Lower lines show only the annual number of volcanoes producing large eruptions (>= 0.1 km3 of tephra or magma) and scale is enlarged on the right axis; thick red lower line again shows 10-year running mean. See text for discussion.

Figure 2. Graph showing known historically active volcanoes, number of volcanoes reported to be active each year, and population. The line labeled “Known Historically Active Volcanoes” (right scale) is the cumulative number of volcanoes with an historically recorded eruption by that year. “Volcanoes Active Per Year” since 1400 CE (black line) and 10-year running mean of same data (thick red line) is also based on reported eruptions (those with uncertainty dates greater than 1 year are not included, nor are uncertain eruptions). “Population” (right scale) is the world’s estimated human population; data from McEvedy and Jones (1978) and (since 1750) Population Reference Bureau, Washington, D.C. See text for further explanation.

At first glance the nearly exponential increase through recent centuries suggests that the planet may soon be overwhelmed by volcanic activity, but this increase tracks the striking growth of global population (dashed line on figure 1) that has spread potential observers of eruptions over much of the Earth and the technological advances that have facilitated reporting of those eruptions. Another indicator of the growth of the record is the increase in the total number of known historically active volcanoes (upper line on figure 2). These are not newly-formed volcanoes, but already established features (or volcanic fields) that clearly had numerous previous eruptions. If a list had been continuously kept, about 2000 years ago, it would have contained only the names of nine Mediterranean volcanoes and West Africa’s Mount Cameroon. In the next ten centuries, the list would have grown by only 30 names, 18 of them Japanese. Although newly settled Iceland soon added seven volcanoes, the list totaled only 63 by 1400 CE.

Global Volcanism Program, 2013. Volcanoes of the World, v. 4.8.5. Venzke, E (ed.). Smithsonian Institution. Downloaded 14 Jan 2020.

So, how can we know ‘which EARTHQUAKES‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’?

IV. FAMINES:

Famines have taken hundreds of millions of lives since the time of Christ, so this is nothing new, either.

Famine-victims-and-world-population-sinc

So, how can we know ‘which FAMINES‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’?

V. PERSECUTION:

Jesus tells us there will be a worldwide persecution of Christians. A look at history shows us that In the first few centuries, Christianity grew quickly. By A.D. 325, an estimated 7 million people were Christians, with as many as 2 million killed for their faith in Jesus.

However, according to a Christian think-tank. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) says 900,000 Christians have been ‘martyred’ in the last decade, equating to 90,000 a year and one every six minutes.

This may be the most dangerous time in history to be Christian

 

At least 327 million Christians face persecution, according to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which released its biannual report on Religious Freedom in the World in November 2018. That is 7 percent of the world’s 2.3 billion Christians, estimated by Pew Research Center in 2015.

245 million Christians in the top 50 countries on Open Doors USA’s 2019 World Watch List experience high levels of persecution (i.e.: torture, rape, sex-slavery, for conversion to Christianity, murder and genocide), an increase of 14 percent from 2018. Sixty percent of those enduring persecution are children; women and girls are most violated. Release International, a UK-based human rights watchdog in operation for the past 50 years who partner with U.S.-based “Voice of the Martyrs” said they expect global anti-Christian persecution is set to rise ‘sharply’ in 2019. – (Read the report here)

So, how can we know ‘which period of Christian Persecution‘ Jesus is referring to, WHICH WILL MARK THE ‘END OF THE AGE’?

So, where does all of this lead?

1. You will know when ‘The End of the Age‘ is near, not when one or two of these events occur, but when ALL of ‘these things’ occur and converge concurrently, as Jesus said they would; then these things are the harbinger of ‘those things’ which have come to pass. (Also, see “The Tribulation of Those Days’).

2. The phrase “the beginning of birth pangsis a statement made by Jesus in or around the year AD 30 and is a translation of the Greek archē _ ōdin . The meaning of the phrase, translated in the KJV as “the beginning of sorrows” is a direct reference to preliminary birth pangs that ultimately lead to the full scale contractions and travail, which leads to the actual birth.

Recognizing the Old Testament reference that Jesus was hearkening to is an essential, but often overlooked key to determining the timing of the prophecy. Jesus was pointing his disciples to two key passages from the prophet Isaiah.

The first passage is Isaiah 26, a portion of Scripture found in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as “Isaiah’s little apocalypse”. There, the Lord speaks through Isaiah, specifically contrasting the expectations of the Jewish people regarding deliverance, redemption and physical resurrection with the reality of the pain, suffering and travail that they had corporately experienced. In verses 16-18, the complaint of Israel is raised that despite having endured the great suffering of labor, the expected “birth” of deliverance, redemption and resurrection had not arrived.

This makes clear that the Last Days and the opening of the tribulation Seals began in our around A.D. 30.  Other references which confirm this date are   Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 9:26, Acts 2:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:3. as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy.

(Also please see this teaching by Pastor and Teacher, John Piper on the timing of the End Times. One of the first, most accurate, and most persistent advocates of the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church can be found at Zion’s Hope, with videos on this site.)

3. You must ask yourself, “why would Jesus warn His disciples (and subsequent disciples or anyone who would eventually read His Words in the Bible) about these coming events if they would not experience these events? Said another way, if we would have been Raptured before the tribulation, why warn us?  Why warn His disciples and followers about something they would not experience?” The anwer is, “HE WOULD NOT HAVE WARNED US UNLESS WE WOULD ENDURE THE FIRST 5 TRIBULATION SEALS, AND WOULD  NEED TO BE PREPARED!”

NOTE: The first five tribulation seals have been opened progressively since around A.D. 30. These seals overlap (occur concurrently and converge), and are increasing in intensity, which will lead to the future 6th Tribulation Seal, which is the begining of the Day of God’s Wrath, cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun, the Rapture, the multitude of people out of the tribulation before the throne of God, the Sealing of the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel.

4. How can we tell WHICH ‘wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes’ were the result of the breaking of the first Seal of the tribulation, because there have been thousands of them since Jesus said these words.

Jesus, the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy, plus direct, clear and obvious scriptural references in  Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 9:26, Acts 2:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:3. confirm that these events began in or around the year A.D. 30.

(Also please see this teaching by Pastor and Teacher, John Piper on the timing of the End Times. One of the first, most accurate, and most persistent advocates of the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church can be found at Zion’s Hope, with videos on this site.)

5. Was Jesus wanting to ‘scare’ listeners into believing by warning them ahead of time? (I think not. Trickery just doesn’t fit Jesus Character, and He tells us “do not be frightened” by these things.)

6. Jesus tells His disciples (and subsequent disciples or anyone who would eventually read His Word in the bible), in Matthew 24:6 that

“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. Verse 7. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. Verse 8. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

And a few verses later, Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

If we will have been “Raptured” and out of harms way when these things begin, then why would He be telling us these things?

Why is Jesus telling us that we should not be frightened by the WARS, Rumors OF WARS, NATIONS RISING AGAINST NATIONS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES, and that we must ENDURE TO THE END TO BE SAVED if we would not be affected?

Again I ask if we will have been “Raptured” and out of harms way when these things begin, then why would He be telling us these things?

5. When you compare Jesus’ Words in the book of Matthew with John the Revelator’s account of the ‘End of Days’ in Revelation, why do you get the very real sense that something about pre-tribulation evangelical or reformed doctrines of the end times don’t line up with or doesn’t fit with what you read IN THE BIBLE.

Next: “How We Should Prepare and Respond in These Last Days”.

Your Brother and Friend

Mike Young

Go to these links. Study. Learn.

WHEN WILL THE TRIBULATION BEGIN – OR HAS IT ALREADY BEGUN?

THE END OF THE AGE – a short, and to-the-point, series about the Last Days.

CONCURRENCE OF EVENTS POINTING TO THE END OF THE AGE – a short and to-the-point-series of concurrent and converging events in these days.

WHEN WILL THE FINAL 7 YEARS BEGIN?