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.)
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.)
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.
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’.
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The Rapture Revealed.
As found in the Bible, is about actual events, hidden in plain sight. Please ask yourself,
Has the Tribulation begun?
Are the SEALS of Revelation being broken?
Has the church finished fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ?
Will you make it to heaven in the Rapture?
Why does it matter?
HAVE WE ENTERED THE SEAL JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION?
I have been a Practicing Christian since 1977. I have heard the doctrine of the “Rapture” preached and discussed over the last 46 years. I have studied the subject while taking classes in Bible College. The entire matter is
confusing and difficult to understand. But, thanks to this very complexity, I have been able to ignore the controversies and the biblical inconsistencies. I had no choice. It was too complicated. So, I just accepted the prevalent teaching of my denomination: The rapture will happen at the sound of a heavenly trumpet and if I am a Christian I will be miraculously snatched up into heaven ‘in a twinkling of an eye’. Matter closed. Or is it closed?
In 1996 a pastor and friend asked me to co-teach a class about the ‘rapture’ and the biblical tribulation. I was instructed to teach from the position of ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ and my friend would teach on ‘post tribulation rapture’. It took me one year to prepare. That year was the genesis that fixed my view on the rapture, and it was different than I expected. Over the next 19 years my view matured and has galvanized into a certainty. And that certainty has developed into an “Urgency”. What if I were to say, “We may have already entered the Seal Judgments? Would you stop reading at this point? Let me challenge you to read on and you decide.
I am certain that we have already entered the Seal Judgments and most Christians are not ready for what is coming, and in fact, may be at hand.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Why does it matter “when” the tribulation starts or “when” Christians are to be raptured into heavens?
It matters because being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.
It matters because He has warned that “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.
It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.
Because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior Are speaking louder than our words.
The Seal Judgments of the book of Revelation.
Interestingly, the idea or doctrine of a biblical ‘Rapture’ was introduced and made popular in the early 1900’s. Since that time, most doctrines of eschatology (the study of Biblical End Times) have been constructed to fit particular denominational belief systems. So, it is no wonder that there are multiple views of the timing of the rapture and the tribulation period. The plain language of the bible has been rearranged to fit certain denominational belief systems, so, most views of the rapture have become impossibly confusing and irrational.
If we follow Biblical reason, then the facts, timing and warnings related to biblical eschatology sense.
If the subject of the Rapture and a seven-year Tribulation are kept in context of the entire Bible and, whenever possible, are taken at face-value, an amazingly clear picture emerges. The Bible teaches and warns about;
A “tribulation period”, also known as “Times of Distress” followed by;
“A GREAT TRUMPET sounding” and “GATHERING TOGETHER” of His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”, followed by;
“A Great Tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”, also known as the “Wrath of the Lamb” or the “Great and Terrible Day of the Lord”.
And, since the Bible is meant to address every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues the events addressed by the coming tribulation are global in scope. So, at first glance, instead of being a future event it would appear the first Seal of the tribulation could have been broken (as early as the early 1900’s; for example, regarding Jesus’ warning of “wars and rumors of war”, the first Global war, World War One, began in 1914). If we follow the evidence, the facts, the timing and the warnings of the coming Rapture and Tribulation, this seems to make sense. But is it correct?
There is evidence, which I shall call ‘clues’ as to the timing of the beginning of the breaking of the first tribulation seal. These ‘clues’ come from direct testimonies of Jesus and His disciples:
Hebrews 1:2, The Apostle Paul Says “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. (Hebrews was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
Hebrews 9:26, The Apostle Paul says, “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. (Hebrews was written Around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
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. “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 was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
2 Timothy 3:1-5, “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. (Acts was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
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, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. . (1 Peter was written Around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.
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, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter was written Around AD 68. This is a “timeline” clue.)
1 John 2:18, “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. (1 John was written Around AD 92. This is a “timeline” clue.)
There is ample ‘evidence’ (clues) that the breaking of the 1st Tribulation Seal could have occured as eary as the birth of Christ or as late as 92 A.D. Once again, there is clear and compelling language and testitmoniesand evidence that the first TRIBULATION SEAL may have begun to be broken in or around AD 30, and that SEALS two through five have been progressively opened, overlapped and are gaining in intensity.
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
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 of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period.
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
All of these things and this historic time had been recorded, in various books of the Bible and is foretold in great and frightening detail, particularly in the Book of Revelation. You simply need the “eyes to see” and “the ears to hear”.
Evangelical and Protestant Christians have been taught that they will be ‘Raptured’ from the earth before the tribulation begins with the breaking of the first Seal of the Book of Revelation.
Many churches teach that to become a Christian all one has to do is to make a simple statement of faith. Then, they may sit back, assured of being raptured and going to heaven before the first Seal of the Tribulation is broken thereby spared the discomfort of the tribulation.
But is that proof enough? What about repentance from the former life? What about being transformed in our thinking and practice and following the life of Jesus, now?
The tenth chapter of the book of Romans tells us “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; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness (right living), and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
That salvation reveals a transformation in attitude and behavior which is the same as Jesus Christ.
If our attitude and behavior are anything less than that of Christ, we must consider the consequences.
There are many apparent contradictions regarding the doctrine of the Rapture and the Tribulation and much debate.
So, what does the bible actually say about this End of Days?
More specifically, what did Jesus tell His disciples and the rest of the listening and believing world about what is coming?
What we can expect to happen? What are we to do in order to ‘get ready’ and ‘stay ready’ until He returns to claim His Church?
We must turn to the Bible to find our answers.
The Bible says it is “God Breathed” and useful. (All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 2 Timothy 3:16).
God did not write or ‘breathe’ His message to us in an unintelligible or useless language. God has spoken through His prophets and His written Word and He meant for us to be able to understand what He says.
If you can put aside doctrinal and theological constraints that have sprung from denominational differences, you may get a clearer understanding of this subject.
Jesus’ disciples were asking some of the very same questions we are asking today (Matthew 24:3) “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” Matthew 24:4
I see two things here that give a starting point in our discussions and preparations and a way to adjust our “21st Century thinking” to Jesus’ intent.
We are to be careful about deception regarding these matters. There are many voices giving advice. Jesus is saying, “stay focused on My Word”. As we engage in this End Times warfare, the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We do that by keeping a biblical view and keep the scriptures we are studying in context of the entire bible teaching.
It is easy to spot some nutcase saying “Hey, over here! I’m Jesus! I’m back! Listen and follow me!!” Very few Christians would fall for that. But institutional deception is a problem.
There is a brand of Christianity and church in this 21st century (a reemergence of Gnosticism and mysticism) that is far from the Truth and is not the body of Christ. It takes forms of commercialism or that of a narcissistic religion. It is a fake. It is not the “Christianity” of Jesus Christ. AND MANY ARE BEING MISLED. With this in mind, we must clear some of the non-biblical religious clutter of tradition, lore and attitudes of the 19th, 20th and 21st century the institutional church has invented.
The dominant teaching about the Rapture among Evangelical and Protestant Christians, is of a Pre-tribulation Rapture. I agree that Christians can expect God to rescue or ‘rapture’ the church away from earth before The Wrath of the Lamb or the Great Tribulation. The bible is also clear that the church is to be purged, cleansed, purified and redeemed before being ‘raptured’, (found in Daniel 12:1 – 10).
“THE questions” we should be asking is WHEN do the seven years of the tribulation actually begin? We have been taught and it has been generally accepted as ‘doctrine’ that the tribulation period starts with the breaking of the FIRST SEAL found in Revelation 5:1, which is a future and undetermined date. But is this correct?
We should look at the distinctions the bible makes regarding uses of the words “tribulation”, the “Great Tribulation”, the “Wrath of the Lamb”, the “times of distress”, and the “times of sorrow” to get an accurate picture and context. And I believe these distinctions are important for our understanding of the timing of these events and for our preparedness.
WHY COULD THIS DISTINCTION BE IMPORTANT – WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?
It is important because the context, the uses and meanings of these various words which refer to Tribulation affect our attitudes and our motivation for GETTING and STAYING READY for His return. They also affect our view of the timing of the coming Tribulation and the Great Tribulation.
Many Christians think that, by repeating a simple formulaic statement, they have done all that is necessary to GET READY for Christ’s return and will go to heaven or be “raptured” from the earth before the tribulation period because they…
Walked the aisle at church;
filled out a commitment card;
And, announced I AM A BELIEVER.
They believe they are saved and nothing more is necessary. In other words, they became a member of a local church, They tithe some small portion of their income, they get involved in the local church activities, going on a mission trip or any combination of good works.
But is this correct?
What does Jesus and the bible say? It is urgent that we understand what Jesus and the bible actually say about the coming Great Day of Wrath, The Great Tribulation and what it really means to GET READY and STAY READY and know WHY these things are urgent and important.
So, I will propose, for clarity, a chronological placement of the events of The Great Tribulation in relation to tribulation EVENTS described by Jesus and John the Revalator, and what Jesus and His Word says about getting ready!
The placement of the GREAT TRIBULATION event can be seen in other places in the bible, but I will focus on the books of Matthew and Revelation.
Our goal in this discussion is to discover
WHERE we are in relation to His Return,
WHY we are running out of time, and
WHAT we should be doing, as Christians, and
How to prepare for the End of Days Events and HIS Return.
The first step in preparation, if you have never taken it, is to be born again. That is, come to Jesus Christ in a humble surrender of your life to Him. He will, in turn, come into your life and lead you to leave your ‘old life’ behind, that is your old way of thinking and behaving. He will renew your Spirit that will allow you to transform your mind and that will empower you from the inside out. It will revolutionize everything about what you believe, how you think and how you live life. You will find forgiveness of every past deed and get a fresh new, and exciting, start in life.
#2. Pray. Search for Him in prayer. Start praying daily. Just go to Him and pray. He will guide you.
#3. Read the bible. Daily. He will guide you.
#4. Take this one step at a time, but, start.
If you are already a Christian, please carefully consider what is being presented. You are called, as a Christian to GO, TELL, TEACH, MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE BELIEVERS.
There is no doubt He is coming again, to get His Church. There is no doubt a time of Great Tribulation is coming. The real question is are you ready? Because every man, woman, boy and girl will have to make a choice: Go with Jesus or be condemned to the Lake of Fire for eternity.
Let’s proceed with Jesus’ discourse in Matthew 24 and compare the events in Matthew 24 and confirm them with the corresponding events in the book of Revelation.
Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary:
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 AD 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”.
Then, with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD, THE GREAT TRIBULATION, BEGINS. (Matthew 24:29, & Revelation 6:12)
As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
The “7 years of Great Tribulation” (aka Daniels 70th week) begins with the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal, will reach the mid-point of the tribulation period, (after 3.5 years) with the sounding of the 6th Trumpet of the Great Tribulation.
Then, the Great Tribulation will end with the pouring out of the 7 Bowls of Wrath.
Tribulation Judgments lead to the End of the Age
(Concern yourself with the first 6 Seals):
Revelation Chapter 6 as correlated to Matthew Chapter 24
The mention of International (Global) conquest and political intrigue in the 1st Tribulation Seal in Revelation 6, is correlated with false Christ’s and Messiahs in Matthew 24.
The mention of wars and rumors of wars is mentioned in the 2nd Tribulation Seal in Revelation 6 and in Matthew 24:6.
The mention of death, scarcity of food is mentioned in the 3rd Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 and Matthew 24 tells of famines and earthquakes.
The 4th Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 tells of death, famine and murders and in Matthew 24:7, Jesus tells of nations rising against nations, famines and earthquakes.
the 5th Tribulation Seal – Martyrs, persecution, revealing of the Anti-Christ, the great falling away (apostasy).
The 5th Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 speaks of persecution and martyrdom of Christians and Matthew 24:9-10 tells of persecution, martyrdom, apostasy and lawlessness.
The start of the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION”, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, coincides with the 6th Tribulation Seal which brings cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun, terror, calamity is described, both, in Matthew 24:29-31 and in Revelation 6:12-16.
During the period of the Breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal these events will occur:
The Rapture of the Church;
Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God;
Sealing of the 144,000;
Now, let’s go into a little more detail regarding the End of Days by comparing and confirming Jesus’ account in the book of Revelation and the book of Matthew
FIRST EVENT from MATTHEW.
Jesus says “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars Matt 5:6 (also see Rev 5:1) . See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
We have been led to view these events from a nationalistic perspective. In other words, if it’s happening in the U.S.A., it must be true. But we should watch for world events with a focus in Israel.
Also, notice that Jesus instructed, ”but that is not yet the end”.
This FIRST EVENT as described by Jesus in Matthew 24:6 can be correlated to a sign offered by John in Revelation 5:1 as the FIRST SEAL being broken, incidentally, by the LAMB Himself (Jesus).
CORRESPONDING FIRST SEAL of REVELATION.
”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.” Revelation 5: 1,
verse 2. “I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
It is interesting here that although a ‘bow’ is carried no arrows are present. (a coincidence?), and a crown (authority) is given. This has been described as a time of political intrigue and imperialistic nation-building on a world-wide scale. This event has been a dominant feature of the past century. This event is to be followed by another world-wide event related to the second seal in Matthew and Revelation (which would preclude regional or pre-Christ events).
There are world-wide movements to combine governments, financial institutions, religions, educational systems, societies, labor, technologies, militaries and more. The United Nations is what most point toward. Some were watching the European Union. But now, the G20 is the latest rebuilding of the “The tower of Babel”. But, do not doubt that the Globalist movement is real.
THE SECOND EVENT from MATTHEW.
Jesus says in Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (see Revelation 5:3).
There is now an intensifying of WORLD EVENTS also seen in the book of Revelation.
CORRESPONDING SECOND SEAL of REVELATION.
Revelation 5:3, “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 men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.
Interestingly, World War I is described as the Great War . It was the first war recognized a WORLD WAR. It began in 1914 and lasted until 1918. But this would hardly seem to fit neatly into a seven year tribulation period.
Then we had World War II which began in 1939 and lasted until 1945. Now we have two WORLD WARS that spanned a combined ten years. The entire Great Tribulation clearly will last only seven years.
So, how do these WORLD WAR events relate to prophecy or should they?
Jesus has already given us instruction that this is not yet the end and He will give further instruction about the timing of these events in Matthew 24 verse 8.
THIRD & FOURTH EVENTS from MATTHEW.
Jesus says in Matthew 24:7 and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes (see Revelation 5:5-8).
It is important that we see and understand what Jesus is TEACHING corresponds with the unfolding of the Tribulation period as recorded in Revelation. It will give us clear instruction, not only of what is coming but
HOW TO PREPARE for these days.
CORRESPONDING THIRD SEAL of REVELATION.
Revelation 5:5, “When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 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.”
CORRESPONDING FOURTH SEAL of REVELATION.
Revelation 5:7, “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come”. I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
We continue to see a clear correlation between Jesus’ descriptions of the “coming troubles” in Matthew to John’s depiction of the actual breaking of the seals in the book of Revelation.
Please remember: We are seeing Jesus describe the ‘beginning’ of the tribulation in Matthew 24 and the corresponding ‘beginning’ of the tribulation as Jesus actually breaks the Seals of the Books in Revelation.
But the Rapture has not yet occurred. This will present clear evidence that we will endure the tribulation up to and until the breaking of the Sixth Seal. Jesus tells us, “Do not fear. This is not yet the end”. But we must prepare!
Next, we get some clarification on events and the time or placement of the events:
Interlude – Time Marker – Instruction.
Here, we are provided an interlude and a “time marker of instruction”. This is a good place to get our bearings.
Matthew 24: 8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
a. Jesus tells us this is NOT THE END but MERELY THE BEGINNING and remember there is no evidence the church has not been RAPTURED yet.
b. And He calls this the beginning of birth pangs. This is similar to tribulation in the idea of discomfort or suffering.
c. But the word describes a much different intensity of pressing or squeezing and pain than the GREAT Tribulation or the Wrath of the Lamb, which comes later.
There are several places in scriptures (in the books of Daniel, Matthew and Revelation) that use interchangeable words to describe ‘birth pangs’, ‘times of distress’, ‘times of sorrow’ and ‘tribulation’. However, there are other words such as ‘Great Tribulation’ and ‘Wrath of the Lamb’ that are a harbinger for a ‘time of trouble such as the world has never seen before and never will see again’. Is there a distinction between the uses of these words that will give us a WARNING useful to our salvation our preparation and our enduring to the end?
FIFTH EVENT from MATTHEW.
Jesus says, in Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.”
Are we seeing a worldwide precursor to this prediction in our day? A return to the type of persecution the early church suffered? The book of Revelation puts it this way:
THE CORRESPONDING FIFTH SEAL of REVELATION.
Rev 5: 9, “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud
voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?“ And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.
We saw a great persecution of the early Christians and we have seen terrible persecution of Christians throughout our brief history and those Christians will be included in this SEAL. Jesus is clearly referring to a ‘falling away’ or an apostasy in the latter days. We must remember to keep these scriptures and Jesus’ discussion in the context it was given.
These next verses give us an interlude or a recapitulation which we can use to define the chronology of these events. Jesus is describing terrible times, but they pale in comparison to what is getting ready to happen. The next EVENTS are so terrible that Jesus stops His discourse and emphasizes what is next and how to GET READY.
Interlude – Time Markers – Instruction, Matthew 24:11-20.
NOTE: Here is a ‘recap’ of the series of events and warning up to this point, plus another ‘time line marker’ in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:11, “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
Verse 12. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
Verse 13. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Verse 14. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Verse 15. “Therefore, when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Verse 16. “then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Verse 17. “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.
Verse 18. “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
Verse 19. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
Verse 20. “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
The next verse begins with the words, “FOR THEN…”
Not “before then”,
Not “as it has been”.
In other words, now that the preceding events have been completed and the seals have been broken NOW there will be a GREAT TRIBLULATION.
(2) Many theologians, preachers and bible teachers, who subscribe to the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture occurring before the First Seal event, consider verses 15 through 20 as having already occurred.
However, Jesus is clear that He is telling His disciples of a coming event. For an example, see this excerpt taken from a “pulpit commentary” on Matthew 24 Verse 16. Then; i.e., when they shall see “the abomination of desolation,” etc. Them which be in Judaea. Not only in Jerusalem, but in its vicinity, as most exposed to danger from the invading army. Flee into (ἐπὶ, over) the mountains. The Christians seem to have taken this advice when the city was attacked by Costius Gallus, about A.D. , some three or more years
before the siege under Vespasian. Gallus had appeared before the walls, and apparently had every hope of taking the city, when, for some reason not certainly known (either owing to a supposed defeat, or ignorance of his own
success, or the advice of his generals), he suddenly withdrew his forces (Josephus, ‘Bell. Jud.,’ 2:19, 6, 7). The Christians, bearing Christ’s warning in mind, and having, as we may conjecture, seen the predicted sign, took the
opportunity of flight from the doomed city, and made their escape to Pella, a town of Decapotis, southeast of Bethshean, and the ruins of which are known now by the name of Fahil. Euschius probably refers to this, narrating that, owing to a certain revelation given to holy men among them, the whole body of the Church, before the war, removed across the Jordan to Pella, and dwelt there in safety during those troublous times.
Jesus is clear that He is telling His disciples what is yet to come.
BIBLE PROPHECY, FREQUENTLY, HAS HISTORICAL PRECURSORY EVENTS.
(Matthew 24 verses 21 and 29 describe this EVENT. Verses 22 through 28 give warnings and instructions for preparedness.)
Verse 21. “For then there will be a GREAT TRIBULTION, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
Please pay special attention these words in verse 21:
FOR THEN, the “times of distress” or “the birth pangs” are now finished;
GREAT Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord is beginning;
Such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now;
nor ever will.
Something new is happening. The intensity is going up significantly. THERE IS A TIME MARKER AT THIS POINT!
Read verses 22 through 28 carefully and absorb these dire warnings and instructions.
This is the time the Lord will appear and take His Church from the earth.
THE SIXTH EVENT FROM MATTHEW.
Matthew 24:22, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Verse 23. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him.
Verse 24. “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
Verse 25. “Behold, I have told you in advance.
Verse 26. “So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.
Verse 27. “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Verse 28. “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
Verse 29. “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.”
THE SIXTH SEAL of REVELATION BEGINS.
Revelation 6:12, “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; verse 13. and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts 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 were moved out of their places. Verse 15. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; verse 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb”.
NOW IT IS BEGINNING. “THE GREAT TRIBULATION”. Matthew 24:21. “THE WRATH OF THE LAMB”. Revelation 6:16 (The breaking of the 6th Seal continues through Revelation 7:17),
Now is one of greatest the events ever to be witnessed by man .
SEVENTH EVENT from MATTHEW.
Matthew 24:30, “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.
Then, during and immediately after the SIXTH SEAL of Revelation.
Revelation 7: 1, “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 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.“
Everything is coming to a crescendo.
God stops the events in progress and the breaking of the seals for a moment and all eyes are focused on the heavens. 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. (Matthew 24:20).
The winds stop blowing and an angel ascends from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God, announcing the SEALING of the bond-servants of our God and the gathering of His Elect!
The winds have been stopped.
The events of the End of Days are paused.
God sends forth His angels with a great TRUMPET.
This is the “EVENT” We all anxiously and eagerly anticipate.
NOTE: Some bible teachers will say this is Jesus coming to exact judgment on the earth. But read the text from Matthew 24:31.
EIGHTH EVENT From MATTHEW.
“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.
1 Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first”
How much clearer can this be?
Immediately following the breaking of the SIXTH SEAL they gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other!
Now, we go to the Book of Revelation for confirmation.
During and immediately after breaking THE SIXTH SEAL from REVELATION, we read in Revelation 7:9-17, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”
“I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “For this reason, they are before
the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 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.”
The Church has been removed from the earth. The RAPTURE has occurred
immediately before the sounding of the FIRST TRUMPET JUDGMENT.
The Gathering of His Elect – A review.
Jesus finished breaking the first Six Seals of the Book of Revelation by sealing the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, a great multitude, which on one could count, from every nation and ALL TRIBES and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the LAMB, clothed in white robes, saying “SALVATION”!
Although the events recorded in the book of Revelation are not always in chronological order, chapters five, six and seven of Revelation (the breaking of the seals) appear to be in order.
Jesus’ description of the coming tribulation in the book of Matthew matches both description and order with John’s description of these same events contained in the book of Revelation.
We see Jesus gathering His elect at the sound of the trumpet (Matthew 24:31) and the “gathering of a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” as the same event?
This would mean that the church, (that is, Christians), may experience some extremely difficult times before the day of The Wrath of the Lamb and the Rapture of His church. Compare the troubles of the first six seals compared to the last seal, the seven bowls and the seven trumpets of judgment. Remembering that the Wrath of the Lamb will be a time of trouble such as the world has never seen before and never will see again.
So, even though a period of “distress” or “tribulation” begins with the breaking of the first seal of Revelation “intense trouble” or the Great Tribulation or The Wrath of the Lamb a series of events involving those who have been saved throughout the ages, begins with the breaking of the sixth seal as recorded in Revelation chapter seven, verse one. The angels hold back the four winds of the earth (an interlude for a series of events on earth and the tightening of the grip of travail upon the earth.
Jesus then uses the example of Noah to explain that Christians must prepare for His Return.
Interlude – Time Markers – Instruction. Matthew 24:32-36.
NOTE: Here is a ‘recap’ of the series of events and warning so far and another ‘time line marker’ in Matthew 24:32. “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; verse 33. so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Verse 34. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Verse 35. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
Verse 36. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Verse 37. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
Verse 38. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
verse 39. and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
A simple ‘face value’ reading of these verses tell us all we need to know.
The time of His return is near;
His Words are enduring and unchanging;
No one knows the exact day or hour of His return.
It is time to prepare the storehouse, and enter our ark for the day of our salvation draws near.
So where do we go from here?
Except for a cursory reference, I have deliberately avoided relating current world events to the prophecies narrated by Jesus of Matthew 24 and those from the book of Revelation.
I am leaving it up to you, the reader, to look back over the past 100 years and consider what has occurred as related to biblical prophecy. It is up to you to consider the current condition of this world and compare it to prophecy in our day.
The bible says “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. (Matthew 24:32).
Daily, newscasts, newspapers, television, magazines, the internet and every form of media is telling us of the deteriorating condition of our world. If we are not at “the end” of this age, we are in dire circumstances. At any rate, it
IS TIME TO GET READY for what is upon us.
Finally, this presentation is a capsulated and condensed version of Jesus’ narration of The End of the Age in response to the disciple’s question, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?“
It is possible to go much deeper and broader in this study. If that is your desire there are plenty of materials available.
In fact, as we establish bible study groups that may well be one of our studies. But, for now, it is time to prepare.
So, where do I go from here?
Matthew 24:42-45, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 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. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” Our time on this earth is limited and temporary. We must survive and serve while we await His return when He will gather us, His Elect, from the four corners of the earth, and take us to our eternal home.
Here is what we do:
ENTER INTO THE ark OF OUR SALVATION – JESUS CHRIST!
Prepare the Storehouse Of the Saints.
Come Together in Community.
Continue Making Disciples.
Find and connect with other Christians.
Plan and coordinate with family.
Organize “readiness” training classes.
Organize Action groups.
Organize service groups.
Store temporary food stuffs.
Build temporary currency reserves.
Store medical supplies.
Store water reserves.
Coordinate Bible Study Groups.
Coordinate Prayer Groups.
Commission Deacons and Ministers.
Designate Home Church sites.
Plan Worship Times and places.
Organize evangelistic meetings.
Send local missionaries.
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..
“Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression,
to make an end of sins,
to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness,
to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God),
to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and
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:
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.)
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.)
Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven,
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,
“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 atime, 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.
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.
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.
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):
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.
“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 troublesuch 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 12. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days (During the next 45 daysleading 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.”
REPEAT – In 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).
the 2nd Tribulation Seal – Wars and Rumors of War has been ongoing since around the time of Jesus birth, and has been overlapping with Seals 1 and 3 through 5 and has been intensifying.)
the 3rd Tribulation Seal – Famine. has been ongoing since around the time of Jesus birth, and has been overlapping with Seals 1 & 2 and Seals 4 & 5 and has been intensifying.)
the 4th Tribulation Seal – Death. has been ongoing since aroud the time of Jesus birth, and has been overlapping with Seals 1 through 3 and Seal 5, and has been intensifying.)
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. Verse31. 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 afterthe 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?”
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.
Matthew 24:3says, “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),
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. (use the links below).
Volcanoes are nothing new, either, but it would seem that seismic events (volcanoes) are on the rise.
Figure 1. Graph lines showing the number of volcanoes reported to have been active each year since 1400 and 1800 C.E.
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 that has spread potential observers of eruptions over much of the Earth and the technological advances that have facilitated reporting of those eruptions. Global Volcanism Program, 2013. Volcanoes of the World, Smithsonian Institution. January 2020.
So, how can we know ‘whichEARTHQUAKES‘ 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.
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 2019World 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 ‘whichperiod 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 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.
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
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.
6. 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.)
7. Jesus tells His disciples (and subsequent disciples or anyone who would eventually read His Word in the bible), inMatthew 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.
Look at it this way: When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. it was a category 5 storm; As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm; then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm; and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event.
To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event. But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion
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 :
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.)
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”.
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,).
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.
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, andthe 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.”
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 allat 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.
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”.
As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Section B.3. The “7 years of Great Tribulation” (aka Daniel’s 70th week) begins with the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal, and, will reach the mid-point of the tribulation period, (after 3.5 years) with the sounding of the 6th Trumpet of the Great Tribulation.
Section B.4. Then, the Great Tribulation will end with the pouring out of the 7 Bowls of Wrath.
– THE TRIBULATION JUDGMENTS LEAD TO THE END OF THE AGE –
The 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).
*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.
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 24:3says, “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, “Youwill be hearingof 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),
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.
Volcanoes are nothing new, either, but it would seem that seismic events (volcanoes) are on the rise.
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.
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.
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
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 2019World 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:
When did Daniel have his vision about the End of Days?
538 B.C.
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)
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)
When does the finalweek, 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.
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.”
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.”
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 allat 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.
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”.
As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 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 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”).
*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.
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 3. “The 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 4. “Then 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 8. “The 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 10. “Then 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 12. “The 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.”
Revelation 22:6 “And 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.
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.
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)
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.
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).
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.)
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).
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).
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.
The binding of Satan. Satan will be bound and held in a bottomless pit for the next 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–3).
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.)
… 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 …
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.”
*MISSING FROM THE TRADITIONAL DENOMINATIONAL OUTLINES”of 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.’
*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 inMatthew 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,
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.
(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:
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.
Matthew 24:3says, “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 manywillcome in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
Verse 6, “You willbehearing 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 merelythebeginningofbirthpangs.
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 thesethings 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),
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.
Volcanoes are nothing new, either, but it would seem that seismic events (volcanoes) are on the rise.
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.
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.
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 2019World 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 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.
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.
(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 theend. 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.
Why is knowing the timing and sequence of a Biblical explanation of the tribulation period important in relation to a historical timeline. The answer is that it is because of historical events, both which have already occurred and those which are yet to take place,
(1), will be the direct results of Bible prophecy unfolding in this natural realm, and,
(2), we will have a physical historical timeline which we can identify, and finally,
(3), we will be greatly affected by these coming events and advanced knowledge of them and their approximate timing gives us the opportunity to respond as the Bible teaches so we can endure and survive these calamitous and catastrophic events.
Matthew chapter 24 and Revelations chapters 6 through 16 of The New Testament of the Bible, tells of a period of time known by various names such as “The Tribulation”, “The Last Days or the “Latter Days”, and warns and gives great details of a coming period of Great Tribulation, cataclysmic in its scope, both cosmic and terrestrial in nature, followed by “The End The Age”. (Also see Studylight.org; Also see Revelation 19-22).
This has been a great mystery throughout history. But it no long needs to be. Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary (Pre-Wrath, Pre-tribulation):
(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).
Finally, in this 21st century, there are a few prominent Bible teachers who are now arriving at this same conclusions (John Piper, and Corrie Ten Boom).
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).
Here is a more complete and detailed description of the Tribulation Timeline. Concern yourself with the first SIX SEALS.
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 AD 30 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”.
As witnessed by,Matthew 24:29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Section B.3.
The “7 years of Great Tribulation”, (also known as 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 2nd Tribulation Seal – Wars and Rumors of War. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 3rd Tribulation Seal – Famine. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 4th Tribulation Seal – Death. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
The 6th Tribulation Seal – Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun. (The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is yet to come. It is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period, also known as The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord or the Wrath of the Lamb.)
Sealing of the 144,000
The Rapture
Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God
All of these things and this historic time had been recorded, in various books of the Bible and is foretold in great and frightening detail, particularly in the Book of Revelation. You simply need the “eyes to see” and “the ears to hear”.
“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also, we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.For in hope, we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Romans 8:19-25)
(You can listen to this article on audio, and you can pause the audio to follow important page links which give details on this study; then resume the audio when you are ready. NOTE: I use page links in lieu of references and footnotes, which are important to this study. )
GOD SAYS – THE BIBLE SAYS
THE BIBLE IS ALSO WARNING US
Why is knowing the timing and sequence of a Biblical explanation of the tribulation period important in relation to a historical timeline. The answer is that it is because historical events, both which have already occurred and those which are yet take place,
(1), will be the direct results of Bible prophecy unfolding in this natural realm, and,
(2), we will have a physical historical timeline which we can identify, and finally,
(3), we will be greatly affected by these coming events and advanced knowledge of them and their approximate timing gives us the opportunity to respond as the Bible teaches so we can endure and survive these calamitous and catastrophic events.
Matthew chapter 24 and Revelations chapters 6 through 16 of The New Testament of the Bible, tells of a period of time known by various names such as “The Tribulation”, “The Last Days or the “Latter Days”, and warns and gives great details of a coming period of Great Tribulation, cataclysmic and scope, both cosmic and terrestrial in nature, followed by “The End The Age”. (Also see Studylight.org; Also see Revelation 19-22).
This has been a great mystery throughout history. But it no long needs to be. Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary (Pre-Wrath-tribulation):
Section A.1.
The Last Days began in our around AD 30 to AD 69 as confirmed by Jesus and several Apostles found in
(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).
Finally, in this 21st century, there are a few prominent Bible teachers who are now arriving at this same conclusions (John Piper, and Corrie Ten Boom).
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).
Here is a more complete and detailed description of the Tribulation Timeline. Concern yourself with the first SIX SEALS.
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 AD 30 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”.
As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Section B.3.
The “7 years of Great Tribulation”, (also known as 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 2nd Tribulation Seal – Wars and Rumors of War. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 3rd Tribulation Seal – Famine. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 4th Tribulation Seal – Death. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
The 6th Tribulation Seal – Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun.(The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is yet to come. It is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period, also known as The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord or the Wrath of the Lamb.)
Sealing of the 144,000
The Rapture
Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God
All of these things and this historic time had been recorded, in various books of the Bible and is foretold in great and frightening detail, particularly in the Book of Revelation. You simply need the “eyes to see” and “the ears to hear”.
“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also, we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.For in hope, we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”(Romans 8:19-25)
You and I need to be ready for what is at hand, because we are expected to endure to the end of our appointed time, then God will intervene and take us home.
Where Do We Go From Here?
I am certain that many theologians and Bible teachers are either underestimating the urgency of our mission and the severity of what is at hand or they really don’t know what to do.
Jesus is clear. The heavens and the earth are on a collision course and we are on a Mission. Most of the Church, however, is woefully unprepared.
God has never, ever, been happy with or gentle to those who shirk or draw back from the Mission. Even Jesus says, “Why do you call me Lord, when you do not do the things I have told you? I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work lawlessness.”
Somehow, many preachers think the ‘End Times’, (more correctly, Last Days), won’t intensify until after the Church is raptured off the earth, (Pre-Tribulation rapture). But, even the casual observer can see that many of the signs Jesus warned about are coming to pass, already and the Bible tells us that the judgments of God will intensify even more as He moves from the Seal Judgment to the Trumpet Judgments and then into the Bowl Judgments.
(Please note: This is a long article, but, there are important and urgent links and videos later on this page. Also, to avoid confusion, I have put my commentary in parentheses and color coded them blue.)
Matthew 24:4 says, “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
Verse 5. “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,and they will lead many astray.
(1) This can be someone literally saying ‘I am the Christ’, (2) but, it is more likely it will be someone who considers themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following denominational doctrine which are incorrect; or, (3) as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, it is ‘institutional deception’, where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray)
Verse 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. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
(There have been wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes since recorded history. So, concerning the ‘End Times’, which wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes should we refer to? These things must occur in conjunction with ALL THE SIGNS and WARNING from Jesus and the Bible
(And, don’t miss the little phrase, “but the end is not yet”, as verse eight will elaborate.)
Verse 8. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
(1) 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 (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 in our around AD 30. Other references which confirm this date as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy, are found in :
(Also please see this teaching by Pastor and Teacher, John Piper on the timing of the End Times. This is an “Ah Ha” moment for Pastor Piper!).
Verse 9. “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.
(This is so clear and in such plain language, I regret having to point it out: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death”. So, “YOU WILL BE DELIVERED UP TO TRIBULATION”. How much more intense can this be, than being put to death for Jesus name’s sake? The tribulation, Seals 1 through 4 have been described as having started, by Jesus, Himself, in the year AD 30.)
Verse 10. “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
(First – This is the hallmark of the Great Apostasy, found in these verses and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. Furthermore, “And then” translates from the Greek word, “tote”, in this case means of the future, also in consecution, i.e., the act of following, or the condition of being in a series; that which is consecutive; succession; sequence.
(Secondly – “fall away” is the Greek word‘skandalizó’ and means to entrap, i.e., trip up (figuratively, stumble) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure).
Verse 11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Verse 12. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. Verse 13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Verse 14. 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.
(Verses 11 through 14 give us a major time line identifier through a concurrence of events: (1) many false prophets will arise and lead many astray; (2) lawlessness will be increased; (3) the love of many will grow cold.)
(“The one who endures to the end”, must be kept in context of the surrounding verses. So, the one who endures to the end of these events – Which Events? – The tribulation seals ONE through FIVE)
(“And then the end will come”. Once again, this is clear, plain, face-value language. After these first FIVE TRIBULATION SEALS, which began in or around AD 30, and have continued progressively to overlap and gain in intensity, THE END WILL COME.)
Matthew 24:29, says,“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light
(Perhaps it would be a good idea to read this verse again. It begins with “IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those days”. This is rich with information.
( The tribulation of THOSE DAYS are the days from AD 30 through the current date; tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE.)
(“Immediately after the tribulation of those days”, should explain itself. But, just in case, let me say, “THOSE DAYS” refers to the days already discussed (tribulation Seals One through Five). Now , Jesus is moving our attention to what follows the first 5 Seals of the tribulation: THE SIXTH SEAL.)
(“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” is also found in Revelation 6:12-16, and uses the exact language. It is the SIXTH SEAL of the tribulation, which is yet a FUTURE EVENT.)
NOTE: ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS OR SAYS THESE VERSES ARE SIMPLY METAPHORICAL AND WILL NOT PLAY OUT AS DESCRIBED, ARE FALSE PROPHETS, FALSE TEACHERS AND ARE AIDING THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST. (Other places in Revelation, you will find metaphors, allegories, imagery and similes to describe what was indescribable, such as, “The Lamb of God” to describe Jesus, “The Dragon” to describe Satan, or “The Four Beasts” to describe Satan, Babylon and Lucifer. The reader must learn to distinguish the difference.)
Many protestant pastors, preachers and Bible teachers adhere firmly to the John Nelson Darby version of the pre-tribulation rapture. These people with good intentions and most are good men and women, yet, they are sorely misinformed; or, perhaps, some are lazy in their study of scriptures or they could be ignorant about what scriptures say and mean. None-the-less, they are guilty of false teaching and of teaching a false prophecy. (I know this sounds harsh and perhaps even arrogant, please forgive me. But this matter is so very urgent that I believe strongs words and a stronger empasis is needed.)
Please hear me, friends. Things are getting worse, even as I write this, and, things are going to get a lot worse as the time of the Rapture (The 6th Tribulation Seal) draws near. You and I need to prepare, both Spiritually and physically, for these difficult times.
I have presented the Spiritual side of the coming day of the Great Tribulation and of the coming day of God’s Wrath in this article.
The Bible tells us to be ready, for we do not know the day nor the hour when the Lord will return, and if you did know, you wouldbe on the alert, “and would not have allowed your house to be broken into”. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
In conclusion, let me ask you, if you knew a hurricane or a major destructive storm was coming, what would you do to get ready? (Please answer this. Make a short list using these lines). I would:
Know your Bible. Know the sequence. Be Ready, found doing as He has said. Endure to the end and be saved !!
The 2nd Advent of Christ (the second coming of Jesus) is one event which can be seen from TWO PERSPECTIVES: One perspective as seen from the earth; the other perspective, from John’s prophetic vision, is seen as it unfolds – a Spiritual and Heavenly perspective!
Look at it this way: When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. it was a category 5 storm; As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm; then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm; and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event.
To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event. But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion.
SO IT IS WITH THE ‘LAST DAYS’ AND THE 2nd COMING OF JESUS as seen in the breaking of the ‘Seven Seals of the Book’ as recorded in Revelation chapters 5,6,7 and 8; although, the breaking of each Seal may seem like seven different events, if viewed “from above” it is ONE CONTINUOUS EVENT (eschatological STORM), progressively unfolding to its conclusion.
Breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation,
The beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord,
The beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week also known as the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation,
Jesus’ SECOND ADVENT,
The Rapture of the Church,
The heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True,
From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and
He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty
Why does it matter?
Jesus tells us that it matters because we must ‘endure to the end’ and know the sequence of events will help us to ‘not lose heart and faint’.
The apostle Paul tells us that it matters, because “God takes no pleasure in the one who shrinks back”, and knowing that our ‘salvation draw near’ will help us endure to the end.
Jesus tells us it matters and that we must stay alert be found doing what He has commanded when He returns, or we may be “assigned a place with the hypocrites”. Knowing the day is near will help us stay focused and ready for His return.
(Please note that I use page links in lieu of references and footnotes. You can listen to this article by audio and pause the audio to follow page links then resume the audio when you are ready.)
THERE IS A COSMIC STORM COMING
You and I need to be ready for what is at hand, because we are expected to endure to the end of our appointed time, then God will intervene and take us home.
Where Do We Go From Here?
I have admired and listened to Dr. David Jeremiah for 35 years. Over the last 14 years, however, I have not agreed with his view of Bible eschatology. I listened to a recent message by Dr. Jeremiah, on his website, titled, “Where do we go from here?” In that message he gave 3 points on HOW we are to respond to the troubles in these Last Days:
#1. Worship the Glorified Christ – the more you worship, the less you worry
#2. Embrace your Global Mission – We have a mission that is global. Take the Gospel to the entire globe.
#3. Anticipate your glorious Hope – Never fear. He is coming back to establish His eternal Kingdom.
(Oh. And, yes. #4. Buy his books.)
So, this is the answer of “Where we go from here”?
(1) We stare skyward, worship, embrace evangelism and anticipate Jesus’ return. Let’s get honest, here.
(2) We sit. We do that pretty well.
(3) We worship. We do that OK, probably once or twice a week for about 15 minutes each time.
(4) We evangelize the world. We are not doing too good at that one. We actually ‘give, because we can’t or won’t GO’. We tend to stay separate from the world and leave this one up to the ‘professionals’.
(5) We are really good at anticipating Jesus’ return, because most Christians just ‘stare skyward’, but do very little more than that.
So, I guess what Dr. Jeremiah is saying is nothing new for the 20th and 21st centuries. But, he is not alone in this type of teaching and assessment. (Could this be reason the church and church attendance is in decline?
The pastor of a church we used to attend, is preaching on these same matters. His advice is the same.
(1). When asked, ” when are the end times?”, his anwser is, “Near”. (However, If you read Acts 2:14-21 you will see it is NOW, not near)
(2). When asked, “What are we to do?”, his answer is, “Thrive Love Worship.”
All good things.
But, I am certain that they are either underestimating the urgency of our mission and the severity of what is at hand or they really don’t know what to do beyond what they have listed (and, for certain, those are good things).
However, we are on a Mission. And, God has never, ever, been gentle to those who shirk or draw back from the Mission. Even Jesus says, “Why do you call me Lord, when you do not do the things I have told you? I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work lawlessness.”
Somehow, these preachers think the ‘End Times’, (more correctly, Last Days), won’t intensify until the Church is raptured off the earth. It is true that the Judgments of God will intensify as He moves from the Seal Judgment to the Trumpet Judgments and then into the Bowl Judgments.
(Please note: my commentary on the following Bible verses are in parentheses and color coded blue)
Matthew 24:4 says, “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
(this includes misinformed pastors, preachers, bible teachers)
Verse 5. “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,and they will lead many astray.
(1) This can be someone literally saying ‘I am the Christ’, (2) but, it is more likely it will be someone who considers themselves as an emissary of Christ – such as ‘ordained pastors’ – who speak for Christ, but are blindly following denominational doctrine which are incorrect; or, (3) as we are clearly seeing, now, in our day, it is ‘institutional deception’,where entire denominations fall away from the clear teachings of Jesus and lead millions astray)
Verse 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. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
(There have been wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes since recorded history. So, concerning the ‘End Times’, which wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes should we refer to? These things must occur in conjunction with ALL THE SIGNS and WARNING from Jesus and the Bible
(And, don’t miss the little phrase, “but the end is not yet”, as verse eight will elaborate.)
Verse 8. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
(1) 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 (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(the preceeding paragraph was taken from the “Daniel Training Network”)
This makes clear that the Last Days and the opening of the tribulation Seals began in our around AD 30. Other references which confirm this date as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy and John, are found in :
(Also please see this teaching by Pastor and Teacher, John Piper on the timing of the End Times).
Verse 9. “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.
(This is so clear and in such plain language, I regret having to point it out: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death”. So, “YOU WILL BE DELIVERED UP TO TRIBULATION”. How much more intense can this be, than being put to death for Jesus name’s sake? The tribulation, Seals 1 through 4 have been described as having started, by Jesus, Himself, in the year AD 30.)
Verse 10. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
(First – This is the hallmark of the Great Apostasy, found in these verses and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. Furthermore, “And then” translates from the Greek word, “tote”, in this case means of the future, also in consecution, i.e., the act of following, or the condition of being in a series; that which is consecutive; succession; sequence.
(Secondly – “fall away” is the Greek word ‘skandalizó’ and means to entrap, i.e., trip up (figuratively, stumble) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure).
Verse 11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 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.
(Verses 11 through 14 give us a major time line identifier through a concurrence of events: (1) many false prophets will arise and lead many astray; (2) lawlessness will be increased; (3) the love of many will grow cold.)
(“The one who endures to the end”, must be kept in context of the surrounding verses. So, the one who endures to the end of these events – Which Events? – The tribulation seals ONE through FIVE)
(“And then the end will come”. Once again, this is clear, plain, face-value language. After these first FIVE TRIBULATION SEALS, which began in or around AD 30, and have continued progressively to overlap and gain in intensity, THE END WILL COME.)
Matthew 24:29, says,“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light
(Perhaps it would be a good idea to read this verse again. It begins with “IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those days”. This is rich with information.
( The tribulation of THOSE DAYS are the days from AD 30 through the current date; tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE.)
(“Immediately after the tribulation of those days”, should explain itself. But, just in case, let me say, “THOSE DAYS” refers to the days already discussed (tribulation Seals One through Five). Now , Jesus is moving our attention to what follows the first 5 Seals of the tribulation: THE SIXTH SEAL.)
(“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” is also found in Revelation 6:12-16,and uses the exact language. It is theSIXTH SEALof the tribulation, which is yet a FUTURE EVENT.)
NOTE: ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS OR SAYS THESE VERSES ARE SIMPLY METAPHORICAL AND WILL NOT PLAY OUT AS DESCRIBED, ARE FALSE PROPHETS, FALSE TEACHERS AND ARE AIDING THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST. (Other places in Revelation, you will find metaphors, allegories, imagery and similes to describe what was indescribable, such as, “The Lamb of God” to describe Jesus, “The Dragon” to describe Satan, or “The Four Beasts” to describe Satan, Babylon and Lucifer. The reader must learn to distinguish the difference.)
Many protestant pastors, preachers and Bible teachers adhere firmly to the John Nelson Darby version of the pre-tribulation rapture. These people with good intentions and most are good men and women, yet, they are sorely misinformed; or, perhaps, some are lazy in their study of scriptures or they could be ignorant about what scriptures say and mean. None-the-less, they are guilty of false teaching and of teaching a false prophecy. (I know this sounds harsh and perhaps even arrogant, please forgive me. But this matter is so very urgent that I believe strongs words and a stronger empasis is needed.)
Please hear me, friends. Things are getting worse, even as I write this, and, things are going to get a lot worse as the time of the Rapture (The 6th Tribulation Seal) draws near. You and I need to prepare, both Spiritually and physically, for these difficult times.
I have presented the Spiritual side of the coming day of the Great Tribulation and of the coming day of God’s Wrath in this article.
The Bible tells us to be ready, for we do not know the day nor the hour when the Lord will return, and if you did know, you wouldbe on the alert, “and would not have allowed your house to be broken into”. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
In conclusion, let me ask you, if you knew a hurricane or a major destructive storm was coming, what would you do to get ready? (Please answer this. Make a short list using these lines). I would:
IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE: Don’t be deceived. There is only ONE Second Coming of Christ. There will be only ONE Rapture. There will be only ONE Armageddon.
Know your Bible. Know the sequence. Be Ready, found doing as He has said. Endure to the end and be saved !!
The 2nd Advent of Christ (the second coming of Jesus) is one event which can be seen from TWO PERSPECTIVES: One perspective as seen from the earth; the other perspective, from John’s prophetic vision, is seen as it unfolds – a Spiritual and Heavenly perspective!
Look at it this way: When Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. it was a category 5 storm; As Irma progressed up the peninsula of Florida, it became a category 4 storm; then as it entered Alabama it became a category 3 storm; and finally as it entered Georgia, Irma became a tropical storm; and later as it entered Tennessee, it became a rain event.
To those in the various states which hurricane Irma entered, it would have appeared to them that Irma might have been 5 different storms, occurring consecutively; first a Category 5 storm, then, a Category 4 storm, then, a Category 3 hurricane, then, a Tropical storm, and, finally, a rain event. But if viewed “From Above” it was ONE CONTINUOUS STORM, progressively unfolding to its conclusion.
SO IT IS WITH THE ‘LAST DAYS’ AND THE 2nd COMING OF JESUS as seen in the breaking of the ‘Seven Seals of the Book’ as recorded in Revelation chapters 5,6,7 and 8; although, the breaking of each Seal may seem like seven different events, if viewed “from above” it is ONE CONTINUOUS EVENT (eschatological STORM), progressively unfolding to its conclusion.
Breaking of the 6th Seal of the Tribulation,
The beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord,
The beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week also known as the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation,
Jesus’ SECOND ADVENT,
The Rapture of the Church,
The heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True,
From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and
He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty
Why does it matter?
Jesus tells us that it matters because we must ‘endure to the end’ and know the sequence of events will help us to ‘not lose heart and faint’.
The apostle Paul tells us that it matters, because “God takes no pleasure in the one who shrinks back”, and knowing that our ‘salvation draw near’ will help us endure to the end.
Jesus tells us it matters and that we must stay alert be found doing what He has commanded when He returns, or we may be “assigned a place with the hypocrites”. Knowing the day is near will help us stay focused and ready for His return.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
(PS: 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, andthe 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.”
(You can listen by audio and pause the audio to follow page links for important details on these teachings; then resume the audio when you are ready. Please note that I use page links for important details and in lieu of footnotes and references.)
“Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18.
These words were written by John of Patmos, (John the Apostle), in or around 85 to 95 A.D. This is significant because John is telling us two important things:
#1. John is telling us that the Last Days or the End of Time had already begun in or around A.D. 85. “From this we know that it is the last hour”. The term, “the last hour”, in the Greek language, ésxatos, means “future things”; it is the root of “eschatology” which is “the study of last things“. This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times..
#2.John is not referring to the person of the Antichrist, also known as the ‘son of perdition’, ‘the man of lawlessness’, ‘the son of destruction’, when he wrote “Now many antichrists have appeared”. He is referring to the spirit of antichrist,
“And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.” 1 John 4:3.
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2 John 1:7
I am breaking this study into 2 parts. The first part is about “The Last Hour”, so we can understand the timing and placement of John’s comments about the ‘spirit of antichrist’ and the coming day of ‘the antichrist’. The second part is about the appearing of the Antichrist and what that means for this world.
Part 1. THE LAST HOUR
There is a general misconception about John’s comments about “The Last Hour”. While I was in Bible college, the prevailing teaching was that John said these things based on his perspective at the time. John had seen and experienced persecution by the Jewish Pharisees and had seen his friends, the other Apostles, murdered by the Roman government and that his isolation on the remote island of Patmos had led John to see these as the “Last Days”.
However, Jesus and his disciples, (the Apostles), had been talking about and referring to the period, from as early as A.D. 1, as the “Last Days”.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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, “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.
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, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?”
This was written Around AD 60.
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?”
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:11, tells us, “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.”
However, as we draw nearer to the “The Last Days”, and as we continue to closely examine and re-examine the Bible’s Eschatological teachings in light of the concurrence and convergence of events, the matters of The Tribulation period and The Last Days come into clearer focus.
Matthew 24:32-33 tells us, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: likewise, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Knowing about and watching for “the season of the tribulation” which is the fulfillment or the end of these things, can help you know when the tribulation period began and when the “Great Tribulation” also known as the “Great and Terrible Day of the Lord” will begin, so you can be ready.
I realize these distinctions have been obscured by past misconceptions and that this can be considered as a great mystery, but, it need not be. I am providing a summery Biblical Tribulation Time line and a videos to assist you:
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.
A.2. With the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal, (also known as the beginning of the Great Tribulation or The Great and Terrible Day of The Lord), 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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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 AD 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”.
As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Verse 30. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Verse 31. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
B.3.The “7 years of Great Tribulation” , (aka Daniel’s 70th week), begins with the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal, will reach the mid-point of the tribulation period, (after 3.5 years) with the sounding of the 6th Trumpet of the Great Tribulation.
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. (This article concerns the first 6 Seals).
Here is a comparison between Jesus’ Words in Matthew and Revelation regarding the first 6 Tribulation Seals:
the 2nd Tribulation Seal – Wars and Rumors of War. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 3rd Tribulation Seal – Famine. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
the 4th Tribulation Seal – Death. (This Seal was broken between A.D. 1 and A.D. 95, has been ongoing and has been overlapping the other Seals, and has been intensifying.)
The 6th Tribulation Seal – Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun.(The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is yet to come. It is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period, also known as The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord or the Wrath of the Lamb.)
The Sounding of a Trumpet.
The Rapture.
Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God.
Sealing of the 144,000.
Watch each of the 5 videos on this page, which explain the Pre-Wrath Rapture and teaching commentary on this subject by Pastor John Piper. Please watch, listen, pray and think.
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2 John 1:7
Video series below:
6 Proofs of a Pre-Wrath Rapture.
Rapture Ready or Not – Part 1 – Zion’s Hope –
Rapture Ready or Not – Part 2A – Zion’s Hope –
Rapture Ready or Not – Part 2B – Zion’s Hope –
Rapture Read or Not – Part 3 – Zion’s Hope-
Rapture Ready or Not – Part 4C – Zion’s Hope –
Rapture Ready or Not – Part 4B – Zion’s Hope –
The 6th Tribulation Seal: Transition from tribulation to Wrath – The Fuel Project –
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.
AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL MARKER:
WHY IT ALL BEGAN
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.
This 
What I have described is generally known as the 
