Signs Of The End Times

[murjahel]

How did the ARK get to Ethiopia?

The story has been well publicized since 1935. In the "Saturday Evening Post" of September 21, 1935, an article called "The King of Kings" by Gordon MacCreaugh. In this article, the author had an interview with Haile Selassie. He tells of a record kept guarded in ancient churches, that the ARK is in a church in Aksum.

The record tells how the Queen of Sheba went to visit King Solomon, and later bore to Solomon, a son, named Menelik. When Menelik was a young man, he visited Solomon. Solomon so pleased with Menelik that he had an exact reproduction of the ARK made for this son.

At a farewell party given for Menelik, the priests were drunk, and the ARKS were switched. Menelik took the original ARK back to Ethiopia.

The Encyclopedia Britannica says under "Aksum, Ethiopia":
"It (Aksum) contains the ancient church where according to tradition the tabot, or ARK OF THE COVENANT, brought from Jerusalem, by the son of Solomon and the queen of Sheba, was deposited and is still supposed to rest."

The ARK is now in Aksum. This was the ancient capital of Ethiopia, in Tigre province. The city is at an altitude of 7000 feet on a mountain. This ARK is in the Church of St. Mary of Zion.

Shortly before Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, the B'nai B'rith Messenger reported:
"The tablets of the law received by Moses on Mt. Sinai and the ARK OF THE COVENANT, both said to have been brought to Ethiopia from Jerusalem by Menelik, the son of king Solomon and the queen of Sheba, who was the founder of the present Abyssinian dynasty have been removed to the mountain stronghold of Abyssinia for safe keeping because of the impending Italian invasion according to word received here from Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia."

The Hebrew word for "ensign" is the word "nes". It does not always refer to the same thing. In Isaiah 11:10, it refers to Christ. In Isaiah 11:12, it refers to a symbol of Christ. In Numbers 21:8-9, it refers to a pole, a symbol of Christ.

The ARK is a perfect "ensign" for it showed the glory of God as pictured by Jesus Christ:

being made of wood and gold, it shows the union of mankind and deity in the person of Jesus.

the ARK disappeared from Israel, so Christ ascended after His resurrection.

the ARK will be returned to Israel, and be placed on Mt. Zion, as Christ will soon return and put a throne on Mt. Zion.

for a time, a substitute Ark was honored by unsuspecting Jews... and during the tribulation, the Antichrist will be accepted as the Messiah by many Jews.

The Jews will return to Israel, even more than they have thus far. The return has thus far mostly been a physical return. There will be a spiritual return of the Jews to Jehovah.

Isaiah 10:21-22
"The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God. For though Thy people Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return."

It is the returning of the "ensign"
that will spark the revival to Judaism.

Isaiah 5:26
"And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from afar, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth, and behold they shall come with speed swiftly."

Isaiah 56:7-8
"Even them will I bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer: their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar."

Isaiah 11:11-12
"And He shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

As this ARK is brought back to the land of Israel, the waters will part in the Red Sea, and the ARK will be carried over on dry ground.

Isaiah 11:15-16
"And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea; and with His mighty wind shall He shake His hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men to go over dry shod."

Isaiah 27:12-13
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem."

Zechariah 2:5
"For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."

The Antichrist (called the "Assyrian" by Isaiah) will initially be afraid of the ARK. This fear will make him willing to sign a treaty with them.

Isaiah 31:8-9
"Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, and he shall passover to his stronghold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, Whose fire is in Zion."

This return of the ARK
will precede the millennium.

Ezekiel 37:28
"The heathen (there are no "heathen" in the millennium) shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore."

If a tabernacle of David needs to be erected when the ARK returns, then the Temple must not yet be completed at that time. The Temple will be defiled for 2300 days (Daniel 8:13-14, Matthew 24:15). The tribulation has two periods of 1260 days meaning 2520 days total. The Temple is cleansed 30 days later. That means 2550 days after the start of the tribulation, the Temple will be cleansed. If we subtract the 2300 days which will be the total of the defiling of the Temple, we find that the Temple must be defiled on the 250th day of the tribulation.

So the unfinished Temple (when the ARK is returned) is finished and defiled on the 250th day of the tribulation. Thus the ARK is found much before that.

The return of the ARK will announce the fact
that the second coming of Jesus will be soon.

Psalms 102:16
"When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory."

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY
ABOUT THIS TEMPLE OF THE LAST DAYS?

Verse 16
Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains

When the Antichrist comes to Judea, after battling and defeating a resurgent Russia, he comes to the Temple. Israel is told then by Jesus to flee from him and go to the mountains of Edom and Moab, and there in Petra will they dwell till Jesus returns.

Contrary to popular belief, the Antichrist will not rule all of the world, even Edom and Moab escape the Antichrist.

Revelation 12:6 (KJV)
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Revelation 12:14 (KJV)
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Verse 17
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house

When Israel flees from Judea they will do it so hurriedly, that they need to not take their valuables, lest they be overtaken by the armies of the antichrist.

Verse 19
woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days

Jesus warns in this sermon that it will be hard on women with children, or women about to give birth, in this flight from the antichrist.

Verse 20
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day

Jesus expects these words of the sermon to be known and heeded, as encouragement to pray about the coming events of the last days. It would be more difficult in winter to flee, and their laws limit what they can do non the sabbath, for they could not travel more than one mile on the sabbath.

Verse 21
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be

These events which Jesus is foretelling here in this sermon, are going to happen in the last half of the tribulation, the last 3 and a half years of the seven year tribulation.

Verse 22
shortened

This means ‘curtailed’. The persecution time will be shortened, not the 1260 days themselves. God has prophesied how long the tribulation is, to the day, so that will not change, but the amount of that time under mistreatment will be shortened. They will rest safely in Petra.

Verse 23
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not

There will be false messiahs, for the devil is still seeking to deceive them.

For Verse 24
shew great signs and wonders

When they realize the antichrist is not the messiah, others will step in to show signs and wonders, using satanic powers, and try to mislead Israel.

Verse 26
he is in the desert... secret chambers

To try to lead Israel astray, one of the tactics will be to get them to leave Petra by promising the real messiah is out in the desert. Anyone claiming to be Christ (Mt. 24:23). Promising them that there are secret caves out in the desert where the messiah is supposedly hiding and can be found there, the lies of the devil are only meant to get them out of the safe place God has provided for them, i.e. Petra.

http://www.wnd.com/2014/06/torah-condition-for-3rd-temple-now-met/

 

[murjahel]

SIGN 8
ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION




Matthew 24:15 (KJV)
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)


THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION was explained to Daniel in detail. Jesus shows acquaintance with the writing of Daniel, much to the chagrin of those who want to make Daniel’s writings to be works of others much later than when Daniel truly wrote. Jesus had studied and read all of the prophets, and explained from ‘all’ of them, the things concerning Himself. Oh, that we had all those sermons!

Daniel shows, beginning in chapter 8, some shocking predictive prophecies.

Suddenly Daniel is "slain" in the Spirit.
Daniel 8:17-18
"...I stood... fell upon my face... in a deep sleep upon the ground."

God wanted to speak with Daniel, and therefore, as God sometimes does when He wants to speak to us, Daniel fell prostrate before the Lord. In our times, some are "slain in the Spirit." Some try to make this just a demonstration of the power of God. Yet, many who have been "slain in the Spirit," have stood back up still sick, still in temptation, etc. The act of being "slain in the Spirit", when it is legitimate, has always occurred when God wants to speak to a person, or persons. Even sinners are shown to be "slain in the Spirit" in the Bible. It is not a sideshow of God, it is a pronouncement of God that He wants to speak. Those who are "slain in the Spirit" should remain down until they hear God's message for them. Daniel remained down, and listened to a great revelation of details about the last days.

Not only are not all who are "slain in the Spirit" healed, but in Daniel's case, he became very sick.
Daniel 8:27
"And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up..."

After the vision, after the visit of Gabriel, and after the message from God, Daniel was very, very sick for days. This may ruin the concept of many today. Some will teach that sickness is a sign of a lack of faith, but this would show a blessed prophet in the midst of receiving one of the greatest blessings of his life, sick, and utterly sick! We, today, should not fear the experience of being "slain in the Spirit", but we should not try to simply make it a sideshow of God either. It is not an event that an evangelist should use, to make the people give him a standing ovation. It is an event that occurs when God is trying to speak to someone. Perhaps if the sick person would remain down on their back, or face, after being "slain in the Spirit", they would hear God's purpose in the sickness, or discover from God the sin that keeps some from receiving their healing, or find the blessing and demonstration of power that God wants to reveal in their coming miracle. Instead, many jump up from the experience, and think the experience itself was designed to announce their miracle. Had Daniel jumped up, after being "slain in the Spirit", he would have missed this great revelation from God.

Daniel 8:13-14
"Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary, and the host to be trodden under foot?
And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."

Daniel 9:27
"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week 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 12:11
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."

The Jews have in measure returned to the land of Israel. Many more shall return soon. The return began with the restoration of the nation of Israel, after nearly two thousand years of not being a nation. In May of 1948 there was a restoration of the land. Soon there will be a spiritual restoration. The spiritual restoration will begin with the return of the true Ark from the land of Ethiopia. The prophecies of the Bible tell of it being carried from Ethiopia, and passing on dry ground across the Red Sea. The cloud by day, and the fire by night above it will draw attention to the miraculous nature of the God of this Ark. The world will note this great event. Many Jews who have not yet returned to Israel will then return, and a revival of the Jews back to their old covenant with God will occur. The Ark will be placed in a tent on Mt. Zion, and the Temple will be hurriedly finished.

Because of the defeat of Russia, as recorded in Ezekiel 38-39, and the obvious Presence of an Almighty God about this Ark, the Antichrist will fear the Jewish nation. Therefore, although contrary to his nature, he will sign a treaty with them that will insure their right to offer sacrifices at the Temple, and to worship Jehovah. Many Jews will believe that this Antichrist is the promised Messiah, since he offers peace, and seems to honor the same Jehovah.

The Ark being returned, the masses of Jews now in revival to Jehovah, the shekinah glory again over Jerusalem, shall make many to proclaim "Peace, peace!" On day 250 of the tribulation, the Antichrist shall go to the city of Jerusalem to sign the treaty with Israel. He shall enter the Temple to show his acceptance of the Jewish worship of Jehovah. Many will claim him to be the Messiah.

This event is mentioned in Daniel 8:13-14 (KJV) where it mentions the beginning of the "daily sacrifice". The Jews will, now that the Ark is back in the Holy of Holies of the Temple, begin to sacrifice lambs, oxen, turtle doves, and goats to the Lord Jehovah at the burnt altar.

The very presence of the Antichrist at this event is called the "TRANSGRESSION OF DESOLATION." The word "transgression" is the Hebrew word "pesha." In the Greek Septuagint, it is translated with the word "hamartia." These words mean "sin, missing the mark." The Jews miss the true Messiah, they should have accepted, they sin in accepting this imposter of the devil as the Messiah. It is a terrible day. That is why it is called that "transgression of desolation." It is the sin that makes the event a waste, utterly ruins what could have been a great day. This is not the ‘abomination of desolation’, but the ‘transgression of desolation’. Many days later, after the ‘transgression’, the ‘abomination’ will occur. It is far worse than the former.

From that event of ruining the opening sacrifice of the Temple, until the cleansing of the Temple by the true Messiah will be 2300 days. After the Lord Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation, He will help us defeat the Antichrist, and his armies, then go to Petra, and return with the repentant Jewish people who have been hiding there from the Antichrist. When Jesus comes into the city of Jerusalem with the Jewish people who are now proclaiming Him to be the true Messiah, He will cleanse the Temple.

The event of the Antichrist attending the sacrificial service at the Temple begins a terrible 2300 days for Israel. They enter a deception of the devil designed to bring many to a damnable death. The Antichrist deceives many Jews and people of the world.

Daniel 8:25
"And through his policy (sekel = skill, understanding), also shall cause craft (mirmah = deceit) to prosper in his hand: and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace (shalvah, not shalom, = rest, security, ease [only time used in the Bible]) shall destroy many."

This Antichrist is an evil man. He deceives, promises peace, and shows forth many signs. Yet, he is very evil. In Daniel 8:12, and 24, it says that he "practised." This is the Hebrew word - "asah", which is usually used to refer to "making evil." The Antichrist is a very evil, destructive, deceitful, man.

After 1260 days of the tribulation, the Antichrist enters the Temple again. This time, his main cohort, the false prophet, sets up an idol of the Antichrist in the Holy of Holies. The Antichrist declares that the sacrificing should cease to Jehovah. The worship of the Antichrist is ordered, and the worship of Jehovah is forbidden. This event is called the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.

Revelation 13:11-15
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake like a dragon.
And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him; and causes the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast: saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

In Daniel 9:27, the word for "abomination" is different from the word "transgression" in 8:13-14. This word is the Hebrew word - "shiqquts". It means "detestable, filthy, causing utter pollution." This event is MUCH WORSE than the "missing the true" target of the first time he entered the temple. This time he commits a sin so horrible that it is utterly detestable. This desolation, or making of total waste the Temple site, continues until the cleansing of it by Jesus 1290 days later. It is at this time that the Presence of God departs from the Temple, and goes to Petra where He will plead with His people to accept the true Messiah.

Matthew 24:15
"When ye therefore shall see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken by Daniel, the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)... then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains."

In this sermon of Matthew 24 and 25, we find that Jesus warned the people of the last days to not go into the Holy of Holies when this idol of the Antichrist is set up there. They are to know to go no further than the Holy Place, which is the first of the two rooms of the Temple worship center. If anyone enters the Holy of Holies and does not worship the idol image of the Antichrist, they will be killed by the image.

When this event occurs in the middle of the tribulation, the Jews, who have thought that this evil man was the Messiah, will realize that he is not. They will recall this teaching of Daniel and flee to the mountain stronghold of Petra.

II Thessalonians 2:4
"...who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God..."

Here Paul warns that the Antichrist will try to set himself up to be as God. He will attempt to make the Temple of God in Jerusalem his site, and his possession. This is an ABOMINATION to God.

The Jews who flee to the mountains will anger this evil Antichrist. He will attempt to drown them. There is a canal now being finished that will run from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. Some have speculated, and I probably concur, that it is likely that the Jews will use this dry canal as an escape route from the angry Antichrist. He will probably open the water gates to hope to drown these Jews who have rebelled against him. The earth will open up and swallow those waters.

Jesus will return from heaven 1260 days after the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION. The Jews in Petra will by that time have come to realize that, not only was the Antichrist not the Messiah, but that Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified nearly 2000 years earlier is the true Messiah. As they call out for Jesus to forgive them and return to them... we, the saints, in heaven will return with Jesus and defeat this evil Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon.

Within 30 days, the battle will have been won, the Antichrist and the false prophet slain and put into the lake of fire (1000 years before anyone else). Then Jesus will cleanse the Temple site exactly 2300 days after the Antichrist first stepped his foot on the site of this Temple.

The Hebrew word for "cleanse" is "tsadaq". It literally means "to become righteous, to be counted as righteous, or to be put into a position of right standing before God." The Lord Jesus will evict the image of the Antichrist, and show Himself to the world to be the true Messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. He will be worshipped there. No longer will the Temple be a site of total worthlessness, waste, and pollution before God. We, the saints, will rule and reign with this conquering Jesus.

 

[murjahel]

GREAT TRIBULATION
SIGN 9
part 1


Matthew 24:21 (KJV)
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.


A SEVEN YEAR TIME OF TROUBLE FOR ISRAEL

From Jeremiah, Daniel had learned there would be seventy years of captivity because of Israel's sins.

Jeremiah 25:11
"And the whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."

Then in the writings of Moses, Daniel learned about a prophetic curse for Israel.

Leviticus 26:14-18
"But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments ... ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it... they that hate you shall reign over you... And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins."

Thus, Daniel knew that the captivity was to last 70 years, and if the children of Israel did not repent of their evil ways, they would suffer seven times more judgment from God. This 7 times 70 years would finish the judgment of Israel.

Gabriel comes to Daniel and says:
Daniel 9:24
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression."

The "seventy weeks" is literally "seventy sevens". The word for "weeks" here is the Hebrew word - "shabua". It means "sevens." Since Daniel knew the 70 referred to literal years, he knew that the 7 times 70, would mean 490 more years of judgment for Israel.

The seventy sevens of years was to start when the decree was given to return and rebuild Jerusalem. This came on March 14, 445 B.C. Artaxerxes issued the decree in the 20th year of his reign. This was the husband of Esther.

Nehemiah 2:1-8
"And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, the king, that wine was before him; and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou are not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me."

It was prophesied to Daniel that it would take seven sevens of years (49 years) to rebuild Jerusalem. This also occurred as prophesied, for in exactly 49 years the city had been rebuilt. In the year 396 B.C., the city was completely rebuilt.

Then there would be 62 more sevens of years (434 years) until the Messiah would be "cut off." This indicates that in sixty nine sevens (483 years), the Messiah would be "cut off." This is 69 times 360 days = 173,880 days later. On this date, April 6, A.D. 32, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Passover occurred on Nisan 14, which was April 10 (Thursday in A.D. 32). He presented Himself as the Messiah, and three days later was crucified. The prophecy was exact to the day. The end of the 69th seven was to be marked with the appearance of the Messiah, as the "Prince."

The coming of the Messiah was to be officially announced on the day wherein the Christ made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This was proclaimed in the Old Testament prophecy of Zechariah.

Zechariah 9:9
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

The Jews, who knew prophetic Scripture better than many Christians do today, saw the Lord Jesus riding on the colt into the city of Jerusalem, they knew this was a statement and claim to be the promised Messiah. Jesus did this on the exact day predicted by the prophecy of Daniel.

There has been a pause between the 69th and the 70th seven. There are seven years more left for the Jewish people. The interval is called the church age. For nearly 2000 years God has been dealing with the Gentiles, and using the church to evangelize the world. Soon God will turn back to the Jews and finish the seven years. This one seven year period that is yet left to occur is commonly called the tribulation. It is to be marked by the appearance of the "prince that shall come." (Daniel 9:26). This is the Antichrist.

During the last of the 70 sevens, the Antichrist will confirm a covenant with the Jewish people. The covenant will be broken by the Antichrist in the middle of the tribulation. This divides the last seven years into two halves of 3 1/2 years.

Daniel 9:27
"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."

In Daniel 12:11, the last half of the tribulation, the 1260 days, has another 30 days added to it. This extra 30 days includes the battle of Armageddon, the gathering of the Jews in Petra, and the cleansing of the Temple. Then in verse 12, another 45 days are added to the 1290. These 45 days are the judgments of the humans left alive after the battle of Armageddon. The Lord will determine which ones will enter into the time of the millennial reign on the earth. (See Matthew 25:31-46) Certainly, the ones who survive to this point are "blessed", for they are can enter into the millennial blessings, and be ruled in peace and harmony during the next 1000 years.

God has had a purpose
for the seventy sevens given to Israel.

In fact, the purpose of this chapter 9 of Daniel is to reveal the covenant that God is making with Israel. God makes a covenant to give Israel just 490 more years. In that 490 years, God promises to do certain things. God has plans for Israel, and His plans tell us that He will do certain things in just 490 more years of dealing with Israel.

Jehovah is a covenant maker. "Jehovah" means in a literal sense - "I am, I was, I will be..." Throughout Daniel, the names "Adonai", which means "Lord" or "Master"; and "Elohim", which means "Almighty God" are used. Yet, in chapter 9, the name "Jehovah is used seven times. This name stresses the eternal nature of God. The name Jehovah is also used when stressing God's covenant nature. When God makes a covenant, it is certain that He will fulfill its tenets, for He is eternal. Some people with whom we may make covenant, will die before they can fulfill their end of the deal. However, with God, He is eternal, and He will (though it take 490 years of dealing with Israel) fulfill His end of the covenant.

In Daniel 9:24, the reasons for the 490 years are plainly stated. He is making a covenant promise to Israel, and promises to accomplish certain things in those 490 years.

Daniel 9:24
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people
and upon the holy city,
to finish the transgression,
and to make an end of sins,
and to make reconciliation for iniquity,
and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
and to seal up the vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the Most Holy."

TO FINISH THE TRANSGRESSION

The word for "transgression" is the Hebrew word "pasha", which means "revolt, rebel." Israel's great revolt was to turn away the true Messiah. The seventy sevens of years will complete that revolt, and bring them to a place where they will finally accept the true Messiah. The nation of Israel will eventually be converted.

Romans 11:25-27
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits: that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."


TO MAKE AN END OF SINS CONCERNING ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM

This will be accomplished at the second coming of Jesus. Jesus will come back after the 490th year of the seventy sevens of years that Daniel explains.

Ezekiel 37:26-28
"Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."

TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR INIQUITY

The Hebrew word for "reconciliation" is "kaphar". This word means to cover," or "to make atonement." This event was done at the end of year 483, of the 490 years, on the cross of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:20-21
"And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet, now hath He reconciled."

TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS


Jesus will do this when He ushers in the Millennium. This is at the close of the 490 years of dealing with the nation of Israel. The world has longed for a time of peace, righteousness, and justice. The world sees more crime, turmoil, sin, and debauchery than ever before. Politicians promise and promise. They cannot give the world perfect justice and righteousness. Our Lord has set aside 490 years of dealing with Israel and the world and intends to bring at the close of those 490 years the righteous kingdom that He has promised.

Isaiah 9:7
"Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this."

TO SEAL UP THE VISION AND PROPHECY

All the prophecies concerning Israel and Jerusalem will be fulfilled by the end of the 490 years. All of us are impatient. We long to see the rapture, the second coming, etc. Israel has also been prophesied concerning great and wonderful events. They have waited (sometimes impatiently) for these to occur. The Lord has promised to bring fulfill all the prophesied blessings by the end of the 490 years.

Joel 4:16-18
"The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain; then shall Jerusalem be holy... the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord..."

TO ANOINT THE MOST HOLY

This refers to the cleansing of the Holy of Holies of the Temple. The Lord Jesus will at the end of the 490th year enter the Temple in Jerusalem which the Antichrist has defiled with His presence and with the image of himself that was to be worshipped. Jesus will cleanse that place with His presence. The abomination of desolations will be ended.

Daniel 9:14
"And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."

Thus, Daniel has revealed to him, 490 years of God to complete His dealings with Israel. He was shown what the covenant promise would include. He saw many details about those 490 years. Perhaps, or should I say - probably, he did not understand the gap of time between the 69th and 70th week. Yet, God was not finished with the prophetic revelation to Daniel. He had much more detail to be taught about the plan of God.

 

[murjahel]

Sign 9 part 2
WHAT JUDGMENTS WILL COME IN THE TRIBULATION?


The church is raptured in order to catch it out of the way before some terrible things happen upon this earth. During the tribulation, more than three fourths of the population of the world that enters the tribulation alive will die before the tribulation is over. During the tribulation, people will run for the mountains and caves to protect them from the things occurring. If it is to be that scary for people during the tribulation, these judgments should be more than enough to make us more anxious for the rapture, and to make us want to get our loved ones saved.

The judgments given in the book of Revelation
are listed as
the seven seals,
the seven trumpets,
the seven thunders,
and the seven vials.

Seven is the number of perfection. These judgments will bring to completion, and to perfection the plan of God to restore the earth to the condition wherein He will be able to establish His kingdom and to rule and reign upon the earth.

The judgments are inter-related. The seventh seal includes the seven trumpets. The seventh trumpet includes the seven thunders and the seven vials. This makes the judgments chronological, and establishes a step by step layout of the tribulation period.

SEVEN SEALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. SEVEN TRUMPETS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. SEVEN THUNDERS AND SEVEN VIALS
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.

This inter-relating of the judgments makes the book of Revelation more understandable and eliminates some of the confusing details within the book.

The sealed book was not a volume as we would have today, but it was rather a rolled parchment. It was rolled up to a point and sealed, then it was rolled further and sealed again. According to the Bible, the book was sealed seven times.

What is this book ?

In the book of Jeremiah, we see a clue. In Jeremiah chapter 32, Hanameel, Jeremiah's cousin, offered a piece of land for Jeremiah to buy. Jeremiah had said that Israel would be held captive for seventy years. The people hated Jeremiah for his prophecy. Hanameel challenged Jeremiah to buy the plot of land upon which the Babylonians were encamped. This land in the natural was worthless. Hanameel said that if Jeremiah really believed the prophecy, he would purchase this worthless land for his descendants to retrieve in 70 years. Jeremiah prayed about it, and then purchased the land. The title deed was made on a rolled book and hidden away for Jeremiah's descendants to find. The seven sealed book of Revelation chapter six is also a title deed. God has a claim on this world, and someday will bring out His title deed and lay claim to it. He has waited long to claim this earth.

Who is worthy to open this book and lay claim to the earth ? Heaven will be searched and only One will be found to be worthy to claim the earth. Jesus, the Lamb, with seven horns (omnipotence), and with seven eyes (omniscience), is seen "as it had been slain" (His sacrifice for our sins)- is the only One who is worthy to take the book from the hand of the Lord. Only Jesus has a right to the "title deed" of the Lord.

As the tribulation begins on the earth, the saints are already raptured and worshipping God about His throne. Imagine the contrast on the earth as the shock of millions disappearing is quickly to be forgotten by the terror of the judgments beginning to occur.


THE SEVEN SEALS

(NOTICE HOW THE PASSAGES OF MATTHEW 24,
CORRESPOND TO THE SEAL JUDGMENTS... )

The first seal (Rev. 6:1-2, Matt. 24:4-5) is as a white horse. This is the imitator of Christ, the Antichrist. The white horse is a symbol of peace, which he promises, and the "bow" is the sign of evil conquest-which he delivers. "Conquering" is the reality of war that comes soon after the rapture.

The second seal (Rev. 6:3-4, Matt. 24:6-7) is a "red horse." The "red" indicates the war and its bloodshed. The hopes of a peace are shattered. We have been warned that "when they say- peace, peace...sudden destruction" will come. With the absence of the Christian influence--the hatreds, prejudices, class struggles, wars, race riots, will have full reign.

The third seal (Rev. 6:5-6, Matt. 24:7) is a "Black horse with scales". This indicates a great famine will occur during and after the war. The "penny" is the word "denarius", which was a days wages at that time. A "measure of wheat," was a man's ration for one day. So this means, that every person will have to work a full day to buy enough food for one day. No more will a person be able to feed, cloth, and house a family of four on his wages. The phrase-"See thou hurt not the oil and the wine" - means that the food of the rich will not be affected.

The fourth seal (Rev. 6:7-8, Matt. 24:6-7) is a "pale horse" rode by "Death and Hell followed." This shows the result of the war and famine. Many will die and go to hell. These deaths of the first four seals will claim one fourth of the world. With today's world population, this means that more than a billion people will die.

The fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11, Matt. 24:8-28) shows that the Holy Spirit is still on the earth for many will be saved. The cost of the procrastination will be martyrdom. "White robes" are given to indicate the fact that these saints of the tribulation will have been forgiven and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The judgments of the tribulation, and the disappearance of the church--will have startled many to the awareness that time to get saved is now. They have procrastinated long enough to miss the rapture, but they were saved before the day of grace ended.

The sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17, Matt. 24:29-30) will include a worldwide earthquake. The sun will become "black" (probably from the pollution of the atomic blasts of the war). The moon will become "as blood". (Air pollution causes the moon to look red.) The "stars of heaven fell" indicates a meteorite shower. The "heaven departed as a scroll" is an indication that there will be heavy air pollution. The earthquake causes every mountain and island to move from their place. Men will run for dens to hide for fear.

The seventh seal (Rev. 8:1) includes, at first, "silence in heaven." This shows the solemnity of those in heaven that know the terrible horror of this last seal. Finally, this last seal includes all the trumpet judgments.

_______

see rest of sign nine

 

[murjahel]

THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

The first trumpet (Rev. 8:7) shows the startling horror of hail and fire mingled with blood that falls and burns one third of all the trees and green grass in the world. Doubtless, this means that the famine will worsen.

The second trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9) includes a meteorite the size of a "great mountain" falling into the sea and killing one third of all the sea life, destroying one third of all maritime ships, and turning one third of the sea to blood (or red). It is uncertain if this is the Mediterranean Sea, or if all oceans are affected.

The third trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11) is another meteorite, called Wormwood, that strikes the earth and destroys one third of all the fresh water supply. Water becomes bitter, and kills many. Too often, people take water for granted.

The fourth trumpet (Rev. 8:12) shows one third of the sun, moon, and stars to be darkened. This may be air pollution, or simply God demonstrating that He can turn off the lights of the universe at will.

The fifth trumpet (Rev. 9:1-12) is a "star"(evidently an angelic being, for personal pronouns and personal acts are applied to him). This being opens a chasm of the abyss to allow the evil demonic beings that are bound there to escape that prison. These demonic, locust-like beings come to the surface of the earth and have limited power to hurt (not kill) people. They are not allowed to hurt vegetation. They may hurt some, but not all. They may stay five months. Their leader is Abaddon, or Apollyon. These names mean "destruction" and "destroyer." This one called Abaddon is a fallen angel that is now bound in the abyss.

The sixth trumpet (Rev. 9:13-21) shows the release of four, bound, evil angels from the Euphrates River. These were bound and imprisoned there to be released for this particular time. They lead an army of 200 million demonic beings to scatter throughout the world and kill one third of all people. They have three ways of killing people. Fire, smoke, and brimstone proceed from their mouths to kill people. They have power beyond the power of the demons of the fifth trumpet, for these can kill.

It is wise to notice here that after the sixth trumpet, people are no longer repentant.

Rev. 9:20-21
"REST OF MEN WHICH WERE NOT KILLED BY THESE PLAGUES ... REPENTED NOT."

When judgment comes, people will either repent or harden themselves. People that can be encouraged to repent by the judgments will have already repented by this time. the rest of the people will have hardened themselves so much, that no judgment will cause them to repent ever. It is at this time that God will end the day of grace. The phrase "TIME NO LONGER" (Rev. 10:5-7) means that there will no longer be any delay.

Rev. 10:7
"IN THE DAYS OF THE VOICE OF THE SEVENTH ANGEL, WHEN HE SHALL BEGIN TO SOUND, THE MYSTERY OF GOD SHOULD BE FINISHED."

The "mystery of God" that is referred to is the "dispensation of grace."

I Timothy 3:16
"GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS, GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH, JUSTIFIED ...SEEN ...PREACHED ...BELIEVED ON..."

Romans 16:25-26
"THE MYSTERY, KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN, BUT NOW MADE MANIFEST...MADE KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS FOR OBEDIENCE OF FAITH."

(Compare also Romans 11:25, Ephesians 6:19, 1:5-10, I Corinthians 15:51, Colossians 1:26-27.)

So--after this time no one will be saved to become part of the "saints." It is at this time that the tribulation saints are resurrected. Also the 144,000 Jews are raptured. Then, after the two witnesses are resurrected and raptured at a later time, the marriage supper of the Lamb can occur in heaven because all the saints will then be in heaven. The only ones to turn to Christ Jesus after this point will be the Jews who are hidden away in the city of Petra. They will finally realize Jesus was the One they had longed to see. The true Messiah, Jesus, will then return to save them, but they will not be given glorified bodies--for the day of grace is over. They will keep their human bodies and be ruled and reigned over by we, the saints.

The seventh trumpet (11:15-13:18) includes the seven thunders (10:3-4) and the seven vials. Seven individuals are explained here, for it is before the vials that the 144,000 and the tribulation saints are raptured. In chapter 11, the emphasis on the first part of the trumpet sounding is the rejoicing and celebration in heaven. The rest of the saints (except for the two witnesses) are in heaven by this time. No other person will repent and become a child of God, as we, the saints, are. Thus, at this time, the temple of God is opened (the throne room) again and another great convocation of saints takes place there as the one in chapters four and five after the rapture of the church. This second great convocation in the throne room is rejoicing the fact that the final saint has now reached heaven.

Consider the verse on the tribulation saints in Revelation 6:11:
"AND WHITE ROBES WERE GIVEN UNTO EVERY ONE OF THEM; AND IT WAS SAID UNTO THEM, THAT THEY SHOULD REST YET FOR A LITTLE SEASON, UNTIL THEIR FELLOW SERVANTS ALSO AND THEIR BRETHREN, THAT SHOULD BE KILLED AS THEY WERE, SHOULD BE FULFILLED."


THE SEVEN THUNDERS

Revelation 10:3-4
"...AND WHEN HE HAD CRIED, SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED THEIR VOICES. AND WHEN THE SEVEN THUNDERS HAD UTTERED THEIR VOICES, I WAS ABOUT TO WRITE: AND I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING UNTO ME, SEAL UP THOSE THINGS WHICH THE SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED, AND WRITE THEM NOT."

In response to the fact that people quit repenting when a new judgment befell the earth, God has seven "thunder" judgments given. John is not allowed to reveal these judgments. Whatever they are, we will have to await revelation of them when we reach heaven.


THE SEVEN VIALS

The first vial judgment (Rev. 16:2) is a plague of sores upon all who took the mark of the beast. This mark, its curse and the sores that now accompany it will be explained in more depth in the next chapter.

The second vial (Rev. 16:3) causes the sea to turn to blood and all the living things in the sea die. This may refer to just the Mediterranean Sea, or perhaps that is wishful thinking on our part. These vials must occur just before the Second Coming of Jesus for if they happened long before it, mankind would also cease to exist.

The third vial (Rev. 16:4) causes all the rivers and fresh water to become blood. This is reminiscent of the Egyptian plagues, yet it is far, far worse and will doubtless produce fear and anger and rebellion upon all the hard-hearted sinners left upon the earth.

The fourth vial (Rev. 16:8-9) is poured out and effects the sun's heat to increase. Puny mankind is helpless. Yet mankind repents not. People are so hardened to their sins that they get more angry at God at this point.

The fifth vial (Rev. 16:10-11) causes a full darkness to come on the kingdom of the Antichrist. This darkness is more than the absence of light, it is like the darkness of the Egyptian plague of the Old Testament, and like the darkness that covered the earth before the re-creation of Genesis. It is a darkness that has substance--similar to the "dark nebula" that scientists have discovered in space. Lights, fire, etc. will not penetrate this darkness. Fear, anger, rebellion is increased in the sinners left upon the earth. Pain of those with the sores is increased. The people blaspheme God and do not repent.

The sixth vial (Rev. 16:12) causes the Euphrates River to dry up. This prepares the way for the kings of the East to come to the battle of Armageddon. The vials have been given by God to further anger the sinners left upon the earth for Christ is ready to return to save the Jews in Petra. He is ready to return and begin the Millennial reign. God even makes it easy here for the armies of the world to reach Armageddon.

The seventh vial (Rev. 16:17-21) is the final judgment. It includes the Battle of Armageddon and a few details of what happens during this battle are included here. The greatest earthquake this earth has ever known takes place. Every island is destroyed, and every mountain is leveled by this earthquake. Jerusalem is divided into three parts. Babylon is destroyed. Hail falls upon the earth that weighs 114 pounds each. People are so hardened to sin, and against God that they blaspheme God in anger as these events unfold. The phrase included in this part -"IT IS DONE !"- indicates that the tribulation ends here. The Lord Jesus returns and the battle of Armageddon is fought.

Some have feared fighting the people in the battle here. Some may think that some in this battle may be their unsaved loved ones. To think of killing them in this battle turns the stomach of some. But, we must notice here that the people left alive at this time are the most despicable, hateful, blasphemous, rebellious, murderous beings that have ever existed. They would make Hitler look like a saint. Their resistance to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and their hardening by rejecting repentance when the judgments came--have made the survivors to be so evil they will challenge God to send back Jesus so they can kill Him again. They welcome the chance to battle the saints at the second coming, for they know we are to return by that time. the gospel message has been preached by the 144,000, and by Enoch and Elijah, and by angels flying about the earth during the tribulation. They will not be ignorant, innocent soldiers, who are drafted into a war they do not want to fight. They are an army of the most hateful, and most sinful beings that have ever existed. We, the saints, arrive in time to keep them form slaughtering the Jews in the city of Petra.

These judgments are the anger and wrath of God which His mercy has been withholding for so long because of the "day of grace" in which we live. He has withheld much of His anger at the sins of people for so long a time that people, even the saints, have a hard time comprehending God doing the things we see done during the tribulation. Yet this earth must be cleansed of the rebellion of sin, so the Lord Jesus may return and rule and reign on this earth for the Millennium. With the terrible judgments about to befall this earth, we need to become the evangelists, and witnesses God has left us here now to be.

John 9:4
"THE NIGHT COMETH WHEN NO MAN CAN WORK."

 

[murjahel]

SIGN 10
FLIGHT OF JEWS TO SAFETY IN MOUNTAINS


Matthew 24:
16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Jesus warns that there will come a day when the Jewish people will flee from Jerusalem, and it will be a time of ‘greater’ tribulation than ever before. In AD 68-70, many felt they had reached that time, and fled Jerusalem from the coming Roman seige. They were saved death by hiding in the area where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Yet, the prophecy is truly mainly for the tribulation time, when Jews are to flee to Petra.

Petra is to be a place of safety for Israel. This has been well prophesied. After the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar, the land of Israel became desolate, waste, and devastated. The Edomites said; "Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession." Edom planned to go into the land and divide it for themselves.

God had desolated the land, due to the sinfulness of the people. But in mercy, God said:
Ezekiel 36:21
"I had pity for Mine holy name."

The people did not deserve pity or mercy. They were not owed the restoration of their land. But for God's own name's sake, He promised to restore.

Ezekiel 36:22
"I do not this for your sakes... but for Mine holy name's sake."

Since mankind did not sanctify, glorify, and honor God's name, He chose to show the honor due His name. We should sanctify and bring honor to God, but if we do not. He will still be glorified by a magnificent display of His power.

The land was desolate. In fact, the word "desolate" is found seven times in chapter 36 (vss. 3, 4, 34, 35, 36). It is from the Hebrew word "shamen" which means "destroyed", "ruined", "destitute", and "waste".

The cities of the land were "ruined" (Hebrew, "harac", "pulled down") (vss 35-36). They were also "waste" (Hebrew, "charab", "parched"). The war had resulted in many being killed, others being exiled, and the rest being scattered. Walls and buildings had been destroyed, and the weather included a drought that made it unlikely for many outsiders to want to move into the empty land.

Ezekiel 36:5-6
Therefore, thus saith the Lord God; Surely, in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed My land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds to cast it out for a prey. Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen."

God did not like the heathen talking. God speaks of the "fire of My jealousy: and says that He had "spoken in My jealousy." The heathen were deciding how to divide the land, God's land. God did not like them discussing how to divide the land. God can be deeply hurt by another's words or actions. The words of these people caused God to swear with a very strong oath "with an uplifted hand.

The heathen were to be shamed by God. As Edom wanted to possess the desolate Israel, but God said that Israel would possess desolate Edom.

The Lord tells Ezekiel to preach to the mountains. Yes, to the mountains!

Ezekiel is told to prophesy: (36:8-12)
"shall shoot forth your branches..."
"shall yield your fruit..."
"shall be tilled and sown..."
"will multiply men upon you..."
"cities shall be inhabited..."
"wastes shall be builded..."
"multiply man and beast..."
"will do better unto you than at your beginning..."
"even, My people Israel, ... shall possess..."

God promises to sanctify the people, after the restoration of the land. The ultimate fulfillment of such will be the restoration of the last days. God does make some wonderful promises to the people.

Ezekiel 36:25-28
"...will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean... a new heart also will I give... a new spirit... take away the stony heart... will give you an heart of flesh... will put My Spirit within you... I will be your God."

It is not because the people of Israel deserved the restoration of the land, or a revival back to God's favor.

Ezekiel 36:32
"Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel."

God promises to fill the land with "flocks of men". This pictures the people as sheep. We, as well as they, are the sheep of the Great Shepherd. Like lambs, we should be ready to be living sacrifices in the service of God.

The Jewish people have long had sorrows regarding their irresponsible actions toward God and the land that He provided for them. The Old Testament prophets called this land "the Lord's land" (Hosea 9:3, II Chronicles 7:20, Jeremiah 2:7). From the Euphrates River in the north, to the Nile River in the south, from the Mediterranean Sea in the west, to beyond the Jordan in the west, this land was Israel.

Yet, in 722 B.C., the Assyrians invaded the northern ten tribes and led many captive. About 125 years later (606 and 587 B.C.), the Babylonians subdued the other two tribes. Ezekiel was among those first deported to the nation of Babylon. God had foretold through many prophets the exile and a later return to the land of Israel. Under Ezra and Nehemiah the nation was returned to the land, but there was little spiritual revival of the people back to God. When Jesus the Messiah came more than 400 years later, He was rejected by most of the land of Israel.

Soon after that rejection, the land was desolated again. This 70 A.D. crushing of Israel by the Romans resulted in the scattering of the Jews to many countries of the world. Ezekiel prophesied mainly to this scattering, and to its later renewal to the land, and to the renewal of the Israelites to God in the last days. God disciplined a disobedient and sinful people for nearly 2000 years, but the prophecies of many of God's prophets told of a return to the land, and to God. The return has taken many years thus far, and is still continuing.

On July 24, 1922, the League of Nations tried to establish a nation for Israel, but Arab resistance, and Anti-Zionist sentiment about the world resulted in much resistance to Jews even coming near to their land.

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations approved that Palestine be divided into two separate states, one for the Palestinians, and the other for the Israelites. Israel was given a slight, and narrow strip of land that was mostly barren, unwanted by the Palestinians. The Palestinians were given what we now call the nation of Jordan.

On May 14, 1948, the re-establishment of Israel was proclaimed. This little nation had a total population of 650,000.

The very next day, May 15, 1948, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia (40 million Arabs) sent their armies to destroy the one day old nation. It took seven months of fighting for the little nation to defeat the Arabs. The Arabs signed an agreement for Israel to take 23% more land than first given them, but the land was still smaller than what God had given, and promised to restore to Israel.

On May 17, 1967, the Egypt, Jordan, and Syria declared war against Israel. The Egyptians boasted 50,000 troops and 1000 tanks. Within three days of war, Israel had destroyed two thirds of Egypt's air force, and paralyzed her ground forces. Jordan was ousted from its part of Jerusalem, and Syria lost control of the Golan heights from which marksmen would regularly shoot at Israeli people, even when there was no declared war. This six day war resulted in Israel losing 700 men, but the Arabs lost nearly 30,000. Israel enlarged her land from 8000 square miles to 26,000 square miles.

 

[murjahel]

Six years later on October 6, 1973 (Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement), The Arabs attacked. Egypt came with 800,000 men, 2000 tanks, 500 planes, and 150 anti-aircraft missile sites. Syria came with 1400 tanks. Israel was given little if any chance of surviving such an attack. Yet, Israel counter-attacked and came within 60 miles of coming to Cairo, and within 20 miles of Damascus, Syria's capital. In less than three weeks, Israel was the unchallengeable victor.

Peace with Egypt was negotiated peace, and Israel agreed to return the Sinai for several promises given by Egypt. Syria has never agreed to peace with Israel, and Palestinians keep pushing to get territory back that they lost in their nefarious attempts to destroy Israel. Lately, Israel has tried to pacify these hateful Palestinians who have terrorized Israel and the rest of the world for years with their bombing of innocent school children, airline passengers, etc. Israel does not owe them any land back, no more than the United States owes New Mexico and Texas back to the nation of Mexico.

The Israeli nation has claimed less land than that originally given to them by God, and God will continue to give Israel victory over any nation that attacks, and will restore piece by piece the land He says is theirs. However, being back to the land is only part of the restoration that God wants. He wants a spiritual revival also.

Chapter 37 relates the prophecy given from God to Ezekiel about the spiritual revival to come for Israel. It is probably one of the best known chapters of Ezekiel.

The chapter speaks of a "valley" which is from the Hebrew word "biqa" meaning "plain". It also refers to "wind" (vs. 9), "breath" (vss. 5,6,8,9), and "spirit" (vss. 1,14) from the word "ruah" meaning "air in motion, wind, breath."

In this valley, where the wind gently is blowing, Ezekiel sees many dry bones. He feels the "hand of the Lord... upon..." him, and knew that it was the Spirit of God taking him to this large field of dry bones. (vs.1).

God then tests the faith of Ezekiel, "Can these bones live?" (vs. 3). The normal answer would be "NO!", but this is Ezekiel, who had enough faith in God that he would preach to mountains, trees, and play in the sand when told to by God. Ezekiel believed.

Ezekiel is told to prophesy to these dry bones.

His prophetic message proclaimed: (vss. 5-6)
"will cause breath to enter and ye shall live..."
"will lay sinews upon you..."
"will bring flesh upon you..."
"will cover you with skin..."
"will put breath in you..."
"ye shall live..."

The result of this sermon was:
a great "noise"
a great "shaking"
"bones came together"
"sinews and flesh came up"
"skin covered"
"no breath"

This is where Israel stands spiritually today. They are restored to life as a nation, they have much of the land originally promised to them, but there is no revival of spiritual life. Most of the people have returned to faith in God. There is "no breath" in them.

Ezekiel prophesies to the "four winds" and calls for "breath" to come into them. This refers to a spiritual revival that will soon bring them back to the faith in Jehovah that they once had as a nation.

The "bones" (vs. 11) refer to the whole house of Israel.

The "graves" (vs. 12) refer to the nations wherein Israel has been scattered.

The "wind" (vs. 14) is a type of the Holy Spirit Who is gently bringing revival to these.

God gives Ezekiel another pantomime, one of two sticks. These two sticks are pushed together by Ezekiel, and God miraculously makes them become one stick. This refers to the rejoining of Israel and Judah as one nation. One of the sticks had "Judah" written on it, and the other had "Joseph" upon it. The people asked what it meant, and Ezekiel answered (vss. 18-22) "I will make them one nation."

God will soon allow the ARK OF THE COVENANT bring a spiritual awareness to the Israeli people already in the land, and bring a spiritual desire for many of the Jewish people that still have not returned to the Promised land. The revival to Judaism will be marred by the acceptance of the Antichrist as the Messiah, but midway through the tribulation they will recognize their error. Fleeing to Petra, those spiritually revived to Jehovah, will be ministered to, be counseled, and be prophesied to about the true Messiah, Jesus. They shall finally respond to truth, and Jesus will return to save them from destruction and defeat by the Antichrist and the armies of the world attempting to annihilate the Israeli people.

Then finally the world will see the fulfillment of many prophets:
"David, My servant" shall be king over them..." (vs. 24).
The people shall finally "walk in My judgments..." (vs. 24).
The Israeli people will finally "dwell in the land" (vs. 25).
They will be given a "covenant of peace..." (vs. 26).
Jesus, having returned in what we call the "Second coming", will "set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever..." (vss. 26-27).
Finally, "the heathen shall know that I, the Lord, do sanctify Israel" (vs. 28).

Rev 12:6.
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand and threescore days.

The location to which Israel will flee, is found in southern Jordan, and is called Petra. It is a rock-hewn city, former capital of Edom, half way between the Dead Sea and the gulf of Aqaba.

Petra was originally the home of a people called the Horites. These people were driven out by the Edomites (Deuteronomy 2:12). The Edomites ruled this city and area until their extinction by the judgments of God. Later, about 312 B.C., an Arab tribe called the Nabataeans came to this deserted city and began to dwell there.

The city of Petra flourished till about the seventh century A.D. when the Christians dwelling there were chased out by the Islamic invasion. In the 12th century, Christian crusaders took the city and built a castle there called "Sel".

This ancient city of Petra is situated about 16 miles northwest of Ma'an in the south of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. The terrace upon which the city is built is pierced by Wadi Musa (valley of Moses). The valley is enclosed with sandstone cliffs. To approach the city of Petra, one must pass through a narrow gorge called "Sik". This pass is one and a fourth miles long. It is bound by cliff walls over 150 feet high. At places this gorge is so narrow that only one may pass at a time. At the end of this pass, the gorge widens to varying widths of 750 to 1500 feet. The city was blessed by the water gushing from the rock struck by Moses. The waters flow flowed from the rock on Mt. Hor, near the base of Jebel Haran, about fifty miles from the Dead Sea. In the Sik, the waters flowed westward from the Ain Musa (Spring of Moses). It was not until shortly before the time of Christ that the inhabitants (Nabataeans, at that time) needed to be concerned with even conserving the flow of water through the city.

The National Geographic says that the city could house 1 1/4 million. During the tribulation, many Jews will inhabit this city.

Obadiah vs. 19
"...they of the south shall possess the mountain of Esau."

Many Jews will accept the Antichrist as the Messiah for the first half of the tribulation. At the midpoint of the tribulation, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will set up an idol in the Holy of Holies of the Temple in Jerusalem. All will be commanded to worship it, and if they do not, the idol will cause their death miraculously. This is called the "ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION."

Many Jews will remember the many prophecies at that time, and flee to the wilderness city of Petra. The Antichrist will never control that area, so this is a safe-haven, prepared of God to protect His people.

Daniel 12:41
"...shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon."

Jesus even warned the Jews of the last days to flee to Petra.
Matthew 24:16
"...let them that be in Judea flee into the mountains."

This is an oft predicted hiding place for Israel in the last days.

Isaiah 26:20-21
"Come, My people, enter thou into they chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity."

Isaiah 16:1-4
"Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela (Petra) to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. for it shall be, that as a wandering bird cast out of the nest... make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts... let Mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler (Antichrist); for the extortioner (Antichrist) is at an end."

end of part 2 see part 3

 

[murjahel]

Ezekiel 20:33-38
"As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with your face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of a covenant. And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me; I will bring forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."

When the Jews in Petra arrive, and come to the realization that Jesus is the true Messiah, they will sing to Him.

Isaiah 42:11-13
“let the inhabitants of the Rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare His praise in the islands. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall cry, yea, roar; He shall prevail against His enemies.”

This going to Petra, is following the gathering of the nation to Israel, so the Lord could separate a remnant of them, that would accept Him as the Messiah.

Isaiah 11:11-12
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, .. Egypt... Pathros... Cush... Elam...Shinar... Hamath... And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth.”

God, in preparation for this return, and for the fleeing to this place.

Isaiah 11:16
“And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people.”

Isaiah 37:31-32
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of Mt. Zion, the zeal of the Lord shall do this.”

Isaiah 10:20-22
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth, the remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the Mighty God. For though Thy people Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.”

Here in Revelation 12:6,14, we find the prophecy given previously to be fulfilled in the middle of the tribulation:
"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days (1260)... And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time (3 1/2 years), from the face of the serpent."

The area of Petra is now uninhabitable. The area is a desert. The rock that once poured forth the water is now empty. Yet, there will again come water from the rock. In this desert region, God in the past caused great waters to flow from a rock.

Isaiah 48:21
"And they thirsted not when He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; He clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out."

God has promised Israel to again make this area flourish and have abundant water.

Isaiah 41:17-18
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I am the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in the high places, and fountains in the midst of valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water."

Isaiah 43:20
...because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen."

Remember this is all going to occur at the same time that Enoch and Elijah have returned to prophesy in the land. They will call for it not to rain, as one of their plagues. The water in Petra will be abundant. The water in the land of Israel will be scarce because of the drought. God will supply water to His chosen ones in this desert area, and withhold rain from those who refused to flee as He instructed in the Word.

While the Jews hide in Petra for the 1260 days, the Lord will plead with them to accept Jesus as their Messiah. They will already have realized that the Antichrist was not the real Messiah. Finally, they will recognize that their ancestors had sinned when they refused to accept Jesus. As the Antichrist gathers his armies to come down and destroy Jerusalem and the Jews in Petra, the now-converted Jews will call out to Jesus in heaven to return and save them.

Obadiah prophesies that the deliverance that the Jews want will come to Mount Zion.

Obadiah vs. 17
"But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness."

Jesus will return to Mount Zion with we, the saints, at the second coming. We will battle the Antichrist and His armies in the valley of Megiddo, and even in Jerusalem. This is called the battle of Armageddon. The Lord will return because His people have finally recognized Him as the Messiah. While we "mop up" the final days of this battle, Jesus will go to Petra to lead His people back to Jerusalem.

Obadiah vs. 21
"And saviors shall come up on Mt. Zion to judge the Mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's."

Obadiah saw this vision shortly before King Amaziah went to conquer the Edomites in this fortress city of Petra. God assured the king through the revelation that this city was not impregnable from God. Yet, God also included in this revelation, the prophecy that at a later time, this city would be used to be a city of refuge and blessing for His people.

The city still stands, and awaits the real purpose God had it built. Soon, it will see the revival that our Lord has long awaited. Many, many Jews will finally call Jesus to be their Lord and Messiah. They will do it within this city carved into the cliff walls of the mountains.

After being cast out, the devil turns his full attention to persecuting the woman (Israel). Two wings of an eagle, and this refers to the eagle seen by Ezra in the “Prophecy of Ezra’, and the three headed eagle represented the three divisions of the gentile powers. One part of them, give aid to these Israeli people who reject the antichrist here. She is aided in her flight from the antichrist, to Petra, by some gentile people.

The way to the Dead Sea, is the first route for the ones fleeing Jerusalem, and in that area now, a canal is being made, to someday connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Dead Sea. This is a monumental task, but the canal is nearly finished. To stop, and to hopefully destroy the fleeing Jewish people, the antichrist under satanic suggestion, will open the canal to the waters of the Mediterranean, and the water will flow quickly, for the Dead Sea, is much below sea level. The rush of waters, would kill the Jewish-fleeing-people. But, like unto the time when the earth opened and swallowed the Korahites, who went down into sheol alive, suddenly as the earth opened and swallowed them, (Numbers 16:29-35) so the earth will suddenly open again, and swallow the rushing waters, that the Antichrist, and the devil, were hoping would kill the fleeing Jewish people.

Rev 12:17.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The devil is frustrated again, for his life has been a series of failures, and of finding out that God was always one step ahead of him. For the devil failed in the garden, though he thought himself victorious for a short time, till God showed up, and made a sacrifice, and promised a Redeemer Seed to come someday.

The devil thought he had succeeded to bring so much perversion to mankind, before the flood, that the Lord would have to give up His plan, but the flood saved Noah, and from his family, we are all descended.

The devil thought that he could fill the promised land with giants, and scare away the Jewish people from returning, and almost succeeded, but Joshua later led the people in, and giants and all were finally shown to be powerless before God and His people.

The devil got so many to sin, that God finally destroyed Jerusalem, and the Temple, but a remnant returned, and soon after, the Messiah was born.

The devil tempted Jesus, but failed. He persecuted Him, but Jesus remained bold and determined. Finally the devil had Jesus killed on the cross, but in three days, the devil began to realize how stupid he had been, and now he is really scared.

The end is soon approaching, and at every turn, he has met defeat, and shown himself to be stupid. For this final 3 plus years, the devil is more ‘wroth’ than ever, and makes ‘war’ with any Jews (‘her seed”) who obey God, and have “Jesus Christ’. When the second coming occurs, it will be when the ‘seed’ of the woman of chapter 12 of Revelation, will finally call out for Jesus to return and save them, for they will know of the Antichrist and his armies heading down to Jerusalem, and then Petra, to kill all the Jewish people he can. But, Jesus stops this last angry and desperate attempt of the devil to win. He is a loser, and we make sure when we follow Jesus down to the earth for Armageddon.

Jesus puts in this sermon that when the time comes, flee to the mountains, flee to what we know as Petra, a city that the Lord has prepared for His people, to save them from the wrath of the devil. God has prepared a place, water will be given in abundance, manna will fall from heaven again, and many will repent of rejection of Jesus, so He can come back at Armageddon, and as soon as that battle is over, Jesus triumphantly goes to Petra and leads them to Jerusalem.

Jesus knew what would happen millennia later, and spoke prophetically to the disciples, for them to record His words, for us to read them, for Israel to read them too, and soon realize, He was talking to them.

 

[murjahel]

SIGN 11
INCREASED SATANIC WORKINGS




Matthew 24:
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.


Jesus is prophesying here that many ‘false Christs’ and false prophets would come during the ages to follow. Yet, we know that they all prefigured the one antichrist, and the one false prophet of the tribulation. Signs and wonders may have been done by the devils through the others before the final two, but when the antichrist and false prophet arrive in the tribulation period, they will be inhabited by evil spirits now in the abyss.

Once, that demon that will empower the antichrist with powers to do ‘signs and wonders’ lived out of the abyss.

Revelation 17:8 (KJV)
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: ythey that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

In John's day that evil spirit, we know as Belial, was in the abyss. Jesus had bound him, and he is to be there till the antichrist is to come to power. He will arrive after the rapture. This demon will drive the Antichrist to do his great conquests, and signs and wonders..

By the power of this evil ‘Belial’, the antichrist will perform "lying wonders" and signs to confirm a lie.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (KJV)
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.


OTHER EVIL POWERS WILL COME
IN THE TRIBULATION
THAT WILL DO EVIL WORKS

Revelation 6: tells us that "stars of heaven fell". This is not referring to ‘stars’ we see in the sky, for they are light years away, most are bigger than our sun, and if they fell on the earth, the earth would cease to exist, and the story of the tribulation is not over here. These ‘stars’ are seven fallen angels who right now are in the abyss.

These fallen angels will be loosed from the abyss for the tribulation period, during a time synchronized with the seven trumpets sounded by the archangels. We see in Revelation 8:1 a mysterious half hour of silence in heaven.

Revelation 8:1 (KJV)
1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

For these mysterious seven fallen angels are loosed at that time. Heaven is silent for the ones in heaven know the great evil of these seven fallen angels. While the seven angels of God pour out the final judgments of vials upon the earth, these seven evil angels from the abyss do the work of the devil.

The coming to these seven fallen angels is shown in the sixth seal. During the seven vial judgments, these seven evil angels are also at work. We are told in Revelation about them, several are named there, and their evil work of all seven is shown. We have studied the seals, the trumpets, the thunders, and the vials of judgments from God. Yet, we often forget to look at the evil the devil is also doing in that time.

"And the stars"

In the Book of Revelation, it says that the ‘stars’ fall. Who are these ‘stars’? The word "Stars" is the Greek word "astem", meaning "strong, shining ones". It is similar to the word for ‘stars’, and was thus translated, but is in the masculine, and refers to strong fallen angels from heaven.

These fallen angels are the reason that when the seventh seal begins to sound, we see the silence in heaven, and the allowing of the seven fallen angels to do their dastardly work in chapters 8 and 9 of Revelation.

These seven are not on man’s side. They desire to help the devil, and are so evil that God has had to keep them bound, and were even already bound in pre-flood times, and likely were bound from the time of Lucifer’s original fall. These are Evil beings who would kill and destroy, regardless of the command given by God. The abyss has always been a place reserved for the disobedient, rebellious demons who will not obey as God demands that they do when commanded to do so ‘in the name (authority) of Jesus.’

The names of these seven evil archangels is revealed by Scripture. Several of them are named here in Revelation, and from those names, searching Scripture, we can find the names of the others.

Let us examine the names, and a bit about them,
as they work in the judgments of the Lord upon the earth.

1.The Bible tells us the name of two of these, directly in Revelation. One is called ‘Wormwood’ in our translation, and this is from Laanah in the Hebrew, or Apsinthos in the Greek (which would have been the Greek translation of Laanah.)

The name means ‘bitter curse’. The ones who have been offered ‘living water’ (as Christ offered the woman at the well), and has offered to all since (“let him that is athirst come”) will allow this ‘fallen angel’ to come and make the waters bitter, and see how mankind likes the choice they have made.

Revelation 8:10-11 (KJV)
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

So this “Wormwood”, or Laanah, is mentioned as being one who comes to make the ‘waters bitter.’ It is surprising how dependent we are on water, and how handicapped we find ourselves, if we ever turn on a spigot, and no water comes. Here, the water will flow, but it will be bitter.

2. Another one, mentioned by name here, is Abaddon (Hebrew), or Apollyon (Greek). The names are in the passive voice, and mean “the one being destroyed”.


Revelation 9:11 (KJV)
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

God has shown here two of the names of the seven. Abaddon is mentioned in the Old Testament too, and the Talmud mentions him, for the Jewish people were much more familiar with him, than those in Christianity are in our age.

In the Talmud, he is mentioned as the leader of six other evil angels. So from that and from this book, we learn there are seven such. Two are named, but what are the names of the other five?. God foreknew our loss of that information, and made a way for us to recover that information, that time and apathetic scholarship has lost.

Let me show how we can recover and learn the names of the remaining five evil abyss angels.

First, let us look at the verses in the Bible mentioning this one, Abaddon.

Psalms 88:11
“In Abaddon, there are no declarations of God’s lovingkindness.”

This tells us the nature of this evil one, is that he refuses to admit or mention the loving nature of God.

Job 26:6
“destruction (actually a bad translation, for the translators did not realize this was a person, as John tells us, for the word here for ‘destruction’ is ‘Abaddon’) hath no covering (kesuth).”

This tells us that the one known as Abaddon, due to his fall from righteousness, has lost his aura glory, that good angels have, and fallen angels are clothed in darkness, for their aura is gone. (Jude tells us (vs. 6) that fallen angels are in a darkness [zophos], which is an aura of darkness, that has replaced their glorious glow about them, that they had as a good angel. That is why the devil has to ‘transform [metaschematizo, meaning ‘disguise’] himself into an angel of light” [II Cor. 11:14])

Proverbs 27:20
“Hell and destruction (Abaddon) are never full.” Abaddon is currently in the abyss. And seems to be the leading fallen angel in that abyss. His location, as well as hell fire, are places that are never full.

Job 28:22
“Death and destruction (Abaddon) say, We have heard the fame thereof (of the One called Wisdom) with our ears.”

Here we see Abaddon and another are talked about. We know that it is not talking about ‘death and destruction’ as personifications, but about literal beings, for John identifies ‘Abaddon’ as an evil angel. So who is the other one mentioned here, named, ‘Death’? The word is the Hebrew word, Mawveth. This is another one of the seven. More verses will be shown about this one.

Abaddon will lead spirit hordes in attack against mankind in the tribulation.

3. A third one mentioned between the two named, (Abaddon, and Laanah), is found mentioned in Revelation 9:1-12. We know who the first one mentioned is (Laanah), and he makes the waters bitter. The third is named too (Abaddon), and yet, the one in the middle is not named. So if we search the Scripture, we should find God’s answer to the obvious question of who is the second one.

The second one is named ‘Rapha’, (Hebrew for ‘weak one, feeble one’). We find that name revealed in Job, 26:5-6:
“Dead things (actually the name ‘Rapha’, and only translated ‘dead things’ for the translators did not realize this was a name here.)..are formed under the waters. Hell is naked before him, and destruction (Abaddon) hath no covering.”

Notice that Rapha is between ‘waters’ and ‘Abaddon’... and in Revelation, that is the location of the second angel, between the ‘waters that turn bitter due to Laanah, and the other evil angel, Abaddon. The phrase ‘Hell is naked before him” refers to the job of this one, to open the bottomless pit (abyss) and allow swarms of evil spirits to flee from that place, and come to the earth. So, Job identifies this second one as, Rapha.

Proverbs 9:18
“But he knoweth not that the dead (Rapha) is there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell (sheol).”

Proverbs 21:19
“The earth shall cast out the dead (Rapha).”

Proverbs 21:16
“The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead (Rapha).”

4. The last four are loosed from the River Euphrates, where they have been bound. When they are released here in Revelation from the abyss, these four at too evil to be let uncontrolled on earth to await the proper timing of their evil. So, God has them temporarily bound for the months that the first three do their evil works. Then when the first three are done with their works, these very evil four angels are released from that temporary imprisonment place.

The fourth one is Mawveth, whose name means ‘death’ or ‘dead one’. We find him mentioned with Abaddon in Job 28:22:
“Destruction (Abaddon) and death (Mawveth) say; We have heard the fame of the One called Wisdom, thereof with our ears.”
The One called ‘Wisdom’ is Jesus, for wisdom is the Hebrew word “memra’ which is the word translated to be ‘Logos’ (Word), in the New Testament.

This one called “Mawveth’ is mentioned often in the Bible, and is likely the inference in Psalms 23:4 ‘shadow of death (Memra)” For currently, Mawveth is one of the angels in darkness between the hell fire light and paradise. And even in the valleys of paradise, walking in the shadow of the fallen angel of ‘death’, Mawveth, we need fear no evil.


5. The fifth one is ‘Chasek.’ His name means ‘one in blackness’, or ‘one who has lost his aura’. We find him revealed by his association with Mawveth.

Job 3:5
“Let darkness (Chasek) and the shadow of death (Mawveth) stain it, let a cloud dwell upon it. Let the blackness of the day terrify it.”

Job 34:22
“There is not darkness (Chasek), nor shadow of death (Mawveth), where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.”

Psalms 105:28
“He sent darkness (Chasek) and made it dark...”

Proverbs 2:13
“...who leave the paths of uprightness, and walk in the ways of darkness (Chasek).”

6. The sixth one is ‘Aphelah’. His names means ‘gloominess’, a thick aura of concealment or darkness.”

He is mentioned with Chasek, identifying him as one of the abyss angels too.

Joel 2:2, and Zephaniah 1:15 say:
“A day of darkness (Chasek) and gloominess (Aphelah).

7. The last of the seven is found revealed to be named Tsar. His name means ‘sorrow,’ or ‘hard pressed one’, or ‘anguished one’.

Isaiah 5:30 mentions him, revealing him to be partnered with Chasek.
“...if one look unto the land, behold darkness (Chasek) and sorrow (Tsar), and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.”

Thus, the Lord knew if he had John reveal two of the names of the seven abyss angels, the other five could be found, with seeing with whom those two are mentioned. The Lord wants scholarship, and searching of the Word, to ‘show ourselves approved.” Some things are hidden only from the slothful, or apathetic. If we care enough to question, and to seek for the answer, the answers are herein. The Word of God reveals much, much more than we often notice. The Bible is ‘unsearchable’, meaning its full revelation is beyond ever fully searching totally. Millions of years from now, the divine revelation of the Word of God will still be in process of being revealed to us.

These seven evil angels, bound for millennia, are loosed in the tribulation to reap havoc upon mankind. God allows their evil to be the ‘reaping’ of what the sinners of this world have sown. Jesus speaks of the many evil miracles and wonders done by these evil spirits. The devil is evil, and these cohorts are so evil they have been bound for the time while the church has been called to evangelize the world. The church is gone during the tribulation, and the final harvest of Israel, a final message to the world that did not yet hear the gospel is given, while these evil angels, and the devil himself do all the evil they can manufacture.

 

[murjahel]

SIGN 12
SURFEITING, PROCRASTINATION, AND LETHARGY at the time of JESUS’ RETURN


Matthew 24:27-51 (KJV)
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


JESUS DESCRIBES
THE EVENT OF HIS RETURN
Verses 27-31.


Jesus described much of the tribulation, especially the seal judgments. He then tells them ‘immediately after’ that He will be returning. This is the second coming of which He is describing. Of the events foretold by Jesus in this sermon, we have seen some fulfillment of them, but they do not need to be fully fulfilled till the second coming after the tribulation. The signs are not to describe what will happen before the ‘rapture’ of the church, which is before the tribulation, but are signs of what will happen before the second coming of Jesus.


Jesus’ coming will be visible, sudden, quick, with clouds, and saints and angels returning from heaven with Him. As a thief it shall be unexpected by many, but the Judge and King of this universe shall suddenly come. The tribulation judgments will have finished, the Jewish people in Petra will have repented of rejecting Jesus, and the antichrist will be on His way to totally wipe them out. Jesus, the saints, the angels, will be ready to save them from the antichrist’s evil plans. Jesus is going to establish His kingdom and rule with peace for a 1000 years, before the judgment of the wicked then occurs.


There will be many carcases lying in the valley of Megiddo, from the battle of Armageddon that ensues when Jesus comes. Eagles will gathered to feast upon the dead bodies. The Lord is coming with wrath upon the antichrist and the blood thirsty army he leads. They will have done many horrible things, they will have called out for Jesus to come and stop them if He can, and so He does. Jesus stops them from annihilating the Jewish nation, as the devil has always tried to do. The Roman army, the Greek army, the Egyptian army, the Babylonian army, the German army, etc etc have tried to carry out the plan of the devil to exterminate the Jews. The Iranian leaders, the Palestinian terrorists still call for the Jews to be exterminated and driven into the sea. The final attempt of the devil, during the tribulation will result in the bodies of the angry warriors of the devil. These evil persons will be food for the eagles.


"Immediately" after indicates that Jesus is Who brings the end of the tribulation. Jesus now wants to tell them some things about the event of His coming Himself. Signs of the end include the ‘greatest’ sign, i.e. the return of Jesus Himself.

At the coming of Jesus, the sun be darkened. The sun has darkened many times before, when the moon passes in front of it, when great darkness of volcanic activity, when pollution of bombs of the last days, are times of the darkening of the sun. Yet, in the final day of the tribulation, the sun shall darken as never before. The coming of Jesus shall in some way cause the sun to darken, perhaps in honor of the One Who is the Light of the world, the sun is in humble admitting of the greatness of this Jesus Who comes literally from heaven now in sight of the sun. If the stones would cry out if mankind does not praise the Lord, here, the sun ceases to shine in observance of Jesus’ coming.

The ‘stars shall fall’ is the end of those seven fallen angels that wreak havoc upon the earth during the tribulation.

All the powers, living and unliving seem to know the awesomeness of this event.

Jesus comes back. He has promised to do so, the Bible is full of signs and promises of His literal coming back to rule and set up a kingdom on this earth. We, the redeemed saints will rule and reign with Him.

The coming of Jesus is a ‘sign’, it is the “sign of the Son of man”. The words ‘Son of man’ means ‘descendant of Adam’, and He is. He was born a human, though He has been, and always will be the Divine God, One of the Trinity.


Luke 21:27 (KJV)
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Jesus wants us to know that He will literally return with the appearance with which He left. He will lay aside His heavenly glorious appearance, and return showing the same body in which He left. The nail prints will still be seen, His appearance will be as His resurrected body appeared. The aura glory about Him will not be there for this time, for He wants the world to see the One they rejected.


At the time of the second coming, many angels shall be sent forth to ‘gather’ the ‘elect’, the people of Israel, scattered about the world. He shall send his angels shortly following the end of Armageddon.


Parable of the Fig-tree,


This ends the list of signs, but there is a few more points the Lord wants to make. He enlists several parables to drive home the point He has wanted the hearers and readers of His sermon to realize.


Jesus says ‘So likewise’ meaning, just as the sign of the fig tree being ready to be reaped of its harvest, the signs Jesus has given in this sermon, as they occur, it is to be noted that the ‘end harvest’ of these signs is the return of Jesus.

Seeing the leaves, on the fig tree, is a sign that the figs are there, for the fig tree bears figs before the leaves appear. Summer is near, harvest has come, when the fig leaves are seen. So, the coming of Jesus is at the doors, when we see these signs begin to come to pass.


This generation speaks of the ‘generation’ which sees the ‘signs’ begin, will not see death until all be fulfilled. The beginning sign that started all the others into motion was the return of Israel as a nation, which occurred in 1948. So, those of that generation shall not all have died until all has been fulfilled. This means that the seven years yet to occur, called the tribulation, is still to occur before that generation has all died. .

"This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled," and, "When ye see all these things, know that he is near," express the same idea, we are to know, realize the time we are in. We are to see the beginning of the fulfillment of these signs, and know we are near, know His coming is at the doors.

Jesus words will not pass away. Certainly the heavens and earth shall pass away, be destroyed. That is a certainty. Yet, Jesus’ words will not ever fail. His message in this sermon is certain, unchangeable, and eternally true. I have heard some preachers try to tell people to pray that the tribulation will not happen, that the antichrist not be allowed to come. Those are worthless prayers that are never going to be answered no matter how many pray them. Jesus’ words will never fail. There is absolute certainty that what Jesus preached here, will occur as predicted. Our interpretations of His words may fail, but never will His message.


We can never know that day and hour for the earth is round, and the hour in various part is different, so if Jesus said He was coming at midnight, we could ask, ‘midnight’ where. When it is midnight in Los Angeles, it is three a.m, where I am, and I would be saying He was late. There is a day change occurring in the world at different times too. So, the Lord does not want us speculating as the the ‘day or hour,’ but to know the ‘times and seasons’ we are commanded to know.

We are to recognize that we are in the time of His return, if we see the signs beginning to come to pass. There are predicted by Jesus to be many who will be totally unaware, despite His sermon, despite all the prophets and their words, despite all the preaching of warning.


He predicted that as the days of Noe with all the total stupidity of resistance of sinful minds, there was a flood before they believed Noah. We are seeing that same resistance of mind today toward the overwhelming evidence of Jesus’ return.

Verses 40, 41
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

The passage has often been interpreted in sermons as referring to the rapture, but the passage and its context shows it refers to the end of the tribulation. There will be one taken, the other left. Half will be realizing Jesus is returning, half not. Jesus likely speaks of the division of peoples foretold in Matthew 25, of which we shall review in great detail in the last part of His sermon here.

Watchfulness Encouraged
Verses 42-51


We are told to Watch therefore. Since the time is not certain as to ‘day and hour’, but we do know the nearness is definite, we should be alert always. Since these signs given are for the second coming, and we the church await a rapture that is seven years sooner, we should be anxiously watching and alert.


If you knew when a thief was going to come to your home, you would be armed, or have the police waiting. You would not be at Walmart shopping for a loaf of bread knowing a thief was stealing your goods at home. Likewise, if you know and believe the Word, the sermon of Jesus here, and look around the world seeing the beginning of all these signs, you would be anxiously preparing for His return. The goodman of the house would have watched.s


faithful and wise servant.

A householder should watch against thieves, be prepared, be ready. The ‘householder’ is like a person with authority, government leaders, religious leaders, educated people, who should have the responsibility to be aware of what is happening. In the end times, at the end of the tribulation, these ‘false shepherds’ of whatever status, will not be watching to alert to the One Who is coming as a ‘thief’. They buried their knowledge of facts concerning the coming of Jesus, they slept and were unprepared. If they were aware, were spreading the truth, they might have reward of entering the kingdom.


“That evil servant” refers to those who fake knowledge, and their only true knowledge did not include awareness of the truth of Jesus’ coming. When the ‘master’ comes unexpectantly, the punishment is great upon the ‘evil’ ones. Jesus is a loving King of kings, and yet, those who harm others with their false teachings, with their false professions. Some are claiming to be wise and true, but are leading people to destruction. False shepherds, worshiping false gods, or serving only their idea of political correctness, ones who have rejected Jesus, and taught others to reject Jesus, will someday answer to an ‘angry’ Lord at the second coming. The next chapter (Matthew 25) will address these ones in detail. They are the ‘foolish virgins’, they are the ones with ‘buried talents’, they are the ‘goats’, not the ‘sheep’ in this final judgment time of the tribulation.

The punishment is ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’, being shut out of the kingdom and told ‘I know you not’, and loss. We who were saved by the grace of God, have had sins forgiven, graces given to us. We were saved to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven. Those who reject, fail to repent, harden in sin, finally battle Jesus in His return, will face a harsh, angry Lord, Who will remember all their unrepented sins against His children.

 

[murjahel]

PARABLE
OF THE TEN VIRGINS

Matthew 25:1-46 (KJV)
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.


"Then [at the second coming of Christ with the saints, after the tribulation] shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins."


The first word is a connecting word, "then," which connects the parable to the coming of the Son of man "immediately after the tribulation". The parable has often been used to illustrate that we need to be awake, and ready for the rapture of the church. Yet, the context, and the message shows it is speaking of the time of the second coming, after the tribulation, not before it. The sermons which have been preached connecting it with the rapture, are not evil, the sermons illustrated a truth, that we do need to be ready and alert in the time of the rapture. Yet, there are many other passages that speak to that coming, and though the truth is the same, as to readiness, Jesus is using this parable to illustrate another point.

The parable of the ten virgins illustrates truth connected with the literal second coming of Christ to the earth. This parable is a continuation of the answer Jesus was giving to what would be the signs of the “end of the age".

The misconception of the meaning of the parable, has led to many misunderstanding, and false doctrines. A false idea on this parable culminates in many unscriptural and fanciful interpretations. This parable illustrates something about the Kingdom of Heaven, not the church. The Lord said, in Matthew 25:13, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Since this truth is illustrated by this story of a wedding, then no other point is illustrated here.

A parable is an illustration of a truth and the details are not to be given undue importance. The illustration is vital, the details are added to make the story plain and real in setting. The details are necessary to give a complete story to illustrate a truth.

SOME OF THE FALSE DOCTRINES
THAT HAVE ARISEN FROM THIS PARABLE

Some believe that the oil represents the Holy Spirit, and that virgins represent different classes of Christians. Some insist the ‘wise’ are those filled with the Spirit, and the ‘foolish’ have not. Thus it is said that they all had ‘lamps’ indicating they are all saved, but that only the ones baptized in the Holy Spirit will be raptured.


Another idea that evolves from that is that the ten may all be saved, since all had ‘lamps’ but that the 5 foolish ones will need to endure the seven year tribulation.

Some teach that one must seek earnestly the Holy Spirit (and that is wise for all), but they insist the reason is that one will not be saved or raptured to heaven without the baptism of the Spirit.

Some take the 10, of 5 foolish, and of 5 wise, and teach that half of all Christians will not be raptured. They insist that a certain wisdom, or a certain level of works done, will be required for a Christian to be raptured. Making ‘works’ what gets us to heaven in the rapture is a false doctrine.

Some sincere and god-fearing Christians who have not yet been taught about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, are easily misled. A misconception of what this parable is truly teaching allows the idea that works, other than the blood of Jesus, gives qualifications for the rapture, or for salvation.

The lamps do not symbolize salvation. A “lamp" symbolizes the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, but never salvation.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Revelation 4:5 (KJV)
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

The word ‘oil’ is sometimes used to refer to the Spirit, but often it has other meanings.

Hosea 12:1 (KJV)
1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Micah 6:7 (KJV)
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Luke 7:46 (KJV)
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Luke 16:6 (KJV)
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

It is taught in other passages concerning the church that the ‘lukewarm’ will be ‘spued out’, but this parable of the ten virgins is not speaking of that truth.

Revelation 3:16 (KJV)
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Sleepiness in the faith is not condoned, and we need to be ready for the rapture.

Romans 13:11 (KJV)
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

At the rapture time, there will not be time for the ‘wise’ nor the ‘foolish’ to trim their lamps, as did the virgins. The rapture is ‘in the twinkling of an eye.’

1 Corinthians 15:52 (KJV)
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.

If anyone, after the rapture, would receive enough oil (the Holy Spirit according to the incorrect interpretation), would the Lord refuse them heaven, as interpreted by some in this parable?

WEDDINGS IN THE BIBLE TIMES

In those times, the bride would be followed by a few virgins (here it is ten) to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom and his friends would go to get the bride, at her home, and lead her to the house of the bridegroom, which would become their home.

Along the route the crowds on the housetops would shout greetings and announce the passing of the couple and some attendants. This shouting alerted others further along the route of their nearness.

Since the evening started at the bridegrooms home earlier, and often many speeches and congratulations were given to him, the final going to get the bride was often near to midnight. The bride awaited, was bathing, dressing, and preparing for the union.

Ones awaiting along the way, would often become weary, and fall asleep, depending on a late warning shout to awake them. They had their lamps ready and burning, but having enough oil to make it till the time, was vital.

The lamps of the five foolish insufficient of oil, and they could not make that final walk to the home of the bridegroom. While they tried to fix that, the sudden return of the groom found them unprepared in time to make that final walk. The door of the bridegroom was locked to keep out thieves.
The five foolish tried to convince the groom that they were meaning to make that final walk, and enter before the door was locked, but it was too late.

Jesus illustrates with this story that those at the end of the tribulation that are still unprepared when Jesus returns are eternally lost. Jesus warns all at the end of the tribulation, to be watchful, lest some of them fail to be prepared, saved, and looking for Jesus, when He returns at the second coming.

(PART 2 COMETH)

 

[murjahel]

Verse 1
to meet the bridegroom.

The ten virgins all intended to find a way to the wedding celebration. Most intend to find eternal life, live eternally in heaven.

Verses 2-4
five wise... five foolish.

Some will turn to Jesus in time, some will wait till it is too late to accept Him. The ten virgins represent all the world, some wise enough to accept Jesus, some too foolish to accept Him till after He has arrived and the door for salvation is shut. The difference in the two was the amount of oil carried in the wait. The ones most anxious to be ready, no matter how long the wait, were saved. The ones who considered it not so important, were not prepared, not saved, when the bridegroom arrived. The oil in the lamps of the wise was enough to burn till midnight, even till daylight, if necessary. They were the determined ones to find salvation, to be ready for the bridegroom.

Verse 5
slumbered and slept.
All of them ‘slumbered and slept’, meaning the waiting for the bridegroom was a wearying wait. It does seem like a long time we have waited for heaven, for it was shut from us at the sin of Adam and Eve. Jesus has been preparing a wedding feast for us, but the wait is hard. The ones who are saved, will tire, just as the ones not saved, tire waiting too. But when the call goes out, ‘the Bridegroom cometh’ and knowledge of the very nearness now of His return, we are anxiously trimming our lamps, purifying ourselves for the great celebration soon to come.

Verses 6, 7
at midnight.

This time was an hour later than expected, the time normally was to be at the eleventh hour. Our Lord’s second coming may seem to have been delayed, but the second coming will happen, and His promise is true. It is prophesied that many will say ‘where is the hour of His return’. That message will become more and more heard, during the tribulation. It will be a mocking feature of the army of the antichrist, as they prepare for annihilation of the Jewish people at the end of the tribulation.

Verses 8-10
Give us of your oil.

None can give their own salvation for another. We are all equally responsible. We have an obligation to warn people, to cry out in the time we have , for the ‘night cometh when no man can work’. Yet, until that time, we have a duty.

Ezekiel was shown the duties of a watchman.
Ezekiel 33:1-6
"Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying:
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people,
Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."

During a war, the city put a heavy responsibility on the watchman. He had to give a warning whenever the enemy approached. If a man disregarded the warning, he was signing his own death warrant, and could not blame the watchman. If a man was outside the wall, and failed to heed the warning, his death would not be the responsibility of the watchman. If the watchman failed to warn the people in the unprotected area, he was held responsible for their lives.

The trumpet (shophar) was a horn, upturned at the end. It was used for military and religious occasions. It is still used in Jewish synagogues at their New Year. The watchman was to sound it in warning to the ones inside, and to the ones still unprotected outside. When God tells us to warn the people, we must pass on the message.

Ezekiel 33:7-9
"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.

There will come a time, as it did for the 5 foolish virgins, when it will be too late to seek the Lord. We have until that time to convince them to seek Jesus in time, before the end.

Verses 11, 12
I know you not.

These 5 foolish ones were never saved, were never in the wedding feast, nor in the wedding parade to the bridegroom’s home. The door was locked before they determined to be there.

Verse 13
Watch therefore.

The warning, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour," bids us imitate the wise and take warning from the fate of the foolish who do not ‘watch’ , do not prepare for the wedding feast.

THE TYPOLOGY
OF THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS


The oil, the lamps, the virgins are all typed in many sermons. Yet, who is the ‘bride’? The traditional answer has always been ‘the church’, but if the ‘bride’ is the church, then who are the ‘virgins’? Well, the answer may surprise many, and cause some Scripture searching.

The ‘bride’ is identified
in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 21:9
And there came unto me, one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
11. Having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates,
and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
13. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed,
twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is of the angel.
18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.
The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald.
20. The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22. And I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24. And the nations of them who are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there.
26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
27. And there shall be no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The ‘bride’ is identified
as the New Jerusalem.

We are going to have a ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’ in heaven, when this city is opened for the first time. This huge city has never, and will never have a sinner walk its streets. It will be brought down to the New Earth and be our eternal home there. The New Earth will become the New Heaven, for God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit will dwell there.

This city, the New Jerusalem, has 12 gates, each made of a gigantic pearl. It
has 12 foundations with the names of the twelve apostles. It is 12,000 furlongs on each side (1500 miles). Its wall is 144 cubits (216 feet).

The light of this city is Jesus Christ. The Bridegroom is Jesus, the city will be made in union with Him, to ever be His home.

So, why is the ‘bride’ not the “church”

The church is never called a woman, nor is it the "bride of Christ." The church is likened to a "man" in Ephesians 2:15:
"...for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace..."

The church is also likened unto the "body of Christ", which of course is male, not female.
I Corinthians 12:27
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

The "bride of Christ" is the New Jerusalem. The saints are the bridal gown of the bride. We shall adorn the bride with our presence on that wedding day - the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:8
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints."

The Lord will unite with this New Jerusalem and there will He dwell for eternity. It is the only part of heaven that will survive when the heaven and the earth pass away. It will be brought down to the new earth at that time.

So, in the parable of the ten virgins, the Bridegroom has already left the home (heaven) and is bringing His bride in triumph. The time of this will be after the tribulation, after the marriage supper of the Lamb (which is in heaven during the last part of the tribulation), and the ‘celebrants’ who would then decide to join the group, are the ten virgins. These are the people still living after the tribulation is over, and now a decision of who of them gets to enter the millennial kingdom is to be made.

The five foolish arrive too late for the celebration of the new kingdom. The five wise prepare in time to enter as guests, as the humans (not with immortal bodies, not those saved by grace to become part of the family of God) who are to be non-family guests in the millennial kingdom. They are like the ones we rule and reign over in the millennial kingdom, and later on the new earth.

In chapter 25, we have three parts, one is the parable of the ten virgins, in which Jesus shows that some will be wise, and allowed to enter. Some will not be wise, and have not prepared, and be lost. The five foolish arrive after the door is locked. The basis of admission is having cared enough to have oil enough.

The second part of Matthew 25 reveals the parable of the talents, showing this same truth. Some used their talents wisely, and were blessed. Another, who unwisely buried his talent, is given outer darkness. Again this speaks of the partial admission to the millennial kingdom of some, the denial to others. The basis of admission is the use of what God has blessed them.

The third part of this chapter speaks of the judgment of peoples where ‘sheep’ are separated from ‘goats’ and the sheep allowed admission, the goats denied. Their basis of admission is based on how they treated the children of God.

The chapter is in harmony of time. Jesus gave the ‘signs of the end times’, and now is concluding it with what happens at the end of that time, who gets to go into the next age.

 

[murjahel]

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS


Matthew 25:
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.



This is the last parable of this sermon of Jesus. It illustrates a truth concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, not the church. This parable is further clarification of the same truths of the parable of the ten virgins. After alerting us, in the Kingdom of Heaven, that we are to "watch" for we will not know the hour of His return, Christ gives this parable to encouraging all to ponder the suddenness, and finality of His coming. Jesus explains the necessity of watching and being ready, for this second coming is one of judgment for those who have too long rejected Him.

The man in this story went into a far country and trusted his servants with his goods (talents) until he returned. In the same way, Jesus went to heaven, with a promise to return, and there will come a day in which He has returned, and an accounting must be given for the opportunities given for getting ready. Some may be allowed to enter the millennium, some will be rejected.

Instead of grace for repentance being the judgment factor, the works are the factor to be judged here. Jesus will test all left alive after the tribulation, as were the ten virgins, as are the sheep and goats of the last part of Matthew 25. These are tested by their wisdom of using what they have been entrusted with. Just as this man returned and judged his servants as to their faithfulness, so the Lord will come again at an unexpected time to judge His servants.

The ones that prove faithful will enter into greater responsibilities, but the ones who fail will be cast into Hell fire. This is the same judgment as the judgment of the nations dealt with below.

In previous parables, of this sermon, in Matthew 24-25, the parable of the fig tree illustrates the nearness of Christ's second advent, the parable of the good man of the house illustrates the need for readiness, the parable of the servants illustrates the need for faithfulness, the parable of the ten virgins illustrates the need for watchfulness, and the parable of the talents illustrates the need of diligence in view of the second advent of Christ.

Verse 14
as a man traveling.

This man has a claim on all in this parable, as Jesus has claim upon all of mankind. We are all His creation, we all live on His planet, we all have been given life, and a living soul by His decision. We all answer to Him. We are someday to be called into account by Him.


Verses 15-17
according to his several ability.

Each servant was intrusted with something befitting their ability. Those given more were expected to show more profit from what they had received. In this world, some may have hardly heard of Jesus, hardly able to be saved, due to little opportunity. Others have heard daily, own a Bible, attend church, and often rejected. Their ability to enter the millennium is going to be more difficult, for they were given more opportunity.


Verse 18
digged in the earth

A talent was about 1600 dollars in silver. It was not a small amount. Commonly such gold or silver would be buried in the earth, providing an inexpensive safe-like place to hide the valuable money.

Verses 21-23
into the joy of thy Lord.

Two of the three servants heard this pronouncement. In the parable of the ten virgins, half were blessed. The percentage of those blessing is not to be taken as indicative of how many are saved judgment. The only thing we can infer safely is that some will be blessed, some will not be.

Verses 24, 25
an hard man.

This servant had a knowledge that much was expected, and feared, instead of taking advantage of the great honor and blessing offered. He ignored his obligation, even though he was aware he would be called into account. This knowledge made him very liable to judgment, for he did not act unwisely without knowledge of the obligation.

Verses 26, 27
wicked and slothful servant.

He man’s money was long in possession of this one, and he would have owed at least interest on it. In that culture, the reward for wise investment would have been appropriate. This man did not venture to even gain interest, let alone to earn any wages. The servant was too slothful to toil for his master. The master had been wise in only entrusting him with the smallest of goods. If he had just loaned the money to exhangers, he would have earned interest at least.

It was unlawful to loan money to a fellow Israelite with the purpose of gaining interest> Interest could be received from Gentiles.

Verse 28
unto him which hath ten

The man who have been trusted to have the largest amount is the one who is blessed with the one talent.

Verse 29
unto every one who hath.

If we are blessed with much, much will be required. Yet, if we are only blessed with a little, still we have to answer for the ‘little’. We have no excuse for slothfulness, we have no excuse for not understanding our obligations. If we are Billy Graham and win thousands to win to Jesus, that is great. Yet, if we only have opportunity to win one soul to Jesus, and fail there, we are not blessed anyhow since we had few opportunities, but we answer for the one failure.

Verse 30
into outer darkness.

There was no such punishment for failure to take care with one talent. So, here we see that the Lord is moving to the literal interpretation of failing to be ready for the second coming. There will be a judgment, and the price to pay for failure to be ready is severe, though just.

There is anguish, gnashing of teeth in pain and fear, weeping and sorrow in hell fire for missed opportunities.

The implication of this parable is clear. The lord of the servants is King Jesus. He is coming soon, and the second coming is a time of judgment, and many will die by the time of this judgment of those still unsaved by the end of the tribulation.

The conduct of the two faithful servants shows that even after the day of grace is over, the Lord still can be merciful to those who are good. The parable emphasizes the need to ‘watch’.

The accounting of the servants is the judgment at the end of the tribulation.

more to come on parable of the talents

 

[murjahel]

JUDGMENTS TO COME

Matthew 10:26 (KJV)
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

God knows all, and someday will "tell it like it is." The truth will come to light. The day of judgment will bring out truths that sinners have hoped would always be hidden.

A young minister supposedly candidated for the pulpit of a church. His message that Sunday was, "The Wicked Shall Be Turned Into Hell." The church turned him down. The next candidate used the same text, and was accepted as pastor. Someone asked, "Why?" They answered: "It is true, they both preached that the wicked would be sent to hell, but the first man seemed glad of it, and the second man was, oh, so sorry."

There is the truth, that judgment must come. But to announce the judgment does not mean that we are glad of it. Whether pleasant or not, it is still the truth.

In Sparta of ancient Greece, they had a law that one could not tell a brother any bad news. The brother was to be allowed to discover it for himself. Some today wish we could do that concerning "hell." But Paul said:

Acts 20:27 (KJV)
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

If we love, we must tell people of judgment to come.

Peter reminds us that:

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We, as Christians, should not want judgment to come, but still we must warn of hell and its torments.

There are a number of judgments
that Christians must be aware.

1. First, there is the JUDGMENT OF BELIEVERS' SINS IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST. Jesus went to calvary to do a perfect work for those who would accept His atonement. His death meant life for us. Since the "WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH" and His death meant that we who repent of our sins to Him will not have to face death for those sins, we can live in our new relationship to Him. This refers to the time when a sinner realizes his sin, and calls upon the Lord to make His vicarious death to atone for those sins. When we accept Jesus, it is a coming to the cross, to the shed blood of Jesus, and applying that judgment of sin as our own. It is past for many of us, I pray, but for some yet, they have not come to this judgment.

2. Secondly, there is SELF-JUDGMENT THROUGHOUT LIFE FOR CHRISTIANS. Believers who walk in the light of truth in this world will need to obey the Lord and His Word. Occasionally, we fail. Chastisement, and approval from God comes to each child of God. Sometimes when we fail, God sends trials to try to help us see our error. Other times the trials are tests of our faith, to see if we will remain true to God in the test.

Peter refers to this is 1 Peter 1:6-7 (KJV):
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

This constant trying of our faith is to purify and strengthen us. We are to cooperate in this by self-judgment, repentance, etc.

3. Thirdly, there is a JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH, for its hypocrites, troublemakers, and false prophets.

1 Peter 4:17-19 (KJV)
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The time of this judgment is shortly before the rapture of the church. It is a seldom mentioned judgment, yet has many Bible passages that describe it.


4. Someday, immediately after the rapture, on the way to God's throne room, we will have the JUDGMENT OF BELIEVERS' WORKS. All the raptured and resurrected saints will on that day be brought to the "bema" seat of Christ. This "bema" is like the judges' seat at a race. There our works, obedience to Christ, and our motives will be judged. There will be crowns, rewards, or loss of rewards at this time.

1 Peter 4:5 (KJV)
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

2 Corinthians 5:10-11 (KJV)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Romans 14:10 (KJV)
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

When we reach the throne room we will already have our crowns, which we will throw at the feet of our Savior, Jesus.

5. Fifth, the JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL for her many centuries of rebellion will occur. The Jews in the tribulation will face trials and persecution beyond imagination. The end result of the tribulation judgments will be the conversion of Israel as a nation just prior to the second coming of Jesus. When Israel failed God in the Old Testament period and was sent into captivity in Babylon, they sill refused to seek God as God had desired. Daniel announced a period of 70 sevens of years. After 483 of these years, they rejected the Messiah, Jesus, and were "cut off." There are just 7 more years of judgment left for them. This period, we call, the 70th week, or the tribulation.

6. The sixth judgment is the JUDGMENT OF LIVING NATIONS at the time of the second coming. Jesus has taught the signs of the end of the age, and now is showing in this parable, as in the parable of the ten virgins, what it will be like at the judgment of nations for those left alive at the end of the tribulation. Jesus will assume the throne and have all still living humans brought before Him. There He will judge them as between sheep and goats. How these people treated God's people will determine which of them are allowed to enter the millennium, and which will be sent to hell. We shall see one more plain teaching concerning this in the final part of Matthew 25.

7. The seventh judgment that we must mention is the JUDGMENT OF ANGELS. Some angels have fallen from their first estate, and some have remained pure. There is coming a day when we will be their judges. At the great white throne judgment, the angels will be brought before us, and judged. For many of them, the eternal damnation of the Lake of Fire is their doom.

2 Peter 2:4 (KJV)
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Jude 1:6-7 (KJV)
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8. Then, at the same time and place as the judgment of angels, there will be the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT OF ALL THE WICKED. Every wicked person who has ever lived will be resurrected and given an eternal body. Their first death resulted in the separation of their soul from their body, and the punishment of their soul in hell. Now they will be given an eternal body, and their soul and body will suffer eternal torment in the lake of fire.

Every man will have his fair trial before the eternal God who knows all the secrets of men.

Mankind will be judged according to:
the law of conscience (Romans 2:12-16),
or the law of memory (Lk.16:25),
or the law of Moses (Romans 2:12-16),
or the gospel (Romans 2:2-16).

If their names are not in the book of life, they will be sent to the lake of fire.

2 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

At the end of this judgment, the earth and the heavens will pass away. God will create a new heavens and a new earth that has not seen the sin, destruction, and degradation that this one has.

2 Peter 3:7 (KJV)
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:10 (KJV)
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

So the final end of the wicked is the lake of fire. This is called "THE SECOND DEATH." (Revelation 20:14-15) The Antichrist and the False Prophet were cast into this fiery abyss 1000 years earlier. Finally, Satan, all evil angels and spirits, and sinful mankind will join those two, and be eternally punished.

Because the fact of these judgments is so horrible, and to be dreaded; we, the saints, are told:
1 Peter 1:17 (KJV)
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

The word "sojourning" is from the Greek - "paroikia" which refers to "a temporary visit in a foreign land." We need to remember that this is not our home any longer. We are citizens of a better place. We are here temporarily to warn people of a coming disaster. The word "fear" is from the word "phobos" which means "a reverence, a respect." We do not have to dread and be petrified of the judgments. We, as saints, face a reward at ours. But we must respect the reality of the other judgments, and that they are certain to occur. So respect, and reverence the time you have been given here to persuade others to come to Jesus.

This sermon of Jesus on the SIGNS OF THE END, are meant to inform us, teach us, warn us, and make us watchful.

stay tuned for part 3 of parable of the talents...

 

[murjahel]

THE JUDGMENT OF PEOPLES
TO ENTER THE MILLENNIUM
OR NOT


Matthew 25:
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:
32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Verse 31
When the Son of man shall come in his glory

Again, this identifies the time of this information. It is to occur when Jesus has come in the second coming. This truth of this end times judgment, has often been misinterpreted, and applied to current times, and to time prior to the rapture. That is errant, but if it were true, then this story would be teaching salvation by works, or rapture eligibility via works. That would disagree with multitudes of other Scripture passages. Grace via repentance and belief in Jesus as Savior is what brings us into the family of God, and what makes us to be ready to be soon raptured.

Some have used this passage to encourage giving, sharing, feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoners, etc. Those are all good things, and shoujld be done by Christians. Yet, that is not what saves us from sin, we are not saved by works.

Jesus shall come in His “glory” at the end of the tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (KJV)
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

“angels with Him”

Revelation 19:14 (KJV)
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Jesus, the saints from heaven, His holy angels, will return to Armageddon and battle the devil, his angels and evil spirits dedicated to him, not to Jesus. The ten kings of the nations of the empire of the Antichrist, the armies from countries conquered by the Antichrist, all nations inspired by the three frog demons, hidden evil spirits, demons, fallen angels, will be there to battle against the Lord.

Revelation 16:14
“spirits... goeth forth to the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to battle.”

Isaiah 26:21
“For behold the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

Isaiah 24:21
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth, And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit (bor), shall be shut up in the prison after many days shall they be visited.”



then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory

Normally the throne on which He will sit is in heaven. On the top of the New Jerusalem, is flat part and His ‘glory’ shines down from there into the city, enlightening the whole city. This city, actually shaped like a pyramid, but with a flat top, with brilliance of light from God's presence filling the city itself.

Isaiah 6:1
"In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple."

There are twelve rivers of living water flowing down from the throne, each one flowing toward one of the twelve gates of the city. The rivers flowed amidst the streets, and increase miraculously in volume as they near the gates.

Revelation 21:23-26
"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring glory and honor of the nations into it."

Here, the throne of His glory is an earthly throne on which He will sit here in an earthly Jerusalem, for 1000 years. We call that time when He sits on an earthly throne to be the Millennium. It is the "Sabbath" of the earth. For 6000 years man has worked and struggled under the curse of sin. As there were six days of creation and then a sabbath day of rest for God, so there has been nearly 6000 years of God's creation of a family of believers to become God's children. Following those 6000 years, the Lord will rule with the saints for 1000 years. This 1000 year Sabbath is a rest for the earth.

2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

During this Millennium, a groaning world will be delivered. The world will be evangelized as God has always intended. The theocracy (rule by God) will be totally established in the world. There will be universal prosperity, and universal peace. The curse of sin will be removed, wild animals will be tame, and sickness will be gone. The humans left will be ruled over by the saints, and these humans will not die, unless they sin. The few humans that enter the Millennium alive will raise families, and their children will raise families, etc. for 1000 years. We, the saints, will not only rule--but will also teach these people to worship, honor and love the Lord Jesus.

Near the end of this 1000 year period, God will provide a final test for these humans. Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit, the abyss, and allowed to tempt people to sin, and to rebel. The saints do not get involved in this war, for God Himself will send down fire to destroy all who fall for the lies of Satan. This war sounds short and final. The Millennium is then ended---the humans who passed the test are sent to the New Earth to continue being ruled over by the saints.

A White Throne judgment will then take place where all the wicked dead that have ever lived will be resurrected and given eternal bodies. These eternal bodies will be brought to the throne where they will all finally bow to God and His Son Jesus. They will have their fair trial, and then their eternal bodies will be put into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

This kingdom follows the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven (Rev. 19:7-9), and after the tribulation on this earth (Rev. 19:11-16,20). After the battle of Armageddon, Christ Jesus proceeds to the temple (Zechariah 14:4-5, Malachi 3:1). There He takes His earthly throne of glory.

The Jews accept Him (Zechariah 12:10). He has this judgment of peoples, to separate the sheep from the goats, to determine who will enter the Millennial period. All the saints, of course, will enter the Millennium, but this judgment determines who of the humans left alive on earth, will enter to be ruled and reigned over by Jesus, and we, the saints. The saints, whether by the rapture of the church (I Thess. 4:17), or as one of the tribulation saints (Rev. 6:9-11), or as one of the 144,000 Jewish missionaries of the tribulation, will rule and reign over these humans allowed to enter the Millennium.

This judgment will show how they treated God's people. They will be separated as "sheep from goats," and the "goats" will be sent to hell.

This judgment will last 45 days.

Daniel 12:11-12 (KJV)
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

In our present day, the righteous suffer. In the Millennium, the righteous will reign.

Another purpose of the Millennium, is to evangelize the people that we rule. The ‘sheep’ that pass this judgment at the end of the tribulation will be evangelized and taught, and made to be disciples during that millennial period.

Isaiah 2:2-3 (KJV)
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.


A new order will be established. We have seen democracies, republics, socialistic governments, communistic governments, dictatorships, monarchies, etc., and yet--God will establish a THEOCRACY. A THEOCRACY is when God rules (Luke 1:32-33, Daniel 7:13-14). The seat of this government will be Jerusalem. A Millennial temple will be built. It will take 2 years, 10 months, and 20 days to build (Daniel 8:13-14).

The "shekinah glory" will overshadow Jerusalem again (Ezek. 43:1-5). Satan is bound in the abyss for most of this period, so his influence is not felt. People will see how the world may be blessed when they follow the guidance of the Lord of Hosts.

Universal prosperity will cover the earth. Politicians have promised prosperity over and over, but Christ Jesus will deliver true prosperity.



Sickness, pain, and death will be gone. All will be healed.

Isaiah 29:18 (KJV)
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

This is the great time that all these people would certainly prefer to hell. The ones who rejected Jesus when they could have been saved, and become a saint, are suddenly facing a judgment because they had not done so before this moment. Now, Jesus is determining who will enter this millennial period.

Verses 32-33
sheep from the goats

Sheep and goats fed together during the day but were separated at night by the shepherds of that time. Jesus is going to separate those who mistreated His people from those who treated them well.

Verse 34
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

God wants no one to enter judgment, but wants all to be saved. Yet, some will ‘inherit’ the kingdom, some will ‘inherit’ hell fire.

Verse 37, 40
Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ...
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me

The basis of the judgment of the people, is how they curse or bless, how they deal with God’s people.

Verse 41
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels

Some will be sent to the hell fire, and later to the lake of fire. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. No one else needs to go there, unless they choose not the salvation of Jesus. If one resists that One Way of salvation, then they will go there.

John 3:16-20 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.


These sheep and goats had not accepted Jesus. Therefore, they will never be the ‘family of God’ with immortal bodies to rule and reign. These ones that are sheep and goats will be ruled and reigned over, for they had not been saved during the age of grace.

Verse 46
everlasting

The punishment for the goats is ‘everlasting.’ This is the Greek word: aionios (G166), meaning ‘eternal’. It is translated "everlasting "and "eternal" of God (Rom. 1:20; 16:26), the Holy Spirit (Heb. 9:14), life (44 times, Mt. 19:16,29; 25:46; Jn. 3:16,36; Rom. 6:22), salvation (Heb. 5:9), redemption (Heb. 9:12), kingdom (2Pet. 1:11), our resurrected bodies (2Cor. 5:1), judgment (Heb. 6:1-2), damnation (Mk. 3:29), fire (Mt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7), punishment (Mt. 25:46). So the same word translated "everlasting" and "eternal" describes both the eternal punishment of the wicked and the eternal life of the righteous.

The place prepared for the devil is eternal, and if humans are sent there, their punishment is also eternal.

The judgment of nations, described by Jesus in this sermon found in Matthew 25, determines who enters the millennium, and who goes to hell fire. Three fourths of the world die in the tribulation judgments, now in this judgment following the tribulation, determine more who go there. That is why Daniel said ‘blessed are those who come to the end of ...’ The ones who survive this judgment are blessed to be ruled and reigned over, they remain alive, they remain to have choice to serve Jesus now in the Kingdom. There will be a final test at the end of that 1000 years, when the devil is loosed.

 

[murjahel]

THE RAPTURE


John 14:3
"If I go away, and prepare a place for you, I will come again."

Acts 1:11
"this same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go up into heaven.'

There is a difference between the rapture of the church and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second coming of Jesus is when He comes visibly to the earth and His feet touch the Mt. of Olives. He will remain for 1000 years and rule and reign with us. (Acts 1:11, Matt. 24:20, Zech. 14:4)

The rapture occurs seven years earlier, before the tribulation. The rapture is the summons of the church to go to heaven. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)


PROOFS THE RAPTURE IS BEFORE THE TRIBULATION


1. No mention of the church is made in connection with the tribulation. Only Israel and nations are mentioned.

2. The promise to the church at Philadelphia (which represents the revived church of the last days) states:
"I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth."
Rev.3:10

3. The tribulation is a time of God's wrath on an apostate church, a backslidden Israel, and an ungodly world. Believers are "not appointed unto wrath."
(I Thess. 5:9)

4. We are to be "delivered from the wrath to come." (I Thess.1:10)

5.Types in the Bible
Enoch--raptured before the flood
Lot and his family--delivered before the judgment on Sodom

6. In Revelation 4:1, the "Come up hither." represents the rapture. Following that - the church is seen in heaven with crowns on their heads--which Paul said would be received on the day of the rapture. Following the rapture day scene of Rev. 4 & 5, the tribulation starts in chapter 6.

7.Greek words used to describe the rapture:

harpadzo
=caught away by force out of harm's way

ekphugein
= to escape clean away from a person or condition

apolutrosis
= to take unto oneself a valued object that was paid for in full earlier

optomai
= appear​

Some have said that if we would search we will find no history of the teaching in the early church record. They say that it did not exist until the 1830's. But that is not true... let us examine some early church writings.


Justin Martyr 100 A.D.-
" The man of apostasy shall venture to do unlawful deeds on earth against us the Christians."
(Trypho, cx)

This is true, for many will be saved during the tribulation, after the rapture of the church, they are called the ‘tribulation saints...”... so this statement does not teach against Pre-trib rapture.


The Pastor(Shepherd)of Hermas 150 A.D.-
"Happy ye are who endure the great tribulation that is coming."
(Vision Second)
" Those, therefore, who continue steadfast, and are put through the fire,
will be purified by means of it… Wherefore, cease not speaking these things into the ears of the saints. This then is the type of the great tribulation that is yet to come."
(Vision Fourth)

the early church was going through great tribulations... burnings upon crosses, crucifixions, throwing to lions, imprisonments, scourgings with 39 stripes...etc... So when they spoke of enduring tribulations, they meant the tribulations they were currently in... and note that they also said “‘this then is the type of the great tribulation that is yet to come...” They knew another, greater tribulation was still to come... but only the tribulations they were currently in would be the ones they endured before the coming of the Lord...

Barnabas 130 A.D.- "Take heed, lest resting at our ease, as those who are called by God, we should fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, acquiring power over us, should thrust us away from the kingdom of the Lord."
(The Epistle of Barnabas, chapter IV)

This indicates that salvation can be lost, and the hope of escaping the tribulation and the Antichrist would have to be faced... if one ‘falls asleep in their sins”... as the five foolish virgins will have to go through the tribulation, but not the five wise ones... This is what Barnabas was speaking of...

Irenaeus 130 A.D.- " And they (the ten kings) shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the church to flight."
(Against Heresies, V, 26, 1)

Where two or three are gathered in His name, is a church... So after the rapture of the church in a pre-trib rapture, there can be a ‘church’ of tribulation saints which will endure some trib. Before being killed...

George Mueller 1805-1898-
"The Scripture declares plainly that the Lord Jesus will not come until the apostasy shall have taken place."
(Mission Tour and Labors, p. 148)


Spurgeon 1885- "First, then, there is a terrible time, a time of fearful national trouble. When the Lord Jesus shall come, the heavens shall tell us:
‘There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars.’ And then our own eyes shall tell us for they shall see ‘ the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory’… ‘Look up, and lift up your heads’ because graves are opening and you will quit the grave never more to die."
(Charles Hadden Spurgeon, April 23, 1885)

Billy Graham- " Perhaps the Holy Spirit is getting His Church ready for a trial and tribulation such as the world has never known."
( San Shoemaker’s Under New Management, p. 72)

There is currently an apostasy, and a great falling away, and perilous times, and much tribulation upon saints... and trials galore... but that is not the 7 year tribulation spoken of in Revelation and Daniel... So the above quotes refer to this type of trials... not to the 7 year period of the wrath of God...

Hermas.....
There is an interesting paragraph in the Shepherd of Hermas... that shows that the early church spoke of tribulations often, for they were going through many... but they also knew of a separate tribulation, through which they believed the church would not pass....

Hermas tells us that he passed by a wild beast and met a virgin who saluted him saying... Hail O man.!
He returned the greeting... Lady, hail!
Then she asked... Has nothing crossed your path?
Hermas replied...
I was met by a beast of such a size that it could destroy peoples, but through the power of the Lord and His great mercy, I escaped from it...
The virgin said... Well, did you escape from it, because you cast your care on God, and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that you can be saved by no other than His great and glorious name? You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. God therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If ye prepare yourselves, and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be free and spotless in serving the Lord blamelessly.”
Hermas, The Shepherd of Hermas, Book I, fourth, ch. ii, also ch. iii)

This shows that the teaching was definitely in the early church... of a pre-trib rapture...and that the teaching of the pre-trib rapture was not added in 1830... but to a restoration of the doctrine that had been lost when the church apostatized in the dark ages...

The church lost not only the pre-trib rapture doctrine, but salvation by faith, not works, became powerful feeling, and persecuted and tribulated (excuse the word) the world for a time, instead of wanting an escape of the tribulation.

After the first early rain revival of the church, the church became powerful... and ruled over the wicked... and the hope of the rapture waned... The church was joined by many wicked, with teachings from heathenism... for it was illegal not to belong to the church... The corruption of church doctrine explains the lack of the teaching of the pre-trib rapture, or of a rapture period, during the middle ages... Thus it is not strange that in the post-Nicene period, and the leaders in the middle ages, there is silence regarding the rapture of the church.

But the early church did believe in such... a pre-trib rapture.

As evidenced by Hermas’ teaching...

And the promise to the church of Philadelphia... (Rev. 3:10) “I will keep thee from the ‘hour’ of temptation...” “Hour’ designates a time of coming trial, a period of tribulation... that comes upon not only a part of the earth, but upon ‘all who dwell upon the earth...” The word for ‘dwell’ is not then normal... “oikeo” but the strengthened “katoikeo” meaning all who are identified with the earth... Alford refers us to other examples in the Bible of this word being used, which shows it refers to “those who are not of the church of Christ”.

The nature of the 70th week of Daniel is one in which it is Israel who is to be dealt with.... not the church. (Daniel 9:27)
Isaiah 26:20-21
“Come, My people enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

The twenty four elders, representing the 24 divisions of the heavenly priesthood all have crowns on their heads in Rev. 4 and 5... and Paul clearly teaches that no saint, not even him, would get their crown until the rapture time... and the tribulation is starting in Rev. 6 -19... so this would indicate a pre-trib rapture...

There is a necessity for a period between the rapture and the second coming of Christ.

The judgment of believers will take some time. the passing out of rewards...
And then the second thing... the marriage supper of the Lamb, the opening of the New Jerusalem... will also take some time.

If we go up to the clouds, and then immediately come back to rule and reign with Christ for a 1000 years... when do these things occur?

Why would we be constantly exhorted to watch, if we could date the Antichrist’s coming, note esp. the date of the abomination of desolation... for if we were here, and knew that date, we have revealed in Scripture to the day, how many days after that is the second coming... and we would know the day of His return.

 

[murjahel]

the rapture... COME UP HITHER...

Rev. 4:
"which said; Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

‘Come up hither” will be the Words trumpeted by the Lord, that will make these bodies be transformed into glorious, eternal, and incorruptible bodies... The atoms of the bodies of dead saints, whose spirits have already been in heaven, will be reunited in the clouds with those spirits. They will be made into glorious, eternal bodies also...

This passage is relating to us, John seeing in vision form, the rapture of the church...

Jesus will soon return. His coming will be in two stages. The first part is called the RAPTURE. It will occur before the tribulation judgments are sent by God upon the earth. In the rapture, the Lord Jesus will secretly catch away His saints.

The second stage of the Lord's coming is called the SECOND COMING. In this part, Jesus will return with the saints from heaven and begin to rule and reign on this earth for a thousand years.

In the RAPTURE He comes FOR His saints. In the SECOND COMING, He comes WITH His saints. Just as in the first coming of our Lord to earth, a time period of 33 years was spanned. In the next coming of our Lord, a time period of 7 years will be spanned.

Jesus had began talking of His return time to earth, even prior to the night of His betrayal. Jesus began referring to it, at Caesarea Philippi, about six months prior to His crucifixion.

Matthew 16:21
“From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests, and scribes. and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

Shortly after that revelation, Jesus began to tell them of the second coming events.

Matthew 16:27
“The Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father, with His angels.”

The message about His suffering and death, showed and revealed a separation time. There would be a few days of Jesus walking with them after the resurrection, but a longer separation time would shortly come, and Jesus wanted saints to know that He would someday have a reunion with His own.

John 14:3
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.”

A separation time, is painful, but when united with a promised reunion, it becomes bearable. Scoffers may challenge the promised returning, the reunion of saints with the Lord Jesus, but that is to be expected. Peter forewarned us of scoffers of such (II Peter 3:3-4). Yet, often in the Bible, we are foretold a reunion time with Jesus.

II Peter 3:10
“The day of the Lord will come.”
Revelation 22:20
“Surely, I come quickly.”
Jude 14
“Behold, the Lord cometh...”
Hebrews 10:37
“He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry​

.”

There are a number of Greek words that are translated to describe the rapture.
HARPADZO =to be caught away, out of harms way by force
EKPHUGEIN = To escape away from a dreaded person or thing
APOLUTROSIS = to take unto oneself a valued object
All three indicate that the rapture would be BEFORE the thing can be harmed.

There are several other words referring to the coming of Jesus.
Apokalupsis, has been used to refer to the message of the book called REVELATION, for this book titles itself, ‘the apokalupsis of Jesus Christ’...
This word means ‘unveiling, appearing, revelation, coming’.

It is also found in I Peter 1:13: “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind; be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation (apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ.”

Also it is found in I Peter 1:7: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing (apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ.”

Paul also uses the word in I Corinthians 1:7: “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming (apokalupsis) of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Another word used to refer to Jesus’ coming, is parousia. This word means ‘arrival’, or ‘presence’. It is generally translated ‘coming’ in the New Testament. The word expresses two ideas, that of arrival, and presence, presenting the idea of one becoming present, via an arrival time. Our word for ‘visit’ is a close analogy. The word suggests a personal nature of an arrival, one with the Person actually being present, making the arrival a ‘visit’. It is used to refer to the nature of the coming of Jesus, and is used both of the rapture and the second coming, in fact this word is indicative of both events, both being part of the one ‘parousia’. Paul urges the Philippians to be obedient during his absence (apousia), as they were during his presence (parousia) [Philippians 2:12]. The word means a personal bodily presence...

Parousia is used in I Corinthians 15:23: “But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, afterward, they that are Christ’s, at His coming (parousia).”

Also it is used in I Thessalonians 2:19: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of of our Lord Jesus Christ, at His coming (parousia)?”

For more use of this word, see I Thess. 3:13, 4:15, 5:23, II Thess. 2:1, ,8, James 5:7-8, II Peter 1:16, and I John 2:28. These passages and the use of the word ‘parousia’ show a faith in a personal bodily return of the Lord, to rapture the church, and to come soon thereafter that in a bodily return to rule the world.

Another word, ephiphaneia, meaning ‘an appearing, a ‘manifestation’, a ‘shining forth’ is used in reference to Jesus’ coming. A false, heretical teaching of Jesus coming being only that of a spiritual nature, not of a bodily appearing was confronted vigorously by the early church, and is to be so confronted by the last day church. The word epiphaneia, is a word that attacked such heresy then, and today.

The word is used of Paul to describe Jesus first coming. II Timothy 1:10 “But now is made manifest, by the appearing (epiphaneia) of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

Then Paul also uses the word to refer to the coming of Jesus for His church, via rapture, in Titus 2:12-14: “teaching us... we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing (epiphaneia) of the Great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Thus, the appearing of Jesus the ‘epiphaneia’, is a bodily appearing, not a spiritual presence, and is just as bodily as was His first appearance, in His first coming.

Then Paul uses the same word to refer to the second coming, following the rapture and the tribulation judgments, when Jesus appears to rule and to reign with the saints. II Thessalonians 2:8: “then shall the wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume... destroy with the brightness of His coming (epiphaneia).”... Thus, the second coming of Jesus, is also a bodily appearing....

Hebrews 9:24, 26, and 28 show this same truth. These verse show that Jesus is presently ‘appearing’ at the presence of God to intercede for us (verse 24), but is the same Jesus Who ‘appeared’ to put away sin (in His first coming), and will soon ‘appear’ in His second coming for those that ‘look for Him’. All three ‘epiphaneia’ appearances are bodily appearances.

The word ‘epiphaneia’ carries with it a teaching that the High Priest Who passed into the heavens, to intercede for us, at the right hand of the Father, will soon ‘appear’ also, bodily as He did the first time in His first coming, and like He bodily appears next to the Father now, in another coming, for we who look for Him.

In the prophecy of Daniel, seventy sevens of years are given to Israel. Sixty nine of those have occurred, and the last seven of years is yet to occur. When the Lord has finished dealing with the Gentile church, He will again deal with the nation of Israel for seven years. This is the 70th week of Daniel, that we commonly call "the tribulation." Why should the church remain here for the Lord's final dealing with Israel ?

The tribulation is a time of wrath on an ungodly world, on an apostate, backslidden church, and on a backslidden Israel. We, the true church, are "NOT APPOINTED UNTO WRATH." (I Thessalonians 5:9) And consider - I Thessalonians 1:10 "TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN...WHICH DELIVERED US FROM THE WRATH TO COME."

In the Scriptures, types are used to illustrate the picture of the rapture which was to be fully revealed later. In the rapture of Enoch, it came before the judgment of the flood. In the story of Lot and his family, they were delivered before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These show that the nature of God is to deliver His own, before He pours out His wrath. The rapture of the church precedes the tribulation. The Bible teaches us that the Antichrist will not be revealed until the church is removed from the earth. II Thessalonians 2:6-8 "HE THAT LETTETH (hinders) WILL LET (hinder), UNTIL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. AND THEN SHALL THAT WICKED (one) BE REVEALED..."

Some have argued that the "he" of the verse does not refer to the "church," because the church is the "bride of Christ." However, the church is not referred to by feminine pronouns, is not symbolized by a woman, and is not the "bride of Christ."(See Rev. 21:9-10) The church is called a "man" in Ephesians 2:15, 4:13. Also the church is called the "body of Christ" in I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27, Ephesians 1:22-23, and Colossians 1:18, 24. So it is most appropriate to refer to the church as "he."

The church is the only "hinderer" of lawlessness that will be taken out of the world before the tribulation. The Holy Spirit will remain on the earth since there will be people being saved during most of the tribulation.( John 14:16, Acts 2:16-21, Rev. 12:17, with 19:10, Zechariah 12:10 to 13:1).

Many ask: "Where is the promise of His coming?" These scoffers doubt and mock the idea of the rapture of the church.

Others say: "Why study it ? There are too many different opinions." Some will say: "It is too speculative."

Some just want to recite all the different ideas, leave everyone confused, and draw no conclusions on the rapture. Scoffers have done their work. They have brought into a great portion of the church--confusion, apathy, and ignorance--about the rapture. God did not intend for Christians to be confused, apathetic, or ignorant. He means for us to have knowledge, awareness, and an anxiousness for the rapture.

I Thessalonians 4:15-17
"WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD SHALL NOT PRECEDE THEM THAT ARE ASLEEP (dead)--FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND WITH A SHOUT (Rev. 4:1), WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND THE TRUMP OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST, AND THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP (Greek = harpadzo, to catch away out of harm's way) TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR, AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD."

Luke 21:36
"WATCH YE THEREFORE AND PRAY ALWAYS THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN."

I Corinthians 15:51-52
"BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY, WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP (die), BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED. IN A MOMENT, IN A TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMP--FOR THE TRUMP SHALL SOUND (Rev. 4:1, I Thess. 4:15-17) AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED..."

II Thessalonians 2:1
"NOW WE BESEECH YOU BRETHREN, BY THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM..."

The signs for the coming of the Lord that are given us in the Word of God--all point to the second stage of His coming. They point to the SECOND COMING, not to the RAPTURE. Thus, when we see these things "begin to come to pass," we are told to "look up" for the signs point to the part of His coming that is seven years after the event we want so much to see -- THE RAPTURE.

At one point in His earthly ministry, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, who knew the Holy Scriptures, yet did not recognize Him as the Messiah, and did not know it was time for His coming. (Matthew 16:1-4)

Yet, there are seven times more Scriptures for the second coming of Jesus that there are for the first coming. So if the Lord were angered by their lack of understanding of the times--how much more is He disturbed by those who do not know when it is the time of His coming?

 

[murjahel]

Revelation 3:2-3
"BE WATCHFUL, AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN... IF THEREFORE THOU SHALT NOT WATCH, I WILL COME ON THEE AS A THIEF, AND THOU SHALT NOT KNOW WHAT HOUR I WILL COME UPON THEE."

The Lord does not want to come to us, "as a thief." There is the "IF" in that verse that most ignore. We are not supposed to be surprised by His coming, "if" we are aware and awake. Some things are revealed to us, and we are to know them.

Deuteronomy 29:29
"THE SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD: BUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE REVEALED BELONG UNTO US AND TO OUR CHILDREN FOREVER, THAT WE MAY DO ALL THE WORKS OF THIS LAW."

It is the children "of the night", or "of darkness", that are to be taken by surprise by the "day of the Lord." It shall come as a "thief" to them.

I Thessalonians 5:1-11
"BUT OF THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS, BRETHREN, YE HAVE NO NEED THAT I WRITE UNTO YOU. FOR YOURSELVES KNOW PERFECTLY THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. FOR WHEN THEY SHALL SAY, 'PEACE AND SAFETY;' THEN COMETH SUDDEN DESTRUCTION UPON THEM, AS TRAVAIL UPON A WOMAN WITH CHILD, AND THEY SHALL NOT ESCAPE. BUT YE, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF. YE ARE ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DAY; WE ARE NOT OF THE NIGHT, NOR OF DARKNESS. THEREFORE LET US NOT SLEEP, AS DO OTHERS; BUT LET US WATCH... COMFORT YOURSELVES TOGETHER, AND EDIFY ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS ALSO YE DO."

We, as Christians, are to be different that the world. We are "not to be in darkness" and surprised by the Lord's coming.

Daniel 8:19
"BEHOLD, I WILL MAKE THEE KNOW WHAT SHALL BE IN THE LAST END OF THE INDIGNATION (the great tribulation), FOR AT THE APPOINTED TIME, THE END SHALL BE."

Long ago, God appointed a time for the second coming and all the events prophesied. These dates are set and will not be changed. the very idea that God did not know what would happen, and would have to change His planned times because of events that He did not foresee -- is foolish. He warns in Revelation against the very idea that we can add to, or take away from...the events just as He outlined them. ( Revelation 22:18-20)

Are we not to be concerned by the "when" of these events??? Surely, we are. But there is a passage that many try to appeal to, in order that they might justify "unconcern" toward the times.

Mark 13:32
"BUT OF THAT DAY AND THAT HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO, NOT THE ANGELS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, NEITHER THE SON, BUT THE FATHER..."

Jesus, at that time, did not know the time of the rapture and second coming. He had emptied Himself of His omniscience until He was glorified again after the resurrection. Yet, in that same passage we are told to:

"TAKE HEED, WATCH, AND PRAY...COMMANDED HIS PORTER TO WATCH...WATCH YE THEREFORE... AND WHAT I SAY UNTO YOU, I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH."

We may not know the "day or the hour", but we are not to have a lack of interest in the times. Most who quote from Mark 13:32-37, disobey the whole truth Jesus was trying to tell us there. We are being instructed to "watch" and be alert to the signals of His coming.

II Peter 3:9-10
"THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME MEN COUNT SLACKNESS; BUT IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE..."

Because it seems as though it has been so long, since the promise of His return, and the event itself...some think God has forgotten, or that maybe we are expecting something that will never occur. But God has already appointed a time, and He is not slack, He is just awaiting the salvation of all He can. When His appointed time arrives, He shall come.

We are in the generation.

Luke 21:32
"THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED."

Two things pin down the "generation." It will be the generation during which Israel becomes a nation again. this occurred in 1948. It will also be during the generation when Jerusalem will not be controlled by the Gentiles any longer. Since 1967, all of Jerusalem has been under control of the Jews. This is our generation.

Why can't we know the "day" or the "hour?"

The word "day" is from the Greek word "hemera". It is the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hour day. The word "hour" is from the Greek word "hora", meaning a short time, a short season. It is a part of a day. What we are not to know is the exact day, and the exact hour of His coming. Can we come within a year? Or can we come within a month, or a week??? And if we thought we knew the "day", say a Monday...it is already Tuesday somewhere on the earth, since it is round. And if we thought we knew the "hour", say midnight...it is already 1 A.M. somewhere, since the earth is round. Knowing this, God told us that we cannot know the "day" or "hour."


The "times" and the "seasons" are supposed to be discerned by the saints.

The word "seasons" is from the word "kairos" means "clock time." This means we are to be aware of how much clock time is left. Just as someone who watches the clock at work, if quitting time is 4:00 and it is 3:30, they are well aware that they are in the last half hour. In the schools, one can tell it is one minute till the bell, by the kids on the edge of their seats, books in their arms, and one foot in the aisle ready to jump from their seats. In the same way, we are to know the clock time left, so we may be anxiously waiting when the Lord returns.

The word "chronos" is the word for "times" in the Bible. It refers to a fixed or special period of time. We are to be aware of when we are in that special period of time just before the coming of Jesus. God has indicated events we are to see within that last time period, and we are to be well aware that we are in that period. In the work place, those who work Monday through Friday, and have the weekend off, are well aware that on Friday - the weekend is soon to arrive. They know in which time period they are. We too should know we are in the final time period before the coming of Jesus.

In which time period are we? In the Bible, a day often indicates 1000 years.
II Peter 3:1-13
"...BUT, BELOVED, BE NOT IGNORANT OF THIS ONE THING, THAT ONE DAY IS WITH THE LORD AS 1000 YEARS, AND A 1000 YEARS IS AS ONE DAY."

In the middle of a treatise on prophecy, we find this verse. It means that one truth we cannot afford to be ignorant of is that in the period of time God has given mankind, as one day is part of the week, so one thousand years is a part of the 7000 years that God has given mankind.

Consider what the early church believed about it.

Book of Barnabas 13:3-5
"And God made in six days the works of His hands, and He finished them on the seventh day. Consider, my children, what that signifies, He finished them in six days, the meaning of it is this: that in 6000 years the Lord will bring all things to an end. For with Him, one day is 1000 years, as Himself testifies, saying, "behold, this day shall be as 1000 years," Therefore, children, in 6 days, i.e. 6000 years shall all things be accomplished."

The early church understood this better than the church of recent days. There is to be 7000 years from Adam's creation until the end of the millennium. the millennium, in the Bible, is often called "the day of the Lord." It is like the "sabbath" of the week.

From Adam to Noah 2000 years
From Noah to Christ 2000 years
From Christ to now about 2000 years
_______
total 6000 years

So it is almost time for the millennium.

Hosea 6:2
"AFTER TWO DAYS WILL HE REVIVE US: IN THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP, AND WE SHALL DWELL IN HIS SIGHT."

Hosea was speaking of a time when the Jews will reject their Messiah. Then, says Hosea, He will revive us after 2 days. If Hosea meant 2 literal days, then the prophecy was not fulfilled. If Hosea meant 2000 years, then we are about to see the revival of Israel to accept the Messiah, as is to happen in Petra during the Millennium. Then during that third day, the Millennium, they shall dwell in the sight of their Messiah.

Even the Jews of the past believed this. In GEMARA, a commentary on the Talmud, by Rabbi Ketina:
"The world endures 6000 years, and in one thousand it shall be laid waste (i.e. the enemies of God destroyed), whereof it is said, 'The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. As out of 7 years, every 7th is a year of remission, so out of 7000 years of the world, the 7th millennium shall be the millennial (1000 years) years of remission, that God alone may be exalted in that day.'"

The early church emphasized this teaching. Ireneas, an early church apostle, 150 A.D., said:
"This is an account of the things formerly created, also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is 1000 years, and in 6 days created things were completed; it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end in 6000 years."

In A.D. 1552, Bishop Latimer wrote:
"The world was ordained to endure, as all learned men affirm, 6000 years. Now of that number 5552 years (as of 1552) so that there is no more left but 448 years."

(1552 + 448 = 6000)

Archbishop Ussher in 1650 A.D. had access to many ancient church manuscripts that were later lost during the fires of the Irish wars. He calculated that Jesus was born in 4 B.C., and so concluded that the millennium would start in 1997 A.D. We now have corrected one error that he made and adjust the birth of Christ to 1 B.C., so would expect the millennium to start in 2000 A.D.

The "times and the seasons" that we are to be aware, is the 7000 year theory that we have seen often referred to down through the ages. We are to know therefore that we are in the last days. The times are short.


Year time of year event


0 1st of Tishri creation of Adam

4000 1st of Tishri Jesus was born

6000 1st of Tishri Second Coming of Jesus

7000 1st of Tishri White Throne Judgment


4000 years till Christ
2000 years from birth of Christ to the tribulation
____
6000 years total

1000 years of millennium to follow the 6000
____
7000 total years for mankind to be restored to God

How far off are we? Are we near the rapture?

The accounting of years over the millennia has been greatly flawed. Therefore, we cannot determine exactly where we are, to be very exact in knowing the year... We can determine that we must be very near. Our years do not match up with the figuring, so guessing that 2000 A.D. was when it was supposed to happen, was a WILD guess by many. There are many errors in calculation throughout the millennia, so we are close, but how close is a bit of a mystery.

 

[murjahel]

SABBATH & JUBILEE YEARS


Leviticus 25:2-5
"WHEN YE COME INTO THE LAND WHICH I GIVE YOU, THEN SHALL THE LAND KEEP A SABBATH UNTO THE LORD. SIX YEARS, THOU SHALT SOW THY FIELD, AND SIX YEARS THOU SHALT PRUNE THY VINEYARD, AND GATHER THE FRUIT THEREOF, BUT IN THE SEVENTH YEAR SHALL BE A SABBATH OF REST UNTO THE LAND, A SABBATH FOR THE LORD."

Every seventh year was to be a Sabbath year. The law of the Sabbath of the land let the land lie fallow, and the crops were not harvested every seventh year. God promised to give a great crop on the sixth year to carry them through the "Sabbath year." He was going to provide enough seed to plant again the eighth year. The obedience would show Israel's trust in God.

At the seventh cycle, the 49th year, God would give a great enough crop to last, not only the 49th year, but also the 50th year. The 50th year became known as the "Year of Jubilee." (Lev. 25:1-13, 18-22)

There were 490 years between the year when Saul became King (1096 B.C.), until the year in which the captivity began (606 B.C.). They had not celebrated the Sabbath years during those 490 years. Therefore, they owed God 70 years of Sabbath rest for the land. The captivity was 70 years long. God gave the land its Sabbath rest, and let the rebellious Israelites stay in captivity in Babylon while the land rested.

Moses had prophesied 850 years before that:

Leviticus 26:34-35
"THEN SHALL THE LAND ENJOY HER SABBATHS, AS LONG AS IT LIETH DESOLATE, AND YE BE IN YOUR ENEMIES' LAND, EVEN THEN SHALL THE LAND REST... BECAUSE IT DID NOT REST IN YOUR SABBATHS, WHEN YE DWELT UPON IT."

Every 50th year was a "Year of Jubilee." On the tenth of Tishri, the Day of Atonement, a trumpet was to be sounded to announce the beginning of this year. The land was to be returned to the original owners. Those in servitude were to be freed. There was to be no sowing, reaping, or gathering. All debts were canceled.

Leviticus 25:8-12
"AND THOU SHALT NUMBER SEVEN SABBATHS OF YEARS UNTO THEE, SEVEN TIMES SEVEN YEARS... THEN THOU SHALT CAUSE THE TRUMPET OF THE JUBILEE TO SOUND ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH, IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT SHALL YE MAKE THE TRUMPET SOUND THROUGHOUT ALL YOUR LAND. AND YE SHALL HALLOW THE 50TH YEAR, AND PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF... YE SHALL RETURN EVERY MAN UNTO HIS POSSESSION, AND YE SHALL RETURN EVERY MAN UNTO HIS FAMILY. A JUBILEE SHALL THAT 50TH YEAR BE UNTO YOU, YE SHALL NOT SOW, NEITHER REAP THAT WHICH GROWETH OF ITSELF IN IT, NOR GATHER THE GRAPES IN IT OF THY VINE UNDRESSED. FOR IT IS A JUBILEE, IT SHALL BE HOLY UNTO YOU..."

During the 3500 year history since Moses gave this instruction from the Lord, there is no evidence that Israel ever kept the Sabbath years, or the Jubilee Years. On 606 B.C., Zedekiah made a partial attempt to keep the covenant.

Jeremiah 34:8
"KING ZEDEKIAH HAD MADE A COVENANT WITH ALL THE PEOPLE...TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY UNTO THEM..."

However, after the slaves were freed, the princes broke the covenant and enslaved them again. God was very angry.

Jeremiah 34:8,17
"YE HAVE NOT HEARKENED UNTO ME, IN PROCLAIMING LIBERTY... BEHOLD, I PROCLAIM LIBERTY FOR YOU, SAITH THE LORD, TO THE SWORD, TO THE PESTILENCE, AND TO THE FAMINE; AND I WILL MAKE YOU TO BE REMOVED INTO ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH..."

The next Jubilee Year will be the 70th Jubilee Year since it was instituted by Moses. In the 30th Jubilee Year, Jesus came and announced the beginning of His ministry. In the 70th Jubilee Year, Jesus may come again to Petra to announce the setting of the captives free. The Bible seems to indicate that the Second Coming of Jesus will occur during a Year of Jubilee.

Acts 3:18-21
"BUT THOSE THINGS WHICH GOD BEFORE SHOWED BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS PROPHETS, THAT CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER, HE HATH SO FULFILLED. REPENT YE THEREFORE, AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT, WHEN THE TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND HE SHALL SEND JESUS CHRIST, WHICH BEFORE WAS PREACHED UNTO YOU; WHOM THE HEAVEN MUST RECEIVE UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS, WHICH GOD HATH SPOKEN BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."

The Year of Jubilee is the time "of the restitution of all things." In this year soon to come, it is the perfect time for Jesus to come and restore to this earth the blessings, and to remove from mankind the slavery to sin and death.

In the Jewish synagogue liturgy for the Day of Atonement, these words are spoken:
"Raise up for us a right intercessor, I have found a ransom. Bring us back in Jubilee to Zion, Thy city, and in joy as of old to Jerusalem, the House of Holiness! Then shall we bring before Thy face, the sacrifices that are due."

In Genesis 6:3, it says that man is given 120 years. If by this, God meant Jubilee Years, them 120 times 50 is 6000 years. From Adam to the next year of Jubilee is 6000 years.

Genesis 6:3
"AND THE LORD SAID, 'MY SPIRIT SHALL NOT ALWAYS STRIVE WITH MAN; FOR THAT HE ALSO IS FLESH: YET HIS DAYS SHALL BE 120 YEARS.'"

Moses wrote Psalm 90, and in it he makes a peculiar statement. He says that the days of our years are threescore and ten (70). Yet in his day, man lived longer than that. Moses, himself, lived for 120 years. What did he mean? Knowing, as he did, of the Jubilee Years, he seems to be indicating the position of mankind in the time sequence set up by God. He wrote this when it would be 70 (threescore and ten) more Jubilees until the last Jubilee. And if one counted the total Jubilees since the nation of Israel had its birth (at the time of Abraham), it was 80 Jubilees till the next Jubilee year, when the Messiah would come and bring the "restitution of all things."

Psalms 90:11
"THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS ARE THREE SCORE AND TEN, AND IF BY REASON OF STRENGTH THEY BE FOURSCORE YEARS, YET IS THERE STRENGTH, LABOR AND SORROW; FOR IT IS SOON CUT OFF, AND WE FLY AWAY."

Psalm 90 is a prophetic Psalm. Not in verses 1 and 2, "IN ALL GENERATIONS," and "FROM EVERLASTING." Then he talks of how years pass, and God judges sin. In verse 12, he says:

"TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS, THAT WE MAY APPLY OUR HEARTS TO WISDOM..."

Then in verse 13, he says:

"RETURN, O LORD, HOW LONG ?"

The rest of the Psalm is a cry to the Lord to return and bless Israel. (Note the word "return" -- This speaks of the Second Coming, not the first.) Psalm 90 gives a timetable for the return of Jesus.

70 x 50 = 3500 years
So Jesus is to return on the 70 th Jubilee year.

If we count from the time the nation of Israel began in Abraham's day, it is on the 80 th Jubilee year.

There were 40 Jubilees from Adam to Abraham. There were 40 Jubilees from Abraham to Jesus' first coming. There has been 39 Jubilees since Jesus' first coming, and we are approaching the 40th. The total of 120 Jubilees corresponds with the 120 that Genesis 6:3 says that the Spirit will strive with mankind. Will Jesus come in the next Year of Jubilee? Let's continue on in our series of lessons and look for confirmation in other prophecies.

(Remember, the rapture precedes the Second Coming by 7 years.)

 

[murjahel]

GOD'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS for the END TIMES


"the shadow of things to come..."
Colossians 2:16-17

Wouldn't it be great to catch a glimpse of God's calendar. People put notes on a calendar. They remind themselves of special events to come, anniversaries, birthdays, Doctor's appointments, etc. Wouldn't you like to see what God has marked on His calendar of events to come? We'd like to know:

when is the tribulation?
when is the rapture?
when will Enoch and Elijah arrive?
when will the Antichrist be revealed?
when will the Second Coming of Christ occur?
etc.

The Scripture does reveal that God set aside certain days in which He wanted the Jews to celebrate, or mourn. These were called "feasts" and "solemn days." These days reveal special days on God's calendar. Many great events have occurred on these days. They were days chosen of God, not chosen of mankind. God set these days aside for a reason.

Leviticus 23:44
"AND MOSES DECLARED UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THE FEASTS OF THE LORD."

Numbers 10:10
"ALSO IN THE DAY OF YOUR GLADNESS, AND IN YOUR SOLEMN DAYS, AND IN THE BEGINNINGS OF YOUR MONTHS, YE SHALL BLOW WITH THE TRUMPETS OVER YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS, AND OVER YOUR SACRIFICES OF YOUR PEACE OFFERINGS: THAT THEY MAY BE TO YOU FOR A MEMORY BEFORE YOUR GOD: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD."

God set "feasts of the Lord" for Israel to observe (Lev. 23). The Sabbath was a feast day that was to be observed weekly. Seven other feasts were celebrated annually:

Passover,
Unleavened bread,
First fruits,
Pentecost,
Trumpets,
Atonement,
Tabernacles.

Many have wondered why we don't celebrate these feasts in the church age. The Bible refers to the Israelites celebrating them in the Old Testament, and the Bible refers to the celebration of them in the Millennial period. So why do we not celebrate them in the middle, church age? The reason is that in the Old Testament, they prefigured the real, actual reason for the celebration of these days. For instance, Passover prefigured the sacrifice of the true Lamb of God. We now celebrate the real reason that the day was set aside as special.

As we see the unfolding revelation from God of the real meaning of these days, we will again celebrate these special days. It will not be a celebration of the "pre-figurement", but of the "fulfillment" of the day. Each feast commemorated a specific event, but also prophesied of a later event to occur on the same day. We can expect some future prophetic events to be fulfilled on the exact day of certain feasts.

Colossians 2:16-17
"LET NO MAN JUDGE YOU IN MEATS, OR IN DRINK, OR IN RESPECT OF AN HOLY DAY, OR OF THE NEW MOON, OR OF THE SABBATH DAYS; WHICH ARE A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME, BUT THE BODY IS CHRIST."

We are not still in the legalistic observance of these feasts. We are to be in the liberty of the Spirit, and understanding what these feasts prefigured prophetically. God knows and has known, since the beginning, the complete details of His plans. He has slowly unfolded these plans to us during human history.

People have been slow to understand that the dates of future events are unfolding to us. Anna and Simeon were waiting to see the baby Jesus brought to the temple. They were prophetically aware of the nearness of His coming to the temple as a babe.

With seven times more Scripture on His second coming, as there is on His first coming, shouldn't we be seeking to become prophetically aware and anxious to see Him come for His own?!?!?

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BIBLICAL CALENDAR

NAME OF OUR EQUIVALENT
JEWISH MONTH

1. NISAN (or ABIB) MAR-APRIL
2. ZIF (or IYAR) APR-MAY
3. SIVAN MAY-JUNE
4. TAMMUZ JUNE-JULY
5. AB (or AV) JULY-AUG
6. ELUL AUG-SEPT
7. TISHRI SEPT-OCT
8. BUL OCT-NOV
9. CHISLEU NOV-DEC
10. TEBETH DEC-JAN
11. SEBAT JAN-FEB
12. ADAR FEB-MAR

VE DAR (the intercalary month)

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SEVEN FEASTS

1. FIRST FOUR FEASTS

a. feast of unleavened bread
b. feast of passover
c. feast of firstfruits
d. feast of Pentecost

2. FINAL THREE FEASTS

e. feast of trumpets
f. feast of atonement
g. feast of tabernacles

When the "feasts" were instituted, they were "His feasts." Yet they became "a feast of the Jews" (John 5:1). They had become hollow and meaningless ritual.

Isaiah 1:11-15
"...YOUR APPOINTED FEASTS, MY SOUL HATETH..."

People had lost the complete meaning and teaching of the feasts. The feasts had become corrupted. The people had become corrupted. However, in the last days we are to receive a fresh revelation of prophetic truth. It is that fulfillment of prophetic truth that we will try to unravel here. This study will open your eyes to many misunderstood, forgotten, or ignored truths in the Word of God. It will astound you what the Lord has revealed in the Bible.

Many will challenge the idea that we can know a "day" revelation, since we are not to know the "day or the hour." But we will not know the day, for the Bible, and the Book of Enoch, reveal that the orbit of the earth will alter during and before the tribulation. The year of the tribulation is to be 360 days long, not 365. So all the calendars are set for years that are not to be. We don't know the "day or hour." It is impossible to calculate using our present calendars.

Luke 21:25-26
"AND THERE SHALL BE SIGNS IN THE SUN, AND IN THE MOON, AND IN THE STARS, AND UPON THE EARTH DISTRESS OF NATIONS, WITH PERPLEXITY: AND THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING: MEN'S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, AND FOR LOOKING AFTER THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE COMING UPON THE EARTH FOR THE POWERS OF HEAVEN WILL BE SHAKEN."

Enoch 80:2
"But in the days of the sinners, the years will become shorter, and their seed will be late on their land and on their fields, and all things on the earth will change, and will not appear at their proper time. And the rain will be withheld and heaven retain it."

Jeremiah 50:46
"AT THE NOISE OF THE TAKING OF BABYLON, THE EARTH IS MOVED."

Isaiah 13:13
"THEREFORE I WILL SHAKE THE HEAVENS, AND THE EARTH SHALL REMOVE OUT OF HER PLACE, IN THE WRATH OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, AND IN THE DAY OF HIS FIERCE ANGER."

The orbit of the earth will change, and return the earth to an orbit that will yield a year of 360 days long. The Bible tells us that the tribulation is 7 years long. It also tells us that it is two halves of 1260 days. That gives us 2520 days divided by 7 years, which yields a 360 day year. The change of the orbit will alter the year, and the calendars. So speculation on the "day" is impossible, even if we do determine which "feast day" the rapture, and other events are likely to occur.

God allowed a number of the "feast" days to be possibilities for certain events. Some have chosen the first of Tishri as being likely for the rapture, and some have chosen the fifteenth of Nisan. Still others will choose the day of Pentecost (the sixth of Sivan) to be the most likely. There are points of argument for each date. God has made the "feasts" to be possibilities. We can study and determine which is the most likely, but our best guess may be incorrect. Still, the study of these feasts, and the "guesstimations" are intriguing.

Isaiah 42:9
"BEHOLD THE FORMER THINGS HAVE COME TO PASS, NEW THINGS I DECLARE UNTO YOU, BEFORE THEY SPRING FORTH, I TELL YOU OF THEM."

The Bible begins and ends with prophecy.
Genesis 2:17 "THOU SHALT SURELY DIE."
Revelation 22:20 "SURELY, I COME QUICKLY."

Amos 3:7
"HE REVEALETH HIS SECRETS UNTO HIS SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS."

Revelation of prophecy starts in the Word with what God has already revealed.

Daniel 9:2
"I, DANIEL, UNDERSTOOD BY THE BOOKS, THE NUMBER OF YEARS WHEREOF THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO JEREMIAH, THE PROPHET, THAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH 70 YEARS IN THE DESOLATION OF JERUSALEM."

Compare Jeremiah 25:11, 29:1,10, II Chronicles 36:21, Leviticus 26:14-24.

Daniel 9:3
"I SET MY FACE UNTO THE LORD GOD..."

Daniel 9:11
"THE CURSE IS POURED UPON US AND THE OATH THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES..."

Leviticus 26:18
"AND IF YE WILL NOT YET FOR ALL THIS HEARKEN UNTO ME, THEN I WILL PUNISH YOU SEVEN TIMES MORE FOR YOUR SINS."

Daniel 9:22
"I AM NOW COME TO GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING...70 WEEKS ARE DETERMINED..."

Thus, Daniel was led from Scripture to Scripture, and understood much prophecy. Then he was given more revelation from the Lord directly. We cannot ignore His written Word, and then expect Him to speak and reveal directly to us.

Isaiah 28:10
"FOR PRECEPT MUST BE UPON PRECEPT, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT, LINE UPON LINE, LINE UPON LINE, HERE A LITTLE, THERE A LITTLE, THAT THEY MIGHT..."

In these last days we have a whole stack of lines, and precepts. God wants to tell us more... In these last days we have a choice...


1. OUTPOURING OF REVELATION

Habakkuk 2:14
"FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA."

2. or FAMINE, THIRST, IGNORANCE OF GOD'S REVELATION

Amos 8:11-13
"LAST DAYS... FAMINE... OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD... THEY SHALL WANDER FROM SEA TO SEA... RUN TO AND FRO TO SEEK THE WORD FROM THE LORD AND SHALL NOT FIND IT... IN THAT DAY THE FAIR VIRGINS AND THE YOUNG MEN SHALL FAINT FOR THIRST..."


In these last days you may choose which group you will be. Choose to study the Word, and learn all it can tell us...let the Lord lead us to new understandings and revelations that He wants us to see in these last days.

Joel 2:28
"...YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS..."