In my last post, I spoke about Rome Adventure and its theme song, Al Di La. In the movie, the question was raised about the meaning of “Al Di La.” The explanation that was given was; “it’s hard to explain; It’s far far away, beyond the beyond, beyond this world; that’s how much he loves her in this song.” Those words relate to another kind of love; a love that is far greater than any other love that the world has ever known. There is another song that has words that tell us about such a great love. In the song, “Pass It On,” the words – “that’s how it is with God’s love,” tell a similar story. Yes. For some people, it also can be hard to explain. It is a love that is far far away, in that it can never leave us, regardless of where we might go. Consider astronauts in outer space; the love of God travels with them, regardless of how many millions of miles they might travel away from Planet Earth. If we were to go beyond the world’s known limits, which would have us in a state of “beyond the beyond,” God’s love would not be left “in this beyond.” Even if we were to travel to another world, God’s love would also travel with us. And, yes! God loves us that much; to never, never, let us go anywhere minus His love.
Just as astronauts may travel millions of miles into uncharted areas of outer space in search of the unknown, that seems to be the norm for my mind. Throughout today and this evening, my mind was also traveling, in search of an unknown song. One came to me that took me back to a time when my first born child was in church singing a very special song with other children. My first born, my daughter, was about eleven years old. The sweetness of the evening was so strong that it has stayed with me throughout all of the past thirty years. As I considered the words of the song, and sang it to myself today, tears came to my eyes, over and over. I hope that you are blessed by the song that I have chosen. The people in the choir are simple and humble; they are from Singapore. The choir and the song are very telling of the love that God has expressed for us in Romans 8:38-39.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The year was 1962. I was fourteen years old. My home was in New Orleans, Louisiana, actually Gretna and Algiers. I looked at the movie section of the New Orleans Times Picayune and tried to figure out a good movie to see. There were many theaters in “The Crescent City,” so it took a while to decide on which one would have the best movie. I decided on the Avalon Theater, which was located in the downtown area of what is now known as “Algiers Point.” I road a city bus from the Mc Donoughville community of Gretna, where I lived, all the way to the theater. That is a time in my life that I will never forget, and would not want to forget.
The movie that was being shown was “Rome Adventure.” At my “tender age,” I was in love with the idea of being in love. The movie was about a young woman whose name was Prudence. She worked as a librarian somewhere in America. She wanted to go “to where they really know what love is all about – Italy.” So, she went! The role of Prudence was played by Suzanne Pleshette.
Almost magically upon her arrival in Italy, Prudence met a young man who had recently broken up with his girl friend. That man was Don, and was played by Troy Donahue. Love was truly in the air as Prudence and Don toured Italy together. As the movie began to show the love grow between Don and Prudence, you can not imagine how much I would love to have been Don as he was gaining the favor of the beautiful Suzanne Pleshette.
The Rome Adventure theme song, Al Di La, has been in my mind throughout the years. While Don and Prudence were on a date, and listening to Emilio Pericolli sing the song, Prudence asked Don to explain the meaning of “Al Di La.” He explained it like this. “It’s hard to explain. It’s “far far away, beyond the beyond, beyond this world; that’s how much he loves her in this song.”
Rome Adventure was truly a love story, because it was just that – a story about love, young love. There was nothing out of taste or character for either Suzanne Pleshette or Troy Donahue; oh how we need movies like that today. To help you to understand some of my thoughts about this movie, I have added two links. The first one will take you to the scene where Al Di La is being sung. The second one will show various film clips of the movie. I trust that you will get a feeling deep inside of you that will help you to remember, or appreciate, such a time in life.
Troy Donahue and Suzanne Pleshette later married, although I am not certain how long the marriage lasted. They are both dead now; such a great loss for the world.
The innocence of the 50s and early 60s had come and gone. Our nation was at war in Southeast Asia, or better known as Vietnam. The movie, “Good Morning Vietnam,” shows how a group of radio disc jockeys tried to make things better for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen who were spending a year of their life trying to hold back the communist forces of North Vietnam. Robin Williams plays such a dj. I was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War (they called it a conflict, but I think that someone couldn’t figure out that it was a real war!). My time was spent in Thailand and The Republic of The Philippines, in support of the war effort, so I was very blessed and thankful that I didn’t have to enter an area of combat. But, I can remember the great service that the djs of the Armed Forces Radio And Television Service did to strengthen the morale of our military and civilian folks who were assigned to areas of Southeast Asia. Armed Forces Vietnam Network, and other AFRTS organizations did a great job of bringing the music of “back home” to a land that was a third world country. In my Air Force barracks in the Philippines, we had a group of those wonderful djs living with us. They were members of the Army, Navy, and of course, the Air Force. I can remember a great Navy dj. I think that his name was Ray Lorio. I trust that life was good to him after he left the Philippines. I left in 1971, and I think that he was still there. So, please consider the value of the video. It was about a movie that was about a very unpopular war. Horrible things were happening, as the movie shows, and the song may seem to be out-of-place. But, such songs were very important to our troops who would be spat upon once they returned home, due to the war’s unpopularity. So, sit back for two minutes and thirty-nine seconds and view a video about a very telling movie that starred a great actor and comedian, Robin Williams. Following the video, you will find a link to a site that will tell you more about the hero djs of the Vietnam War.
What A Wonderful World
Good Morning Vietnam
AFVN – American Forces Vietnam Network Home Page – OoCities http://www.oocities.org/afvn/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight
Hear AFVN Vietnam military radio again or watch military tv news again on your computer – authentic shows heard or seen years ago. See pictures of the GI’s …
This course of study of the end times follows the notes that have been made by Dr. John Mac Arthur and Dr. Charles Ryrie. Such notes may be found in their study bibles and in other of their teachings. The teachings of Dr. Ed Hindson and Dr. Harold Wilmington, both of Liberty University, will also provide a large amount of information for the study.
In order for me to produce a study of the end times, reliable sources of information are necessary for input. Great credibility can be found in the following list of names of respected theologians whose information may be used. The letters that follow the name will be used to show reference to the source during the study.
Dr. John Mac Arthur/Mac Arthur Study Bible (MAC). Dr. Charles Ryrie/Ryrie Study Bible (RYR). Dr. Ed Hindson (HIN). Dr. Harold Wilmington (WIL). Dr. R.C. Sproul/Reformation Study Bible (RSB). The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HSCB). The Key Word Study Bible (KEY). The Scofield Study Bible (SCO). The Thompson Chain Reference Bible (TCR). The Complete Jewish Bible (JEW). Liberty Commentary Bible, Libery University (LIB). The New International Commentary (TNIC).The Pulpit Commentary (PUL). The New American Commentary (NAC). Holman New Testament Commentary (HNT). Holman Study Bible (HSB). Additionally, I am in continuous review of respected media experts of the end times, such as Dr. John Hagee, Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. Jack Graham, Dr. Robert Jeffress, Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. Jack Van Impe. Deceased Dr. Jerry Falwell; Deceased Dr. John F. Walvoord; Deceased Dr. Adrian Rogers. BibleGateway.com is used to cut and paste scriptures onto pages and posts. Other sources of information will be noted as they are added. Comments that I personally make will show no indicator of authorship.
Normally, when I write a post, I will start in the past, at the beginning, and move toward the present. In this study, I will be looking at things that will take place in the future, as they were seen by the author John, which is also our future. As we continue through this study we will, at the same time, be looking back at events that will lead us to an understanding of the future.
Before we go any further in this subject area, I would like to provide a bit of encouragement for those who may feel overwhelmed by this study of God’s Holy Word. The following verses should provide a reason for all of us to study the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:3 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Not only will we be blessed by studying the Book of Revelation, we will also be blessed by studying the other books of the Bible that contribute to the understanding of the end of times. As we study Revelation, which is the Revelation of Jesus, and not of the Apostle John, we are given the order of the vision that was given to John.
Revelation 1:19 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
chapter 1 – the things which you (John) have seen
chapters 2-3 the things which are
chapters 4-22 the things which will take place after this
The last two subjects of study that relate to The Coming Of The Lord have been:
1. The Coming Of The Lord – A Global Crisis? (100714).
2. Seal Judgments (100814).
Now, we will proceed to the next subject of study, as follows:
The Coming Of The Lord – The Interlude (101114)- Revelation 7 New King James Version (NKJV)
The study of the end times continues with an interlude that occurs between the sixth seal(6:12-17)and seventh seal (8:1). In this seventh chapter of Revelation we will see two separate and distinct groups of people. We will discuss in verses one through eight, the 144,000 Jewish missionaries (vv 1-8). In verses nine through seventeen, we will see the results of the evangelistic efforts of the Jewish missionaries, which are their converts who are in heaven (VV 9-17). (MAC)
The Sealed of Israel
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
MAC THE FOUR WINDS The four angels will turn off, for a brief interlude, the essential engine of earth’s atmosphere.
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
MAC SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD The seal is the name of God. It is imprinted on an object and implies authenticity and ownership (cf 9:4; Ezek 9:3-4).
3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
RYR The judgments will be delayed until the 144,000 Jews can be sealed. They will be protected supernaturally.
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
RYR 144,000 These are Jews from the 12 tribes of Israel (12,000 from each tribe). They are protected so they can perform service to God during this time period. The omission of the tribe of Dan may be because Dan was guilty of idolatry on many occasions. (Lev 24:11
MAC “ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND” These are Jewish missionaries who will be instrumental in the salvation of many Jews and Gentiles during the Tribulation (vv 9-17). They will be the first fruits of the redeemed Israel (v4, Zec 12:10). Finally, Israel will be the witness nation that she refused to be in the OT (Rom 11:25-27).
MAC “EVERY TRIBE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL” By sovereign election, God will seal 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, promising His protection while they accomplish their mission.
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
A Multitude from the Great Tribulation
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
RYR A GREAT MULTITUDE Consisting of many groups of people who will be redeemed during the Tribulation (v 14). It will be in these very difficult days that many people will accept Christ as their Savior.
MAC A GREAT MULTITUDE The Tribulation will be a time of judgment, but also a time of unprecedented redemption (cf v14, 6:9-11; 20:4; Isa 11:10; Mat 24:14).
MAC EVERY NATION AND ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND TONGUES These are all of the earth’s groups.
MAC WHITE ROBES The white garments of all of the redeemed relate to holiness and purity. Such white robes are reserved for Christ, holy angels, and to those who have been redeemed (note 3:4).
MAC PALM BRANCHES In ancient times they were related with celebrations, including the Feast of Tabernacles (Lv 23:40; Ne 8:17; Jn 12:13).
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
MAC SALVATION TO OUR LORD Salvation is the theme of their worship as they recognize that it comes only from God.
11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
MAC ELDERS They represent the redeemed of all times (note 4:4).
12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
MAC WHITE ROBES The white garments of all of the redeemed relate to holiness and purity. Such white robes are reserved for Christ, holy angels, and to those who have been redeemed (note 3:4).
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
MAC THE GREAT TRIBULATION (See notes on 3:10; 6:1,9,12) These people were left behind when the church was raptured, because they had not been saved/born again at that time. During the 7 year tribulation period they will be saved, martyred, and enter Heaven. The Tribulation will a be time of great judgment, but it will also be a time of unparalleled grace in salvation (Matt 24:12-14).
MAC WASHED THEIR ROBES Salvation’s cleansing is in view (Cf 19:8; Tit 2:11-14).
MAC BLOOD OF THE LAMB This refers to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (Cf 1:5; 5:9; Rom 3:24, 25, 5:9).
SCO Verse 14, Tribulation
The great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble predicted in the passages cited under that head from Psalms 2:5 to Revelation 7:14 and described in Revelation 11-18. Involving in a measure the whole earth Revelation 3:10 it is yet distinctly “the time of Jacob’s trouble” Jeremiah 30:7 and its vortex Jerusalem and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Palestine in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. (See Scofield “Daniel 9:24”). Revelation 11:2; Revelation 11:3 The elements of the tribulation are:
(1) The cruel reign of the “beast out of the sea” Revelation 13:1 who at the beginning of the three and a half years, will break his covenant with the Jews (by virtue of which they will have re-established the temple worship, Daniel 9:27 and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshipped as God; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
(2) The active interposition of Satan “having great wrath” Revelation 12:12 who gives his power to the Beast Revelation 13:4; Revelation 13:5
(3) The unprecedented activity of demons Revelation 9:2; Revelation 9:11 and
(4) the terrible “bowl” judgments of Revelation 16.
The great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God Revelation 7:4-8 and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles Revelation 7:9 are said to have come “out of the great tribulation” Revelation 7:14. They are not of the priesthood, the church, to which they seem to stand somewhat in the relation of the Levites to the priests under the Mosaic Covenant. The great tribulation is immediately followed by the return of Christ in glory, and the events associated therewith Matthew 24:29; Matthew 24:30.
See “Remnant” Isaiah 1:9.
(See Scofield “Romans 11:5”). “Beast” See Scofield “Daniel 9:24” See Scofield “Revelation 19:20” “Armageddon” Revelation 16:14. See Scofield “Revelation 19:17”.
PREVIEW OF VS 15-17 RYR This great multitude has died or has been martyred during the Tribulation. They are now seen in Heaven enjoying Heaven’s blessings.
15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
MAC HIS TEMPLE This refers to the heavenly throne of God. During the Millennium there will also be a temple on earth – a special holy place where God dwells in a partially restored, but still fallen world.(see Ezek 40-48). In the final and eternal state, with its new heavens and earth, there is no temple. God will be the temple (vs 21,22).
MAC SPREAD HIS TABERNACLE OVER THEM The presence of God will become their canopy of shelter to protect them from all terrors of a fallen world, and its horror that can not be described, that they will experience on earth during the time of Tribulation.
16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
MAC SHEPHERD The Lamb, who is Jesus, has always been the Shepherd (Ps 23, Jn 19, Heb 13:20)
This verse relates to another verse of scripture. Consider the close similarity in the words of this verse to those that are written in Revelation 21:4. Consider the joy that will be present in the lives of all of the redeemed of all times who will spend eternity with God.
Revelation 21:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
In this post we have considered the times that are awaiting us, and the presence of God during those times. But, let’s consider the comfort of knowing that God’s Holy Spirit is with us now. The video of The Talleys, which took place during a Gaither event, shows a number of the redeemed who have gone on to be with the Lord. (2 Cor 5:8).
We will begin a study of the events that lead directly to the return of Jesus, when He stands on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:1-5). This event will follow the rapture of the church, when Jesus returns in the air and catches up to heaven the believers of all times, whether they are alive or dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:50-53). Mac Arthur, Ryrie, and Holman Christian Standard Study Bibles (HCSB). The term, “caught up,” from 1 Thes 4:17, which refers to “rapture,” is taken from the Greek word, “harpazo,” which means to catch up or snatch up.
For the purposes of giving proper credit to source material, I will do so in the area that I will be writing. For my own comments, I will leave such areas blank.
We will begin this series by considering the rapture of the church.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 King James Version (KJV)
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
4:16 the dead in Christ will rise first. For Paul, those “in Christ” constitute a subcategory of those “in Adam” (the whole human race), and comprise all who participate in the salvation of Christ (1 Cor. 15:22, 23), whether they lived before or after Christ. Therefore, this rising of the “dead in Christ” is a resurrection of all the righteous dead, and not merely of New Testament believers, at the time of Christ’s return. Reformation Study Bible (RSB).
1 Corinthians 15:50-53 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
15:51 mystery. We shall not all sleep. Paul recognizes that many Christians will not die but will be alive at the time of Christ’s return. Though these Christians will not be raised from death, they too will be transformed and receive imperishable and immortal bodies (1 Thess. 4:13–18 and notes). RSB.
After the rapture of the church has taken place those who have been left behind can expect horrible things to happen in this world. They will be worse than has ever been experienced by any of God’s created people since the creation of the world.
Matthew 24:21 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Jesus paid the debt for sin when He was died on the cross. With the beginning of the time of tribulation Jesus will begin His judgment on sin. It is important for us to consider who the people are who will be left behind to experience the judgment that will take place on the earth. It is also necessary to understand why they are being left behind. Consider the words of Revelation 3:10.
Revelation 3:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Consider the phrase, “those who dwell on the earth.” It is a designation for mankind in hostility to God. They are “dwellers on the earth” who are set over against the army of the holy ones. In 11:10 they are those who rejoice over the death of the two witnesses. In chapter 13 they are pictured as worshiping the beast (vs 8, 12), and in chapter 17 as drunk and with the wine of fornication of the great harlot (vs 2). Their names are not written in the book of life (17:8), and they are subject to the coming hour of trial (3:10; 8:13). TNIC
Revelation 8:13 New King James Version (NKJV)
13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
God does not have a problem with the redeemed believers of the world, those who have been born again. Their sin has been removed by Jesus (John 1:29). They have been taken out of the world to be with God prior to the tribulation (1Thes 4:16-17). Those who have not been born again, and have not been redeemed by “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” will be in the world when God’s judgment begins.” The ones who have been “left behind” can still accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. However, they will be present during the acts of judgment and will also be persecuted by the forces of the Antichrist, even to the point of death (Rev 13:15).
After the catching up of the saints, and before the moment that Jesus actually stands on the Mount of Olives, various acts of Judgement are taken by God, who is Jesus, The Lamb Of God/The Lion Of Judah, against the forces of the Antichrist who remain on earth and are planning their assault on Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jews, which will take place at Armageddon. Jesus the Messiah, is the only one who is competent and worthy to break the seven seals and open the scroll that will release the plagues of judgment upon the earth that will soon follow. (Ryrie, Revelation Chapters 4 and 5.) Revelation 6:1 begins the first of three series of judgements (seals, Chapter 6; trumpets, Chapters 8-9; bows, Chapter 16). Most likely the three series are consecutive, with each succeeding one following the preceding one (Ryrie).
Consider the following discussion that is provided by the Reformation Study Bible (RSB).
6:1–8:1 Judgments from God’s throne unfold as the seven seals are opened one by one. The participation of the Lamb reminds us that such judgments are based on His unique qualifications and accomplishments (ch. 5). Each has an opening scene introducing the origin of the judgments (ch. 5; 8:2–6). Six judgments follow (ch. 6; 8:7–9:21). A dramatic interlude promises care for God’s people (ch. 7; 10:1–11:14). The seventh and climactic judgment follows the interlude (8:1; 11:15–19; Introduction: Outline). The seven judgments move forward toward the Second Coming, which occurs in 6:12–17 and 11:15–19. The four living creatures of 4:6 and the four horsemen of Zech. 1:8 are reflected in 6:1–8. The four major regions of the world (dry land, sea, fresh water, and sky) are considered in 8:7–12 RSB
Preview of first four seals: Conquest, War, Famine, and Death
6:1–8 The four horsemen represent conquest, war, famine, and death. These calamities characterize an indefinite period before the Second Coming (Mark 13:6–8). Such things occurred in the tumults of the Roman Empire, and may be expected to occur now and before the Second Coming. The seven churches were exhorted to put their confidence, not in the peace and prosperity supposedly achieved by Roman rule, but in God and His promises of a new world (2:17; 3:12; 21:4). When tumults occurred, they were assured that the Lamb was still in control—in fact, the tumults issued from His worthiness to break the seals and from the voice of the living creatures. Such judgments represented the chastening hand of God on a rebellious world (9:20, 21) RSB
First Seal – Conquest/Cold War – White Horse
Revelation 6:1-2 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” 2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
The white horse and rider are the Antichrist. His method of conquest does not indicate open warfare, since peace is not removed from the earth until the second seal is opened (vs 3). This relates to the description of the delusion in 1 Thes 5:3. Ryrie.
Christ is the rider of the white horse in Rev 19:11. The New International Commentary (TNIC)
With the Antichrist on the scene, the tribulation is beginning. The deception of the Antichrist will gain favor and strength. A peace treaty will be made with the Jews, and after three and a half years it will be broken by the Antichrist. The area of focus during the Tribulation is Israel. But, there will also be collateral damage occurring in all parts of the world.
The length of the Tribulation is seven years. The latter three and a half years are known as the Great Tribulation. Ryrie Study Bible, Rev 3:10 Note.
Second Seal – Open War – Red Horse
Revelation 6:3-4 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another; and he was given a great sword.
Everything about the second seal judgement indicates bloodshed, e.g., red horse, take peace from, sword. Ryrie
The second seal may refer to internal strife, to remove peace from the earth and allow men to turn their destructive instincts upon one another. See Zechariah 14:13. TNIC
13 On that day a great panic from the Lord will be among them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other (HCSB)
Third Seal – Famine – Black Horse
Revelation 6:5-6 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and its rider had a balance in his hand; 6 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not harm oil and wine!”
6:6 A quart of wheat. Famine will come, so severe that a laborer’s entire wages will go merely for food. Families will have to buy barley, a lower quality of grain. RSB
The balance indicates a time of scarcity, with greatly inflated prices, that can be the normal result of warfare. TNIC
Fourth Seal – Death – Ashen Horse/Pale Horse
Revelation 6:7-8 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him; and they were given power over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.
Ashen relates to a sickly, yellowish-green; probably representing the inevitable result of disease that accompanies war and famine. Death claims the bodies, and Hades the souls and spirits of one-fourth of the world’s population in this single judgement. (cf 9:18). Ryrie.
The color of this horse is like that of a corpse. His rider is death, following behind is his inseparable companion, Hades. (cf 1:18; 20:13-14.) Authority is given to them over one-fourth of the earth. They bring about the deaths of one-fourth of mankind. Death by wild beasts would be expected in a land decimated by war and famine.
“The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (Seals one through four) represent the disasters that will come upon the earth. (TNIC)
Fifth Seal – Martyrdom
Revelation 6:9-11 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; 10 they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
6:9–11 Martyred saints cry out for justice, not because of selfish desires, but in tune with the justice of God’s throne (v. 10). They desire to see God’s justice fully manifested. RSB
6:10 those . . . on the earth. Revelation shows that humanity consists of two groups: the people of God, whose citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20), and, in opposition to them, the rebellious earth-dwellers (v. 15; 8:13; 11:10; 13:3, 8, 12, 14; 17:2, 8). RSB
9. the souls of those who had been slain. Evidently, the martyrs of the first months of the tribulation period. 11. rest for a little while longe, i.e., wait a little while. It is difficult for these martyrs to understand why God would allow their murderers to live; yet God asks these saints to trust Him. Ryrie.
10. Notice that the martyred saints are in the Presence of the Lord. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” (2 Cor 5:8).
9. This verse causes some to question why saints are present during the tribulation. The rapture will have taken believers out of the world, so we may ask for the identity of the martyred believers in Christ. It is very clear that these saints were not taken up in the rapture, but came to faith in Christ after the rapture took place. Consider the following commentary.
9. the scene is now of the temple, incidentally another indication that Israel is in the force in these dealings with earth. The altar was the appointed place of sacrifice, because these martyrs had been slain as burnt offerings for the Word of God and their testimony. John on Patmos could understand something of their experience. The souls are the Jewish martyrs of that period. Liberty Commentary Bible, Liberty University.
In addition to Jewish martyrs, there will also be Gentiles, who will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and will be martyred.
10. Consider the phrase, “those who dwell on the earth.” It is a designation for mankind in hostility to God. They are “dwellers on the earth” who are set over against the army of the holy ones. In 11:10 they are those who rejoice over the death of the two witnesses. In chapter 13 they are pictured as worshiping the beast (vs 8, 12), and in chapter 17 as drunk and with the wine of fornication of the great harlot (vs 2). Their names are not written in the book of life (17:8), and they are subject to the coming hour of trial (3:10; 8:13). TNIC
The above note is a repeat of one above that was made following Revelation 3:10.
Sixth Seal – Physical disturbances
Revelation 6:12-17 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale; 14 the sky vanished like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the generals and the rich and the strong, and every one, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand before it?”
12. these cosmic disturbances are predicted elsewhere in Scripture (Isa 34:4; Joel 2:30-31; Matt 24:29). Ryrie.
16-17.When the tribulation comes mankind will believe that the end of the world is at hand. They will plead for death rather than face the wrath of the Lamb. Isaiah writes that “every man’s heart shall melt … they will be in anguish like a woman in travail (Isa 13:7-8). Who can endure the day of His coming, for He is like a refiner’s fire,” (Malachi 3:2). There is no longer a place to hide. God will confront in judgment all of those who have rebelled against His sovereign authority. The wrath of God is a basic theme of NT teaching. It is the response of God’s holiness to persistent wickedness. TNIC
16 -17. We have probably heard the words in the song, “gentle Jesus meek and mild.” Only once in scripture do we find the words “the wrath of the Lamb,” (Mark 3:5). In this passage we see that The Lamb Of God is also the Lion of Judah.
Interlude: the redeemed of the Tribulation, Revelation 7:1-17.
The interlude will be discussed next. Then we will discuss the Seventh Seal in Chapter 8.
The coming in the air by Jesus to catch His church, His bride, away is a desire that believers have. We live in a fallen world. We can not look around and see, as God did in Genesis 1:31, that everything was “very good.” So, we say, “come Lord Jesus come and take your bride away.”
Let us enter into worship of our Lord Jesus as we are led by Terry Mac Almon.
Will the coming of the Lord be a global crisis? Let’s talk about it.
Many people look forward to “the return of the Lord.” There is much agreement that such an event is just what the world needs “to make all things right.” But, when all is considered about “the second coming” of Jesus, not many people would actually want to be present on our Earth when that event actually takes place. There will be a great difference to be found in Jesus, “The Lamb of God,” (John 1:29) as opposed to Jesus, “The Lion Of Judah,” (Revelation 5:5-6). The following discussion of the times and events that call for the judgement of Jesus, “The Lion Of Judah,” are very telling of the times and events that we find facing us in our world today. Israel, the church, and the message of Christ have never had so many attackers, as which there are today. There is no reason to think that things will get any better. The key is to not be “left behind,” when many of the world’s population leave in an upward flight, unannounced. In future posts of this series, we will discuss the “way out” from all of the bad things that will happen,”to test those who live on the earth.” (Rev 3:10).
This area of prophecy of the end times by the prophet Zechariah, focuses on the return of the Lord Jesus in glory at the Battle of Armageddon. The prophecy date of this 14th chapter of Zechariah is 487 B.C. (Scofield). The prophecy is given by the prophet to Jews who had returned to Judea from 70 years of exile in Babylon. Additional resources will be used in this study, as follows. RSB (Reformation Study Bible). Ryrie (Ryrie Study Bible). Mac Arthur (Mac Arthur Study Bible). Holman Christian Standard Bible. Scriptures are by cut and paste from BibleGateway.org. My thoughts will have no author’s note. Other scripture references will be used to show a similar connection to the end times.
Zechariah, Introduction By Dr. Charles R. Swindoll, “Insight For Living Ministries”
Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah after they returned from their seventy years of exile in Babylon (Zechariah 1:1; Nehemiah 12:1, 4, 16). Zechariah’s grandfather returned from Babylon, his young grandson in tow, with the first group of Israelites allowed back, in 538 BC under the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia. Because of his family lineage, Zechariah was a priest in addition to a prophet. He, therefore, would have had an intimate familiarity with the worship practices of the Jews, even if he had never served in a completed temple. As a “young man” at the time of his first prophecies (Zechariah 2:4), his life more than likely extended into the reign of Xerxes I (485–465 BC), the king best known in the Bible for making Esther the queen of Persia (Esther 1:1).1 .
Zechariah 14:1-9 English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst.
14:1 a day is coming for the Lord. The Old Testament prophets proclaimed a “day of the Lord” for judgment and deliverance, both of which are present in this passage (Introduction to Zephaniah: Characteristics and Themes). (RSB) (See Scofield note at bottom on Rev 19:19)
14:1 day of the Lord, Ryrie. A description of one of the last battles of the campaign of Armageddon. See Rev 16:14. Jerusalem will be taken and the spoil divided. Just when the armies of the nations seem undefeatable, Jerusalemites will receive supernatural strength (Zech 12:8) and Jesus personally and visible will return to the Mount of Olives,, causing it to split and provide a valley through which survivors may flee. HOLY ONES. Perhaps believers who having been previously taken to heaven return.
14:1 day of the Lord. Mac Arthur. It is a technical term for God’s wrath unleashed against sinners. Here, Zechariah is looking at the Day of the Lord when His wrath is unleashed against the whole world of sinners; which results in the establishment of the Lord’s millennial reign on Earth.
The day of the Lord is also related to times when God intervenes in the affairs of sinful mankind, such as the rapture, tribulation, millennium, battle of Armageddon, and battle of God and Magog.
2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
14:5 Azal. Clearly a place close to Jerusalem; its precise location is unknown. RSB
holy ones. An expression found also in the New Testament (Jude 14; cf. Matt. 25:31). These are God’s chosen servants, the angelic host (perhaps humans as well), coming to Jerusalem to liberate it from pagan aggressors. This day of battle ushers in the eternal bliss of God’s special presence among His people. (RSB)
See Revelation 19:14. “And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.” (English Standard Version). The word “humans” that is seen in the previous note relates to humans who had been raptured and will be returning to earth for this spiritual battle at Armageddon.
6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
14:7 a unique day . . . there shall be light. God Himself will be the light of the city (Is. 60:19, 20; Rev. 21:25; 22:5). Natural light from the heavenly bodies will have ceased (v. 6). (RSB)
8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
14:8 living waters . . . from Jerusalem. As the result of the Lord’s presence, a refreshing stream of running water brings healing to those who seek refuge in the Lord. Such water symbolizes the blessings of salvation (Is. 55:1–5; Ezek. 47:1–12; John 4:10–14). Believers in Jesus receive the living water only He can give (John 7:37–39; Rev. 22:1). (RSB)
9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.
14:9 king over all the earth. With the final victory, God’s sovereignty over all is manifested. RSB.
the Lord will be one and his name one. These words clearly draw on Deut. 6:4, Israel’s foundational confession (Mark 12:29 note). Only on this day of victory will the full meaning of this confession be understood. (RSB)
Signs Of The End Of The Age
This area of scripture is based on a discussion that Jesus was having with Jews. He spoke about the end times, which are times that have not yet arrived, in our time or in the past. He spoke about events that will affect the Jews in Israel who are alive during the end times, The term “Age” relates to the church age, and can also be called “the times of the Gentiles,” and “Jacob’s trouble,” which also relate to “The Day Of The Lord.” The church age will end when the “rapture of the church” occurs, which will be discussed later. (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52). The discussion on the “Signs Of The End Of The Age” begins after the following notes, and will be shown in Matthew 24:3 scripture and comments.
Luke 21:24 King James Version (KJV) (The times of the Gentiles)
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
21:24 the times of the Gentiles. The period of Gentile domination of Jerusalem, which probably began under Nebuchadnezzar (587 B.C.); was certainly in effect in 70 A.D. and continues into the Tribulation (cf. Rev 11:2). (Ryrie).
Rev 11:2 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations,and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.
fulfilled. A divine purpose will be worked out (cf. Rom. 11:1–32) RSB
Jeremiah 30:7 KJV (Jacob’s Trouble) RSB
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble but he shall be saved out of it.
30:7 That day. The day of the Lord; see Amos 5:18; 8:9. Amos’s generation expected it as a day of deliverance, but had to learn that it would bring judgment. RSB
Amos 5:18 King James Version (KJV) (The day of the Lord)
18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.
5:18 the day of the Lord. Ultimately, this is the great and terrible “day of the Lord” when He comes in judgment (cf. Is. 2:12; 13:6–13; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:7, 14). Every Old Testament judgment was also a “day of the Lord,” and anticipated that final day. Joel described it as a day of terrible judgment and destruction (Joel 1:15–20; 2:11), although it would also be accompanied by a redemptive outpouring of God’s Spirit (Joel 2:28–32). RSB
Amos 8:9 King James Version (KJV) (The Day of the Lord)
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
8:9 the earth. Or, “the land,” since the land of Israel was to be punished. The phrase directly recalls the plague of darkness that the Lord brought upon the land of Egypt (cf. Ex. 10:21). Here again, the Lord is about to judge Israel with a judgment similar to that of Egypt. RSB
Signs Of The End Of The Age
Matthew 24, Selected Verses, English Standard Version (ESV)
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
24:4–14 Wars, earthquakes, persecutions, and false prophets are all signs of Jesus’ coming, but they indicate only the certainty of judgment, not its time (vv. 6, 8). Such signs characterize the entire period between His resurrection and His coming in judgment. Knowing when Jesus would return would lead His disciples to laziness and laxity in their watchfulness. The “when” (v. 3) that Jesus gives is task oriented: it is after the gospel has been preached to the nations (v. 14). RSB
The Abomination of Desolation
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
24:15 abomination of desolation. The phrase is from Daniel; in Dan. 9:27; 11:31 it refers to the desecration of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes. In 168 b.c. Antiochus erected a pagan altar in the temple. According to Josephus, he also sacrificed swine there. Shortly before a.d. 70 the Zealots were in the temple precincts during the war with Rome, and their presence could have been considered a desecration. In a.d. 70 the Romans entered the temple with military standards, ceremonial insignia that were elements of their religion. They took away the sacred vessels, including the lampstand, and burned the temple. Sculptures of their troops carrying the vessels are visible on the Arch of Titus in Rome. RSB
let the reader understand. Possibly not a comment by the evangelist but by Jesus. In either case, the sense is not “whoever reads this Gospel,” but “whoever reads Daniel.” RSB
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
(vs 42 and 44 are statements that Jesus relates specifically to this passage, and not to the rapture of the church. That is not to say that we can know the date of the rapture, only that Jesus is not using these statement to relate to the rapture. These are two separate events, of which the rapture will have already occurred before the event of this passage of Matthew Chapter 24).
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Sixth Bowl Judgement: Euphrates dried up (during the Tribulation, preceding the Battle of Armageddon.)
Leading up to this passage, the following events will have occurred.
The Rapture of the church, (Revelation 4:1) and the beginning of the tribulation which will continue until Revelation 19:21(Ryrie Study Bible; Mac Arthur Study Bible).
The judgements of God on the Earth begin.
Seven seal judgements: Revelation 6:1 through Revelation 8:6.
Seven trumpet judgements: Revelation 8:7 through Revelation 9:21.
Seven bowl judgements: Revelation 15:1 through Revelation 16:21.
The church has been removed from this world in the Rapture (1 Thes 4:16-17). (Rev 4:1). God does not have a problem with the born again believers of the church. His battle is with those who are trying to destroy Israel.
Revelation 3:10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 Because you have kept My command to endure,I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Ryrie: A promise that believers will be delivered from the time of Tribulation that will come upon the earth (Matt 24:14-21). See note on 1 Thes 4:16-17.
Mac Arthur: In agreement with Ryrie.
Holman Christian Standard Bible: “Those who live on the earth,” are those who will be tested.
They have not had their names written in the book of life (Rev 17:8)
Believers in Christ have already been tested, and found to have been born again with their names written in the book of life. As previously stated, God does not have a reason to test those who have already been tested. Remember the words, “to test those.”
The sixth bowl judgement follows, and announces the gathering of the enemies of God in Israel for the Battle of Armageddon (vs 16). ” The day of God” is announced in vs 14. God is beginning to intervene in the affairs of sinful mankind.
Revelation 16:12-16 English Standard Version (ESV)
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Consider the drying up of the Euphrates River (vs 12).. It will expedite the armies who will be on their way to attack Jerusalem at the Battle of Armageddon (Mac Arthur).
The Rider on a White Horse
Revelation 19:11-21 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
19:11–21 The sixth cycle of judgments leading to the Second Coming is presented in these verses. In the latter cycles the imagery concentrates more and more intensively on the Second Coming and the events that immediately precede it. In this cycle, all the events are actually part of the Second Coming. But, as is typical of Revelation, they reveal principles of spiritual war that have been operative throughout the church age (Eph. 6:10–20; 1 John 5:4, 5). At the end, Jesus Christ is revealed (22:13; Heb. 13:8). RSB
Christ appears to wage final battle against all the enemies of God, led by the beast and the false prophet. Christ’s holy attributes contrast markedly with the unholy counterfeit attributes of the beast (13:1–10 note). This final war brings to a climax all the wars that God has waged on behalf of His people (Ex. 15:2; Deut. 20; Is. 59:16–18; Ezek. 38; 39; Hab. 3:8–15; Zech. 12:1–9; 14:3–5) and consummates the triumph achieved by Christ on the cross (5:9, 10; 12:10, 11; John 12:31; Col. 2:15). RSB.
Verse 19 (The day of the Lord, Scofield)
make war
The day of Jehovah (called, also, “that day,” and “the great day”) is that lengthened period of time beginning with the return of the Lord in glory, and ending with the purgation of the heavens and the earth by fire preparatory to the new heavens and the new earth Isaiah 65:17-19; Isaiah 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1. The order of events appears to be:
(1) The return of the Lord in glory Matthew 24:29; Matthew 24:30
(2) the destruction of the Beast and his host, “the kings of the earth and their armies,” and the false prophet, which is the “great and terrible” aspect of the day Revelation 19:11-21.
(3) the judgment of the nations Zechariah 14:1-9; Matthew 25:31-46.
(4) the thousand years, i.e, the kingdom-age Revelation 20:4-6.
(5) the Satanic revolt and its end Revelation 20:7-10.
(6) the second resurrection and final judgment Revelation 20:11-15 and
(7) the “day of God,” earth purged by fire 2 Peter 3:10-13.
The day of the Lord is preceded by seven signs:
(1) The sending of Elijah Malachi 4:5; Revelation 11:3-6
(2) cosmical disturbances Joel 2:1-12; Matthew 24:29; Acts 2:19; Acts 2:20; Revelation 6:12-17
(3) the insensibility of the professing church 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
(4) the apostasy of the professing church, then become “Laodicea” 2 Thessalonians 2:3
(5) the rapture of the true church 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
(6) the manifestation of the “man of sin,” the Beast 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8
(7) the apocalyptic judgments (Revelation 11-18.).
make war Armageddon (battle of). See note, Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:17 (See Scofield “Revelation 19:17”)
Whether Jesus is “the Lamb of God,” or “the Lion of Judah,” He is Holy…at all times, for all purposes, for all eternity. Let us consider the Holiness of Jesus as we are led in worship by the song of Terry Mac Almon.
It was in my post on the Feast of Sukkoth, which is also known as the Feast Of Tabernacles and the Feast Of Booths, that I stated that The Feast Of Tabernacles would take place during the Millennium. The scripture reference for the Feast Of Tabernacles is Zechariah 14:16-19. However, I failed to identify the other two feasts that will take place during that time period. Those feasts are The Feast Of The New Year (Ezekiel 45:18-20), and the Feast Of Passover (Ezekiel 45:21-25). The scripture references for those three feasts follow this paragraph.
Feast Of Tabernacles During The Millennium (Reference, Mac Arthur Study Bible).
Zechariah 14:16-19 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Nations Worship the King
16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Feasts Of The New Year and Passover During The Millennium (Reference, Mac Arthur Study Bible).
Ezekiel 45:18-25 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the gateposts of the gate of the inner court.20 And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple. 21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.23 On the seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish, daily for seven days, and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering. 24 And he shall prepare a grain offering of one ephah for each bull and one ephah for each ram, together with a hin of oil for each ephah. 25 “In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall do likewise for seven days, according to the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil.”
The following comments are taken from the notes of The Reformation Study Bible, as edited by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is posted on BibleGateway.Com.
45:18–25 These regulations cover aspects of the ceremonial observances in the first month (New Year’s Day, vv. 18–20, and Passover, vv. 21–24) and seventh month (Tabernacles, v. 25). This legislation may have represented modifications of earlier liturgical practice. Once again, like Moses, Ezekiel provides religious and ceremonial law to Israel (see notes 43:10, 12).
Now, let us go into a time of worship, praise, and prayer as we consider the song that follows, “In Your Presence.”
In Your Presence
Paul Wilbur
Consider the Presence and Glory of God that will be present in the Millennium Temple.
Ezekiel 43 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Temple, the Lord’s Dwelling Place
43 Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7 And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. 8 When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. 9 Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.
The following scripture and song came to me as an idea from a very special blog friend and sister in Christ. I trust that the inspired Word of God will bring a special blessing into your life today. May the music of the Edwin Hawkins Singers rest in your mind as a constant reminder of the fact that Jesus came to take away the sin of the world. I trust that those of you who do not know Him as Lord and Savior will make the decision to do so today.
John 1:29 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
A. Genesis 3:15, Revised Standard Version (RSV), Seed of a woman (virgin birth)
“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
B. Luke 1:35, Revised Standard Version (RSV)
And the angel said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born[a] will be called holy,
the Son of God.”
C. Matthew 1:18-20, Revised Standard Version (RSV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; 19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;
II. Jesus and messianic prophecy
A. Verses claimed as fulfilled prophecies
1. Text: Daniel 9:24-27
2. Prophecy of Seventy Weeks: Daniel 9:24-27 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
24 “Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. 25 Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
B. John Calvin’s Commentary
We have, in verses 24-27, one of the most remarkable prophecies of Christ, of his coming and his salvation. It shows that the Jews are guilty of most obstinate unbelief, in expecting another Messiah, so long after the time expressly fixed for his coming. The seventy weeks mean a day for a year, or 490 years. About the end of this period a sacrifice would be offered, making full atonement for sin, and bringing in everlasting righteousness for the complete justification of every believer. Then the Jews, in the crucifixion of Jesus, would commit that crime by which the measure of their guilt would be filled up, and troubles would come upon their nation. All blessings bestowed on sinful man come through Christ’s atoning sacrifice, who suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Here is our way of access to the throne of grace, and of our entrance to heaven. This seals the sum of prophecy, and confirms the covenant with many; and while we rejoice in the blessings of salvation, we should remember what they cost the Redeemer. How can those escape who neglect so great salvation!
These are “weeks” or more accurately, sevens of years; seventy weeks of seven years each. Within these “weeks” the national chastisement must be ended and the nation re- established in everlasting righteousness (Daniel 9:24). The seventy weeks are divided into seven = 49 years; sixty-two = 434 years; one = 7 years (Daniel 9:25-27). In the seven weeks = 49 years, Jerusalem was to be rebuilt in “troublous times.” This was fulfilled, as Ezra and Nehemiah record. Sixty-two weeks = 434 years, thereafter Messiah was to come (Daniel 9:25). This was fulfilled in the birth and manifestation of Christ (Daniel 9:26). Daniel 9:26 is obviously an indeterminate period. The date of the crucifixion is not fixed. It is only said to be “after” the threescore and two weeks. It is the first event in Daniel 9:26. The second event is the destruction of the city, fulfilled A.D. 70. Then, “unto the end,” a period not fixed, but which has already lasted nearly 2000 years. To Daniel was revealed only that wars and desolations should continue (cf. Matthew 24:6-14.) The N.T. reveals, that which was hidden from the O.T. prophets; Matthew 13:11-17; Ephesians 3:1-10 that during this period should be accomplished the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven Matthew 13:1-50 and the out-calling of the Church; Matthew 16:18; Romans 11:25. When the Church- age will end, and the seventieth week begin, is nowhere revealed. Its duration can be but seven years. To make it more violates the principle of interpretation already confirmed by fulfilment. Daniel 9:27 deals with the last week. The “he” of Daniel 9:27 is the “prince that shall come” of Daniel 9:26, whose people (Rome) destroyed the temple, A.D. 70. He is the same with the “little horn” of chapter 7. He will covenant with the Jews to restore their temple sacrifices for one week (seven years), but in the middle of that time he will break the covenant and fulfil; Daniel 12:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Between the sixty-ninth week, after which Messiah was cut off, and the seventieth week, within which the “little horn” of Daniel 7. will run his awful course, intervenes this entire Church-age. Daniel 9:27 deals with the last three and a half years of the seven, which are identical with the “great tribulation.” Matthew 24:15-28 “time of trouble” Daniel 12:1 hour of temptation” Revelation 3:10. (see “Tribulation,”; Psalms 2:5; Revelation 7:14). (See Scofield “Psalms 2:5”).
b. make reconciliation.
There is no word in the O.T. properly rendered reconcile. In the A.V. the English word is found 1 Samuel 29:4; 2 Chronicles 29:24; Leviticus 6:30; Leviticus 8:15; Leviticus 16:20; Ezekiel 45:15; Ezekiel 45:17; Ezekiel 45:20; Daniel 9:24 but always improperly; atonement is invariably the meaning. Reconciliation is a N.T. doctrine Romans 5:10 (See Scofield “Colossians 1:21”)
c. thy people.
Cf. Hosea 1:9 The Jews, rejected, are “thy people,” i.e. Daniel’s, not Jehovah’s though yet to be restored.
d. reconciliation.
Heb. kaphar, atonement. See this verse note 1, and see note, Exodus 29:33 (See Scofield “Exodus 29:33”)
3. Verse 25: from the going forth of the commandment
Three decrees concerning Jerusalem are recorded, that of Cyrus, B.C. 536 (Ussher), for the restoration of the “house of the Lord God of Israel” 2 Chronicles 36:22; 2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1-3 that of Darius Ezekiel 6:3-8 B.C. 521-486), and that of Artaxerxes in his seventh year. Ezekiel 7:7 say, B.C. 458). Artaxerxes in his twentieth year, B.C. 444 (Hales, Jahn), 446 (A.V.), 454 (Ussher, Hengstenberg), gave permission for the rebuilding of the “city,” i.e., “Jerusalem” Nehemiah 2:1-8. The latter decree is, obviously, that from which the “seven weeks” (49 years) run, unless by “the commandment to restore,” etc. is meant the divine decree Daniel 9:23. In the present state of biblical chronology the date of the decree of Artaxerxes cannot be unanswerably fixed farther than to say that it was issued between 454 and 444 B.C. In either case we are brought to the time of Christ. Prophetic time is invariably so near as to give full warning, so indeterminate as to give no satisfaction to mere curiosity. (cf); Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7. The 434 years reckon, of course, from the end of the seven weeks so that the whole time from “the going forth of the commandment to restore,” etc., “unto the Messiah” is sixty-nine weeks of years, or 483 years.
4. Verse 27: abominations
(Cf) Matthew 24:15. The expression occurs three times in Daniel. In; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 12:11 the reference is to the “Beast,” “man of sin”; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and is identical with Matthew 24:15. In Daniel 11:31 the reference is to the act of Antiochus Epiphanes, the prototype of the man of sin, who sacrificed a sow upon the altar, and entered the holy of holies.
Now, let’s consider our presence, being in the Presence of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Sukkoth, The Feast Of Tabernacles, The Feast Of Booths – Sermon Outline
A discussion of this Jewish feast follows. Repetition is used to enforce understanding.
Sukkoth is a Jewish festival beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishri and celebrated for nine days by Orthodox and Conservative Jews outside of Israel and for eight days by Reform Jews and by Jews in Israel that celebrates the harvest and commemorates the period during which the Jews wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus, marked by the building of sukkoth.
A sukkah is booth or hut roofed with branches, built against or near a house or synagogue and used during the Jewish festival of Sukkoth as a temporary dining or living area. Sukkoth is the plural of sukkah.
The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkoth, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16).
The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in conjunction with the Holy Feasts set forth by God.
The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a special Sabbath day of rest. During the days of the feast all native Israelites were “to dwell in booths” to remind them that God delivered them out of the “land of Egypt” and to look forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin. This feast, like all of the feasts of Israel, consistently reminded the Jews and should remind Christians as well that God has promised to deliver His people from the bondage of sin and deliver them from their enemies. Part of God’s deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land.
Appointed Feasts For Jews
Leviticus 23:2 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
Rosh Hashanah (Feast Of Trumpets) – Repentance – Leviticus 23:23-25
Yom Kippur (Day Of Atonement) – Redemption – Leviticus 23:26-32
Feast Of Tabernacles (Booths) – Rejoicing – Leviticus 23:33-44
Notice that God spoke to Moses, who was a descendant of Shem. Shem was one of the sons of Noah, and was the father of the Jewish blood line that led to the birth of the Messiah, Jesus. Notice that the other two sons of Noah, Ham and Japheth, had no part in this conversation. Those two sons were the fathers of the Gentiles, which is called, “nations.” Notice that the feasts are God’s feasts, and they were given to the Jews to celebrate and keep. The Gentiles, then and now, had/have no reason/necessity to keep the feasts. The fifteenth chapter of Acts discusses the matter of Gentile Christians, and whether they had to keep the Law. The decision was that they did not have to keep the law, which included the feasts. However, each feast is fulfilled in Christ; so, there is great value in studying the feasts, and in keeping them.
The Feast Of Tabernacles
Leviticus 23:33-44 New King James Version (NKJV) – In Times Of Moses
33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. 37 ‘These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day— 38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord. 39 ‘Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’”
The Feast Of Tabernacles In Times Of Jesus
John 7:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
7:2 Feast of Booths. The longest festival of the Jewish year (lasting seven days), this feast followed the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lev. 23; Deut. 16). It was a celebration of God’s gracious provision for the Israelites in the wilderness and the completion of the year’s harvest. There was a ceremonial water-drawing (commemorating the provision of water in the wilderness, Num. 20:2–13) and a lamp-lighting ritual. The first of these ceremonies provides the setting for Jesus’ proclamation in vv. 37, 38, the second for His statement in 8:12.
The Words Of Jesus At The Feast Of Tabernacles
John 7:37-39 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
7:37, 38 At the climax of the feast, Jesus repeated dramatically the message He had given to the Samaritan woman (4:10–14) making clear that coming to Him meant believing in Him.
7:38 as the Scripture has said. What follows is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but there are several Old Testament passages that connect water with the end-time gift of the Spirit (e.g., Is. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27) and the blessings of the present (messianic) age (e.g., Is. 12:3; 58:11). Jesus fulfills the meaning of the Feast of Booths. The word “rivers” implies great abundance, benefiting not only believers, but also those around them.
7:39 the Spirit had not been given. Jesus is referring to the blessing of Pentecost. Of course, the Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament period, but at Pentecost He entered into a more intimate relationship with believers (14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19). This is the Messiah’s gift to His people: He baptizes with the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16), but this blessing in its full measure and glory must await the ascension of Christ who will pour out the Spirit from heaven upon His people (16:7; cf. Eph. 4:8).
During this Feast Of Tabernacles, Jesus is declaring that its fulfillment is in Him.
Jesus’s Discussion With Jews On The End Times
Matthew 24:3-36 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age – Jews Told Of Great Tribulation – The discussion occurred between Jesus and Jews. Gentiles are not a part of the conversation.
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
The Great Tribulation
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
“No One Knows the Day or Hour.” Consider The Event. This statement refers to the discussion that Jesus was having with the Jews, and is specifically related to the Jews. It does not refer to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
The Catching Away Of The Saints.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 New King James Version (NKJV)
This passage relates to believers in Christ who will be caught up to heaven prior to Matthew 24:15-36. It also refers to those who have died after having been born again, but also, prior to the Matthew event.
Saints Caught Up To Heaven – No One Knows? (Same as Matt 24:31?)
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Saints Return From Heaven With Jesus
Revelation 19:11-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
Christ on a White Horse
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
The Beast and His Armies Defeated
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people,free and slave, both small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Those who had been caught up to heaven with Christ (1 Thes 4:16-18) return to earth with Christ being their leader. The Battle of Armageddon takes place and Christ is triumphant in a spiritual battle. Relate this passage to Zechariah 14:16-19.
Feast Of Tabernacles During The Millennium
Zechariah 14:16-19 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Nations Worship the King-Fulfilled In Christ
16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Consider the others who are present during the Millennium. (Re: Rev 19:11-21)
Consider the test and those who will be tested.
Revelation 3:10 New King James Version (NKJV). Read this verse very carefully.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
I, and other born-again believers in Christ, have already been tested and found to be saved, born again, and indwelled by the Spirit of Christ. There is no reason for believers in Christ to be tested again. Again, consider the purpose of the tribulation, which is “to test.”
Three Required Feasts For Jews To Attend
Deuteronomy 16:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.
Consider the worship music that is provided by Paul Wilbur. It was recorded in Jerusalem during a Feast Of Tabernacles in some past year.
Psalm 122:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Eternity 