Revelation Chapter 9- Fifth And Sixth Trumpet Judgments – Demonic Attacks

I. Introduction.

A. The opening video of this article tells us about the trumpet judgments that accompany the sounding of the fifth and sixth angels. In this article, we will consider those who will be left behind from the rapture, which are those who will be tormented by demons that appear as locusts. It must be noted that the previously sealed 144,000 Jews of Rev 7:3-4, will not be hurt, and that none of them will lose their lives during the fifth and sixth trumpets. We will see that the pain of the unsealed people of Rev 9 will be so severe that they will attempt suicide, with death not being successful for them. All scriptures will come from the New American Standard Bible.

B. Already introduced by the eagle’s proclamation in 8:13, the fifth trumpet sets the tone for the last three trumpets through its specificity and independence of the two to follow. This feature marks the last three seals too. The seventh trumpet also resembles the seventh seal in the way it solemnly concludes the whole, and contains the next series within its scope. As with the seals also, two episodes intervene between the sixth and seventh members. In so doing, the episodes set the stage for the seventh trumpet ( R, L. Thomas, Revelation Commentary).

II. Examination.

A. Text: Revelation 9:1-12.

The Fifth Trumpet—Men Smitten.

1 Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

B. Comments. Ryrie Study Bible (Rev 9:1-12) (Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.)

1. 9:1. “a star” represents an intelligent creature, apparently “the angel of the abyss” (v 11). Notice the “he” in verse 2. “the bottomless pit.” Lit., the shaft of the abyss. For other uses of this phrase, see Luke 8:31; Rom 10:7; Rev 9:11, 11:7, 17:8, 20:1,3. Luke 8:31 indicates that this is the abode of the demons.

2. 9:3. “locusts.” That these creatures come from the abyss and are described in unusual terms in verses 7-11 indicate that they are demonic.

3. 9:4-5. The limitations that God places upon the activities of these creatures show that He is still in full control of these events. Only the 144,000 will escape the torment on people.

4. 9:6. “Suicide,; though desired, will be impossible.

5. 9:7-10. In describing these creatures, John often has to use the word “like.”

6. 9:10. Two glands in the tail of a scorpion emit a poison that produces a painful, but usually not a lethal wound.

7. 9:11. “Abaddon…Apollyon.” Both words mean “destruction.”

C. Text. Revelation 9:13-21.

Sixth Trumpet – Army From The East – Men Killed.

13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 for the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

D. Comments. Ryrie Study Bible (Rev 9:13-21).

1. 9:14-15. These four angels (demons) are released in order to kill one-third of the remaining population of the earth. Added to the one-fourth who were killed under the fourth seal judgment (6:4) these two judgments, alone, destroy one-half of the population, not including those who are killed by wars, famines, and diseases (v 15). Lit., this particular hour.

2. 9:16. “the armies.” The 200,000 creatures who compose this supernatural cavalry may be human beings or demons or demon-possessed humans. For other supernatural armies, see 2 Kings 2:11; 6:14; Rev 19:14.

3. 9:18. “by these three plagues.” I.e., by the fire, smoke and brimstone.

4. 9:20. The religion of many will involve demon and idol worship.

5. 9:21. “sorceries.” I.e., magical arts, potions, and poisons (see Gal 5:20; Rev 18:23; 21:8; 22:15) from the Greek word, we derive the English word, “pharmacies.” This chapter shows (1) the reality and some of the activity of the unseen world of Satan and demons, and (2) the hardness of human hearts.

E. Comments. John F. Walvoord, Th. D., Revelation Commentary.

1. The rising crescendo of judgments on the earth now introduces the first woe, a dramatic event described by John in the first twelve verses of this chapter. In 9:12, John records that the first woe is past (vs 1-11), and that two woes are still to come. In 11:14, John records that the second woe is past, and the third woe is coming quickly.

2. Rev 9:1. As the trumpet of the fifth angel is sounded, John records that he sees a star fallen from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit. The star here mentioned seems to refer to a person rather than a literal star or meteor. The person referred to as the star is given the key of the bottomless pit, or the pit of the abyss, as it is better translated. No explanation is offered in the passage itself concerning the identity of this person, but the occasion may be the aftermath of warfare in heaven mentioned in Rev 12:7-9, where the devil is cast out into the earth; this act of God was probably at the beginning of the great tribulation.

3. Rev 9:1. The pit of the abyss is none other than the place of detention of wicked angels. It is here that Satan himself is confined for a thousand years during the reign of Christ on earth (20:1-3). The opening verse of this chapter, therefore, presents Satan as having the key to the pit of the abyss with power to release those who are confined there.

4. Rev 9:2. The second verse records the use of the key (9:1). The pit of the abyss is opened, and out of it comes a smoke as the smoke of a great furnace which darkens the sun and the air. It is evident that this event causes that which is contained in the pit of the abyss to erupt, polluting the air and darkening the light of day. It seems to portend the spiritual corruption which will be caused by these demons released from their confinement, and it identifies the character of the judgment involved in the fifth trumpet as that of demonic and satanic oppression.

5. Rev 9:15-18. Having declared the purpose of the army, John now gives details. Most impressive is the astounding number of the army of horsemen, 200 million, or literally “twice ten thousand times ten thousand.” Considering the millions of people in the Orient, the literal interpretation is not impossible, especially in view of the population explosion. It may be that the army here described continues to fight until the time of the second coming of Christ, and the number slain is the total number involved in the conflict. Per Time (May 21, 1965, p. 35), Red China alone claims to have a man-and-woman militia of 200,000,000, exactly the figure of Rev 9:16.

6. Rev 9:20-21. The trumpet judgments clearly grew in escalation, becoming worse and more devastating. In spite of the clear evidence of God’s power to judge the world, no evidence was given to John (writer of Revelation) that there would be any change of heart on the part of the great mass of humanity. Though the sixth judgment produced fear, it did not produce repentance .

F. Comments. Robert L. Thomas Revelation Commentary (Th. M., Th. D.)

1. Rev 9:16. God’s use of human armies of heathen nations to fulfill His purposes in the OT accords with this understanding (cf. Isa 10:6-7, 25-26; 44-27-45:7; Hab 1:6-11, Jer 51:11, 28) [Hailey]).

2. Rev 9:18. It is through these three plagues that a third of mankind perishes (fire, smoke, brimstone).

G. Comments. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., “Things To Come.

1. The fifth trumpet judgment, which is the first woe (9:1-2), pictures an individual energized by hell who can let torment of unprecedented dimension loose on the earth. It is generally accepted that these are not literal locusts, in that they do not feed on that which is natural to the locust. The sixth trumpet judgment, which is the second woe (9:13-19), is seen to be a great army turned loose to march with destructive force across the face of the earth (p 362).

2. Concerning the two woe judgments: “First of all, a tormenting Woe falls on the land, but not on those sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel.” (William Kelly, The Revelation Record, P 104, printed in Things To Come, p 362).

3. From Kelly’s complete article (see 2 above). “This suggests that the two woes will be great marching armies, one against Israel and one against Gentiles, which will destroy a third of the earth’s population. Since Satan’s weapon against Israel is the northern confederacy, it may be depicted by the fifth trumpet and Gentile warfare depicted by the sixth ( “trumpet,” mine added). The seventh trumpet, and the third woe judgment (11:15). brings about the return of Christ to the earth and the subsequent destruction of all hostile powers at the conclusion of the Armageddon program (p 362).

4. “The destiny of the lost.” The destiny of the lost is a place in the lake of fire (Rev 19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8). This lake of fire is described as an everlasting fire (Matt 25:41; 18:8), and as unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43-44, 46, 48), emphasizing the eternal character of the retribution of the lost.” (p 555). In this connection, Chafer well observes: (para 5. below):

5. In attempting to write a comprehensive statement of the most solemn of the Bible, the term “retribution” is chosen in place of the more familiar word “punishment,” since the latter implies discipline and amendment, which idea is wholly absent from the body of truth which discloses the final divine, dealing earlier and broader meaning, the term “retribute” was used for any reward, good or evil. The word is used … of the doctrine of hell only as reference is made to the eternal perdition of the lost (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, V, 361).

6. Concerning the retribution of the lost, it is important to observe that the lake of fire is a “place,” and not just a state, although a state is involved (p 555).

7. As heaven is a place and not a mere state of mind, in like manner those reprobated go to a place. This truth is indicated by the words “hades” (Matt 11:23; 16:18, Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 1:18; 20:13-14) and gehenna (Matt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; James 3:6) — a place of “torment” (Luke 16:28). That it is a condition of unspeakable misery is indicated by the figurative term to describe its suffering: “bottomless pit” (Rev 9:2) (and others, mine). (Chafer, op. cit., IV, 429-431; Printed in Things To Come, p 555).

8. The Person And Ministry Of The Beast, The Head Of The Empire. Scripture has a great deal to say concerning the individual who will appear in the end time as the head of the Gentile powers in their ten kingdom confederation. He is a Gentile. Since he arises from the sea (Rev 13:1), and since the sea depicts the Gentile nations (Rev 17:15), he must be of Gentile origin. Many names are given to him in Scriptures: the Lawless one ((2 Thes 2:8,) the antichrist (1 John 2:22), “the angel of the bottomless pit” (Rev 9:11), the Beast (Rev 11:7) (pp 333-334).

III. My Bucket List shows the references, of people and documents, that I use when I write my articles.

Bucket List

IV. My Websites To Follow.

https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Equipping The Saints Web Site

https://thechurchoftheopendoor.wordpress.com/ Israel Web Site

https://success2693.wordpress.com/ Israel, History And Prophecy

https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity

Road To Tribulation 16 – Matthew 24:4-31 – Not Yet

I. Introduction.

John 3:16 is, without question, the most well-known verse in the whole Bible. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” Simply stated, John 3:16 is the gospel in a nutshell. In this article we will consider the nutshell of scripture that is contained within Matthew 24: 4-31, which will include the Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ (to Earth), and the Regathering of Israel, with judgments. All verses in this article are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

II. The Nutshell Overview.

A. Consider the Tribulation that is recorded in Revelation Chapters 6-16, which is written in nutshell form in Matt 24:4-28. Notice that each Tribulation judgment is brought on by Christ and angels, e.g., Rev 6:1, 8:1-2, and not by mankind, the antichrist, or “mother nature” (there is no mother nature).

1. The Ryrie Study Bible (Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.) states that in Matt 24, verses 4-14 list characteristics of the first half of the Tribulation period, whereas verses 15-28 deal with the second half (note from Matt 24:3).

2. The Ryrie Study Bible breaks down the judgments of the Tribulation, as they are noted in his Rev notes, as follows:

a. The Seven Seals (Rev 6:1-8:6). The seals include (1) Antichrist. (2) War. (3) Famine. (4) Death. (5) Martyrs’ prayers. (6) Great earthquakes.

b. The Seven Trumpets (Rev 8:7-9:21). The trumpets include (1) 1/3 of vegetation burned. (2) 1/3 of the sea judged. (3) 1/3 of fresh water-judged. (4) 1/3 of the luminaries darkened. (5) Increased demonic activity. (6) 1/3 of mankind killed.

c. The Seven Bowls (Rev 13:1-16:21). The Seven Bowls Include (1) Malignant sores. (2) Sea burned to blood. (3) Fresh waters to blood. (4) Men scorched with fire. (5) Darkness over the kingdom of the Beast. (6) Invasion from the east. (7) Greatest earthquake and widespread destruction.

B. Consider the Second Coming of Christ to earth that is recorded in Rev Chap 19:11-21, and which is written in nutshell form in Matt 24:29-30.

1. The second coming of Christ (Rev 19:11-16).

2. Armageddon (Rev 19:17-21).

C. Consider the regathering of Israel that is recorded in Amos 9:14, 15, Deuteronomy 30:3, 5, Isaiah 11:11,12, Jeremiah 23:3, and Ezekiel 34:12,13, which is written in nutshell form in Matt 24:31, with corresponding judgment verses identified, as follows:

1. The regathering of unbelieving Jews (Matt 24:40).

2. The regathering of believing Jews (Matt 24:41).

III. The Nutshell Examination.

A. Tribulation. There is teaching today that attempts to relate certain verses of Matt 24 to events of the world today. This article will show a proper application of Tribulation related passages of Scripture. The following verses are often used as a parallel to Matt 24:4-28.

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

2. Matt 24:4-28 identifies certain events that are used as being a parallel to 2 Tim 3:1-5, as follows: wars and rumors of wars; nations rising against nation, and kingdoms against kingdoms; famines and earthquakes; people being handed over to tribulation, being killed, and being hated by all nations because of the name of Jesus;. many falling away, and betraying and hating one another; lawlessness increasing; peoples’ love becoming cold.

3. Whereas, the verses of 2 Tim 3:1-5 paint a bleak picture of the future, we must understand that the scope of time of that passage relates to the time in which we live now, which is the church age, and does not relate to the tribulation. The Matt 24:4-28 passage shows a much more severe period of time than that of 2 Tim 3. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., Things To Come, pg 129, states: Christ spoke of an unannounced period of time between His two advents, and indicated its distinctive features (Matt 13:1-51), and predicted a yet future time of “great tribulation,” and identified its character (Matt 24:9-31). There are last days for Israel (Isa 2:1-5) and last days for the Church (2 Tim 3:1-5). pg 154 states: Within this present age between the two advents of Christ, God is bringing to fulfillment two distinct programs; that with the Church, which will be completed at the Rapture of the Church, and that with Israel, which will be completed after the Rapture at the second advent of Christ. The Ryrie Study Bible states that, in 2 Pet 3:1-5 is, “the period between the writing of this letter and the Lord’s return.”

a. Consider the Tribulation judgements that will occur in Rev 6-16, and that are capsulized in Matt 24:4-28.

(1) The Seven Seals (Rev 6:1-8:6). The seals include (1) Antichrist. (2) War. (3) Famine. (4) Death. (5) Martyrs’ prayers. (6) Great earthquakes.

(2) The Seven Trumpets (Rev 8:7-9:21). The trumpets include (1) 1/3 of vegetation burned. (2) 1/3 of the sea judged. (3) 1/3 of fresh water-judged. (4) 1/3 of the luminaries darkened. (5) Increased demonic activity. (6) 1/3 of mankind killed.

(3) The Seven Bowls (Rev 13:1-16:21). The Seven Bowls Include (1) Malignant sores. (2) Sea burned to blood. (3) Fresh waters to blood. (4) Men scorched with fire. (5) Darkness over the kingdom of the Beast. (6) Invasion from the east. (7) Greatest earthquake and widespread destruction.

b. Especially consider Matt 24:21, “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.”

(1) Nothing in 2 Tim 3:1-5 can match the degree of tribulation and destruction that is shown in Matt 24:15, or of any other condition of Matt 24:4-28

(2) The earthquake and destruction of the Bowl Judgments will greatly exceed the effects of the worldwide flood of Genesis 7.

(3) Context does not allow anyone to pick and choose certain parts of Matt 24, and try to put them into the times in which we are living now.

B. Second Coming Of Christ (to stand on planet Earth). The second coming of Christ, as is shown in Zech 14:1-5, 9 and Rev 19:11-21, is depicted also in Matt 24:29-30. There is erroneous teaching that confuses the Rapture of the Church with the Second Coming of Christ. Consider the following examples.

1. The Rapture of the Church occurs prior to the Tribulation, where Christ takes His born again believers to Heaven with Him. There is no Scripture that states that the Rapture is visible to the unbelievers, who are left behind on earth, and who will come under the Godly Tribulation judgments and the oppression of the antichrist, who is also a Tribulation seal judgment of God. In the Rapture, Christ comes in the air, but does not stand on planet Earth. The Rapture is a joyous event (Titus 2:13).

2. The Second Coming of Christ, occurs at the end of the Tribulation, where He stands on the Mount of Olives, in Jerusalem, Israel. At the second coming of Christ, OT and NT believers who are in Heaven, and angels, will come with Christ to Earth (Zech 14:1-5, 9); the event is mournful for the unbelievers who were left behind from the Rapture (Zech 12:10; Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7). Everyone on earth will see Christ coming to earth (Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7). John Walvoord, Th. D., made the following statement in his Matthew Commentary, “Unlike the rapture of the church, which apparently the world will not see or hear, the second coming of Christ will be witnessed both by believers and unbelievers who are on the earth at that time. ” This will be a coming of the Lord to judge and subdue the earth and to bring in His earthly kingdom, and is in contrast to the rapture of the church, which is an entirely different event and with a different purpose. Taken as a whole, the second coming of Christ is a majestic event, not instantaneous like the rapture, but extending over many hours. This perhaps explains why everyone can see it, because in the course of a day, the earth will rotate and the entire world will be able to see the approach of Christ accompanied by the hosts of heaven, which will descend to the earth in the area of the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4).

C. The Regathering Of Israel.

1. This event, which is of prophecy in OT Scriptures, e.g., Amos 9:14, 15, Deuteronomy 30:3, 5, Isaiah 11:11,12, Jeremiah 23:3, and Ezekiel 34:12,13, is found written in Matt 24:31.

2. Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., Things To Come, pg 282, describes “the regathering of Israel,” in Matt 24:31. He states that the next event (after the regathering of Israel) will be the judging of Israel on the earth to determine who will go into the kingdom. This is anticipated in Matt 24:28, where unbelieving Israel is likened unto a lifeless corpse which is consigned to the vultures, a picture picture of judgment.

3. The “elect” of Matt 24:31, being Jews, is the conclusion of Dr. Pentecost in the above statement. Deu 14:2, and Amos 3:2 tell of God’s choosing of Israel.” It is important to keep “elect,” of this verse, in its proper context, as opposed to the NT elect of Romans 8:28-30, 33.

Matt 24:31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

4. There is frequent error in the teaching of Matt 24:31, in that the Rapture is taught to be the event of this verse. However, verse 2 above refutes the Rapture teaching. Matt 24:40-41 shows the disposition of “the elect,” who are Jews, as follows: “40 at that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”

a. At the second coming of Christ, the ones “taken” will be taken to judgment and death. The ones “left” will be left to enter the blessings of the millennial kingdom (Ryrie Study Bible).

b. At the time of the Rapture, those who are taken, are taken by Christ to Heaven to avoid the Tribulation (John 17:1-3; 1 Thes 5:9-10); those who are left behind will enter the time of tribulation (Col 3:6; Rev 3:10).

IV. The Mount Of Olives Discourse. The subjects and discussion of Matt 24:4-31 are clearly Jewish. The following events lead up to the teaching of Christ with His disciples on the Mount of Olives.

A. Matt 21:43, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.” [Ryrie Note. “taken away from you and given to a people.” I.e., taken from the Jews and given to the church, which is composed largely of Gentiles (1 Pet 2:9)].

B. Matt 23:37-39, ““37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’” [Ryrie Note. 23:38, “your house” = the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. 23:39, “from now on you will not see Me. I.e., I will no longer teach publicly, “until you say.” At the second coming of Christ, Israel will recognize and welcome their rejected Messiah (Zech 12:10)]. It is when Jews recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah, they will receive the Kingdom that had been postponed for their possession. The unconditional ownership of the promised land was a result of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 15:18-21;17:6-8).

C. Matt 24:1-3, ” 1 Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” [Ryrie note. 23:3. “the Mount of Olives, just East of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. “the disciples.” Only Peter, James, John, and Andrew (Mark 13:3). In this discourse Jesus answered two of the three questions the disciples asked. He does not answer, “when will these things happen?” He answers “what will be the sign of Your coming.” In verses 29-31, and He speaks of the signs of the end of the age in verses 4-28. Verses 4-14 list characteristics of the first half of the tribulation period, whereas verses 15-28 deal with the second half. Notice that the disciples came to Jesus “privately,” which is the manner in which the disciples questioned Jesus (Matt 24:3; Mark 13:3).

D. Jesus and His disciples had come from the Jewish leaders, where Jesus had postponed the kingdom that had been offered to Israel, but which it had rejected. Jesus, then, said that He would not return until Jews accepted Him as Messiah. The key element of the discussion of Jesus with the Jewish leaders is that not until Israel accepts Him as Messiah, will he return from Heaven and set up His earthly kingdom. Regardless of the Gentile acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior, He will not return to Earth to set up His earthly kingdom, until after Israel accepts Him (Christ) as Messiah (Zech 12:10-14, Ryrie) (Matt 24:30, Pentecost).

V. Conclusion. There are people who will ask someone else, “what does that verse of scripture say to you? Such a question should not even be considered. God’s Word is God’s Word, and should not be made to apply to a particular situation. Other people will take an Old Testament prophetic Scripture, “and claim it for themselves.” A verse that tells of God’s plan for Israel can not be “claimed” for any other purpose. God’s intended purpose that He has laid out in Scripture for Israel has to be respected for such a Godly purpose, and should not be taken out of context. We can learn from prophecies, but we can not divert them in any way to that which we choose.

A. Matt 24:13 has words that are not evangelistic, that is, they are not for the purpose of salvation of the soul and spirit. “But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved.” Per Walvoord’s Matthew Commentary, ” The age in general, climaxing with Christ’s return, has the promise that those who endure to the end. that is, survive the tribulation and are still alive, will be saved, or delivered by Christ at His coming. This is not a reference to salvation from sin, but rather the deliverance of survivors at the end of the age.

B. Matt 24:14 has words that are also incorrectly taught and understood, as they relate to the “Gospel:”

1. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

2. The “gospel of the kingdom” is that which was preached to Jews in first century Israel, by John the Baptist (Matt 3:2), Jesus (Matt 4:17), the disciples (Matt 10:7), and “the Seventy (Luke 10:9).

3. The gospel of the kingdom was to be preached only to Israel, and not to Gentiles or to half-breed Jews of Samaria (Matt 10:5-6).

4. The gospel of the kingdom is not that which we preach today. We preach the “gospel” of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:1-8). The Gospel of the Kingdom is of no relevance to those of us of the Church age. Individual salvation (Jew or Gentile) is only in the Name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). The national salvation of Israel will be the result of the Jewish acceptance of Christ as “God’s chosen King” (Deu 17:15).

5. The key aspect of the “gospel of the kingdom teaching” is to recognize Jesus as the King of God’s choosing (Deu 17:15), Who is Jesus (Micah 5:2Isa 7:14; 9:6-7; Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-33).

C. In the context of the Matt 24:1-3 “questions from the disciples” to Jesus, “the disciples came to Him privately” (Matt 24:3). The questions of the disciples were very clear, with the second and third questions being linked together (Walvoord Matthew Commentary, pg 317).

1. When will these things happen?

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

D. Jesus answered the disciples with answers that related to Jews, and only Jews. There was nothing in the Mount Olivet conversation, between Jesus and His disciples of Matt 24:4-31, that had anything to do with any people, other than Jews, and at a time that will be other than the Tribulation, the Second Coming Of Christ to Planet Earth, and the Regathering and Judging of Jews who are alive at the end of the Tribulation.

VI. My Bucket List shows the references, of people and documents, that I use when I write my articles.

Bucket List

VII. My Websites To Follow.

https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Equipping The Saints Web Site

https://thechurchoftheopendoor.wordpress.com/ Israel Web Site

https://success2693.wordpress.com/ Israel, History And Prophecy

https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity

Road To Tribulation 15 -Context In Scripture

Joel 2:1. Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!

I. Introduction. There are Biblical terms that are often read by Christians about eschatology (the science of last things), but are often misunderstood. It is important for Christians of today to understand such information, so that we can leave that knowledge behind for those who will be in a world of total collapse of law and order during the Tribulation. After the church has been raptured to heaven, those whom will be left behind will need such information to understand the world’s Satanic conditions, and how they can come to saving faith in Christ. We will use this article, and future posts, to make known the things of the Anti-Christ and the Tribulation that await most of the world’s current and projected population.

II. Two terms that are important to understand are “latter days,” and “last days.” Scriptures that are discussed as being “latter days,” relate to the Old Testament. Scriptures that are discussed as being “last days,” relate to the Old and New Testaments. Context is paramount in studying Scripture. The context of the “latter days” Scriptures is that of the words of Jewish Old Testament prophets, as they speak of the Word of God in relation to the seven years of the Tribulation, and the thousand years of the Kingdom Age, which is called the Millennium. The verses that we will examine will come from the New American Standard Bible 2020. Comments will come from the MacArthur Study Bible, unless in noted exception.

III. In my previous “End Times 13” article, I made known the fact that both the Church and the Rapture were unknown to those of the Old Testament era; they were “mysteries” to the Jews of that OT time. Therefore the Jewish prophets of the Old Testament did not write on those two future events.

A. In the Ryrie Study Bible, “mystery” is described in comment to Romans 16:25-26. “the mystery.” A definition of a scriptural mystery: something unknown in times past but revealed in the NT. Here, “the mystery” is the gospel of Christ. OT prophecies of Messiah could be understood, once the mystery was revealed (cf. Luke 24:44-45; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

B. Dr. Ryrie explains, in his comment to Ephesians 3:3, the “mystery.” The mystery that is spoken of here is not that the Gentiles would be blessed (for that was predicted in the OT), but that Jews and Gentiles would be equal heirs in the one body of Christ (v. 6). This was unknown in OT prophecy but was revealed by the NT apostles and prophets (v. 5).

C. In his comment on 1 Corinthians 15:51, Dr. Ryrie discusses “the mystery” of the rapture, as follows: The rapture of the church described in verses 51-58 was a “mystery” unknown in the OT but now revealed.

D. The prophecies of the Old Testament Jewish prophets were those that were given by God to the prophets. Those prophets spoke the same prophecies to the Jews of Israel. Consider the following verses: Isaiah 1:1-2; 2-1 and Jeremiah 2:1-2. None of the prophecies of God to the Jews have any relevance to the church, but have relevance to those of the church age who will be left behind from the rapture of the Church.

IV. We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “latter days.”

A. Jeremiah 30:24, ” the millennial kingdom of the “latter days.” Jeremiah 48:47, “the messianic era , the latter days”). Ezekiel 38:8, “In the context of Israel’s restoration.” Daniel 2:27-35, “It is a reference to the future millennial kingdom of Christ (exception, Ryrie Study Bible note). Micah 4:4, “this phrase looks forward to greater peace and prosperity in the Millennium (cf. Zech. 3:10).”

B. It is clear that the prophetic scriptures of “latter days,” as was spoken by God to the Jews, relate to the time after the Rapture takes place. It is also clear that none of these “latter days” scriptures have any relation to the church.

V. We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “last days,” as they are written in the books of the Old Testament prophets. Notice that the prophesied times are those of the Tribulation and Kingdom Age (Millennium).

A. Isaiah 2:2, ” The “latter (or last) days” is a time designation looking forward to the messianic era (Ezek. 38:16; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1). The NT applied the expression to the period beginning with the first advent of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3). Old Testament prophets, being without a clear word regarding the time between the Messiah’s two advents, linked the expression to the Messiah’s return to establish His earthly kingdom, i.e., the millennial kingdom spoken about in Rev. 20:1–10.

B. Jeremiah 49:39, “I will bring back. As with certain other peoples in this section of nations, God would allow Elamites to return to their homeland. In Acts 2:9, Elamites were among the group present at the Pentecost event. This has eschatological implications as well.

C. Ezekiel 38:16, “that the nations may know Me. The phrase, frequent in Ezekiel, is part of the theme to glorify God and show His sovereign power (cf. Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). God is the victor, who will be “hallowed” by fire (cf. v. 19).

D. Hosea 3:5, “David. Cf. 1:11. This must refer to Messiah during the Millennium, as “in the latter days” specifies (cf. Is. 55:3, 4; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:23, 24; 37:24, 25). The Jews did not seek after Christ at His first advent. This reference has the Davidic Covenant as its background (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–17; Pss. 39; 132).”

E. Micah 4:1, “In a reversal of 3:12, Micah shifted from impending judgment to prophecies of the future millennial kingdom (“the latter days”) in which Mt. Zion (v. 3), the center of Messiah’s coming earthly kingdom, shall be raised both spiritually and physically (cf. Zech. 14:9, 10). This discussion continues to 5:15.”

VI. We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “last days,” as they are written in the books of the New Testament. Notice that in the Acts and Hebrews scriptures the audience in each situation consisted of those of Jewish ancestry, and would have known of the teachings of the Old Testament Jewish prophets. In the books of the New Testament, whose audience contained those of Jewish and Gentile ancestry, the Gentile members would not have known the Scriptures of the Old Testament Jewish prophets; therefore, such Gentiles would not possess detailed knowledge of the Tribulation or Kingdom. In the New Testament context, “last days” relates to the time which precedes the Rapture, except when the discussion context may be that of teaching New Testament era Jews (saved or unsaved) about the Old Testament Jewish prophetic scriptures. Of course, if a verbal discussion of OT context was made in the presence of Jewish Christians, any Gentiles (saved or unsaved) whom would be present would also hear such information.

A. Acts 2:16-21.

1. last days. Notice that the occasion is that of the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Those who heard Peter’s sermon were Jews; they were aware of the prophecies of the Old Testament Jewish prophets (of which Gentiles were not), and of the OT scriptures that have been discussed up to this point. Therefore, the Pentecost conversation of Acts 2 is Jewish. In the following comments, the old and new covenants are discussed, both of which relate to God and Israel, and both of which Gentile believers will share in the millennium. Unsaved Jews and Gentiles, whom are left behind from the Rapture, will share in God’s judgments of the Tribulation. Spiritual aspects of God’s new covenant with Israel (Jer 31:31-34; Ez 36:25-27) are now being experienced by Gentile Christians and born again Jews (Christian Jews).

2. In the last days (see Isa. 2:2; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1; Heb. 1:2; discussions on 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18). In Joel 2:28, the Hebrew has “after this,” and the Septuagint has “after these things.” Peter interpreted the passage as referring specifically to the latter days of the new covenant (see Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 36:26-27; 39:29) in contrast to the former days of the old covenant. The age of messianic fulfillment had arrived ((Exception, Zondervan KJV Commentary).

B. Joel 2:28. NASB. Note comes from Ryrie Study Bible.

“It will come about after this,
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will have dreams,
Your young men will see visions.

1. Joel 2:28 Ryrie Study Bible note. “after this.” I.e., after Israel’s future repentance and restoration (Zech. 12:10; 13:1) in conjunction with the second coming of Christ, as witnessed by the portents of verse 30 (see note on Acts 2:16-21). The Holy Spirit will then be poured out on all classes in Israel who belong to the believing remnant (vs. 32). For Peter’s use of this passage on the Day of Pentecost, see note on Acts 2:16:21.

2. Joel 2:30-31. NASB.

³⁰I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
³¹The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

3. Joel 2:28-32 Complete text.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A28-32&version=NASB

4. Acts 2:16-21. NASB. Notes come from Ryrie Study Bible.

5. Acts 2:17. NASB.

And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
And your young men will see visions,
And your old men will have dreams;

6. Acts 2:16-21 Ryrie Study Bible note. See Joel 2:28. The fulfillment of this prophecy will be in the last days, immediately preceding the return of Christ, when all the particulars (e.g., v. 20 and Rev. 6:12) of the prophecy will come to pass. Peter reminded his hearers that knowing Joel’s prophecy, they should have recognized what they were seeing as a work of the Spirit, not a result of drunkenness.

7. Acts 16-21 Complete text. NASB.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A16-21&version=NASB

3. Jewish attendance at the Day of Pentecost. Under the Mosaic Law, three annual feasts were required for all males of Israel to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem (Ex 23:14-19). These feasts were: Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:15-20); Pentecost (Dt 16:9-12; Ac 2:1); and Tabernacles (Ne 8:13-18; Jn 7:2). Gentiles would have been ignorant of the Law or the Feasts, or of the prophecy of Joel that was quoted by the Apostle Peter; neither would Gentiles have been invited to the Feast of Pentecost by Jews.

A. Acts 2:5 suggests that a large number of Jews were present in Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Pentecost). Per Holman NT Commentary, the Feast of Pentecost may well have attracted over 200,000 Jews from all over the area of Israel and the Mediterranean world. The sermon of Peter was of OT prophecy that addressed Jews in relation to Christ and the need for Jews to come to belief in Christ as Messiah. 2:1 speaks of the Feast of Pentecost, a Jewish feast day. 2:5 states that Jews were present, devout men from every nation. 2:7-11 identifies the Jewish groups “hearing the words of the Apostles, in their own languages, ” which was the miracle of Pentecost, in conjunction with the falling of the Holy Spirit. 2:16 addresses OT prophecy of Joel. 2:22 addresses “men of Israel.” 2:29 speaks of King David, of whom the Davidic Covenant relates to the earthly kingdom of Christ. 2:36 speaks of the “house of Israel,” and Christ, “whom they crucified.” 2:38 speaks of the promise of salvation in Christ going to the Jewish families of the Pentecost Jews. 2:43 states that the Pentecost attendants continued attending the Temple, “day by day.” This second chapter of Acts clearly states that the events of the Feast of Pentecost (Day of Pentecost) show a Jewish audience, and not one of Gentiles.

B. Context is key to a proper understanding of Acts 2, as well as to Joel’s prophecy. The Apostle Peter cited Joel’s prophecy in his sermon, which was the first sermon of the Christian dispensation (aka grace; church) (Joel 2:28-32). 2:28-29 relate to the promise of the Holy Spirit. 2:30-32 relate to the end times, of which Jews had been taught about the tribulation and kingdom age (millennium). Joel’s prophecy had been made about Jews and the deliverance of the Jews in the Tribulation, and the blessing of the Jews in the Millennium (2:18-27). The following Ryrie notes show the Jewish context of Peter’s sermon, which was preached to a Jewish audience and not to Gentiles. The scripture context also shows that the “tongues of Pentecost” did not refer to an ecstatic utterance, which was not understood by everyone present, but referred to the words of the Apostles being spoken in the language of the Apostles, and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, being translated into the many languages and dialects of all of the Jews whom were present in Jerusalem on Pentecost. This Acts 2 Holy Spirit languages translation is like that which takes place in the United Nations where a speaker’s words are translated into the languages of all UN delegates who are present.

1. Ryrie Study Bible note. Joel 2:15-17. A call to national repentance in a “solemn assembly” from which no one would be exempt (Deu 24:5). Israel was God’s “inheritance” (Ex 19:5; Deu 4:20).

2. Ryrie Study Bible note. Joel 2:20. “the northern army” will be scattered in the desert, the “eastern sea” (the Dead Sea), and the “western sea” (the Mediterranean). See Ezek 39:2 for the destruction of the army from the N during the tribulation.

3. Ryrie Study Bible note. Joel 2:23. “early and latter rain.” In Sep-Oct. and March-April respectively.

4. Ryrie Study Bible note. Acts 2:4. “filled with the Holy Spirit.” An experience repeated later (4:8, 31; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 9:17; 13:9, 52). In the context of each of these occasions of filling, people were converted. Though not labeled here, the baptism of the Spirit also occurred (11:15-16), something not repeated, though experienced by every believer at conversion, which joins each to the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13). “with other tongues.” Actual languages unknown to the speakers but understood by the hearers (v 8).

5. End Times Terms. Context is key to understanding such terms.9

A. 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3 “the last days. This phrase refers to this age, the time since the first coming of the Lord Jesus. Matt 24:6-8 discusses horrible things that will happen, but they occur during the tribulation. The conditions of the church age and the conditions of the tribulation can not be interchangeably used for the particular purposes of a reader or writer.

B. Hebrews 1:2: last days. The primary group addressed were Hebrew Christians who suffered rejection and persecution by fellow Jews (10:32–34), although none as yet had been martyred (12:4). The second group addressed were Jewish unbelievers who were convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but who had not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their own Savior and Lord. They were intellectually persuaded but spiritually uncommitted. last days. Jews understood the “last days” to mean the time when Messiah (Christ) would come (cf. Num. 24:14; Jer. 33:14–16; Mic. 5:1, 2; Zech. 9:9, 16). In the past God gave revelation through His prophets, but in these times, beginning with the Messiah’s advent, God spoke the message of redemption through the Son. (My comment. Notice that this is a Jewish audience).

C. James 5:3, “last days. The period between Christ’s first and second comings.”

D. 2 Peter 3:3, ” in the last days. This phrase refers to that entire period of time from the arrival of the Messiah to His return (cf. Acts 2:17; Gal. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 1 Pet. 1:20; 1 John 2:18, 19; Jude 18). The entire age will be marked by saboteurs of the Christian truth and especially the hope of Christ’s return.”

E. Context is key to the understanding of the second coming of Christ. The coming of Christ “in the air” occurs at the time of the rapture of the church, which will not be visible to the world (John 14:1-6; 1 Cor 15:50-54; 1 Thes 4:13-18; Titus 2:13). The coming of Christ, “where He stands on the Mount of Olives”, occurs at the end of the Tribulation, when the whole world sees His returning (Zech 12:10, 14:1-5; Mt 24:29-30; Mk 13:24-26; Lk 21:25-27, 31; Rev 19:11-20:4). The subject of the Rapture is one of joy for pre-tribulation believers in Christ. The subject of the coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation is one of mourning for Tribulation unbelievers (Zech 12:9-11; Mt 24:30;

VII. We will now discuss Matthew Chapter 24, which is a scripture passage that has been taken out of context, very often, and by very many writers.

A. The Gospel of Matthew is the Gospel which presents the Lord Jesus as God’s King and Israel’s Messiah. The writer of Matthew was Jewish; his Gospel was written to Jews, about things that relate to Jews, the nation of Israel, and the “yet future” Kingdom that was promised to Israel in the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7:8-16).

B. The Gospel (Good News) of the Kingdom , as opposed to the Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, as was stated in 1 Cor 15:1-8) was preached to the the Jews of first century Israel by John The Baptist (Matt 3:2), Jesus (Matt 4:17), The disciples of Jesus (Matt 10:7), and by “The Seventy” (Luke 10:9). However, Jesus placed a restriction on whom would be told of the Kingdom (Matt 10:5-6, “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any of the city of the Samaritans, but rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.) Foreigners intermarried with the Israelite population that was still in and around Samaria. The Samaritans embraced a religion that was a mixture of Judaism and idolatry. Because the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria had intermarried with the foreigners and adopted their idolatrous religion, Samaritans were generally considered “half-breeds” and were universally despised by the Jews.

C. The Kingdom has been promised to the nation of Israel, and not to the other mentioned groups. We will see that Mathew 24 was preached to Jews, about things that related to Jews.

D. Israel In The Tribulation. One of the Divine purposes to be accomplished in the tribulation is the preparation of the nation Israel for the Kingdom to be instituted at the return of Messiah in fulfillment of Israel’s covenants.

VIII. The Olivet Discourse. (Matthew 24-25).

A. A detailed chronology of predicted events in relation to the nation Israel is given to us in the prophecy of the Lord in Matt 24:1-25:46, in the Olivet Discourse. In this passage, context remains a key factor of understanding.

B. The questions of the disciples. In Matthew 23 the Lord has announced judgment on the Pharisees and blindness on the nation. Now, in chapter 24, He announces the overthrow of Jerusalem (Matt 24:1-2). In the minds of the disciples they had eschatological significance, for their fulfillment was associated with Messiah’s coming and the terminus of the age. They asked” “When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (age)?” (Matt 24:3). Probably the promise of His return (Matt 23:39) had given the disciples this eschatological association.
The answer to the first question is not recorded by Matthew, but is given in Luke 21:20-24. This portion of the discourse had to do with the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus in 70 A.D. (Comments from, Things To Come, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D.).

C. Context is especially important in a proper understanding of the Olivet Discourse (Matt 24-25), and of all end times prophecy. In Matt 21:43, Jesus withdraws the offer of the Kingdom to Israel, but will be offered again during the Tribulation (Matt 24:14; Zech 12:10). In Matt 22, we read of the controversy between Jesus and the Jewish rulers. In Matt 23, Jesus condemns the Scribes and Pharisees. In Matt 23:39, Jesus said: “from now on you will not see me.” I.e., I He will no longer teach publicly. “until you say.” At the second coming of Christ, Israel will recognize and welcome their rejected Messiah (Zech 12:10). In Matt 24:1-2, we read about the destruction of the temple. In Matt 24:3-8, we read the questions of the disciples to Jesus: “when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?” (notice that the context of the questions relate to Israel, and not to the church). In Matt 24:4-28, we read of the signs of the end of the age, and not of signs of the church age. The books that the apostles will write will relate to the time of the church age, even to the bad times that will exist until the rapture occurs, but not to the times of the tribulation, (Re: 2 Tim 3:1-9), per Ryrie, Pentecost, Koessler, Wemp, Litfin. Lea, Griffin. The apostles did not warn the church about the conditions of the tribulation because their teaching was that the church would be removed from the earth prior to the tribulation. Old Testament prophets knew nothing of the Church, the Church age, or the rapture, which was the reason that their writings related to the tribulation and the kingdom age of the millennium.

D. One of the Divine purposes to be accomplished in the tribulation is the preparation of the nation Israel for the Kingdom to be instituted at the return of Messiah in fulfillment of Israel’s covenants. A detailed chronology of predicted events in relation to the nation Israel is given to us in the prophecy of the Lord in Matt 24:1-25:46, in the Olivet Discourse. (Things To Come, J. Dwight, Pentecost, Th. D.).

E. Nothing of Matthew 24 has anything to do with the Church Age. Consider:
24:9, “they will deliver you to tribulation.” The church will be taken away before the tribulation begins. 24:13, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Believers are saved at the moment of belief in Christ (John 3:16). This verse relates to those in the tribulation who will be physically saved from the anti-christ. 24:14. “The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. The gospel of the Kingdom relates to the Kingdom which will follow the tribulation. The Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:1-5) is the focus of teaching that occurs during the church age. The Gospel of the kingdom is not the focus of the church’s teaching, but is that which the Jews rejected when offered by John the Baptist (Matt 3:2), Jesus (Matt 4:17), the disciples (Matt 10:7), and the Seventy (Luke 10:9). 24:15, “the abomination of desolation” relates to the anti-christ who, at mid-point in the Tribulation, breaks the covenant that he made with the Jewish people (Dan 9:27). The church will be raptured before this event happens. 24:16, “those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.” This concern does not apply to the Church, who is scattered all around the world. 24:20, “pray that your flight will not be on the Sabbath.” The Sabbath relates to Israel, and not to the Church (Ps 147:19). 24:21, “there will be great tribulation.” The church will be raptured before the Tribulation. 24:22, “unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved.” The church has no such warning. 24:29, “Immediately after the tribulation,” 24:30, “Christ will appear in the sky, many will mourn.” The Church looks to the blessed hope and the appearing of Christ, where they do not mourn at His appearance, which occurs at the Rapture (Titus 2:13).

F. Matthew 25 discusses the Kingdom Age Of The Millennium (Matt 25:1).
To pull anything out of the Olivet Discourse, and apply it to anything relative to the church age, is a total infraction of the rules of context, and moves the discussion from Exegesis (the critical interpretation of the Biblical text to discover its intended meaning) to Eisegesis (drawing out a text’s meaning in accordance with the author’s context and discoverable meaning. Eisegesis is when a reader imposes their interpretation of the text).

IX. My Bucket List shows the references, of people and documents, that I use when I write my articles.

Bucket List

X. My Websites To Follow.

https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Equipping The Saints Web Site

https://thechurchoftheopendoor.wordpress.com/ Israel Web Site

https://success2693.wordpress.com/ Israel, History And Prophecy

https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 15 – The 70th Week 7 – 538 B.C.

I. Message Text.

Daniel 9:27 – New American Standard 2000

²⁷And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”

II. Ryrie Study Bible Notes.

Daniel 9:27. “he.” The prince of verse 26 , the Antichrist previously introduced in 7:8, 24-26, who will make a pact with “many” (of the Jewish people) at the beginning of the tribulation period. But, “in the middle of the week,” i.e., 3 1/2 years later) Antichrist will break his covenant and desecrate the temple by demanding worship of himself in it. See Matt 24:15 and 2 Thes 2:4. At Christ’s second coming, Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

III. Scofield Study Bible Notes.

Daniel 9:27. The main events of the final “one week” are as follows: There is a seven-year “covenant” made by the future Roman prince (the little horn of 7:8) with the Jews. In the middle of the week there is a forcible interruption of the Jewish ritual of worship by the Roman prince who introduces “abominations” that tender the sanctuary desolate. At the same time, he launches persecution against the Jews. At the end of the 70th week brings judgment upon the desolator and also brings “everything righteous” (vs 24-that is, the blessings of the Messianic kingdom).

IV. The Beginning Of The 70th Week.

A. Daniel 9:27 shows that the 70th week begins with a covenant that will be made with “many” for one week, or for seven years. This period of “one week,” following the method of interpretation that has been established for the 69 weeks, demonstrates the fact that the period, in question will be for a duration of seven years. The question that must be determined is the identity of the one who actually makes the covenant that begins this period of seven years. Daniel identified the person as “he” in verse 27 of Chapter 9, which must refer back to “the prince that shall come” in the prior verse.

B. There are two different princes that are mentioned. First, “Messiah the Prince;” second, “the prince that shall come.” The expression, “prince that shall come,” can not refer to “Messiah the Prince;” the reason is that it would be “the people of the prince that shall come” that would destroy Jerusalem after the death of the Messiah. Because it is now a matter of history that Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman people, and not by the Jewish people, it follows that “the prince that shall come” can not be the Jewish Messiah, but is some great prince who will arise out of the Roman Empire.

C. Out of the Roman Empire, there shall arise in the future, a prince. This prince, or chief of the fourth empire, is identical with the little horn of Daniel 7. He is further to be identified with the “king of fierce countenance” of Dan 8:23, with the “willful king” of Dan 11:36, with the “man of sin” of 2 Thes 2, and with the “beast of the sea” of Rev 13:10. In as much as all the covenants made by Messiah with Israel are eternal covenants, Messiah can not be the one making the covenant, as it will be temporary. This covenant, which will guarantee Israel the possession of their own land and the restoration of their religious and political autonomy, is to be viewed as a false fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. This covenant deceives many in Israel into believing that this “man of sin” is God (2 Thes 2:3). It is the proclamation of this false covenant that makes the beginning of the 70th week.

V. The Objectives Of The 70th Week.

A. The 70th week is a period of seven years which lies prophetically between the translation of the church, and the return of Christ in glory.

B. This 70th week also provides the exact chronological framework for the great events recorded in chapters 6-19 of the Book of Revelation.

C. The 70th week will begin with the making of a “firm covenant” between the coming Roman prince and the Jewish people.

D. In the middle of the 70th Week, the Roman prince will suddenly reverse his friendly attitude toward the Jews, and “cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.”

E. The breaking of the “firm covenant” between the Jews and the Roman prince will mark the beginning of a period of unparalleled “desolations” for the Jewish people.

F. The end of this final seven-year period will bring to its close the entire series of the 70 Weeks, and therefore usher in the great blessings promised to Israel in Dan 9:24.

VI. References.

Paragraphs IV and V. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., Things To Come, Zondervan, 1958, pp 249-250.

VII. My Bucket List.

My Bucket List shows the references, of people and documents. that I use to write my articles.

Bucket List

VIII. My Websites to follow.

https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Equipping The Saints Web Site

https://thechurchoftheopendoor.wordpress.com/ Israel Web Site

https://success2693.wordpress.com/ Israel, History And Prophecy

https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 14 – The Gap Between The 69th And 70th Week 6.

I. Message Text.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

Daniel 9:24-27 Updated American Standard Version

²⁴“Seventy weeks are decreed about 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. ²⁵Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and rebuild 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 times of distress. ²⁶And 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 determined. ²⁷And he shall make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And upon the wing of abominations shall come the one causing desolation, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one causing desolation.”

II. Subject Discussion.

A. Is there a gap between the 69th and 70th weeks? Let’s consider this question.

B. . The post-tribulation rapturist joins with the amillennialist in asserting that the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled historically in the years immediately following the death of Christ. Some hold that Christ was cut off at the end of the 69th week and that the 70th week followed immediately after the death of Christ. Others hold that Christ was cut off in the middle of the 70th week so that the last half of the week followed His death. Some go so far as to assert that the entire present age is the 70th week. The fallacy of this consecutive view is seen in the fact that only by spiritualizing the prophecy can the results of Messiah’s work, as outlined in Daniel 9:24, be said to have been fulfilled. The nation Israel, to whom the prophecy was addressed, simply has not experienced a single one of the prophesied benefits of Messiah’s coming as yet. Since this interpretation depends on a method of interpretation that is unacceptable, the view must be rejected.

C. Opposed to the view that the 70th week is to be viewed as chronologically consecutive is the view that that period is separated from the other 69 weeks by an indefinite period of time. If there can be no parenthesis in any revealed prophetic program, prophecy can not have a literal fulfillment, for in many major prophecies the events were not consecutive. The gap in Daniel’s prophecy is in accord with an established principle in the Word of God.

1. Dr. John Walvoord (Th. D.) asserts that such a gap is seen in many passages of scripture (Things To Come, p 247).

2. In the second place, the events of Daniel 9:26 require a gap. Two major events are said to take place after the 69th week, and before the 70th week: the cutting off of the Messiah and the destruction of the city and the temple in Jerusalem. These two events did not take place in the 70th week, for that is not introduced to us until verse 27, but in an interval between the 69th and 70th week. It will be observed that the cutting off of the Messiah took place only a few days after the 69th week terminated, but the destruction of the city and temple did not take place until 70 A.D., or about 40 years after the termination of the 69th week. If a few days gap be admitted, it is not difficult to concede the possibility of a gap of 40 years. If one of 40 years is admitted, it is not difficult to see that the gap may extend over the present age.

3. In the third place, the New Testament teaching that Israel has been set aside (Matt 23:37-39) until the restitution of God’s dealing with them demands a gap between the last two weeks. If the 70th week has been fulfilled, the six promised blessings must likewise have been fulfilled to Israel. None of these have been experienced by the nation. Since the church is not Israel, the church can not now be fulfilling them. In as much, as God will fulfill that which He promised literally, He must fulfill those things with the nation. It is seen, then, that there must be a gap between their rejection and the consummation of these promises.

4. In the fourth place, since all the promised blessings are associated with the second coming of Christ (Rom 11:25-27), if there were no gap, the Lord would have returned three and a half or seven years after His death to fulfill the promises. Since His coming is still anticipated there must be a gap between the last two weeks of the prophecy.

5. Finally, the Lord, in dealing with the prophecy, anticipates a gap. In Matthew 24:15, reference is made to the coming of the “abomination of desolation;” this is a sign to Israel that the Great Tribulation is approaching (Matt 24:21). But, even in this time there is hope, for “immediately after the tribulation of these days . . . they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory” (Matt 24:29-30). Thus, the Lord is placing the 70th week of Daniel at the end of the age, immediately before His second advent to the earth. Coupling this with Acts 1:6-8, we see that a whole age of undetermined duration is to intervene between the 69th and 70th weeks of the prophecy. The only conclusion must be that the events of the 70th week are as yet unfulfilled, and await a future literal fulfillment.

III. The Return Of Christ.

A. Prior To The 70th Week. Prior To The Tribulation. Christ Coming In The Air, Not To Stand On The Earth. For The Rapture Of The Church/The Catching Up Of The Saints. A Glorious Event. The Blessed Hope. Rapture, English; Harpazo, Greek; Raptura, Latin.

Jesus Is the Only Way to the Father

John 14:6 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (UASV)

¹⁶For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive, who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (UASV)

⁵⁰Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹Look, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed, ⁵²in 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. ⁵³For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:13-14 (UASV)

¹³Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.

B. At The End Of The 70th Week. At The End Of The Tribulation. Christ Coming In The Air To Stand On The Earth. Christ Coming In Judgment.

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Lord’s Triumph and Reign

Zechariah 14:1-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. ²I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.

³Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations as He fights on a day of battle. ⁴On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. ⁵You will flee by My mountain valley, for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will 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.

⁶On that day there will be no light; the sunlight and moonlight will diminish. ⁷It will be a day known only to Yahweh, without day or night, but there will be light at evening.

⁸On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike. ⁹On that day Yahweh will become King over all the earth—Yahweh alone, and His name alone.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Matthew 24:29-30 (HCSB)

²⁹“Immediately after the tribulation of those days:

The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not shed its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the celestial powers will be shaken.

³⁰“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Mark 13:24-26 (HCSB)

²⁴“But in those days, after that tribulation:

The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not shed its light;
²⁵the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the celestial powers will be shaken.

²⁶Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Luke 21:25-27 (HCSB)

²⁵“Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring sea and waves. ²⁶People will faint from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the world, because the celestial powers will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

The Rider on a White Horse

Revelation 19:11-16 (HCSB)

¹¹Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. ¹²His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. ¹³He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵A sharp sword came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it. He will shepherd them with an iron scepter. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

KING OF KINGS

AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

Revelation 19:17-21 (HCSB)

¹⁷Then I saw an angel standing on the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.”

¹⁹Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against His army. ²⁰But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with him the false prophet, who had performed the signs in his presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image with these signs. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Satan Bound

Revelation 20:1-3 (HCSB)

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ²He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the 1,000 years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

IV. Rapture vs Second Coming.

A. At the time of the Rapture, Christ takes His born again believers (alive and deceased) to Heaven with Him, for the receiving of eternal gifts (2 Cor 5:10) and for the marriage of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-8). Eph 4:8 shows that Christ took the Old Testament saints with Him to Heaven, too. The rapture removes all born again believers in Christ from the earth, for the duration of the Tribulation. This event is glorious for those whom are taken from the earth. There is no Scripture evidence that this event will be seen by those who will be left behind on earth. John 14:6 tells of Christ taking His born again believers to Heaven at the time of the Rapture, and emphasizes the fact that He is the only means by which His born again believers will be literally taken to heaven.

B. At the time of the Second Coming of Christ, Christ brings with Him the saints of the New Testament from Heaven with Him to set up, and rule and reign with Christ, in His earthly Millennial Kingdom (1 Cor 6:2; Rom 16:20; Rev 2:26). In this event, all of the unbelievers of the earth, “those who were left behind from the rapture,” will see Christ returning with the raptured believers. This event is frightening for those unbelievers of the tribulation who see Christ and His following believers and angels descending to earth for Judgment.

C. At the time of the Second Coming, the bodies of the Old Testament saints will be resurrected and joined with their spirits which will be coming from Heaven, and they will rule and reign with Christ during the Millennium/Kingdom Age (Daniel 12:1-3; Matt 19:28).

D. At the time of the Second Coming, martyred Tribulation saints (those who come to belief in Christ during the Tribulation) will be resurrected and will rule and reign with Christ during the Millennium/Kingdom Age (Rev 20:4).

E. At the time of the Second Coming of Christ, everyone on earth will see the return of Christ (Zech 12:8-11; 12:9; Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; Rev 19:19). Consider how easy it will be for all of the world’s tribulation inhabitants to see the return of Christ, due to the technology advancements of today. Additionally, if God wants all of Earth’s inhabitants to see Christ coming in the air, we can rest assured that “all of Earth’s inhabitants will see Christ coming in the air.”

V. References.

1. Updated American Standard Version scriptures were cut and pasted from that Bible’s website. https://www.uasvbible.org/ .

2. Holman Christian Standard Bible scriptures were cut and pasted from Bible Gateway’s website. https://www.biblegateway.com/

3. All of the notes in paragraph II of this article, come from the book of Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Th.D., “Things To Come,” 1958, Zondervan, pp 246-249.

4. All remaining notes in this article come from this writer.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 13 – Fulfillment Of The Sixty-Nine Weeks 5.

I. Introduction.

A. Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks (vv 24-27) provides the chronological frame for Messianic prediction from Daniel to the establishment of the kingdom on earth, and also a key to its interpretation (Scofield Study Bible, C.I. Scofield D.D. (Editorial Revision Committee 1967, Charles L. Feinberg, Th. D. Ph. D.; John F. Walvoord, Th. D., and others.).

B. The main features of the seventy weeks are provided in the verses of the Scripture text and the notes which follow (Mine).

II. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24-27.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

III. Verse Examination.

A. Dan 9:24. “Seventy weeks.” Lit. 70 sevens. Obviously years are meant, for Daniel had been thinking of the years of captivity (9:2). 490 days is 16 months, and 490 weeks is 9 1/2 years, both too short to accommodate the events of the prophecy. Furthermore, weeks of days are so specified in 10:2-3, where the Hebrew adds “days.” This period of 490 years concerns “your people” (the Jews) and “your holy city” (Jerusalem). “to finish the transgression.” To end the apostasy of the Jews. “to make an end of sin.” May mean either to atone for sin or to seal up sin in the sense of judging it finally. “to make atonement for iniquity.” Refers to the death of Christ on the cross, which is the basis for Israel’s future forgiveness (Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26-27). “to bring in everlasting righteousness.” In the millennial kingdom of Messiah (Jer 23:5-6). “to seal up vision and prophecy.” To set God’s seal of fulfillment on all the prophecies concerning the Jewish people and Jerusalem. “to anoint the most holy place.” The anointing of the Holy of Holies in the millennial Temple.

B. Dan 9:25. The 70 sevens begin with “a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” the commandment of Artaxerxes Longimanus (Neh 2:5). Earlier, Cyrus had authorized the rebuilding of the Temple (2 Chron 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4). “plaza and moat.” The public square and moat were rebuilt by the time of the first seven weeks (49 years) were completed.

C. Dan 9:26. Certain important events were to happen “after” the 62 weeks (plus the seven weeks, or a total of 69 weeks): the crucifixion of “Messiah” and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by the Romans who are “the people of the prince who is to come.” Because these events were to occur after the 69 weeks had run their course were to occur after the 69 weeks had run their course and before the seventieth week began, there must be a space of time between the conclusion of the sixty-ninth week and the beginning of the seventieth.

D. Dan 9:27. “he.” The prince of vs 26, the Antichrist previously introduced in 7:8, 24-26, who will make a pact with “many” (of the Jewish people) at the beginning of the tribulation period. But “in the middle of the week” (I.e., 3 1/2 years later) Antichrist will break his covenant and desecrate the Temple by demanding worship of himself in it (Re: Matt 24:15; 2 Thes 2:4). At Christ’s second coming, Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

IV. Beginning And Ending Of The 69 Weeks.

Based on the study of Dr. Harold Hoehner (Th. D., Ph. D.), the dates for the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9:25 extended from the first of Nisan (March 5) 444 B.C. to the tenth of Nisan (March 30) A.D. 33., which is the date of Jesus the Messiah’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40) (The Moody Bible Commentary, Michael Rydelnik, Th. M., D. Miss.).

V. The Purpose Of The Seventy Weeks.

Per Daniel 9:24, the object of the prophecy of the seventy weeks of Daniel is Israel. “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city.” The seventieth week, which is the period of the Tribulation, relates to God’s dealing with Israel and not with Gentiles. However, the Tribulation judgments will be poured out on the earth by Christ and His angels upon unsaved Jews, as well as unsaved Gentiles, whom will be left behind on the earth from the rapture (1 Thes 4:16-18). God’s Tribulation judgments will begin to be poured, beginning with Revelation 6:1 (Ryrie Study Bible).

VI. References.

A. Paragraph I. As indicated.

B. Paragraph II. Verses from the Updated American Standard Version.

C. Paragraph III. Ryrie Study Bible. Charles C. Ryrie, Th. D., Ph. D.

D. Paragraph IV. As indicated.

E. Paragraph V. As indicated.

VI. Companion Web Site.

Please follow my companion web site:

https://success2693.wordpress.com/

Israel, History And Prophecy.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 12 – The Beginning Of The Sixty-Nine Weeks 4.

I. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24a.

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city” Holman Christian Standard Bible.

II. Introduction.

A. Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks (Dan 9:24-27) contributes the most specific chronological information about the future Tribulation by describing it as a remaining 7 year period (Dan 9:27) out of a total 490-year time period that concerns Israel. Dan 9:27 even divides this future 7 year period into halves, and predicts the prophetic event, the Abomination of Desolation, which will transpire at the midpoint of this coming 7 year period. However, the end result will be a politically and spiritually restored nation, whereby the 6 clauses spoken of in Dan 9:24 will then become a reality for national Israel in her millennial glory. Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks again fits the familiar Old Testament theme of Israel’s predicted national restoration, only after and through a time of unprecedented distress.

B. It will be shown that the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy will be that of the Tribulation. This article discusses the beginning of the 69 weeks that precede the Tribulation.

III. Scripture Examination.

A. Dan 9:24. Seventy weeks may also be translated seventy sevens. Many scholars agree that the “sevens” are years, as the 70 years of captivity addressed in v. 2 implies. Lev 25:8 speaks of “seven sabbaths of years”; Lev 26:18, 21 implies that Israel’s punishment would be multiplied sevenfold. Therefore, an exile of 70 “weeks” would be expected to last for seven times 70 years.

B. 2 Chron 36:21 suggests that the captivity was to last long enough to make up for 70 omissions of the sabbatical year, which occurred every seven years. This would amount to 490 years before God’s people would experience perfect reconciliation with their God.

C. There are many different interpretations of how these years account for the eras of world history before the Second Coming of the Messiah. Some interpreters have suggested that the use of the number seven in this verse is symbolic representing completeness—that is, the completion of all of human history.

IV. Additional Examination.

A. Daniel was told that this 490 year period would being “from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem” (Dan 9:24). In the Scriptures are contained several decrees that have to do with the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. There was the decree of Cyrus in 2 Chr 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-3; the decree of Darius in Ezra 6:3-8; and the decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:7. However, in all these, permission was granted for the rebuilding of the temple, and nothing was said about the rebuilding of the city. In Ezra 4:1-4, the rebuilding of the temple was stopped because the Jews were rebuilding the city without authorization. In none of these decrees was the condition of Dan 9:25 met. When we turn to the decree of Artaxerxes, made in his 20th year, recorded in Neh 2:1-8, for the first time is permission granted to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. This then becomes the beginning of the prophetic time appointed by God in this prophecy.

B. It is necessary to establish the date of the decree of Artaxerxes.

1. The date of Artaxerxes’s reign can be definitely ascertained-not from elaborate disquisitions by biblical commentators and prophetic writers, but by the united voice of secular historians and chronologers.

2. The Persian edict which restored the autonomy of Judah was issued in the Jewish month of Nisan. It may in fact have been dated from the 1st of Nisan….The 70 weeks are therefore to be computed from the 1st of Nisan, 445 B.C.

3. The great characteristic of the Jewish sacred year has remained unchanged ever since the memorable night when the equinoctial moon beamed down upon the huts of Israel in Egypt, bloodstained by the Paschal sacrifice; and there is neither doubt nor difficulty in fixing within narrow limits, the Julian date of the 1st of Nisan in any year, whatever. In 445 B.C., the new moon, by which the Passover was regulated, was on the 13th of March at 7h.9m. A.M. And, accordingly, the 1st Nisan may be assigned to the 14th March

V. References.

A. Paragraph I. These verses in this paragraph come from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, which was cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

B. Paragraph II.A. The Coming Kingdom, 2016, Grace Gospel Press, Andrew M. Woods, Ph. D., p 163.

C. Paragraph II.B. Mine.

D. Paragraph III. Holman Christian Standard Bible.

E. Paragraph IV. Things To Come, 1958, Zondervan, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th.D., pp 244-245.

VI. Biogenesis – Life. Article 6-29-21.

Life News 6-29-21

“the life of the flesh is in the blood” Leviticus 17:11 (New American Standard Bible).

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 11 – The Meaning Of Weeks 3.

I. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24.

Seventy weeks are decreed about 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.

II. Discussion.

A. Before one can determine the chronology of the prophecy of the “seventy weeks,” it is first necessary to understand Daniel’s use of the term “weeks” as it is here employed. On this, McClain has written:

1. The Hebrew word is”shabua,” which means literally, a “seven,” and it would be well to read the passage thus…..Thus the twenty-fourth verse of Daniel’s ninth chapter simply asserts that “seventy sevents are determined” ….. and what these “sevens” must be determined from the context and from other Scriptures. The evidence is quite clear and sufficient as follows: (thru 3)

…..the Jews had a “seven” of “years” as well as a “seven” of “days.” And this Biblical “week” of years was just as familiar to the Jews as the “week of days.” It was, in certain respects, even more important. “Six years” the Jew was free to till and sow his land, but the “seventh year” was to be a solemn “Sabbath of rest unto the land” (Lev 25:3-4). Upon a multiple of this important week of years -“seven Sabbaths of years” – there was based the great jubilee year …..

2. Now there are several reasons for believing that the “Seventy Sevens” of Daniel’s prophecy refer to this well known “seven” of years. In the first place the prophet Daniel had been thinking not only in terms of years rather than days, but also in a definite multiple of “sevens” (10×7) of years (Dan 9:1-2). Second, Daniel also knew that the very length of Babylonian captivity had been based on Jewish violation of the divine law of the Sabbatic year. Since, accordingto II Chron 36 :21, the Jews had been removed from off the land in order that it might rest for”seventy years,” it should be evident that the Sabbatic year had been violated for 490 years, or exactly seventy “sevens” of years. How appropriate, therefore, that now at the end of the judgment for these violations the angel should be sent to reveal the start of a “new era” of God’s dealing with the Jew which would extend for the same number of years covered by his violations of the Sabbatic year, namely, a cycle of 490 years, or
“Seventy Sevens” of years (Dan 9:24).

3. Furthermore, the context of the prophecy demands that the “Seventy Sevens” be understood in terms of years. For, if we make them “sevens” of days, the entire period would extend for merely 490 days, or a little over one year. Considering now that within this brief space of time, the city is to be rebuilt and once more destroyed (to say nothing of the tremendous events of verse 24), it becomes clear that such an interpretation is altogether improbable and untenable. Finally ….. the Hebrew word “shabua” is found only in one other passage of the book (10:2-3), where the prophet states that he mourned and fasted “three full weeks.” Now, here it is perfectly obvious that the context demands “weeks” of days…..And significantly, the Hebrew here reads literally “three sevens of days.” Now, if in the ninth chapter, the writer intended us to understand that the “seventy sevens” are composed of days, why did he not use the same form of expression adopted in chapter ten? The quote obvious answer is that Daniel used the Hebrew “shabua” alone when referring to the well known “week” of years ….. but in chapter ten, when he speaks of the “three weeks” of fasting, he definitely specifes them as “weeks of days” in order to distinguish them from the “weeks” of years in chapter nine.

B. Interesting substantiating evidence is found in Genesis 29:27 where it is said, “Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou serve with me yet seven other years.” Here, the “week” is specified to be a week of years, or seven years. It is also necessary, in this consideration, to observe that the year in prophetic Scriptures is a year composed of 360 days. The same author states”

….. there is conclusive evidence to show that the prophetic year of Scripture is composed of 360 days, or twelve months of 30 days.

1. The first argument is “historical.” According to the Genesis record, the Flood began on the seventeenth day of the second month (7:11), and came to an end on the seventeenth day of the seventh month (8:4). Now this is a period of exactly five months, and fortunately the length of the same period is given in terms of days – “an hundred and fifty days” (7:24; 8:3). Thus, the earliest known month used in Biblical history was evidently thirty days in length, and twelve such months would give us a 360-day year.

2. The second argument is “prophetical”…..Dan 9:27 mentions a period of Jewish persecution ….. Since this persecution begins in the “midst” of the Seventieth Week and continues to the “end” of the Week, the period is obviously three and one-half years. Dan 7:24-25 speaks of the same Roman Prince and the same persecution, fixing the duration as “a time and times and the dividing of time” – in the Aramaic, three and a half times. Rev 13:4-7 speaks of the same great political Ruler and his persecution of the Jewish “saints” lasting “forty and two months.” Rev 12:13-14 refers to the same persecution, stating the duration in the exact terms of Dan 7:25 as “a time and times and half a time”. and this period is further defined in Rev 12:6 as “a thousand two hundred and three score days.” Thus, we have the same period of time variously stated as 3 1/2 years, 42 months, or 1260 days. Therefore, it is clear that the length of the year in the Seventy Weeks prophecy is fixed by Scripture itself as exactly 360 days.

III. Additional Discussion.

A. This highly complex and startlingly accurate prophecy answers Daniel’s prayer, not with reference to near history, but by giving the future of Israel in the final end of the age. God promises 2 sets of 3 accomplishments each. First, those related to sin are: 1) finish the transgression, i.e., restrain sin and Israel’s in particular in its long trend of apostasy, as in v. 11; 2) make an end of sins, i.e., to judge it with finality (cf. Heb. 9:26); and 3) make reconciliation for iniquity, signifies to furnish the actual basis of covering sin by full atonement, the blood of the crucified Messiah who is “cut off” (v. 26), which affects the first two realities (cf. the fountain, Zech. 13:1).

B. Second, those accomplishments related to righteousness are: 1) bring in . . . righteousness, the eternal righteousness of Daniel’s people in their great change from centuries of apostasy; 2) seal up vision . . . , i.e., no more revelation is needed, and God will bring these anticipations to completion by their fulfillment in Israel’s blessing as a nation; and 3) anoint the Most Holy, consecrate the Holy Place in a temple of the future that will be the center of worship in the millennial kingdom (cf. Ezek. 40–48). Clearly this must be understood to sweep to the end of Gentile power and the time of Antichrist right before Christ’s return. Summing up, the first 3 are fulfilled in principle at Christ’s first coming, in full at His return. The last 3 complete the plan at His Second Advent.

C. This period of 490 years concerns “your people,” (the Jews) “and your holy city” (Jerusalem).

IV. References.

A. Paragraph I. The verse is from the English Standard Version, and is cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

B. Paragraph II. Things To Come, Zondervan, 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp. 242-244.

C. Paragraph III. A. MacArthur Study Bible, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

D. Paragraph III. B. MacArthur Study Bible, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

E. Paragraph III. C. Ryrie Study Bible.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 9 – The Time Of The Tribulation 1.

I. Introduction.

A. In order for us to understand the time elements of the tribulation period, it is necessary to refer to the prophecy of Daniel, where the chronology of Israel’s future history is outlined in the great prophecy of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:24-27).

B. Notice that in the New International Version, “Seventy sevens,” is used to describe the prophetic time period of Daniel.” The New Living Translation uses “seventy sets of seven.”

Daniel 9:24-27New International Version

²⁴“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

²⁵“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. ²⁶After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. ²⁷He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

II. The Importance Of Daniel’s Prophecy Of The Seventy Weeks.

A. Many importances may be attached to this prophecy.

B. The literal method of interpretation of prophecy, as is provided by the following authors, provides a concrete foundation on this subject.

1. Properly interpreted, the prophecy of Daniel furnishes an excellent example of the principle that prophecy is subject to literal interpretation. Practically all expositors, however opposed to prophecy “per se,” agree that at least part of the seventy weeks of Daniel is to be interpreted literally….if the first sixty-nine weeks of Daniel were subject to liberal fulfillment, it is a powerful argument that the final seventieth week will have a similar fulfilment (John F. Woolvoord, Th. D., “Is Daniel’s Seventieth Week Future?,” January 1944).

2. The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks has an immense evidential value as a witness to the truth of Scripture. That part of the prophecy relating to the first sixty-nine weeks has already been accurately fulfilled…only an omniscent God could have foretold over five hundred years in advance the very day on which the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem and present Himself as the “Prince” of Israel (Alva J. McClain, B.D., Th. M., LL. D., D.D., Daniel’s Prophecy Of The Seventy Weeks).

3. The prophecy supports the view that the church is a mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament.

a. The seventy weeks of Daniel, properly interpreted, demonstrates the distinct place of the Christian church and Israel in the purposes of God. The seventy weeks of Daniel are totally in reference to Israel and her relation to Gentile powers and the rejection of Israel’s Messiah. The peculiar purposes of God in calling out a people from every nation to form the church and the program of the present age are nowhere in view of this prophecy.” (John F. Woolvoord, Th. D., “Is Daniel’s Seventieth Week Future?,” January 1944).

b. Walvoord’s above statement gives supporting evidence that the church is not in Revelation four through nineteen, but must have been raptued before Israel’s program began.

c. Daniel’s prophecy gives us the divine chronology of prophecy. In the predictions of the Seventy Weeks, we have the indespensable chronological key to all New Testament prophecy. Our Lord’s great prophetical discourse recorded in Matthew and Mark fixes the time of Israel’s final and greatest trouble definitely within the days of the Seventieth Week of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 9:27; Mt 24:15-22; Mk 13:14-20). And the greater part of the Book of Revelation is simply an expansion of Daniel’s prophecy within the chronological framework as outlined by the same Seventieth Week, which is divided into two two equal periods, each extending for 1260 days, or 42 months, or 3 1/2 years (Rev 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). Therefore, apart from an understanding of the details of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel, all attempts to interpret New Testament prophecy, must fail in large measure (Alva J. McClain, B.D., Th. M., LL. D., D.D., Daniel’s Prophecy Of The Seventy Weeks).

III. References.

A. Scripture of Daniel 9:24-27 was pasted from Bible Gateway.

B. Paragraph I.A. Commentary, “Things To Come,” 1958, Zonderan, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp 239.

C. Paragraph II. Commentary, “Things To Come,” 1958, Zonderan, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp 239 240.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 8 – The Purpose Of The Tribulation.

I. The First Purpose.

A. The first purpose of the tribulation is to prepare the nation Israel for her Messiah. The prophecy of Jeremiah (30:7) makes it clear that this time that is coming has particular reference to Israel, for it is “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Gerald Stanton (Kept From The Hour,” pp.30-31) shows the Jewish character of the period by saying:

The tribulation is primarily Jewish. This fact is borne out by Old Testament Scriptures (Deut 4:30; Jer 30:7; Ezek 20:37; Dan 12:1; Zech 13:8-9), by the Olivet Discourse of Christ (Matt 24:9-26 ), and by the book of Revelation itself (Rev 7:4-8; 12:1-2; 17, etc.). It concerns “Daniel’s people,” the coming of “false Messiah,” the preaching of the “gospel of the kingdom,” flight on the “sabbath,” the temple and the “holy place,” the land of Judea, the city of Jerusalem, the twelve “tribes of Israel,” the “son of Moses,” “signs” in the heavens, the “covenant” with the Beast, the “sanctuary,” the “sacrifice and the oblation,” of the temple ritual — these all speak of Israel and prove that the tribulation is largely a time when God deals with His ancient people prior to their entrance into the promised kingdom. The many Old Testament prophecies yet to be fulfilled for Israel further indicate a future time when God will deal with this nation (Deu 30:1-6; Jer 30:8-10).

B. God’s purpose for Israel in the Tribulation is to bring about the conversion of a multitude of Jews, who will enter into the blessings of the kingdom and experience the fulfillment of all Israel’s covenants. The good news that the King is about to return will be preached (Matt 24:14) so that Israel may be turned to their deliverer. As John the Baptist preached such a message to prepare Israel for the first coming, Elijah will preach to prepare Israel for the second advent:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Mal 4:5-6 ).

C. This witness is seen to be effective in that multitudes of Jews are converted during the tribulation period and are waiting for the Messiah (Rev 7:1-8, and the wise virgins of Matt 25:1-13). It is also God’s purpose to populate the millennium with a multitude of saved Gentiles, who are redeemed through the preaching of the believing remnant. This is accomplished in the multitude from “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues (Rev 7:9) and in the “sheep” (Matt 25:31-46) that enter the millennial age. God’s purpose, then is to populate the millennial kingdom by bringing a host from among Israel and the Gentile nations to Himself.

II. The Second Purpose.

A. The second great purpose of the tribulation is to pour out judgment on unbelieving man and nations. It is stated in Rev 3:10 “I will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” This passage has been considered earlier. That this period will reach out to all nations is clearly taught in other Scriptures as well:

1. Jer 25:32-33 (New English Translation).

³²The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says,
‘Disaster will soon come on one nation after another.
A mighty storm of military destruction is rising up
from the distant parts of the earth.’
³³Those who have been killed by the Lord at that time
will be scattered from one end of the earth to the other.
They will not be mourned over, gathered up, or buried.
Their dead bodies will lie scattered over the ground like manure.

2. Isa 26:21 (New English Translation).

For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives,
to punish the sin of those who live on the earth.
The earth will display the blood shed on it;
it will no longer cover up its slain.

3. 2 Thes 2:12. (New English Translation).

And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.

B. From these Scriptures it will be seen that God is judging the nations of the earth because of their godlessness. The nations of the earth have been deceived by the false teaching of the harlot system (Rev 14:8) and have partaken of the “wine of wrath of her fornication.” They have followed the false prophet in the worship of the beast (Rev 13:11-18). For this godlessness the nations must be judged. This judgment comes on “…the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains of the mighty men, and evey bondman, and every freeman…” (Rev 6:15), all of whom “blasphemed the name of God … and they repented not to give him glory” [Rev 16:9]). Since the kingdom to follow is a reign of righteousness, this judgment must be viewed as another step in the process of God’s program in dealing with sin so that the Messiah may reign. This program of judgment on sinners constitutes the second great purpose of the tribulation period.

III. The Times Of The Gentiles.

A. Scripture Reference (Luke 21:24, New English Translation).

They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

B. the times of the Gentiles. This expression is unique to Luke. It identifies the era from Israel’s captivity (ca. 586 B.C. to Babylon; cf. 2 Kin 25) to her restoration in the kingdom (Rev 20:1-6). It has been a time during which, in accord with God’s purpose, Gentiles have dominated or threatened Jerusalem. The era has also been marked by vast spiritual privileges for the Gentile nations (cf. Isa 66:12; Mal 1:11; Matt 24:14; Mark 13:10).

IV. The Fullness Of The Gentiles.

A. Scripture Reference (Romans 11:25, New English Translation).

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

B. mystery. This word is used to refer to NT truth previously not revealed (Rom 16:25; Eph 3:3; 1 Cor 15:51). This mystery has two components: 1) Israel has experienced a partial spiritual hardening, and 2) that hardening will last only for a divinely specified period of time. wise in your own opinion. Another warning to the Gentiles against spiritual pride and arrogance . blindness in part. The nation’s blindness does not extend to every individual Jew. Through all of history God has always preserved a believing remnant . until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. “Until” refers to a specific point in time; “fullness” refers to completion; “has come in” translates a Gr. verb often used to speak of coming to salvation (Mt 5:20; Mk 9:43 45, 47; Jn 3:5; Ac 14:22). Israel’s spiritual hardening (which began with rejecting Jesus as Messiah) will last until the complete number of elect Gentiles has come to salvation.

C. My note. “Fullness” is determined by God. At the time that God’s determined number of Gentiles comes to belief in Christ, the rapture of the Church will take place. This timing has nothing to do with the conduct of mankind, but of God’s plan. At the time that the Church has been removed from the earth, by the rapture (catching up of the saints, John 14:2-6; 1 Thes 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:50-54; 2 Thes 2:2-3), God will begin drawing left behind Jews to belief in Christ as Messiah; left behind Gentiles will also be drawn to belief in Christ as Lord and Savior. The tribulation will not begin until after “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” The starting point for the tribulation will be when the anti-christ confirms a treaty with Israel (Dan 9:27).

V. The Judgment Of The Individual Gentiles.

A. Scripture Reference (Matthew 25:31-46, New English Translation).

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. ³⁴Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ ⁴⁶And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

B. Mt 25:32. “All the nations.” Lit. All the Gentiles. This is a judgment of those Gentiles who survive the tribulation, and whose heart-relation to God is evidenced by their treatment of the Jews (Christ’s brethren, v. 40), especially during that time. Surviving Jews will also be judged at this time.

C. Mt 25:33. “on His right.” The place of honor.

D. Mt 25:35. To do these deeds of kindness to Jewish people during the Tribulation will undoubtedly expose the doers to persecution, and even death, at the hands of antichrist and his agents.

E. Mt 25:37. “when.” They are unconscious of their goodness, in contrast to the ostentation of the Pharisees. In verse 44, we see the opposite: the unconscious neglect of duty.

F. sheep. I.e., believers (10:16; Ps 79:13; Ez 34). They are given the place at “His right hand”—the place of favor. goats. These represent unbelievers, consigned to the place of dishonor and rejection.

G. Mt 25:31-32. He will sit on the throne of His glory. This speaks of the earthly reign of Christ described in Rev 20:4-6. The judgment described here in vv. 32-46 is different from the Great White Throne judgment of Rev 20:11-15. This judgment precedes Christ’s millennial reign, and the subjects seem to be only those who are alive at His coming. This is sometimes referred to as the judgment of the nations, but His verdicts address individuals in the nations, not the nations as a whole (cf. v. 46)

H. Mt 25:40. These “brethren” are Jews who suffer persecution during the tribulation and who receive help from Gentile believers at that time. (Re: “brethren,” Mt 25:40, “the least of these brothers or sisters of mine”NET).

I. Mt 25:46. everlasting punishment . . . eternal life. The same Gr. word is used in both instances. The punishment of the wicked is as never-ending as the bliss of the righteous. The wicked are not given a second chance, nor are they annihilated. The punishment of the wicked dead is described throughout Scripture as “everlasting fire” (v. 41); “unquenchable fire” (3:12); “shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan 12:2); a place where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mk 9:44-49); a place of “torments” and “flame” (Lk 16:23-24); “everlasting destruction” (2 Thes 1:9); a place of torment with “fire and brimstone” where “the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever” (Rev 14:10-11); and a “lake of fire and brimstone” where the wicked are “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:10). Here Jesus indicates that the punishment itself is everlasting—not merely the smoke and flames. The wicked are forever subject to the fury and the wrath of God. They consciously suffer shame and contempt and the assaults of an accusing conscience—along with the fiery wrath of an offended deity—for all of eternity. Even hell will acknowledge the perfect justice of God (Ps 76:10); those who are there will know that their punishment is just and that they alone are to blame (cf. Deu 32:3-5).

VI. References.

A. Paragraph I. Things To Come, 1958, Zondervan, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp. 237-238.

B. Paragraph II. Things To Come, 1958, Zondervan, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp. 238-239.

C. Pararaph III. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

D. Paragraph IV. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

E. Paragraph V. B-E. Ryrie Study Bible, 1986, Moody Bible Institute, Charles Ryrie, Ph. D.

F. Paragraph V. F-G. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

G. Paragraph V. H. The Moody Bible Commentary, 2014, Moody Publishers, Michael G. Vanlaningham, Ph. D., p, 1505.

I. Paragraph V. I. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

G. New English Translation scriptures were cut and pasted from Bible Gateway.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 7 – The Source Of The Tribulation.

I. Introduction.

A. In order to understand the Tribulation, it is important to understand the source of the Tribulation. This article will show that God is the architect and orchestrator of the Tribulation, from start to finish, and that its key purpose is to draw unsaved Jews to saving faith in Christ. Consider the following verses of Scripture.

B. Tribulation Overview.

1. The purpose of the Tribulation. Jeremiah 30:7. This prophecy was given in the year 606 B.C., while the Jews were in Babylonian captivity, and speaks of the coming of the tribulation that will come upon all Israel (Jacob). In 30:8 “that day,” the Day of the Lord which will also be the restoration of Israel under Messiah, the son of David. (Ryrie Study Bible)

Jeremiah 30:7, “How awful that day will be! There will be no other like it! It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.”

2. That which must precede the Tribulation. Daniel 9:27. This prophecy was given in the year 538 B.C., while the Jews were in Babylonian captivity. The Antichrist will make a pact with the Jews, which will mark the beginning of the Tribulation period.

Daniel 9:27,”He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

3. The Day Of The Lord (Joel 1:15) consists of the events of the Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Kingdom Age of the Millennial reign of Christ.

4. In addition to the purpose of the Tribulation for drawing unbelieving Jews to belief in Christ, the entire period of the Tribulation, which will include the Seal Judgments, Trumpet Judgments, and Bowl Judgments, will be a time of testing for all of those that will be left behind from the rapture of the Church (Rev 3:10). Believers in Christ will be “saved from, or saved out of,” the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Notice that Rev 3:10 identifies those of the Tribulation as “earth dwellers,” and are also addressed throughout “all of the Tribulation,” in the following verses: 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 13:14, 17:8.

5. The source of the Tribulation judgments, will be God, through Jesus (the Lamb) and God’s angels.

a. Seal Judgments. Revelation 6:1-8:6. Notice that in Rev 6:16-17, those whom have been left behind from the rapture, and have found themselves being the objects of God’s wrath, beginning with Rev 6:1, recognize that “the great day of the wrath of the Lamb has already come upon them.” Notice that in Rev 6:2, the Antichrist is a Seal Judgment which is poured out on the earth by Christ.

b. Trumpet Judgments. Revelation 8:7-9:21.

c. Bowl Judgments. Revelation 15:1-16:21.

6. The Second Coming Of Christ occurs at the end of the Tribulation (Matt 24:29-31 (for Him to set up the Kingdom Age of the Millennium, and to enact judgment on unbelievers of all times) (also Rev 1:7; Zech 12:10, 14; 1-5, 9; Mk 13:24-27; Rev 19:11-21).

7. The rapture of the Church (John 14:7; 1 Cor 15:50-54; Eph 4:13-18; 2 Thes 2:3) is not a part of The Day Of The Lord, but is that event which removes the Church (the born again believers in Christ), from the earth so that God can deal with unsaved Israel and draw them to belief in Christ. Neither the existence of the Church, nor the relationship between Christ and the Church, were known by the Jews in the prophetic writings of the Old Testament prophets. In essence, it was a mystery of Christ and the Church that was not made known until it was revealed in the New Testament (Eph 5:32; 1 Cor 15:51).

8. At the time of the rapture of the Church, all living and deceased believers of Christ of the church age will be taken to Heaven (John 14:3,6); will receive spiritual rewards at the Bema Judgment (2 Cor 5:10); are joined to Christ in Marriage (Rev 19:7-9; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-27); will be in the Presence of Christ and God until the end of the Tribulation (Rev 4-5); will return with Christ at the end of the Tribulation, at the Battle/Campaign of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-21).

C. The Seventieth Week Of Daniel Examined (The Tribulation).

a. The church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan. The church is a mystery, unrevealed in the Old Testament. This present mystery age (Inter-Advent age, mine), intervenes within the program of God for Israel because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah at His first advent. This mystery program must be completed before God can resume His program with Israel and bring it to completion pg 193). The church will be raptured before the seventieth week (pg 194).

b. The seventieth week has the character of: (1) wrath (Rev 6:16-17); (2) judgment (Rev 14:7); (3) indignation (Isa 26:20-21); (4) punishment (Isa 24:20-21); (5) hour of trial (Rev 3:10); (6) hour of trouble (Jer 30:7); (7) destruction (Joel 1:15); (8) darkness (Joel 2:2). It must be noted that these references describe the period in its eternity, not just a portion of it, so that the whole period bears this characterization (pg 194-195).

c. This period of tribulation will see the wrath of God poured out upon the whole earth (Rev 3:10). While the whole earth is in view, this period is particularly in relation to Israel. Jer 30:7, which calls this period, “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” makes this certain. The events of the seventieth week are events of the “Day Of The Lord.” The use of the name of deity emphasizes God’s peculiar relationship to that nation. When this period is being anticipated in Daniel 9:24 (538 B.C.), God says to the prophet, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. The whole period has special reference to Daniel’s people, Israel, and Daniel’s holy city, Jerusalem” (pg 195) (Daniel 9:20-27).

d. Since every passage dealing with the tribulation relates it to God’s program for Israel, the scope of the tribulation prevents the church from participating in it (pg 196).

e. The purpose of the seventieth week is two-fold (pp 197-200).

(1) The first purpose is stated in Rev 3:10, “Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.” Apart from the question involved as to who will be in this time of testing there are several other important important considerations in this verse.

(a) First of all we see that this period has in view, “them that dwell on the earth,” and not the church. This same expression occurs in Rev 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:7; and 17:8. Since this period is related to “earth dwellers,” those that have settled down to permanent occupancy, it can have no reference to the church, which would be subjected to the same experiences if it were here.

(b) The second consideration to be noted here is to express purpose, when God is its subject, “to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character, and the steadfastness of his faith.” Since the Father never sees the church except in Christ, perfected in Him, this period can have no reference to the church, for the true church does not need to be tested to see if her faith is genuine.

(2) The second major purpose of the seventieth week is in relation to Israel. In Malachi 4:5-6 (397 B.C.) it is stated: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord: And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

(a) The prophet states that the ministry of Elijah was a ministry to prepare the people for the King who was shortly to come.

(b) In Luke 1:17 and Mark 9:12-13, the Lord was showing the disciples that John the Baptist had this ministry of preparing a people for Him. John’s ministry was a ministry to prepare the nation Israel for the coming of the King. It can only be concluded then that Elijah, who is to come before the great and terrible day of the Lord, can have only one ministry: that of preparing a remnant in Israel for the advent of the Lord. It is evident that no such ministry is needed by the church since she by nature is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but is holy and without blemish.

(3) The two stated purposes of the tribulation, the testing of earth dwellers, and the preparation of Israel for the King, have no relation to the church, whatsoever. This is supporting evidence that the church will not be in the tribulation.

(4) The rapture, the catching up of the New Testament saints (1 Thes 4:16-17) will remove, not all who make a profession of faith in Christ, but only those who have been born again and have received His life. The unbelieving portion of the visible church, together with unbelievers in the nation Israel, will go into the tribulation period.

II. Tribulation Wrath In Focus.

A. Because the postribulation rapturist refuses to distinguish between the tribulations of this age, which the church will endure, and the unique and unprecedented period of tribulation which shall come on the earth, they insist that the rigors of tribulation come only through the agency of man or of Satan, and disassociate God from the period entirely.

B. The tribulation period will witness the wrath of Satan in his animosity against Israel (Rev 12:12-17) and of Satan’s puppet, the Beast, in his animosity against the saints (Rev 13:7). Yet, even this manifestation of wrath does not begin to exhaust the outpouring of wrath that day.

C. Scripture abounds in assertions that this period is not the wrath of man, nor even the wrath of Satan, but the wrath of God.

1. Isa 24:1. Look, the Lord is stripping the earth bare and making it desolate.
He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. (Note: The Lord is to deal with the whole earth more severely than He did at the tower of Babel or through the Noahic Flood, MacArthur Study Bible).

2. Isa 26:21. For look, the Lord is coming from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal the blood shed on it and will no longer conceal her slain. (Note: The innocent killed by their oppressors are to come to life (cf. v. 19) and testify against their murderers, MacArthur Study Bible).

3. Joel 1:15. Woe because of that day! For the day of the Lord is near
and will come as devastation from the Almighty. (Note: The Heb. term “destruction” forms a powerful play on words with the “Almighty.” The notion of invincible strength is foremost; destruction at the hand of omnipotent God is coming, MacArthur Study Bible).

4. Zeph 1:18. Their silver and their gold will be unable to rescue them on the day of the Lord’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of his jealousy, for he will make a complete, yes, a horrifying end of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Note: The discussion expands to include the whole earth as in vv. 2, 3, MacArthur Study Bible).

5. Rev 6:16. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. (Note: 16. Earth’s inhabitants will recognize for the first time the source of all their trouble, MacArthur Study Bible).

6. Rev 16:7. I heard the altar say, Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and just are your judgments. (Note. The personified altar echoes the words of the angel, reinforcing the truth that God is just in all judgment, MacArthur Study Bible).

D. From the above Scriptures, it can not be denied that this period is peculiarly the time when God’s wrath and judgment fall upon the earth. This is not wrath from men, nor from Satan, except as God may use these agencies as channels for the execution of His will; it is the tribulation from God. This period differs from all preceding tribulation, not only in intensity but also in the kind of tribulation, since it comes rom God Himself.

III. Tribulation Summary.

A. The great tribulation is the period of unexampled trouble predicted in the passages cited under that head from Ps 2:5 to Rev 7:14, and described in Rev 11.-18. Involving in a measure the whole earth (Rev 3:10) it is yet distinctly “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:7) and its vortex Jerusalem and the Holy Land. It involves the people of God who will have returned to Israel in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel. The elements of the tribulation are:

1. The cruel reign of the “beast out of the sea” (Rev 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 (Dan 9:27), and show himself in the temple, demanding that he be worshipped as God (Matt 24:15; 2 Thes 2:4).

2. The active interposition of Satan, “having great wrath” (Rev 12:12), who gives his power to the Beast (Rev 13:4-5).

3. The unprecedented activity of demons (Rev 9:2, 11).

4. The terrible “bowl” judgments of (Rev 16:1-21).

B. The great tribulation will be, however, a period of salvation. An election out of Israel is seen as sealed for God (Rev 7:4-8) and, with an innumerable multitude of Gentiles Rev 7:9) are said to have come “out of the great tribulation” (Rev 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 (Matt 24:29-30).

IV. References.

A. Paragraph I. B. 2. The Moody Bible Commentary, @2014 by The Moody Bible Institute, p. 1307 .

B. Paragraph I. B. 3. Things To Come, @1958, by Dunham Publishing Company, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., p. 231.

C. Paragraph I. B.4. Revelation Commentary, @2011, by John F. Walvoord, Th.D., by Moody Publishers, p. 84.

D. Paragraph I.C. Things To Come, @1958, by Dunham Publishing Company, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp 194-200.

E. Paragraph II, A-D. Things to Come, @1958, by Dunham Publishing Company, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th. D., pp. 235-238.

F. Paragraph III, A-B. Scofield Study Bible, @2006, by Oxford University Press, Rev 7:14 Note.

G. Scriptures in this article are from the Christian Standard Bible. The scriptures were pasted from BibleGateway.com

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Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 6 – The Essence Of The Tribulation.

I. Introduction.

A. There is no better way to come to an understanding of the Scriptural concept of the tribulation than to let Scripture speak for itself. It is impossible to set forth all the declarations of the Word on this subject. A few will suffice. The line of revelation begins early in the Old Testament, and continues through the New. Consider the following verses of Scripture.

1. Deu 4:30-31. ³⁰In your distress when all these things happen to you in future days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him ³¹(for he is a merciful God), he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.

2. Isa 2:19. They will go into caves in the rocky cliffs and into holes in the round,
trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord and his royal splendor,
when he rises up to terrify the earth.

3. Isa 24:1, 3, 6. 1:Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 3:The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment. 6:So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people.

4. Isa 24:19-21. 19 The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. ²⁰The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again. 21 At that time the Lord will punish the heavenly forces in the heavens and the earthly kings on the earth.

5. Isa 26:20-21: 20 Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms! Close your doors behind you! Hide for a little while, until his angry judgment is over. 21 For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain.

6. Jer 30:7. Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! There has never been any like it. It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob, but some of them will be rescued out of it.

7. Dan 9:27. He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

8. Dan 12:1. “At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape.

9. Joel 1:15. How awful that day will be! For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer.

10. Joel 2:1-2. 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm signal on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land shake with fear, for the day of the Lord is about to come. Indeed, it is near! ²It will be a day of dreadful darkness, a day of foreboding storm clouds, like blackness spread over the mountains. It is a huge and powerful army—there has never been anything like it ever before, and there will not be anything like it for many generations to come!

11. Amos 5:18, 20. ¹⁸Woe to those who wish for the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light. ²⁰Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring darkness, not light—gloomy blackness, not bright light?

12. Zeph 1:14-15, 18. ¹⁴The Lord’s great day of judgment is almost here; it is approaching very rapidly! There will be a bitter sound on the Lord’s day of judgment; at that time warriors will cry out in battle. ¹⁵That day will be a day of God’s anger, a day of distress and hardship, a day of devastation and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dark skies…¹⁸Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery wrath.
Indeed, he will bring terrifying destruction on all who live on the earth.”

13. Matt 24:21-22. ²¹For then there will be great suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. ²²And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

14. Luke 21:25-26. ²⁵“And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves. ²⁶People will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

15. 1 Thes 5:3. Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.

16. Rev 3:10. Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.17.

17. Rev 6:15-17. ¹⁵Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

B. From the above Scriptures, it is inescapable that the nature or character of this period is that of wrath (Zeph 1:15, 18; 1 Thes 1:10; Rev 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19), judgment (Rev 14:7; 15:4; 16:5, 7; 19:2), indignation (Isa 26:20-21; 34:1-3), trial (Rev 3:10), trouble (Jer 30:7; Zeph 1:14-15; Dan 12:1), destruction (Joel 1:15; 1 Thes 5:3), darkness (Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18; Zeph 1:14-18) desolation (Dan 9:27; Zeph 1:14-15), overturning (Isa 24:1-4, 19-21), punishment (Isa 24:20-21). No passage can be found to alleviate to any degree whatsoever the severity of this time that shall come upon the earth.

II. Key Scripture Examinations.

A. Isa 2:19. See Rev 6:15, which vividly describes the desperate actions of people in the coming tribulation.

B. Isa 24:1-13. The coming judgment will be on the entire earth (v. 1, 4), on all classes of people (v. 2), and will remove all pleasures (vv. 6, 13). Only a small remnant will survive (vv. 6, 13).

C. Isa 24:1. The section (chaps. 24-27), that begins here, deals with judgments of the tribulation period and blessings of the millennial age.

D. Jer 30:7. the time of Jacob’s distress. The coming days of tribulation that will come upon all Israel (Jacob).

E. Dan 9:3-19. In Dan 9:3-19, Daniel’s prayer associated himself with the sins of his people 12 times. He approaches God on the basis of His loyal love in His covenant with Israel (v. 4), confesses their sins (vv. 5-10), acknowledges their deserved judgment (vv. 11-14), and supplicates God for His mercy (vv. 15-19).

F. Dan 9:27. The prince of verse 26, the antichrist previously introduced in 7:8, 24-26,who will make a pact with many (of the Jewish people) at the beginning of the tribulation period. But, in the middle of the week (i.e., 3 1/2 years later), antichrist will break his covenant and desecrate the Temple by demanding worship of himself in it. See notes on Matt 24:15 and 2 Thes 2:4. At Christ’s second coming, antichrist and his false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

G. Dan 12:1. at that time. The time of the events of 11:36-45, the Great Tribulation. Michael. See note on 10:13. such as never occurred. Jesus’ words in Matt 24:21.

H. Joel 1:15. the day of the Lord. The major theme of this prophecy, involves God’s special intervention in the affairs of human history. This eschatological “day” includes the time of the Tribulation (Isa 2:12-19; 4:1), the second coming of Christ (Joel 2:30-32), and the Millennium (Isa 4:2; 12; 19:23-25; Jer 30:7-9).

I. Joel 2:1-2. The locust army is regarded as a foretaste of an invading army in the day of the Lord (v. 1); i.e., in the tribulation period.

J. Amos 5:18-20. They thought the day of the Lord would bring judgment only on their enemies, little realizing that it would also include them.

K. Rev 3:10 . I will keep you from the hour of testing. A promise that believers will be delivered from the time of Tribulation that will come upon the entire earth (Mat 24:14-21). See note on 1 Thes 4:16-17.

III. Point Summary.

A. Jeremiah 30:7 points directly to Israel as being the object of the coming Tribulation. Daniel 9:27 points to the event that will bring about the Tribulation, which is the antichrist making a covenant with Israel. Daniel’s prayer in 9:3-19, is further conclusive evidence that it is the nation of Israel for which God’s Tribulation judgments are directed. The church has no purpose for being in the Tribulation, and is never addressed in Scripture as being a party to God’s judgments of the end times.

B. Even with the problems that have been addressed with Israel, there are scriptures that show the strength of relationship that exists between God and the Jews.

1.Deu 14:2. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.

2. Jer 31:3. In a faraway land the Lord will manifest himself to them. He will say to them, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.‘ That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.

3. Zech 2:8. For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “For his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you—for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.

4. Matt 24:22. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

C. The comment on Matt 24:22 by The Moody Bible Commentary, shows God’s love for the Jews as Israel is about to be decimated at the end of the Tribulation. “The experience of believing Israel is in view here, not that of the Church.”

IV. References.

A. Paragraph I. Things To Come, Zondervan, 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost, Th.D., pgs 233-235.

B. Paragraph II, Ryrie Study Bible, The Moody Bible Institute, 1960, Charles C. Ryrie, Ph.D.

C. Paragraph III. C., The Moody Bible Commentary, The Moody Bible Institute, 2014, pgs 1500-1501, Michael G. Vanlaningham, Ph.D.

D. Scriptures in this article are from the New English Translation Bible. The scriptures were pasted from BibleGateway.com

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Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 5 – Waiting For The Last Days?

I. Introduction.

We are now transitioning from scriptures and context that relate to The Day Of The Lord to those that relate to The Tribulation Period In Scripture. Although this point of transition subject has been touched on briefly in a previous connection, it is necessary to set forth the teaching of the Scriptures on this important eschatological doctrine. All verses in this article come from the New American Standard Bible.

II. The Tribulation In Context.

A. In the teaching of “end times terms,” it is important to consider the context of each verse of scripture. As I have written in a prior article, the Old Testament Jewish prophets wrote of: end times, last days, latter days, day of the Lord, etc., the context always related to the times of the Tribulation or Kingdom Age of the Millennium. Additionally, the Gospel writers, as well as the Jewish Apostles on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17), addressed the prophecies that were spoken and written by the Old Testament Jewish prophets.

B. The Jews in the Old Testament pre-gospel times had been taught by the Jewish prophets about the times of the Tribulation and Kingdom Age. The Gospel era Jews began being taught by Christ and His disciples, of the end times of the Tribulation and Kingdom Age. On the Day of Pentecost, the Jewish prophets told the Jews, who were in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Pentecost, of the aforementioned end times. The church, and everything about Christ and the church, had been a mystery to all Jews (Eph 5:32) until they began being taught about this mystery by Jews (Apostles and their disciples) who were believers in Christ, beginning on the Day of Pentecost. Gentiles had never received any teaching on the end times, or Christ, or the church, until the believing Jews began to evangelize the Gentiles. Gentiles of all prior ages had never been privy to the Word of God that was solely between God and His chosen people, who were the Jews (Deu 14:2).

C. From the second chapter of Acts, forward, such words as ” last days and day of the Lord, “are used according to their context. The “perilous times” of 2 Tim 3:1, relate to the times which lead to the Rapture of the Church and Tribulation. This end times subject was preached by born again Jews and Gentiles to Jews and Gentiles (saved and unsaved) who were present on earth after Acts 1:26 (Day of Pentecost), and the beginning of the dispensation of grace. The subject of Matt 24:3-31, was taught by Christ to His disciples (privately, Mt 24:3, also perilous times), about the conditions that will be present on earth during the Tribulation. This teaching of Christ was “from a Jews, Christ,” to Jews, Disciples,” about conditions that will affect Israel and Jews (Jer 30:7; Dan 9:27) who will be left behind on earth after the Rapture. The Jews who will be affected, as well as Gentiles, will have not been born again at the time of the rapture of the church (John 14:2-6; 1 Cor 15:50-54; 1 Thes 4:16-17; 2 Thes 2:3…”apostasy;” Greek=”aposticia” meaning “falling away,” but more naturally “departure away first.”). God does not react to human behavior, which would make Him a “God of reactions.” Instead, God is a God of Sovereign plans, which He will implement, regardless of human behavior.

III. Key Last Days Scriptures.

A. Isaiah 2:2. Kingdom Age. Millennium.

“²Now it will come about that
In the last days
The mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established as the chief of the mountains,
And will be raised above the hills;
And all the nations will stream to it.”

B. Daniel 10:14. Tribulation.

“Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision pertains to the days still future.”

C. Joel 2:28-32. Tribulation. Cited by Peter on Day Of Pentecost (Acts 2:17).

1. Joel 2:28. Note. “after this.” I.e., after Israel’s future repentance and restoration (Zech 12:10; 13:1) in conjunction with the second advent of Christ, as written by the portents of verse 30 (see note on Acts 2:16-21). The Holy Spirit will then be poured out on all classes in Israel who belong to the believing remnant (v. 32). For Peter’s use of this passage on the Day of Pentecost, see note on Acts 2:16-21.

2. Scripture. Joel 2:28-32.

The Promise of the Spirit

“²⁸“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will have dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
²⁹And even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

The Day of the Lord

“³⁰I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
³¹The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
³²And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
Will be saved;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who escape,
Just as the Lord has said,
Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.”

D. Acts 2:17. Day Of Pentecost. Last Days Connection.

1. Acts 2:17. Note. The fulfillment of the following prophecy will be in the last days, immediately preceding the return of Christ, when all of the particulars (e.g., v. 20 and Rev 6:12) of the prophecy will come to pass. Peter reminded his hearers that, knowing Joel’s prophecy (above Joel 2:28-32), they should have recognized what they were seeing as being a work of the Holy Spirit, not a result of drunkenness. (Ryrie Study Bible).

2. Acts 2:17. Prophecy of “last days” during tribulation.

“And it shall be in the last days, God says,
‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
And your young men will see visions,
And your old men will have dreams;”

3. Notice that Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 relate to Jews and Israel, as to their repentance toward Christ, on the day of Pentecost; and during the Tribulation, which will happen prior to the return of Christ from Heaven (second coming of Christ) to physically stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech 12:2-3, 10; 14:1-5; Mt 24:29-31; Rev 19:11-21); and not in the air at the rapture (1 Thes 4:16-17).

E. 2 Timothy 3:1. Church Age. Dispensation of Grace. Preceding Rapture and Tribulation.

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.”

IV. Jews In The Tribulation.

The following verses show that Matthew 24:3-29 relates to Israel, and not to the church.

1. Mathew 24:14. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (This is not the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:1-8), but of the Kingdom which John The Baptist, Christ and His disciples preached to first century Israel, when they rejected (Matt 3:1-2; 4:17; 10:5-7; 6:9; Lk 10:1, 9).

2. Matthew 24:15-16. “¹⁵Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand— ¹⁶then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.” (This is purely related to Jews. Daniel the prophet, the Holy Place, the abomination of desolation, have nothing to do with Gentiles. Personally, I am not planning on fleeing to the mountains.).

3. Matthew 24:20. “Moreover, pray that when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.” (The Sabbath was of no concern to Gentiles when this passage was written, and is of no concern to Gentiles today, or when the Tribulation occurs.).

4. Matthew 24:21. “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. ” (The events of this verse can not happen prior to the Tribulation, with it being the worst thing ever to happen since the beginning of the world, and still have a Kingdom Age (Millennium) to follow. Consider the Noahic Flood, and the following “day to day” living conditions would not be able to take place during the Kingdom Age of the Millennium. (Amos 9:14, “I will also restore the fortunes of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the desolated cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.”)

5. Matthew 24:29-30. “²⁹“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”(This passage shows that “after the Tribulation,” the world will mourn when they see the return of Christ…there will be great cataclysmic eruptions taking place. In sharp contrast to the events of this passage, is joy in the rapture of the church. Consider Titus 2:13:”looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” There is nothing joyous about the “left behind world” mourning when Christ returns from heaven “for judgment” on the earth in Matt 24:29-30.

V. What Are You Waiting For?

A. There are many people who are waiting for “the last days.” But, please let me say that, as it relates to 2 Timothy 3:1, “we’re there, already.” Just listen to the news events of these days, and you will realize that we definitely are in “perilous times.” But, for believers in Christ, there is coming an event that will remove us from the earth, and the “must more perilous times” of the Tribulation. The event, the rapture of the Church, will have us taken by Christ from earth to Heaven (John 14: 2,3,6), where we will receive spiritual rewards (2 Cor 5:10), and will have a very important position in the Marriage of the Lamb in Heaven (Rev 19:7-8), as well as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9), which will take place when we return to earth with Christ from heaven at the end of the earth’s seven years of tribulation (Mt 24:29-30), in the beginning of the Kingdom Age of the Millennium, where we will rule and reign with Him for 1,000 years (Rev 20:6).

B. Believers in Christ are not told to look for the antichrist, or the Tribulation; but both “are on the waiting list” for all who have not been born again, who do not believe in Christ (John 3:18).

C. Consider the things that are waiting for those who find themselves in “the last days” of the Tribulation.

1. As opposed to believers in Christ, being in the Presence of God (Rev 4-5), unbelievers will be the targets of the Tribulation judgments of God, which will be released through His angels and Christ. The Tribulation judgments will be unleashed on all unbelievers who will be left behind from the Rapture. Please understand that these judgments are Godly ordained judgments that will be directed at unbelievers, as opposed to conditions that affect all who live in our world today.

a. Christ will unleash the Seal Judgments on the earth (Rev 6:1-16).

b. Angels will unleash the Trumpet Judgments on the earth (Rev 8:5-13; 9:1-21).

c. Angels will unleash the Bowl Judgments on the earth ( Rev 16:1-21).

2. As being believers in Christ, therefore the bride of Christ, we will not come under the wrath of God during the Tribulation (1 Thes 1:10); Christ will not beat up His bride. We have our born again spirits indwelled by God’s Holy Spirit (Jn 14:20), who teaches us the things of Christ (Jn 14:20; 16:7-8). As being the born again bride of Christ, we have a new Spirit (2 Cor 5:17), which is as righteous as the Spirit of Christ (2 Cor 5:21). There is nothing of the Tribulation that can make a born again believer in Christ more righteous. We have no reason to be in the Tribulation, as the Tribulation (all of it, Rev 6:1-19:21) is designed for “those who dwell on the earth,” (Rev 3:10), who are “earth dwellers” (Rev 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 14, 17:8). Believers in Christ have made heaven their place of choice, and therefore is where our citizenship lies (Phil 3:20).

D. As a believer in Christ, my salvation is secure in Christ (John 10:28-30). I know that through my belief in Christ, that by believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; that I have life in His name (John 20:31).

E. As a believer in Christ, I am not looking for, or waiting for, the last days of the Tribulation. I am eagerly “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” (Titus 2:13). Amen.

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Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 4 – The Day Of Christ.

I. Day Of The Lord Scripture Basis. Jeremiah 30:7. The Day Of Christ. Holman Christian Standard Version.

“How awful that day will be!
There will be none like it!
It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,
but he will be delivered out of it.”

II. Discussion. Day Of Christ. 1

A. The expression, “Day Of Christ,” occurs in the following passages: 1 Cor 1:8; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6, 10; 2:16.

B. The “day of Christ” relates wholly to the reward and blessing of saints at his coming, as “day of the Lord,” is connected with judgment, e.g. Isa 2:12 and Rev 19:11-21.

C. This “Day of the Christ” must be distinguished from the “Day of the Lord,” of 1 Thes 5:2 and 2 Thes 2:2. The latter expression (“Day of the Lord”) comes from the Old Testament, and relates to Christ’s universal kingdom; but the former expression (“Day of Christ) is found in the New Testament only, and relates to His advent for the church.

D. It appears that two separate programs are in view when these two expressions (“Day of Christ” and “Day of the Lord”) are used. They can not be made to refer to the same event. In each case, in which “Day of Christ” is used, it is used specifically in reference to the expectation of the Church, her translation, glorification, and examination for reward.

E. There is thought that “the Day of the Lord” and “the Day of Christ” must come at two different periods of time, usually saying that “the Day of Christ” refers to events of the tribulation period, and “the Day of the Lord” refers to events related to the second advent and the millennium to follow. Certainly, two different programs are in view in these two events of end times teaching, but they fall within the same time areas. Thus, these two events have the same beginning, even though two different programs are in view. It may be that in 1 Cor 1:8, reference is made to “the day of the Lord Jesus Christ” to show that He is related to both events, being both “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

III. Consider Additional Discussion.

A. The day of Christ relates wholly to the reward and blessing of saints at his coming, as “day of the Lord” is connected with judgment. 2

B. the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This refers to the coming of the Lord for His church, the Rapture. This is to be distinguished from the day of the Lord, a term referring to judgment on the ungodly. 3

C. in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is probably a reference to believers’ righteous standing before God. In the OT “the day of the Lord” was a time of eschatological upheaval and judgment. In the NT, it appears to follow the rapture of the church, and refers to a time from which the Church is delivered. Paul called it the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, possibly because the authority with which God will judge the world has been delegated to Jesus, and possibly because Jesus rescues His people from the tribulation period on that day. 4

IV. Footnotes.

1. “Things To Come,” A Study In Biblical Eschatology, 1958, Zondervan, pgs 231-232, J. Dwight Pentecost. Dr. Pentecost was Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition, Emeritus, at Dallas Theological Seminary, one of only two so honored. He held a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College (1937), in addition to Th.M. (1941) and Th.D. (1956) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. During his academic career he taught biblical subjects for over 60 years (Philadelphia College of Bible, 1948–55; Dallas Theological Seminary, 1955-2014). His nearly twenty books are written mostly for the general Christian reader. His pastoral career continued through this period. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Dwight_Pentecost

2. Scofield Study Bible.

3. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition.

4. The Moody Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers, 2014, pg 1776. Michael G. Vanlaningham (B.A., M.Div., Ph.D).

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Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 2 –The Time From Rapture To Tribulation

INTRODUCTION

It has been my experience from watching many sermons on tv, as well as videos, that very few pastors teach on any aspect of eschatology. From those sermons, it seems that “all Christians go to heaven,” with that being the end of the sermon. The rapture, when used in sermons, is often used in relation to Scriptures that relate to the second coming of Christ. Very little is mentioned about the time gap between “going to happen,” and anything else in God’s Word. The antichrist, the Tribulation, the Kingdom on earth, the eternal state, are almost subjects of total silence. A subject that is discussed by more concerned theologians is that of how much time will be between the Rapture of the church and the beginning of the Tribulation. This last group of Bible teachers is more inclined to teach the events of the end times in proper order, and with correct scripture applications. This last group of Bible teachers has varying ideas on the length of time that will lapse between the time of the Rapture and the time that the Tribulation begins, but they are serious and honest with their findings. These particular students of critical scripture study are in a vast minority of other pastors, teachers, authors, etc., who are sold out to the teaching of that part of scripture that is often overlooked, improperly taught, and all too often ignored. Based on the study that I have made of eschatology, and of the many quality sermons of the same that I have been blessed to hear, I present this article that may be able to give serious “food for thought,” to others whom may also have a healthy appetite for a deep understanding of the last days. In this discussion, I will present scriptures that relate to the length of time that may exist between the time that believers in Christ will be Raptured and taken to Heaven, and when those whom have been left behind from the Rapture will feel the oppression of the antichrist and the Tribulation judgments of God. It should be noted that the oppression of the antichrist will be part of the Tribulation judgments of God.

DISCUSSION

I. Scripture Text: Genesis 6:11-13 (New English Translation).

¹¹The earth was ruined in the sight of God; the earth was filled with violence. ¹²God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful. ¹³So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth.

II. Scripture Comments: NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition.

6:11 corrupt . . . filled with violence. Cf. 6:3, 5. The seed of Satan, the fallen rejecters of God, deceitful and destructive, had dominated the world.

6:13 I will destroy them with the earth. Destroy did not mean annihilation, but rather referred to the flood judgment, both of the earth and its inhabitants.

III. Overview Of God’s Love For Mankind.

This article will show key events of God’s love for the people that occupied this earth prior to a past time of His wrath, and a future time that will precede His wrath being released on the earth. The time of God’s past wrath that will be discussed relates to the flood of Noah’s time. The future time frame that we will discuss relates to the period of time that will take place between the time of the Rapture of the Church and that of the beginning of the Tribulation, when God’s wrath will be poured out on the earth. God’s Word will show that the period of time that precedes His wrath of the Tribulation is a key indicator of His love for all who are in need of having a loving relationship with Him.

IV. The Flood. Causes.

A. Scripture Text. Genesis 6:1-4. Holman Christian Standard Bible.

1 When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, ²the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. ³And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” ⁴The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

B. Consider the following comments that come from the NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Genesis 6:1-4.

6:1-4 The account that follows records an act of degradation that reveals the end-point of God’s patience.

6:1 Such long lifespans as indicated in the record of chap. 5 caused massive increase in earth’s population.

6:2 the sons of God saw the daughters of men. The sons of God, identified elsewhere almost exclusively as angels (Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7), saw and took wives of the human race. This produced an unnatural union which violated the God-ordained order of human marriage and procreation (Gen 2:24). Some have argued that the sons of God were the sons of Seth who cohabited with the daughters of Cain; others suggest they were perhaps human kings wanting to build harems. But the passage puts strong emphasis on the angelic vs. human contrast. The NT places this account in sequence with other Genesis events and identifies it as involving fallen angels who indwelt men . Matthew 22:30 does not necessarily negate the possibility that angels are capable of procreation, but just that they do not marry. To procreate physically, they had to possess human, male bodies.

6:3 My Spirit. Cf. Gen 1:2. The Holy Spirit played a most active role in the OT. The Spirit had been striving to call men to repentance and righteousness, especially as Scripture notes, through the preaching of Enoch and Noah (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; Jude 14). one hundred and twenty. The span of time until the Flood (cf. 1 Pet 3:20), in which man was given opportunity to respond to the warning that God’s Spirit would not always be patient.

6:4 giants. The word nephilim is from a root meaning “to fall,” indicating that they were strong men who “fell” on others in the sense of overpowering them (the only other use of this term is in Num 13:33). They were already in the earth when the “mighty men” and “men of renown” were born. The fallen ones are not the offspring from the union in 6:1, 2.

C. Consider the following comment from the Expositors Bible Commentary.

Gen 6:3. The 120 years was taken by Luther and others to refer to a time of reprieve granted by God to humankind before sending the Flood. This apparently is an attempt to resolve the discrepancy between the limit of 120 years and the record of 11:10-26. The reprieve interpretation may also reflect the influence of 1 Pet 3:20, which many take to refer to the period of 120 years in Gen 6:3.

D. Consider the following comment from the Zondervan KJV Commentary.

Gen 6:3. In the Hebrew, two key phrases in this verse are obscure: strive with (which could be translated “remain in”) and is flesh (which could be translated “is corrupt”). The verse seems to announce that the period of grace between God’s declaration of judgment and its arrival would be 120 years (see 1 Pet 3:20). If “remain in” is accepted, the verse announces that man’s life span would henceforth be limited to 120 years. This interpretation is contradicted, however, by the lengthy life spans recorded in 11:10-26.

E. Consider the following comments from the Jeremiah Study Bible.

6:1-4. “The sons of God…the daughters of men.” Fallen angels took on the form of men and married human women (lit., “the daughters of Adam.”). This illicit marriage of spirit beings and human beings was an affront to the divine order of reproducing according to one’s kind (1:24).

6:3. “My Spirit shall not strive…forever” – speaks of destruction. Like the people of Noah’s day, those who do not respond to God’s Spirit have no guarantee that He will continue to prod, convict, and remind them of the importance of fellowship with Him. That humanity’s “days shall be 120 years” can mean either that the Flood would come after 120 years or, less likely, that the average human lifespan would be 120 years.

6:5. “every intent of every person’s heart was only evil continually.” The people of Noah’s day were exceedingly wicked – in essence, evil all the time in every thought and deed.

F. Consider the following comment from the Scofield Study Bible.

6:4. Satan attempted to so corrupt the race that the Messiah could not come to redeem mankind. But God salvaged a remnant (Gen 6:8), and a godly line was preserved.

V. The Course Of The Flood

Scripture Text: Scripture Text. Genesis 6:17-19. Holman Christian Standard Bible.

¹⁷“Understand that I am bringing a flood—floodwaters on the earth to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will die. ¹⁸But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. ¹⁹You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.

VI. The Deaths Of The Flood.

A. Scripture Text. Genesis 7:15-16; 20-21,23. Holman Christian Standard Bible.

¹⁵Two of all flesh that has the breath of life in it entered the ark with Noah. ¹⁶Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in……²⁰The mountains were covered as the waters surged above them more than 20 feet. ²¹Every creature perished—those that crawl on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and those that swarm on the earth, as well as all mankind….23…. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.

B. Consider the comments of the NKJV Study Bible.

7:15 The animals seem to have been drawn to the ark and to Noah by the compelling force of the Lord.

7:16 shut him in: The Lord who had drawn them now closed the door on them. That shut door was a symbol of closure, safety, and God’s deliverance.

7:21 Without exception, death extended to every creature—all flesh—whose home was on the land.

7:23 man: People died—old people and young; beautiful and brave along with the grisly and gray. Only Noah and those with him escaped the terrible, universal death of the wicked. Jesus affirmed the historicity of the “days of Noah” when he compared them to the end days (Mt 24:37-38; Lk 17:26-27). Peter similarly used the story of Noah and the Flood as a pattern for the final judgment (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 3:5-6).

C. Consider the comments of the Liberty Bible Commentary. Gen 7:16, “and the Lord shut him in.” ‘The shutting him’ intimated that he had become the special object of divine care and protection, and to those without , “the season of grace was over (Mt 25:10). “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut” (Holman Christian Standard Bible ).

VII. Conclusion of the teaching of the Flood.

A. The crux of the account of God’s destruction of wicked mankind is shown in the following two verses.

6:3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.”

7:23…. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.

B. God’s warning of imminent judgment gave a one hundred twenty year warning, of that which would fulfill His judgment.

C. There is current-day teaching that Genesis 6:3 states that the life-span of mankind is one hundred twenty years; such a teaching is wrong. All that is needed to show the incorrectness of the “120 year” life span is to look around, and notice how many people are one hundred twenty years old, and how many people have been known to live to be one hundred twenty.

D. Consider the comment of Gen 7:1 (NASB Study Bible). Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He warned his contemporaries of coming judgment (2 Peter 2:5), and testified to the vitality of his own faith (Hebrews 11:7).

E. Consider the comment of 2 Pet 3:9 (NASB Study Bible). Scoffers fail to recognize that all things have not continued without divine intervention since creation (the flood was an intervention, vv. 4-6). They misunderstand the reason for apparent divine delay (God is a long suffering God.)

F. Consider the comment of 2 Pet 3:9 (ESV Study Bible). “any should perish.” Though Christians long for Christ’s return and the defeat of all evil, as long as the present period of history lasts, an opportunity remains for people to turn to God in faith.

VII. Rapture And Tribulation.

A. The Events. “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth” (Rev 3:10, NASB 1977).

B. The Severity. “for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall” (Mat 24:21, NASB 1977).

C. God’s Grace. “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9, Christian Standard Bible).

VIII. Conclusions of the teaching of the Rapture and Tribulation.

A. Consider the comment of the King James Study Bible Notes., Rev 3:10:

3:10 . This verse presents a promise that Christ will rapture genuine believers out of the world before the Tribulation period begins. The hour of temptation is the period of worldwide testing (Gr. peirasmos) which has not yet occurred (cf. Dan 12:1; Mt 24:21, 29). Christ promises to keep them from (Gr. ek, “out of”) the period of the Tribulation. That is, they will not even enter into this period of history. The Tribulation is for the purpose of trying or judging them that dwell upon the earth, those who are connected to the earth and its system. Believers are not even included in this term (cf. Phil 3:18-20; 1 Pet 2:11; Rev 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:8).

B. Consider the comment of the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Matt 24:21:

24:21 great suffering. Dan 12:1 spoke of a final tribulation greater than any that preceded it. not been from the beginning of the world.

C. Consider the comment of the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, 2 Peter 3:9

3:9 promise. Of Jesus’ coming (v. 4). he is patient. God’s patience may partly allude to the Noah analogy (vv. 5-7; cf 1 Pe 3:20; Ge 6:3). God sometimes delayed judgment to allow opportunity for the wicked to repent (cf. 2 Ki 14:26-27). Some ancient Jewish sources emphasized God’s patience regarding the day of judgment; once that day arrived, repentance was no longer possible.

D. Consider the comment of the Jeremiah Study Bible.

3:8-9. As fallen human beings, it is our nature to become impatient if our expectations are not immediately fulfilled. But, the apparent delay in Christ’s return is a gift of mercy, a sign of God’s patience. In His great love, He waits, granting people the opportunity to be saved, “not willing that any should perish.”

E. Consider the comment from the Scofield Study Bible.

3:9. “not wishing.” Three aspects of the will of God may be observed in Scripture: (1) the sovereign will of God (Is 46 :9-11; Dn 4:17, 35; Heb 2:4; Rev 17:17). (2) the moral will of God, that is His moral law (Mk 3:35; Eph 6:6; Heb 13:21. (3) the desires of God coming from His heart of love (Ezk 33:11; Mt 23:37; 2 Pt 3:9). God does not desire that any should perish, but it is clear that many will not be saved (Rev 21:8).

F. Those who do not have a relationship of belief in Christ will be left behind from the Rapture, and will have to endure all of the Tribulation judgments of Christ and the Angels. The Tribulation judgments begin in Revelation Chapter 6, and continue through Revelation Chapter 19. All of Revelation 6-19 is God’s wrath, just as the flood of Noah’s time was also God’s wrath.

G. The severity of the Tribulation will be greater than anything that has come upon the earth, until the time of the Tribulation. The seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments of God’s wrath begin in Revelation Chapter 6. The judgments increase in severity, and will be greater in wrath than even during the time of the flood of Noah’s time.

IX. God’s Love.

A. Whenever we consider anything of the happenings of the world, we must first of all consider God’s love. Consider the following passage of scripture that comes from the New American Standard Bible.

“⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, ⁵so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters” (Galatians 4:4-5).

B. Consider the comment on Galatians 4:4-5 that comes from The Moody Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers, 2014, Gerald Peterman, B. Des, M. Div., M. A., Ph. D.

1.”When the fullness of time came” (v. 4) does not speak of human events that constrained God. Rather, the Father set the time in advance. The time’s completion (fullness, v. 4) was brought about by the coming of the “Son.” His coming is the center of history. The “Son” is fully prepared to “redeem” (v. 5) because He is fully human (born) and fully Jewish (under the law is the position of a Jewish person. Rm 2:12; 1 Cor 9:20-21.)

2. Both expressions, “those…under the Law,” and “we,” refer to Jews. Adoption into God’s family was originally a uniquely Jewish blessing (Rm 9:4), which now has come to Gentiles (“you” v. 6; the pronoun is pl.). Closely related to adoption is receiving the Spirit (Rm 8:14-17).

C. When we consider the aspects of God, in Christ, we must also consider His love, and Sovereignty, in everything that we bring into our mind.

1. the first coming of Christ to the world, to bring the Messiah of Israel into the world (Galatians 4:4-5).

2. to remove from the world, those whom had come to belief in Christ, the Messiah, before the onset of the Tribulation (John 14:2-6; 1 Cor 15:50-54; 1 Thes 4:13-18).

3. to bring judgment on those who will be present on Earth during the Tribulation, those of whom had rejected Christ as Messiah, to draw them to belief in Him as Messiah (Dan 9:27, Rev 3:10).

4. to return “to the earth,” at Christ’s second coming at the Battle of Armageddon, to save the earthbound Jews from total annihilation at the end of the Tribulation, those Jews of whom had come to belief in Christ during the Tribulation (Zech 12:2-14, 14:1-5; Rev 19:11-21; Matt 24:29-31).

D. God has a plan in which he will cause all believers in Christ to be caught up to heaven in the rapture (John 14:6; 1 Thes 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:50-54), prior to the Tribulation. God’s plan for the rapture is based on the fulness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), which will not happen until a set number of Gentiles have come to belief in Christ. The tribulation will not occur until the antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel (Dan 9:27).

E. The Rapture and Tribulation are independent of each other. God’s plan for the rapture, which will occur prior to the tribulation, will not happen until the requirements of Romans 11:25 have been fulfilled; but, the grace of 2 Peter 3:9 will not be trumped by a set number of Gentile salvations. The length of time that will transpire between the time of the Rapture and the time of the peace treaty being confirmed between the antichrist and Israel, will be based on God’s grace, and His desire for those who will have been left behind from the Rapture to come to belief in Christ; such people will be on the side of God during the Tribulation, as opposed to being on the side of the antichrist. The purpose of the Rapture is to take resurrected and born again believers in Christ to Heaven, so that God can deal with unbelieving Jews, who will be left behind from the rapture. Israel was never told that they would go to Heaven, but that they may inherit the Kingdom of God which will be present on this earth at the end of the Tribulation.

F. During the time of Noah, God gave everyone on the earth one hundred twenty years to repent prior to the flood. God will not be any less merciful toward unbelievers who will find themselves left behind on earth between the Rapture and Tribulation.

G. How much time will lapse between the Rapture and Tribulation? Nobody knows when the Rapture or Tribulation will begin. The time when the Tribulation begins may be one day after the Rapture, or it may be fifty years later. In the tabernacle in the desert, the Mercy Seat was placed “above the law.” (Exodus 25:16,21). God’s plan for His creation is based on His love (1 John 4:8, “God is love”).

X. Unlisted Study References. The following references were studied, but were not identified in any of the above comments.

A. The New American Commentary, 2 Peter, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2003, Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, B.S., M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D.

B. The Moody Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers, 2 Peter, 2014, Louis Barbieri, B.A. , Th. M., Th. D.

C. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, Genesis, David C. Cook, 1985, Allen P. Ross, B.A., M.A., M. Div., Ph. D.

D. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 2 Peter, David C. Cook, 1983, Kenneth O. Gangel, B.A., M.A., M. Div., S.T.M., Ph. D., Litt. D.

E. Study Bibles: Apologetics Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, TNIV Study Bible.

Tribulation Prophecies And Doctrine 1 – Day Of The Lord – Time Areas Within The Day Of The Lord

I. “Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! There has never been any like it. It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob, but some of them will be rescued out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7, New English Traslation).

A. The above verse forms the basis for this series of articles. The following study note on Jeremiah 30:7 comes from the translators of the New English Translation.

B. As the nations of Israel and Judah were united in their sin and suffered the same fate—that of exile and dispersion—so they will ultimately be regathered from the nations and rejoined under one king, a descendant of David; and will regain possession of their ancestral lands. The prophets of both the eighth and seventh centuries looked forward to this ideal . This has already been anticipated in Jer 3:18.

II. Consider the following comment that comes from the MacArthur Study Bible: 30:7 time of Jacob’s trouble. This period of unprecedented difficulty for Israel, as the verse defines, is set in a context of Israel’s final restoration. It is best equated with the time of tribulation (cf. vv. 8, 9), just before Christ’s Second Advent, mentioned elsewhere (Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21, 22) and described in detail by Rev. 6–19.

III. Consider the following detail that relates to this artice, that comes from Dr. F. B. Huey. 1

A. The Lord announced to Jeremiah that “days are coming” when He would bring Israel and Judah “back from captivity.” He was going to restore them to the land that he had given to their ancestors (cf. Gen 17:8; 28:13; Exod 3:17; Josh 1:3). “Days are coming, (Jer 30:5), is an expression that may refer to events in the near future or remote future. “I will surely save…your descendants” (Jer 30:10) could not be an immediate future.

B. Israel and Judah are linked in this passage. As they both would experience Gods judgment, also they both would experience His blessing, and together would be reunited and in their own land. “In that day,” “that day,” and similar expressions are found frequently in the OT for “the Day of the Lord,” which contains two aspects – judgment and restoration.

C. That day will be “awful,” a time of trouble for Jacob. Jacob is sometimes equated with the Northern Kingdom, but in the overall context, it may include both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms–all Israel. A transition to the main point is provided by the final clause of verse 7; in spite of approaching agony, the nation would survive.

IV. Consider the followin comment that comes from Dr. Homer Heater, Jr. Consider his comment on the Covenants of God with Israel. 2

Jeremiah 30-33 is one of the clearest units in the book. Here the prophet has collected messages preached over some period of time containing messages of hope and consolation. They are placed here to show that in spite of the judgment of God brought upon his people, that there is still a future for Israel. The New Covenant, especially, gives great hope for the future of Israel. The context clearly calls for the seed of Abraham to be restored in the Eschaton. Chapter 32 is a historical account, but it is in the section on hope, because Jeremiah is instructed by Yahweh to buy a piece of land while the city is under siege! This teaches that the “real estate” will again prove to be valuable. Chapter 33 harks back to the Davidic Covenant and shows that the “Branch” spoken of in chapter 23 will rule and reign in equity and justice.

V. Consider the following detail that relates to the title of this article, that comes from Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost. 3

A. Day Of The Lord. One of the major lines of prophecy running throughout the Old Testament, and continuing through the New Testament, is the prophetic truth related to the Day of the Lord.

B. The Day of the Lord includes the following passages: Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18 (twice), 20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7, 14 (twice); Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5; Acts 2:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10. In addition, the phrase “that day” or “the day” or ” the great day” occurs more than 75 times in the Old Testament. The frequency in which it occurs will evidence its importance in the prophetic Scriptures. These passages reveal that the idea of judgment is paramount in all of them. This is clearly brought out in Zephaniah 1:14-18. This judgment includes not only the specific judgments upon Israel and the nations at the end of the tribulation that are associated with the second advent, but, from a consideration of the passsages themselves, includes judgments that extend over a period of time prior to the second advent. Thus, it is concluded that “the Day of the Lord” will include the time of the tribulation.

C. Zephaniah 14:1-4 makes it clear that the events of the second advent are included in the program of the Day of the Lord. 2 Peter 3:10 gives authority for including the entire millennial age within this period. If the Day of the Lord did not begin until the second advent, since that event is preceded by signs, the Day of the Lord could not come as a “thief in the night,” unexpected and unhearlded, as it is said it will come in 1 Thessalonians 5:2. The only way this day could break unexpectedly upon the world is to have it begin immediately after the rapture of the church.

D. It is thus concluded that the Day of the Lord is that extended period of time beginning with God’s dealing with Israel after the rapture, at the beginning of the tribulation period. The Day Of The Lord will extend through the second advent and the millennial age, unto the creation of the new heavens and new earth after the millennium.

VI. Footnotes.

1. “The New American Commentary, 1993, B&H Publishing, pgs 260-262. Dr. F. B. Huey, B.B.A., M. Div., Ph. D; Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theologial Seminary.

2. Dr. Heater taught for eight years at Dallas Theological Seminary, served on the faculty of Capital Bible Seminary for 30 years, and spent eleven years as President of the Washington Bible College and Capital Bible Seminary. Having retired in 2007, he continues to minister under the auspices of BCM International. He and Pat have been married over 60 years, and have 4 sons, 9 grandchildren and one great-grand daughter. They currently reside and minister from Kentucky.

3. “Things To Come,” A Study In Biblical Eschatology, 1958, Zondervan, pgs 229-231, J. Dwight Pentecost. Dr. Pentecost was Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition, Emeritus, at Dallas Theological Seminary, one of only two so honored. He held a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College (1937), in addition to Th.M. (1941) and Th.D. (1956) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. During his academic career he taught biblical subjects for over 60 years (Philadelphia College of Bible, 1948–55; Dallas Theological Seminary, 1955-2014). His nearly twenty books are written mostly for the general Christian reader. His pastoral career continued through this period.

Road To Tribulation 14 – Terms Of Significance

Comments from video. In this captivating sequel, journalist Buck Williams and a group of survivors survivors known as the TRIBULATION FORCE know the truth about the new leader of the new Global Community, Nicholae Carpathia. He has not come to save the world, and he is most certainly not the Messiah, he is the Antichrist. But who will believe them as the world rushes toward the apocalypse. Video details. Left Behind II: Tribulation Force ~ Trailer.
Cloud10Entertainment. Oct 30, 2009.

In the opening video of the move, “Left Behind II-Tribulation Force,” we see a group of people who were left behind from the Rapture; they had not believed the message of Christ, and had not believed in Him as Lord and Savior, prior to the Rapture. Because of the information that was “also left behind,” in books, articles, videos, Bibles, and other such sources of Last Days teaching, the truth of the Anti-Christ and the Tribulation is being spread to many people who had neglected the seriousness of the warnings that predicted the circumstance that millions of people had found themselves captive throughout the world. As believers in Christ, we must consider the things that we can do to help those who will be left behind to come to saving belief in Christ, to believe in Him for salvation and to tell others, who will also have been left behind, how they can have an assurance of their own eternal life in the Presence of our Lord.

There are Biblical terms that are often read by Christians about eschatology (the science of last things), yet misunderstood. It is important for Christians of today to understand such information, so that we can leave that knowledge behind for those who will be in a world of total collapse of law and order. We will use this article, and future posts, to make known the things of the Anti-Christ and the Tribulation that await most of the world’s current and projected population.

Two terms that are important to know are “latter days,” and “last days.” Scriptures that are discussed as being “latter days,” relate to the Old Testament. Scriptures that are discussed as being “last days,” relate to the Old and New Testaments. Context is paramount in studying Scripture. The context of the “latter days” Scriptures is that of the words of Jewish Old Testament prophets, as they speak of the Word of God in relation to the seven years of the Tribulation, and the thousand years of the Kingdom Age, which is called the Millennium. The verses that we will examine will come from the New American Standard Bible 2020. Comments will come from the MacArthur Study Bible, unless in noted exception.

In my previous “End Times 13” article, I made known the fact that both the Church and the Rapture were unknown to those of the Old Testament era; they were “mysteries” to the Jews of that time. Therefore the Jewish prophets of the Old Testament did not write on those two future events.

In the Ryrie Study Bible, “mystery” is described in comment to Romans 16:25-26. “the mystery.” A definition of a scriptural mystery: something unknown in times past but revealed in the NT. Here, “the mystery” is the gospel of Christ. OT prophecies of Messiah could be understood, once the mystery was revealed (cf. Luke 24:44-45; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

Dr. Ryrie explains, in his comment to Ephesians 3:3, the “mystery.” The mystery that is spoken of here is not that the Gentiles would be blessed (for that was predicted in the OT), but that Jews and Gentiles would be equal heirs in the one body of Christ (v. 6). This was unknown in OT prophecy but was revealed by the NT apostles and prophets (v. 5).

In his comment on 1 Corinthians 15:51, Dr. Ryrie discusses “the mystery” of the rapture, as follows: The rapture of the church described in verses 51-58 was a “mystery” unknown in the OT but now revealed.

The prophecies of the Old Testament Jewish prophets were those that were given by God to the prophets. Those prophets spoke the same prophecies to the Jews of Israel. Consider the following verses: Isaiah 1:1-2; 2-1 and Jeremiah 2:1-2. None of the prophecies of God to the Jews have any relevance to the church.

We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “latter days.”

Jeremiah 30:24, ” the millennial kingdom of the “latter days.” Jeremiah 48:47, “the messianic era , the latter days”). Ezekiel 38:8, “In the context of Israel’s restoration.” Daniel 2:27-35, “It is a reference to the future millennial kingdom of Christ (exception, Ryrie Study Bible note). Micah 4:4, “this phrase looks forward to greater peace and prosperity in the Millennium (cf. Zech. 3:10).”

It is clear that the prophetic scriptures of “latter days,” as was spoken by God to the Jews, relate to the time after the Rapture takes place. It is also clear that none of these “latter days” scriptures have any relation to the church.

We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “last days,” as they are written in the books of the Old Testament prophets. Notice that the prophesied times are those of the Tribulation and Kingdom Age (Millennium).

Isaiah 2:2, ” The “latter (or last) days” is a time designation looking forward to the messianic era (Ezek. 38:16; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1). The NT applied the expression to the period beginning with the first advent of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3).Old Testament prophets, being without a clear word regarding the time between the Messiah’s two advents, linked the expression to the Messiah’s return to establish His earthly kingdom, i.e., the millennial kingdom spoken about in Rev. 20:1–10.

Jeremiah 49:39, “I will bring back. As with certain other peoples in this section of nations, God would allow Elamites to return to their homeland. In Acts 2:9, Elamites were among the group present at the Pentecost event. This has eschatological implications as well.

Ezekiel 38:16, “that the nations may know Me. The phrase, frequent in Ezekiel, is part of the theme to glorify God and show His sovereign power (cf. Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). God is the victor, who will be “hallowed” by fire (cf. v. 19).

Hosea 3:5, “David. Cf. 1:11. This must refer to Messiah during the Millennium, as “in the latter days” specifies (cf. Is. 55:3, 4; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:23, 24; 37:24, 25). The Jews did not seek after Christ at His first advent. This reference has the Davidic Covenant as its background (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–17; Pss. 39; 132).”

Micah 4:1, “In a reversal of 3:12, Micah shifted from impending judgment to prophecies of the future millennial kingdom (“the latter days”) in which Mt. Zion (v. 3), the center of Messiah’s coming earthly kingdom, shall be raised both spiritually and physically (cf. Zech. 14:9, 10). This discussion continues to 5:15.”

We will now discuss the prophetic scriptures of, “last days,” as they are written in the books of the New Testament. Notice that in the Acts and Hebrews scriptures the audience in each situation consisted of those of Jewish ancestry, and would have known of the teachings of the Old Testament Jewish prophets. In the books of the New Testament, whose audience contained those of Gentile ancestry, the Gentile members would not have known the Scriptures of the Old Testament Jewish prophets, therefore, they would not have detailed knowledge of the Tribulation or Kingdom. So, in the New Testament context, “last days” relates to the time which precedes the Rapture, except when the discussion context is that of teaching New Testament Jews about their ancestor relationship with the Old Testament Jewish prophetic scriptures.

Acts 2:17: last days 1. Notice that the occasion is that of the festival of Pentecost. Those who heard Peter’s sermon were Jews; they were aware of the prophecies of the Old Testament Jewish prophets, and of the scriptures that have been discussed up to this point. Therefore, the conversation is Jewish. In the following comment, the old and new covenants are discussed, both of which relate to God and Israel, and both of which Gentile believers will share in the millennium. Spiritual aspects of the new covenant are now being received by Christians (Exception, my comment). 2. In the last days (see Isa. 2:2; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1; Heb. 1:2; discussions on 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18). In Joel 2:28, the Hebrew has “after this,” and the Septuagint has “after these things.” Peter interpreted the passage as referring specifically to the latter days of the new covenant (see Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 36:26-27; 39:29) in contrast to the former days of the old covenant. The age of messianic fulfillment had arrived (Exception, Zondervan KJV Commentary).

2 Timothy 3:1, “the last days. This phrase refers to this age, the time since the first coming of the Lord Jesus.”

Hebrews 1:2: last days. The primary group addressed were Hebrew Christians who suffered rejection and persecution by fellow Jews (10:32–34), although none as yet had been martyred (12:4). The second group addressed were Jewish unbelievers who were convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but who had not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their own Savior and Lord. They were intellectually persuaded but spiritually uncommitted. last days. Jews understood the “last days” to mean the time when Messiah (Christ) would come (cf. Num. 24:14; Jer. 33:14–16; Mic. 5:1, 2; Zech. 9:9, 16). The fulfillment of the messianic prophecies commenced with the advent of the Messiah. Since He came, it has been the “last days” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; James 5:3; 1 Pet. 1:20; 4:7; 1 John 2:18). In the past God gave revelation through His prophets, but in these times, beginning with the Messiah’s advent, God spoke the message of redemption through the Son. (My comment. Notice that this is a Jewish audience).

James 5:3, “last days. The period between Christ’s first and second comings.”

2 Peter 3:3, ” in the last days. This phrase refers to that entire period of time from the arrival of the Messiah to His return (cf. Acts 2:17; Gal. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 1 Pet. 1:20; 1 John 2:18, 19; Jude 18). The entire age will be marked by saboteurs of the Christian truth and especially the hope of Christ’s return.”

At the time of this writing, it is Thursday, the evening of the last Passover meal (Matthew 26:16-30). The crucifixion of Jesus will take place on the following day (Friday; the day of preparation before the Sabbath, John 19:14; Luke 23:54), in less than twenty-four hours (John 19:14-18). The women followed the body of Jesus to His burial tomb at the end of the day (Friday) before the onset of sunset and the Sabbath; they went to their homes and rested on the Sabbath, returning after the Sabbath ended to anoint the body of Christ (Luke 23:50-24:6), but announcing, “He is risen!”

Jews are still observing Passover, which will end on sunset of Sunday, April 4. Jews will begin their observance of the weekly Sabbath all around the world, beginning in just a few hours. The closing video of this article shows a Jewish family as their prepare for the Sabbath.

As you watch the video consider the great symbolism that relates to the trinity, to the woman bringing light into the world, and to “the Light” that can not be extinguished. .

Video details. How to light Shabbat candles? Yahaduton. May 27, 2013.

Road To Tribulation 13 – Instruction For Those Left Behind – 1

I. In the opening video, we see another inspiring scene from the Left Behind series. This scene is from the first film, Left Behind: The Movie. Bruce and Rayford have missed the Rapture that has taken their wives and children. Now, they need to ask God to forgive them and help them with what’s to come in the next seven years (from video comments).

II. As the opening video shows, there will be people who will come to saving faith in Christ after the Rapture, after they have been left behind (1 Thes 4:16-17). Notice in the video that one of the men coming to saving faith in Christ, is a “left behind pastor.” Those of us who are born again, and are looking forward to the Rapture of the church, have an awesome opportunity to leave behind, for those who will be left behind, such things as “books, tapes, and written articles,” that will be helpful for them to understand the things of the Tribulation that are ahead of them, and for coming to saving faith in Christ.

III. Key items of instruction that are helpful for those of us, whom are already “saved from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10), are things that relate to the Tribulation, the Kingdom Age (Millennium), and the times which precede the Rapture. Old Testament Jewish prophets used certain words to describe the conditions of the Tribulation and Kingdom Age. On the Day of Pentecost, and closely thereafter, the Apostles used some of those same Jewish prophetic terms as they spoke to Jews. As the message of Christ began being received by Gentiles, the words of the epistles began to speak of conditions on earth that will precede the Tribulation. The important factor to consider in understanding such information, is that of context, as we consider such words as End Times, Last Days, Latter Days, etc.

IV. The Jewish Old Testament prophets spoke of conditions that will be present on earth during the Tribulation and Kingdom Age. All Scripture references that follow come from the New American Standard Bible 2020 Update.

V. The Jewish Old Testaments spoke of the conditions of the Tribulation. Consider the following verses.

Zephaniah 1:14-15 – 630 B.C.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zephaniah+1%3A14-15&version=NASB

VI. The Jewish Old Testament Prophets spoke of the salvation of Israel from out of the Tribulation. Consider the following verses.

Jeremiah 30:4-10 – 606 B.C. – Notice in verse 7 that this time of Tribulation is called Jacob’s distress, and has no relevance to born-again believers in Christ.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+30%3A4-10&version=NASB

VII. The Jewish Old Testament prophets spoke of the conditions of the Kingdom. As you consider the following verses, it is important to note that “the Kingdom” relates to “a land mass, and relating conditions.” The Kingdom is not something that will be “within you,” (Luke 17:21, KJV), but will be that which will be “in your midst,” (Luke 17:21, NASB). “Thy Kingdom come,” of Matthew 6:10, relates to the coming Kingdom that is promised to the Jews, in which born again Jews and Gentiles will reside, which follows the Tribulation, and is not the spiritual indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).

A. Isaiah 2:1-4 – 760 B.C.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+2%3A1-4&version=NASB

B. Ezekiel 37:21-25 – 587 B.C.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+37%3A21-25&version=NASB

VIII. Through the Old Testament Scriptures, the Jews were taught about the care, protection, and favor that God promised to them through the Abrahamic Covenant, which would come in the form of “land, seed, and blessing.” The Jews were told of the geographic dimensions of the Kingdom that God promised to them, and that the Covenant is eternal and will be confirmed through the bloodline of Abraham’s Covenant blood line of Isaac and Jacob, and that “Israel” would become the name of Jacob and his descendants. The land of the Abrahamic Covenant extends from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates River in Iraq, and will be confirmed in its fullness during the Kingdom Age, when Christ will rule and reign throughout that Millennium of 1,000 years. (Ryrie Study Bible notes: Genesis 15:18-21; Genesis 17:8; Joshua 23:41-45; 1 Kings 4:21).

A. Genesis 12:1-3 – 2126 B.C. (Covenant of Land, Seed, and Blessing)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+12%3A1-3&version=NASB

B. Genesis 15:5 – 1913 B.C. (God’s Seed Covenant With Abraham)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+15%3A5&version=NASB

C. Genesis 15:18-21 – 1913 B.C. (God’s Land Covenant With Abraham)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+15%3A18-21&version=NASB

D. Genesis 17:13 1911 B.C. (The Abrahamic Covenantis Eternal)
“…My covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.”

E. Genesis 26:1-5 – 1800 B.C. (Abrahamic Covenant through Isaac)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+26%3A1-5&version=NASB

F. Genesis 35:9-12 – 1732 B.C. (Abrahamic Covenant through Jacob; now called Israel)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+35%3A9-12&version=NASB

IX. Through the Old Testament Scriptures, the Jews were told of the blessings that will come through the Davidic Covenant.

A. 2 Samuel 7:8-17 – 1042 B.C. (Ryrie Study Bible notes)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+7%3A8-17&version=NASB

1. David would have a son who would succeed him and establish his kingdom (v. 12).
2. David’s son (Solomon), rather than David, would rebuild the Temple (v. 13a).
3. The throne of Solomon’s kingdom would be established forever (v. 13b).
4. Though David’s sins justified chastening, God’s “loving kindness,” steadfast love, would be forever(v. 16).

B. Ryrie added note. The Davidic Covenant did not guarantee uninterrupted rule by David’s family (and in fact, the Babylonian Exile interrupted it), but it did promise that the right to rule would always remain in David’s dynasty. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of these promises (Luke 1:31-33) and, although at this present time He is not ruling from the throne of David (Heb. 12:2), at His second coming He will assume this throne.

C. My note. The second coming of Christ occurs at the end of the Tribulation, Mt 24:29-31. “…immediately after the tribulation of those days…all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory…”

D. MacArthur Study Bible note. The second coming of Christ is the culmination of world history, ushering in the millennial reign of Christ (cf. Rev. 20:4).

E. Re: verse 16, David’s “house, kingdom, and throne, … forever,” were also understood eschatologically/messianically. In the New Testament they were explicitly applied to Jesus (Heb 1:8). (New American Commentary, 2 Samuel).

X. Jews of the Old Testament era knew nothing of the Church or the Rapture of the Church, which were a mystery to Old Testament Jews, therefore, there was no Old Testament teaching of either subject (Church or Rapture). Consider the following verses:

A. A mystery explained. “that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before briefly,” (Ephesians 3:3, 64 A.D.). Ryrie Study Bible note. “A mystery was not something mysterious (in the modern sense) but something unknown until revealed.”

B. The mystery of the Rapture. “51 Behold, I am telling 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,” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 59 A.D.).

C. The mystery of the church. “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church,” (Ephesians 5:32, 64 A.D.).

XI. During the next article, I will discuss the coming event of the catching up of the saints, which is called The Rapture. Additionally, I will explain the differences of the uses of similar terms, such as End Times, Last Days, Latter Days.

XII. Opening Video. Left Behind – The Movie – Bruce and Ray’s Salvation. Jul 13, 2010. Josho456123.

XIII. Study References. Scofield Study Bible. J. Dwight Pentecost: “Things To Come.” C. John F. Walvoord: Commentary on Matthew. Ryrie Stdy Bible. The Moody Bible Commentary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Libery Bible Commentary. The New American Commentaries, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings.

XIV. Consider Israel.

A. Deuteronomy 14:2 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His personal possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

B. Passover begins at sundown this Saturday, March 27th, and ends at sundown on Sunday, April 4th.
https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/passover

C. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6).

D. Closing Video.

1. Most Beautiful Shabbat Video Ever!!!! Shabbat.com.Sep 29, 2014.

2. Filmed at the Klatzko Family Shabbat home in Monsey, NY.

XV. Shabbat Shalom (Sabbath Of Peace).
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2313062/jewish/How-to-Greet-Others-on-Shabbat.htm

Road To Tribulation 12 – The Stage Is Being Set

Left Behind ~ Trailer. Oct 30, 2009. Cloud10Entertainment.

I. On an o verseas flight to London, journalist Buck Williams and pilot Rayford Steele are caught in the middle of the most incredible event in history, as without warning dozens of passengers have simply vanished! It soon becomes apparent that this was not an isolated incident and there are millions of people missing. As chaos and anarchy engulf the world, both men set out on different paths in a desperate search for answers.

II. I am amazed at how many Christians have assumed room temperature in their minds, as it relates to the progressive move of the world toward socialism and a one-world government. Many people have become like “frogs simmering in slowly boiling sauce pans.” God’s prophetic Word is in their Bibles, but is never studied for deepness of things that may soon be coming upon the whole world. Just like the frog that slowly dies from the increasing boiling water temperature in the sauce pan, many people are mentally dying concerning their freedoms which are slowly being taken from them.

III. Many pastors are totally unaware of the details of “the rapture of the church, the following tribulation, and the Kingdom on earth” that will follow the tribulation. I had a conversation with a very good pastor friend. I asked him if he had any opinions on the pretribulation or premillennial rapture of the church. My friend really amazed me with his answer, especially considering that this man is a seminary educated pastor. He said, “premillennial, postmillennial, pan-millennial; it’ll all pan out in the end.” I was shocked at such a reply. After all, there probably are members of my friend’s congregation that have honest questions about the subjects of the rapture, tribulation and millennium. I have known other pastors who have exhibited the same ignorance in regard to end times scriptures.

IV. There are seminary leaders who have discounted the value of the Left Behind series of books and movies. The opening video of this article, which is a Left Behind related video, is very close in detail to the events of the rapture, and following events. I have had conversations with one of the pastors who worked on the Left Behind project; I will have to say that he amazes me with his knowledge of all areas of Scripture, as was the case of his partner, Dr. Tim LaHaye.

V. It does not take much of our thinking process to realize that our world is moving very close to a one-world government, as is shown in scripture, as well as in the closing two videos. For those of us whom have been born again, we will be caught up in the rapture (1 Thes 4:16 -17), at such a time that we will not be present on earth for God’s judgment on unbelieving Jews (Jer 30:7), as well as on unbelieving Gentiles (Rev 3:10). The judgments that will be poured out on those on earth during the tribulation will come from Christ ((Rev 6:1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) and Godly angels (Rev 8:7, etc.). There is no purpose for Christ to pour out His tribulation judgments on His Bride, which consists of every born again believer in Christ.

VI. Even though the rapture will take away the Bride of Christ in the rapture (1 Cor 15:50-54), there may be a period of time on earth that follows the rapture, which will precede the tribulation. During such a “post rapture and pre-tribulation period of time, the anti-christ may be actively engaged in setting up a one-world government with world leaders that have been left behind from the rapture. Before the tribulation begins, the anti-christ must confirm a peace treaty with Israel, which he will break midway through the seven years of the covenant; it is at that time that the tribulation will begin.

VII. The anti-christ is not operating on earth now, in such a role, but he may be alive. 1 John 4:3 states that the spirit of anti-christ “is already in the world.” Ungodly governmental control in countries of the world, and the attempts of ungodly governments to bring all nations under such control, is part of Satan’s goal of one-world government coming under his control. With, or without, the active presence of the anti-christ in the world, a system of ungodly one-world government is being set in place, as is being reported in daily news reports of media outlets that are not sold out to the concept of one-world government. An all out assault on the lives of unborn babies is gaining more momentum throughout the world. To accept, or to not accept, the homosexual life style and same sex marriage, can force businesses to close. To affirm Jews as being the legitimate owner of the land of Israel, is to put the mark of xenophobia on a college entrance application. To say that you support the greatness of America is to invite the stigma of national racism on your character. Once the tribulation begins, the anti-christ will have a world government that is waiting for him to assume control, which will have all of the earmarks that liberal Democrats and Rinos are trying to force on the United States, and are trying to export to the other nations of the world through the United Nations and other globalist organizations (the two videos at the bottom of this page show such a takeover of the world’s governments by the anti-christ).

VIII. Prior to the rapture, during this time of unfulfilled prophecies that we have been studying, the unannounced anti-christ may be actively involved in putting together a confederation of ten world governments. Until the time that the rapture takes place, the Church will have to suffer from anything on earth, that unbelievers will also have deal with; the tribulation will not have yet begun.

IX. Under the authority and power of the anti-christ, there will be a confederation of ten world areas, which are said in Scripture to be ruled by ten kings, with such areas being known as kingdoms. Under the control of the United Nations, such kingdoms may be known as “world zones.” You might ask yourself who such a person may be that the United Nations will appoint as its leader of the tribulation era one-world government.

A. The leader of the United Nations is the Secretary General. Consider the appointment process of UN Secretaries General. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Secretary-General_selection
United Nations Secretary-General selection
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

B. United Nations Secretary-General selection is the process of selecting the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. To be selected as Secretary-General, a candidate must receive the votes of at least 9 members of the United Nations Security Council, with no vetoes from permanent members. The Secretary-General is then appointed by a majority vote of the United Nations General Assembly.

C. Although the process is informally called an election, the United Nations refers to it as the “procedure of selecting and appointing the next United Nations Secretary-General.” Since the General Assembly has never refused to appoint the person recommended by the Security Council, it is the selection of the Security Council that determines the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

D. When considering the appointment process of the UN Secretary General, we must ask ourselves a simple question. Where are you, and I, and the leadership of our respective countries in this process? We might also ask ourselves another simple question. Who is a favorite personality of much of the liberal world? The closest person to taking on the role of the anti-christ will be the person who is the head of the United Nations.

E. The following verses of scripture will shed light on the situation of a one-world government, having a ten-world confederation, which will fall under the control of the anti-christ.

1. Consider Daniel 9:27 (538 B.C.) for prophecy of the peace treaty that will be confirmed between the anti-christ and Israel, which he will break halfway through the seven-year period of the treaty (the tribulation).

2. Consider the following verses that discuss the anti-christ leading the world through ten ungodly leaders in ten world zones. The date that Revelation was written is considered to be 96 A.D.
Daniel 7:24-27 (555 B.C.). Revelation 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12, 16.

3. Consider the following verses that discuss the un-godly power that the anti-christ will have over the world directly, and through the false prophet, who is his aid. Read each verse carefully. Verse 17 is key, and has implications to the time in which we are living now.

Revelation 13:1-17. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+13%3A1-17&version=NASB

X. Let’s consider again the purpose for the tribulation and, therefore, the rapture.

A. The purpose of this series of Tribulation-related articles is to discuss the events that will lead to the future when the Bride of Christ, the Church, is removed (raptured) from this earth and taken to heaven. It will be at the time of the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) that God will begin to deal with unbelieving Jews (Jeremiah 30:7), and Gentiles who have no saving relationship with Christ. Both groups of unbelievers will be left behind from the rapture, and will have to go through the time of testing that is identified in Revelation 3:10, and is known as the tribulation. There is no purpose for the Bride of Christ, the Church, to go through the judgments of the tribulation that will come on the earth at the hand of Christ and angels of God. The purpose for such tribulation testing is to lead unbelievers in Christ to saving faith in our Lord, so that they can spend eternity with Him. Notice that it will be from the total time of testing that the raptured church will be removed, and not just from a portion of that period of tribulation.

B. In the direction that our world is heading, it is easy to see that a one-world government can easily be attained through an ungodly leader, who will lord over the world during the tribulation, through ten ungodly world leaders. The timing of the tribulation is based on the anti-christ confirming a peace treaty with Israel; no mortal knows when such an action will take place. The timing of the rapture is God’s decision, and not on acts of worldly disobedience to His Word. No mortal knows when millions of believers in Christ will suddenly, and without announcement, leave this world on their way to Heaven. Ungodly voters vote for ungodly politicians. Those who are left behind from the rapture will have to deal with their choices of elected ungodly leaders who will govern this world, in an ungodly manner. Without a doubt, the stage is being set throughout the world for greater ungodly conditions to find inroads into every part of our lives.

XI. The following two videos add light to this discussion of the control of the anti-christ. In the video, the rapture has taken place, and each person was left behind from the rapture. Buck Williams, who is played by Kirk Cameron, is a journalist who is in the process of coming to saving faith in Christ.

Apr 3, 2020. Thansotir RS.
Left Behind II: Nicolae Carpathia (antichrist) becomes One World Governor.

Nicolae Carpathia. Mar 6, 2009. jscottphillips.
Nicolae Carpathia establishes the 10 kingdoms on earth after the rapture.

XII. Study References.

A. C.I. Scofield: Scofield Study Bible.

B. J. Dwight Pentecost: “Things To Come.”

C. John F. Walvoord: Commentaries on Daniel and Revelation.

D. Charles C. Ryrie: Ryrie Study Bible, Basic Theology, A Survey of Bible Doctrine.

XIII. Please follow this site.

Road To Tribulation 2 – The Rapture Described

The Rapture and the Return of Jesus

I. Introduction to this this article’s video speaker. Dr. Mark Hitchcock. Jun 25, 2014. 100huntley.

A. In the opening video, Dr. Mark Hitchcock talks a little about the end of the tribulation period. He distinguishes the difference between the rapture and the second coming of Christ. In our previous article, we discussed the conditions of the Tribulation. In this article we will discuss the Rapture, as to when it will happen, how it will happen, and those will be caught up in the rapture. Credentials for Dr. Hitchcock, can be found in the following paragraph.

B. “The one biblical truth that has affected my Christian life more than any other is the rapture of the church—the belief that Jesus could come at any moment to take His people away to be with Him. It deeply affects how I view my life, this world, and how I live each day. I have always wanted to write a book that clearly explains the truth of the any-moment rapture and how it should affect our daily lives. I’m grateful that the good people at Multnomah have given me the opportunity to share my passion for this blessed hope with others.” — Mark Hitchcock
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mark_Hitchcock_Could_the_Rapture_Happen_Today?id=5F0hAT_ZFXgC

1. Hitchcock Education (J.D.,Th.M., Ph.D.) https://www.dts.edu/employee/mark-hitchcock/

2. Hitchcock Education Details. BS, Oklahoma State University, 1981; JD, Oklahoma City University School of Law, 1984; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1991; PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary, 2005.

3. Hitchcock Accomplishments. Mark Hitchcock http://marklhitchcock.com/about/
Mark Hitchcock is a leading Bible prophecy expert, prolific author who has penned over 20 books on the end times, senior pastor, and adjunct faculty member of the Dallas Theological Seminary.

4. Hitchcock Books. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/mark-hitchcock/227833/

II. Article Objectives.

A. In our previous article, we discussed the conditions of the Tribulation.

B. In this article we will discuss the Rapture, as to how it will happen, and those who will and will not be caught up in the rapture. We will also discuss a Godly accomplishment which will precede the occurrence of the rapture.

C. We will be referring to the word, or place, called Heaven. We must address:

1. Heaven.

Revelation 4:1 – New American Standard Bible 2020 Update.
Scene in Heaven
4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”

2. New Heaven.

Revelation 21:1-3 – New American Standard Bible 2020 Update
The New Heaven and Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

III. Where did the term ‘rapture’ come from? https://bible.org/question/where-did-term-8216rapture%E2%80%99-come

A. Regarding the term rapture and its use in theology, the following should answer your questions. It is taken from Ryrie’s Basic Theology, Electronic Media from Parsons Technology.

B. Our modern understanding of rapture appears to have little or no connection with the eschatological event. However, the word is properly used of that event. Rapture is a state or experience of being carried away. The English word comes from a Latin word, rapio, which means to seize or snatch in relation to an ecstasy of spirit or the actual removal from one place to another. In other words, it means to be carried away in spirit or in body. The Rapture of the church means the carrying away of the church from earth to heaven.

C. The Greek word from this term “rapture” is derived appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, translated “caught up.” The Latin translation of this verse used the word rapturo. The Greek word it translates is harpazo, which means to snatch or take away. Elsewhere it is used to describe how the Spirit caught up Philip near Gaza and brought him to Caesarea (Acts 8:39) and to describe Paul’s experience of being caught up into the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2-4). Thus there can be no doubt that the word is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 to indicate the actual removal of people from earth to heaven.

1. Ryrie Education. (A.B., Th.M., Th.D., Ph. D.)

2. Ryrie Education Details. Charles C. Ryrie. (A.B., Haverford College; Th.M. and Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary; Ph.D., University of Edinburgh; Litt.D., Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary).

3. Ryrie Accomplishments. https://voice.dts.edu/article/dr-charles-c-ryrie-1925-2016-tribute/
Dr. Ryrie taught Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary before serving as dean of doctoral studies for more than two decades until his retirement in 1983. He passed away at 12:37 a.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2016.

4. Ryrie Books. Charles Ryrie Ryrie Study Bible
https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/charles-c-ryrie/207331/
https://www.moodypublishers.com/authors/r/charles-ryrie/

5. Ryrie Lifespan (March 2, 1925-February 16, 2016).

IV. The Rapture In Verses (NASB 2020 Update).

A. John 14:2,3,6 (33 A.D.). “2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (Note: Christ will come from Heaven and take His believers back with him. We can not get to Heaven by any other way, or by anyone else.)

B. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (54 A.D.). “13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” (Note: Deceased and living believers in Christ will be taken to heaven by Christ. We will meet Christ in he air; He will not set foot on earth. Caught up in English is used for rapture, harpazo, and rapturo.).

C. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (59 A.D.). “50 Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I am telling 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. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (Note: We can not enter heaven or the eternal state in our mortal bodies; we must be changed to be immortal. This change was unknown until Paul spoke these words. The change will occur quickly. Not all believers will die, but all believers will be changed to be immortal/imperishable. Dead believers will be raised and made imperishable. Living believers will be changed and made imperishable. We will never die, or suffer from sickness again.).

V. Purposes Of The Rapture. https://bible.org/seriespage/4-translation-church

A. Explanation Of The Rapture. In Chapter 14 of John, in the very shadow of the cross, Christ reveals an amazing new revelation which He had not tried to teach them before, that is, that there was another purpose of God to be fulfilled first before bringing in the millennial kingdom. Christ told the disciples that He was going to leave them and go to heaven, that He would prepare a place for them in heaven, and that He would come back to receive them unto Himself. In other words, He revealed to them that before He fulfilled His purpose to bring in a kingdom on earth He was going to take them home to glory first. He would come back for them and take them to dwell with Him in the Father’s house in heaven before His return to the earth (Dr. John F. Walvoord).

B. The Coming Of Christ Details (Walvoord Commentary, 1-2 Thessalonians, pg 113).

1. Comes in the air (1 Thes 4:16-17).
2. Comes for His saints (1 Thes 4:16-17).
3. Believers depart the earth (1 Thes 4:16-17).
4. Christ returns to earth with His bride to establish His Kingdom (2 Thes 1:10).
5. Christ gathers His own (1 Thes 4:16-17).
6. Christ comes to reward (1 Thes 4:17).
7. Not in the Old Testament (1 Cor 15:51).
8. There are no signs; it is imminent (1 Thes 5:1-3).
9. It is a time of blessing and comfort (1 Thes 4:18).
10. Involves believers only (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor 15:51-55; 1 Thes 4:13-18).
11. Will occur in a moment, in the time it takes to blink. Only His own will see Him (1 Cor 15:51-52).
12. Tribulation begins (Rev 6).
13. Christ comes as the bright morning star (Rev 22:16).

C. Walvoord Particulars.

1. Walvoord Education (B.A., M.A., Th.M., Th.D., D.D., Litt.D.).

2. Walvoord Education Details. Attended Wheaton College in Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1931. Entered Dallas Seminary, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s of theology (Th.B., Th.M.) degrees, magna cum laude, in 1934 and doctorate in theology (Th.D.) in 1936. He went on to receive an M.A. in philosophy from Texas Christian University in 1945. Wheaton College awarded him a doctor of divinity (D.D.) in 1960; Liberty University conferred the Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) on him in 1984.

3. Walvoord Books. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/john-f-walvoord/203232/

4. Walvoord Accomplishments. https://walvoord.com/about-dr-john-walvoord
John was a member of the Dallas Theological Seminary faculty for 50 years, from 1936 to 1986. He served as president of Dallas Seminary from 1952 to 1986, and as chancellor until 2001. He continued to teach and preach until a few weeks before his death at the age of 92.

5. Walvoord Lifespan (May 1, 1910-December 20, 2002).

VI. Considering Rapture Distinctions.

A. The Nature Of The Church. There is a distinction between the true church and true or spiritual Israel. Prior to Pentecost, there were saved individuals, but there was no church, and they were a part of spiritual Israel, not the church. After the day of Pentecost, and until the rapture, we find the church which is His (Christ’s, mine) body, but no spiritual Israel. After the rapture we find no church, but a true or spiritual Israel again. These distinctions must be kept clearly in mind. The rapture will remove, not all who make a profession of faith in Christ, but only those who have been born again, and have received His life. The unbelieving portion of the visible church, together with unbelievers in the nation Israel, will go into the tribulation period.

B. The Doctrine Of Imminence. Many signs were given to the nation Israel, which would precede the second advent, so that the nation might be living in expectancy when the time of His coming should draw nigh. Although Israel could not know the day nor the hour when the Lord will come, yet they can know that their redemption draweth nigh through the fulfillment of these signs (prophetic signs, mine). To the church no such signs were ever given. The church was told to live in the light of the imminent coming of the Lord to translate them in His presence (John 14:2-3; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor 15:51-52; Phil 3:20; Col 3:4; 1 Thes 1:10; 1 Tim 6:14; Jas 5:8; 1 Pet 3:3-4). Such passages as 1 Thes 5:6; Tit 2:13; Rev 3:3 all warn the believer to be watching for the Lord Himself, not for signs that would precede His coming. It is true that the events of the seventieth week (the 70 weeks of Daniel; Dan 9:1-27; mine) will cast an adumbration before the rapture, but the object of the believer’s attention is always directed to Christ, never to these portents (signs, mine) (J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, pg 202-203).

1. Pentecost Education. B.A., Th.M., Th.D.

2. Pentecost Education Details. Pentecost was Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition, Emeritus, at Dallas Theological Seminary, one of only two so honored. He held a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College (1937), in addition to Th.M. (1941) and Th.D. (1956) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. During his academic career he taught biblical subjects for over 60 years (Philadelphia College of Bible, 1948–55; Dallas Theological Seminary, 1955-2014).

3. Pentecost Books. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/j-dwight-pentecost/202850/

4. Pentecost Accomplishments. https://voice.dts.edu/article/an-enduring-ministry-the-life-and-times-of-j-dwight-pentecost-karen-giesen/
DTS president John Walvoord invited Dr. Pentecost to teach in three departments—theology, Greek, and Bible exposition—while he completed his Th.D. This year marks Dr. P.’s fiftieth on the Dallas Seminary faculty. (Dr. Pentecost is now deceased).

5. Pentecost Lifespan (April 24, 1915-April 28 2014).

VII. Preceding The Rapture. The Fullness Of The Gentiles.

A. Romans 11:25, New American Standard Bible 2020 Update.

25 For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

B. Commentary.

1. Ryrie Study Bible, Rom 11:25. “This mystery.” A definition of a scriptural mystery: something unknown in times past but revealed in the NT ( Ryrie Study Bible, Rom 16:25). See other “mystery” verses: Eph 3:3, 5:32, 6:19; Col 1:27,2:2, 4:3; 2 Thes 2:7; 1 Tim 3:16; Rev 1:20. Keep in mind that the mysteries that were revealed in the NT were things of scripture that were not revealed anywhere in the OT.

2. Ryrie Study Bible, Rom 11:25. “Israel’s hardening” is partial (Jews are being saved today) and temporary (“until” they acknowledge Jesus at His second coming). “the fullness of the Gentiles,” i.e., the full number of Gentiles who will be saved (Acts 15:14). After that, God will turn again to the Jews and will save “all Israel” at the Lord’s return (vs 26).

3. John Walvoord, Every Prophecy Of The Bible, pg 454. The background of this (The Promise of Israel’s Restoration, pg 453, Rom 11:25-27), is the NT doctrine of the Rapture of the church. When the church is taken out of the world in fulfillment of Gods purpose for the church, Israel’s present experience of hardening will also be removed, and revival will come to Israel (vs 25). Their early conversion to the Gospel will help spread the Gospel throughout the world after the Rapture of the church, as there are Israelites in every major nation who already know the languages and the people.

4. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, pg 298. It is to be noted that the remnant of Rom 11:26 is not converted until the second advent of Christ and the 144,000 are ministering as sealed witnesses immediately after the church has been raptured.

5. MacArthur Study Bible, Rom 11:25 comment. “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” “Until” refers to a specific point in time; “fullness” refers to completion; “has come in” translates a Gr. verb often used to speak of coming to salvation (cf. Matt. 5:20; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; John 3:5; Acts 14:22). Israel’s spiritual hardening (which began with rejecting Jesus as Messiah) will last until the complete number of elect Gentiles has come to salvation

C. Consider Today’s World.

1. Many things are going on in our world today, that make many people (including Christians) think that we are in the end times, or will soon find ourselves in the tribulation. But, there is nothing in scripture that tells us that rioting, the virus that began in China, or anything else is a precursor to the “last days, end times, or tribulation.” Matt 24-25 relates to the events that will take place when “left-behind Israel” finds itself in the tribulation (Matt 24:1-3). Ryrie states in his Mt 24 notes that vs 4-14 relate to the first half of the tribulation, whereas, 15-28 deal with the second half. Matt 24:36 states, “of that day and hour, no one knows.” Neither the rapture (John 14:2-6), nor the second coming of Christ (Matt 24:29-31) are events that can be tied to anything that is going on in the world today, or will take place in the future. (See Matt 24 of the Ryrie Study Bible for comments about Israel’s tribulation prophecies).

2. Consider Yesteryear.

a. Russian Civil War. 1917-1923.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Civil_War

(1) There were an estimated 7 to 12 million casualties during the war, mostly civilians. Russia was an Orthodox Christian nation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Russian_Orthodox_Church In 1914 in Russia, there were 55,173 Russian Orthodox churches and 29,593 chapels, 112,629 priests and deacons, 550 monasteries and 475 convents with a total of 95,259 monks and nuns.

(2) The year 1917 was a major turning point for the history of Russia, and also the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian empire was dissolved and the Tsarist government – which had granted the Church numerous privileges – was overthrown. After a few months of political turmoil, the Bolsheviks took power in October 1917 and declared a separation of church and state. The government seized all church lands. Thus the Russian Orthodox Church found itself without official state backing for the first time in its history. One of the first decrees of the new Communist government (issued in January 1918) declared freedom of “religious and anti-religious propaganda”.

(3) The mass closure of churches continued until 1939, by which time there was only a few hundred left. According to the official data of the government Commission on Rehabilitation:[28] in 1937 136,900 Orthodox clerics were arrested, 85,300 of them were shot dead; in 1938 28,300 arrested, 21,500 of them shot dead; in 1939 1,500 arrested, 900 of them shot dead; in 1940 5,100 arrested, 1,100 of them shot dead.

(4) Because of the Christian population of Russia, it would be conceivable that some of those Christians may have thought that they were in the tribulation.

b. The Spanish Flu. 1918-1919.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/1918-pandemic-history.htm

(1) It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.

(2) Because of the worldwide spread of the Spanish Flu, it is also conceivable that many of the world’s population thought that the tribulation had begun.

c. The Holocaust. 1933-1945.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/an-introductory-history-of-the-holocaust

(1) The Holocaust (also called Ha-Shoah in Hebrew) refers to the period from January 30, 1933 – when Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany – to May 8, 1945, when the war in Europe officially ended. During this time, Jews in Europe were subjected to progressively harsher persecution that ultimately led to the murder of 6,000,000 Jews (1.5 million of these being children) and the destruction of 5,000 Jewish communities. These deaths represented two-thirds of European Jewry and one-third of all world Jewry.

(2) There may have been Jews who were alive, and who died, during the Holocaust who thought that they were present during the conditions of “Jacob’s Distress” (Jer 30:7) and “Daniel’s Seventy Weeks” (Dan 9:1-27), both of which will be the tribulation.

3. Consider History. Based on the events of history, it is obvious that we can not latch onto an event or group of events, that will let us know of God’s sovereign plan for His creation. We may ask if there is anything that we can identify as being a stimulus for the event that is described in Romans 11:25? Based on the information that is provided in the paragraph “VII. A. The Fullness Of The Gentiles,” we have learned that the tribulation will not occur until after the rapture of the church has taken place. The fullness of the Gentiles relates to a number of Gentiles coming to saving faith in Christ; such a determination of “church growth,” can only be determined, and known, by God.

4. Consider falling church growth. There is diminishing church growth in North America, and has been that way for years in Europe. Consider a report that relates to the Southern Baptist Convention: “The Southern Baptist Convention lost 2 percent of its membership last year—the largest drop in more than a century, according to its annual report.”
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/june/southern-baptist-sbc-member-drop-annual-church-profile-2019.html

5. Consider Evangelical Growth Areas. If church growth is not taking place in much of “the Bible Belt” (SBC), where can the needed growth take place? Consider the following report. https://www.operationworld.org/hidden/evangelical-growth

Countries with the Fastest Growing Evangelical Population (the list is long; check the link).

Rank Country Ann Gr*

1 Iran 19.6%
2 Afghanistan 16.7%
3 Gambia, The 8.9%
4 Cambodia 8.8%
5 Greenland 8.4%
6 Algeria 8.1%
7 Somalia 8.1%
8 Mongolia 7.9%
9 Kuwait 7.3%
10 Tajikistan 6.9%

6. Consider Global Missions. When we consider Romans 11:25, it is very clear that global missions are essential to church growth. We must never forget the emphasis that our Lord placed on taking the His message to all of the world, even to the United States Of America. When I use the words, “church growth,” I am relating to lost souls coming to saving faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior.

a. Matthew 28:18-20
New American Standard Bible – 2020 Update

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

b. Acts 1:8
New American Standard Bible – 2020 Update

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”

VIII. Consider the following video.

The World’s Largest Religious Gathering

IMB. Mar 7, 2017 .

IX. A list of my sources of information can be found on my Page, “About Sources.”

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Road To Tribulation 1 – The Tribulation Described

I. This website has taken on a new name, which is “Eternity.” The purpose of the change is to identify a greater scope of subjects that will tell of God’s plan for His written Word which extends from eternity to eternity.

II. This opening article will explain the scriptural definition and purposes of the Tribulation. Also, those whom will, and will not, find their place in the Tribulation will be identified, with the reason for both destinies being shown.

III. Consider the following Tribulation data.

A. The Jewish Prophet, Jeremiah, and his prophecy are discussed in the following comment from the Scofield Reference notes:

1. Book Introduction – Jeremiah

a. Jeremiah began his ministry in the 13th year of Josiah, about 60 years after Isaiah’s death. Zephaniah and Habakkuk were contemporaries of his earlier ministry. Daniel of his later. After the death of Josiah, the kingdom of Judah hastened to its end in the Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah remained in the land ministering to the poor Remnant (2 Kings 24:14) until they went into Egypt, whither he followed them, and where he died, early in the 70 year’s captivity. Jeremiah, prophesying before and during the exile of Judah, connects the pre-exile prophets with Ezekiel and Daniel, prophets of the exile.

b. Jeremiah’s vision includes: the Babylonian captivity; the return after 70 years; the world- wide dispersion; the final regathering; the kingdom-age; the day of judgment on the Gentile powers, and the Remnant.

c. Notice that the Book of Jeremiah is a prophecy from God, to a Jewish prophet, who passed the information on to other Jews, about Jewish matters (Jer 1:1-5; 2:1-4). Notice that God put His calling on Jeremiah before Jeremiah was born (Jer 1:5), as He also did with the Apostle Paul before he was born (Gal 1:15).

2. Jeremiah 30:7 – New American Standard Bible 2020 – 572 B.C.

a. Verse. “Woe, for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, Yet he will be saved from it.”

b. Comments.

(1) 30:7 “time of Jacob’s trouble.” This period of unprecedented difficulty for Israel, as the verse defines, is set in a context of Israel’s final restoration. It is best equated with the time of tribulation (cf. vv. 8, 9) just before Christ’s Second Advent, mentioned elsewhere (Dan. 12:1, 534 B.C.; Matt. 24:21, 22, 33 A.D.) and described in detail by Rev. 6–19. (MacArthur Study Bible)

(2) 30:7 “the time of Jacob’s distress.” The coming of days of tribulation that will come upon all Israel (Jacob) (Ryrie Study Bible).

(3) 30:7 “this period (tribulation)” is peculiarly the time when God’s wrath and judgment fall upon the earth. This is not wrath from men, nor from Satan, except as God may use these agencies as channels for the execution of His will; it is tribulation from God. This period differs from all preceding tribulation, not only in intensity but also in the kind of tribulation, since it comes from God Himself (Things To Come, J. Dwight Pentecost, pp 236-237).

(4) 30:7 The Time Of Jacob’s Distress Prior To Restoration (30:4-7). “The final return of Israel and Judah” to the land will be preceded by a time of national distress. “Cries of terror” will be heard among the residents of Israel in the latter days, during the time of Jacob’s distress, and there will be no peace. Jeremiah compared the anguish of men clutching themselves in fear to a woman in childbirth (cf. 4:31, 6:24, 13:21, 22:23, 49:24, 50:43). The second calamity will be so awful that there is none like it (cf. Mt 24:21; Dn 12:1).

(5) 30:7 “time of trouble” refers to a the still-future Tribulation period when the remnant of Israel and Judah will experience a time of unparalleled persecution (Dan 9:27, 12:1; Matt 24:15-22). The period will end when Christ appears to rescue His elect (Rom 11:26) and establish His kingdom (Matt 24:30-31, 25:31-46; Rev 19:11-21, 20:4-6) (Bible Knowledge Commentary, Charles H. Dyer). (My note: the elect are Jews, Deu 14:2, 1451, B.C.).

(6) 30:7 “(Jer 30:1-11).” This section is a far-reaching prophecy from Jeremiah concerning the ultimate regathering of Israel and restoration to their land (vv. 2-3). In particular, the Lord prophesied a time of distress for Israel, such as she had never experienced before (vv. 4-7; c Matt 24:15-30). God assured Israel, however, that “he (Jacob) will be saved of it” (Jer 30:7). (Every Prophecy Of The Bible, John F. Walvoord, pg 138).

(7) 30:7 “time of distress for Jacob.” The time of trouble for Jacob is identical to the 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 Israel in unbelief. Its duration is three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel (Scofield Study Bible).

IV. The Seventieth Week Of Daniel Examined (The Tribulation) (Things To Come, J. Dwight Pentecost, pp 194-200).

A. The church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan. The church is a mystery, unrevealed in the Old Testament. This present mystery age (Inter-Advent age, mine), intervenes within the program of God for Israel because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah at His first advent. This mystery program must be completed before God can resume His program with Israel and bring it to completion pg 193). The church will be raptured before the seventieth week (pg 194).

B. The seventieth week has the character of: (1) wrath (Rev 6:16-17); (2) judgment (Rev 14:7); (3) indignation (Isa 26:20-21); (4) punishment (Isa 24:20-21); (5) hour of trial (Rev 3:10); (6) hour of trouble (Jer 30:7); (7) destruction (Joel 1:15); (8) darkness (Joel 2:2). It must be noted that these references describe the period in its eternity, not just a portion of it, so that the whole period bears this characterization (pg 194-195).

C. This period of tribulation will see the wrath of God poured out upon the whole earth (Rev 3:10). While the whole earth is in view, this period is particularly in relation to Israel. Jer 30:7, which calls this period, “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” makes this certain. The events of the seventieth week are events of the “Day Of The Lord.” The use of the name of deity emphasizes God’s peculiar relationship to that nation. When this period is being anticipated in Daniel 9:24 (538 B.C.), God says to the prophet, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. The whole period has special reference to Daniel’s people, Israel, and Daniel’s holy city, Jerusalem” (pg 195) (Daniel 9:20-27).

D. Since every passage dealing with the tribulation relates it to God’s program for Israel, the scope of the tribulation prevents the church from participating in it (pg 196).

E. The purpose of the seventieth week is two-fold (pp 197-200).

1. The first purpose is stated in Rev 3:10, “Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.” Apart from the question involved as to who will be in this time of testing there are several other important important considerations in this verse.

2. The second major purpose of the seventieth week is in relation to Israel. In Malachi 4:5-6 (397 B.C.) it is stated: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord: And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

(a) The prophet states that the ministry of Elijah was a ministry to prepare the people for the King who was shortly to come.

3. The two stated purposes of the tribulation, the testing of earth dwellers, and the preparation of Israel for the King, have no relation to the church, whatsoever. This is supporting evidence that the church will not be in the tribulation.

4. The rapture, the catching up of the New Testament saints (1 Thes 4:16-17) will remove, not all who make a profession of faith in Christ, but only those who have been born again and have received His life. The unbelieving portion of the visible church, together with unbelievers in the nation Israel, will go into the tribulation period.

V. The following article will focus on two key factors that relate to the removal of the church from the earth prior to the tribulation. We will discuss scriptures that explain the rapture of the church, and the Christ-likeness of those who will be taken from this world to Heaven prior to the tribulation.

VI. Sources of information.

A. Credential information on the sources of information for this article can be found by clicking onto the following link: https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/about-sources/

B. Reference documents that are used to support this article should be considered as additions to the libraries of all those who consider themselves to be serious students of God’s Holy Word.

VII. Anyone can follow this website. WordPress will automatically send new articles to anyone who clicks onto the following link (https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/), selects the Follow Button, and provides the necessary information.

VIII. Video Details.

A. The Seven Years of Tribulations. Jun 18, 2014. 100huntley.

B. Tribulation period is usually seen as 2 halves – first half where Israel enjoys peace and second half of terror of the world. Hear what Dr. Mark Hitchcock has to say on this much investigated topic about the end times.

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I. Message Text.

II. Ryrie Study Bible Notes.

III. Scofield Study Bible Notes.

IV. The Beginning Of The 70th Week.

V. The Objectives Of The 70th Week.

VI. References.

VII. My Bucket List.

VIII. My Websites to follow.

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I. Message Text.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

II. Subject Discussion.

III. The Return Of Christ.

Jesus Is the Only Way to the Father

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Lord’s Triumph and Reign

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Coming of the Son of Man

The Rider on a White Horse

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

Satan Bound

IV. Rapture vs Second Coming.

V. References.

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I. Introduction.

II. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24-27.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

III. Verse Examination.

IV. Beginning And Ending Of The 69 Weeks.

V. The Purpose Of The Seventy Weeks.

VI. References.

VI. Companion Web Site.

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I. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24a.

II. Introduction.

III. Scripture Examination.

IV. Additional Examination.

V. References.

VI. Biogenesis – Life. Article 6-29-21.

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I. Scripture Text. Daniel 9:24.

II. Discussion.

III. Additional Discussion.

IV. References.

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I. Introduction.

Daniel 9:24-27New International Version

II. The Importance Of Daniel’s Prophecy Of The Seventy Weeks.

III. References.

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I. The First Purpose.

II. The Second Purpose.

III. The Times Of The Gentiles.

IV. The Fullness Of The Gentiles.

V. The Judgment Of The Individual Gentiles.

VI. References.

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I. Introduction.

II. Tribulation Wrath In Focus.

III. Tribulation Summary.

IV. References.

V. New Website.

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I. Introduction.

II. Key Scripture Examinations.