An Introduction to End Times.

Part 4 The Tribulation and On

The Seven Churches – Section 4a

A working hypothesis.

As we move forward from the Rapture we will be following, mainly, the book of Revelation. By the very nature of its symbolism it is impossible for us to deduce a fact for fact interpretation from the text of this particular book. Indeed, commentators on the book, even modern commentators, vary enormously in their interpretations and in no way could I even pretend to have any better insight. Accordingly therefore, I would prefer to set the following before you as a working hypothesis of God’s prophecy, which hopefully could provide a sufficiently credible framework on which to base any further examination.

What I have written here, and in the three earlier parts, is based on previous studies and revelations by many others but, above all, I am indebted to the teachings of just a precious few who have inspired my initial enthusiasm for ‘end times’, and taught me so much.

We have reached the Rapture, as we saw at the end of the previous section, in line with 1Thessalonians 4:15-17, and 2Thessalonians 2:7 together with John 14:16-18 and Ephesians 1:13-14. The Church and the Holy Spirit are now in heaven with Jesus, and the antichrist has the world to himself.

The antichrist, we believe is someone associated with power in Europe (because of the connection with Rome from Daniel 2:40-41 and Daniel 9:27 – see Part 2), who will be further empowered by Satan, as we shall see.

When we say that the Holy Spirit has left the earth we are talking of his presence as we know it today. Today his omnipresent power and support is available to all believers because it is through the Holy Spirit that we believers have each been given the full power of Christ to call on (see Ephesians 1:3-23). However, although the Holy Spirit has by then, left the earth, God is still in charge and without doubt can deploy him at any time for special mission as He did in Old Testament times.

To continue our essay directly on from the previous session, ‘the Rapture’, we would need to go straight to chapter 4 of the book of Revelation. However, before doing this let’s quickly go to the start of the book of Revelation to remind ourselves of the beginning of this important book.

Revelation Chapters 1 to 3.

Revelation, as we know, was penned by John on Patmos at the dictation of an angel, sent by Jesus, in order to announce God’s plan for the world. In this respect take special note of Rev 1:3. We are not dealing here with something that can be glossed over or taken lightly. God means us to note it, and note it well!

In these opening chapters we have greetings and the letters of Jesus to the seven churches. ‘Seven’ equates to the completeness and perfection of God. But why these seven?

They are, of course, the seven churches John knew but in addition some see these seven as being representative of many different but coterminous church congregations throughout the then future church history.

Others however, see these churches as being representative, successively, within the whole ‘Church Age’ that was due to come (ie. from Acts to the Rapture). It has been suggested by writers and commentators that the representations could be identified as being say:

Ephesus – the loveless church for the period 33 to 100 AD,

Smyrna – the persecuted church for the period 100 to 312 AD,

Pergamum – the worldly church for the period 312 to 590 AD,

Thyatira – the paganised church for the period 590 to 1517 AD,

Sardis – the lifeless church for the period 1517 to 1750 AD,

Philadelphia – the missionary church for the period 1750 to 1905 AD, and

Laodicea – the lukewarm church for the period 1905 to the beginning of the Tribulation.

In hindsight these epithets seem apt enough, we need dig no further now. We can move on to what is in store when the ‘Church Age’ ends; believers are Raptured, and the remaining population of the world moves into the Tribulation.

Next time: The Church in Heaven

An Introduction to End Times.

Part 3 Present Signs and the Rapture (cont’d)

The Rapture – Section 3c

The next event – the Rapture.

Now we move on from the signs we are seeing to what we expect to be ‘the next event’ – the ‘Rapture’.

This actual name does not appear in the Bible and the event itself is not well documented there either, in fact you have to look with care to find it. However, there are enough references made to it – depending upon your interpretation – to suggest that it will involve Christians and Jesus, but that it will be something different from the Lord’s second coming.

The word ‘rapture’ in the Concise Oxford dictionary means ‘ecstatic delight or mental transport’ and in this sense can mean to be ‘taken out of oneself’. The biblical references apply the experience to all ‘believers’ since the time of Christ. Whether believers from before then will actually be involved in precisely the same event is not stated, although we can surmise that they are not necessarily excluded (see Job 19:26). Either way, we will certainly be together with believers from the Old Testament in due course.

For the present though, back to the Rapture. In addition to biblical references there are several deductions and reasoning we can apply, which will help us come to the conclusion that many Christians come to, that the Rapture will certainly take place and that it will happen shortly before the Tribulation. For the purposes of this examination therefore we will continue with this assumption although there are many who believe that it will take place at some other time, such as during the Tribulation.

So let’s look at the classic references which many believe to illustrate the Rapture:

1Thessalonians 4:15-17

‘According to the Lord’s own word*, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.’ (* The Life Application Study Bible comments: Either this was something that the Lord had revealed directly to Paul (eg. Gal 1:17-18) , or it was a teaching of Jesus that had been passed along orally by the apostles and other Christians.)

1Corinthians 15:52

‘… in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.’

Titus 2:13

‘… while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,’

Luke 12:35-40

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Now let’s compare these with some references to the Second Coming of Christ:

Matthew 24:4-30

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ……………. …………………………………………………….

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

“Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

Luke 17:24

‘For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.’

Zechariah 14:1-9

‘A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.

I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 

You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. 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.

On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime—a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.

The LORD will be king over the whole earth.’

Revelation 1:7

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

Do you see the differences between the two?  

The Rapture is an event experienced only by Christians, the Second Coming is an event experienced by everyone during a period of great Tribulation. Again, we will expand on this later.

You may also like to consider the following additional points which further highlight some of the reasoning for the Rapture.

1Thessalonians 5:9

For God did not appoint us (Christians) to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 21:36

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Revelation 3:22

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (There is no contemporaneous reference to ’the church’ again in the Bible — the exception being in Rev 22:16 — thus strongly indicating that it is no longer on earth during all the Tribulation which Revelation describes).

John 14:1-4

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going."

2Thessalonians 2:7 cf. John 14:16-18

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. (Thus the antichrist cannot begin his assignment until the Holy Spirit – and consequently the church, which he protects – is removed.) Supported by:

John 14:16-18

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Plus:

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Next time: The Tribulation and On

An Introduction to End Times

Part 3 Present Signs and the Rapture (cont’d)

Present Signs (Global) – Section 3b

Global indications.

Reaching the world for God.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” These are the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:14. Representatives of Wycliffe Bible Translators expect to have reached just about all world languages by the year 2025 (Vision 2025) and God TV reckons that the world-wide coverage of their transmissions is practically already complete.

The ‘groaning’ world and global disaster (cf. Rom 8:22).

Let us look again at Matthew 24:7 “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places”. We have seen nation against nation and widespread famine is now, unfortunately, becoming almost commonplace. As for earthquakes, have you noticed the sudden rise in their frequency? Various statistics are available covering the world but typically global numbers for earthquakes of say 6.0+ on the Richter scale have risen to around 5 times more per annum than say 40 or 50 years ago. Recent major examples have been in Japan in 2011 and New Zealand in 2010 and 2011.

Morals and behaviour.

Look now at Matthew 24:37 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” and the period it refers to, in Genesis 6:11 “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.” Look also at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Do you think we are getting there? In Hebrews 12:25-26 and Haggai 2:6-7 God promises that as judgment against sin He will ‘shake the earth’. Is he doing this? We haven’t even mentioned some other specifics in this category – divorce, child prostitution, abortions, embryonic research? Surely we are just piling up sins?

Fads, cult and occult.

Note Paul’s advice to Timothy and his reference to ‘later times’ in 1Ti 4:1&7: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons………Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”

Acquisition of knowledge.

‘At the time of the end many will go here and there to increase knowledge’. (see Daniel 12:4). Certainly we are now seeking and acquiring knowledge enormously. We even have a name for it. ‘Information Technology’ is what we call it! Allied to this feature also, of course, is the ever increasing speed at which this is all happening.

Scoffers and mockers.

‘First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.’ 2Pet 3:3-7 (also cf. Jude 17-19).

No comment! This prophecy speaks for itself.

Increasing governmental control.

Do you ever have the feeling that there is greater and greater government control in our lives? The means for this could really come into being with ID cards. Alongside this type of ‘identification technology’ we also have mooted the concept of a cashless society. The ‘powers that be’ will certainly then be in a position to monitor, even control, what and which individuals may or may not buy, since every purchase will be made through the auspices of a vast computer.

Imagine, just as a conjecture, that for some reason in a given society, the authorities wanted to prevent a person, or class of person from purchasing a given commodity. The machinery would be in place to do such a thing. The anonymity of cash, of course, would have gone and the persons concerned would be unable to purchase except via the central computer route.

This may be jumping ahead from present day, and we will come to this again, but just take a look at Revelation 13:16-18.

Next time: The Rapture – Section 3c

An Introduction to End Times.

Part 3 Present Signs and the Rapture

Present Signs (Israel) – Section 3a

So where have we got to?

So, how do we know where we are now and what will happen next in all this?

Firstly, note that there will be an end, see Eph 1:9-10*, 1Pe 1:5*, and 2Pe 3:10* as well as Mt 24:35*, and Mk 13:31*.

Now, clearly the ‘church age’ is still with us but the nation ‘Israel’ has returned to the scene, so are we at a transition point?

Many people believe that we are. There are plenty of signs which indicate that the period of ‘Tribulation’ (See Part 1, section 1b) may not be far off. Some of these signs are more significant than others but all are telling, especially when considered on a collective basis. Also, should some of the evidence or bible references backing these arguments seem tenuous or not immediately obvious, please hold them in mind – the relevance will become clearer as we move forward in this whole end time study.

With regard to timing, the transition point referred to above could well materialise within the next year or so, or even sooner.

So what signs (or conditions) are we meaning and what would be the next event? Let’s look at the signs first.

First of all, Israel must exist.

Well first and foremost, as already alluded to, Israel has to exist. Why? Well we have already highlighted the fact that God’s covenant with Israel is ever-lasting. So before any final arrangements take place Israel needs to be a nation, again. This of course happened in May 1948, after a period of almost 2000 years. We have already looked (in Part 2, section 2a) at some bible references on this but let’s look at a couple more which remind us of the everlasting nature of this covenant. Firstly in Genesis 17:7-8 (below), and then additionally in Amos 9:11-15 (below), where v. 15 also shows us that Israel will ‘never again be uprooted from the land I have given them.’ Thus the prophecy cannot refer to the reforming of Israel after the return from Babylon. It must be at some later time – such as now!

Ge 17:7-8. “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.  The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

Amos 9:11-15. “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the LORD, who will do these things. “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them”.

Note that within 10 years of the re-birth of Israel in 1948 (prophesied also in Isaiah 66:8 ‘Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?’) the EU, based on the ‘Treaty of Rome’ started emerging. See the prophecies alluding to this in Part 2, section 2b (Da 2:33a to 2:33b, and Dan 7:23 to 7:24 both being types of reformation of the old ‘Roman Empire’ to the modern ‘Treaty of Rome’).

Jerusalem must be in Jewish hands.

Before a new Temple can exist in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, at least, must be under Jewish control. This was achieved in 1967 by the Jews as a result of the ‘six-day war’, against overwhelming odds. Did you ever wonder why and how this event succeeded so quickly? Could God have been there?

Existence of the Temple in Jerusalem (See 2Thess 2:4).

Although there is no actual temple in existence at present, it is an open secret in Middle Eastern circles that detailed plans have been drawn-up, and preparations made, for the temple’s rapid reconstruction, as soon as the time is right. Furthermore, manufacture of replacement temple instruments and other paraphernalia is already said to be in hand. The precise site of the new temple has been established we are told, just to the north of the present ‘Dome’ where old documentation apparently shows it to have originally been. This position, apparently, has been confirmed by the chance exposure of an ancient archway in the original city wall, when a crater was blown in the ground during hostilities in the ‘six-day war’.

Israel blossoms (cf. the millennium era.)

Isa 27:6 ‘In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.’

Joel 2:23-24 ’Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God,

for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you

abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing

floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and

oil.’

From being largely a desert around 1948, when the Jews started returning to their promised land, Israel has become the 4^th largest exporter of fruit in the world and the biggest flower exporter in Europe. Israel today is covered with buds, grain and trees. This place was wilderness until a very few years ago.

Jerusalem to be a ‘cup of reeling’ (cf. Zec 12:2-3)

A published extract (anon): Here is a city, Jerusalem – no natural resources, no harbour, no river – no reason to be relevant on the modern scene. It’s important to whom? To a minority of the Jews (not all of them!). To Islam? Islam had it for a thousand years and let it turn into rubble, until they realised it was important to the Jews and then, of course, it was very important to Islam. To Christians? Well we like to visit there – but not to die for it. So the whole idea that Jerusalem could be a burdensome stone to the entire world, on the face of it, sounds absurd. And yet, as we look around today, people in every major capital of every nation that’s internationally relevant on earth are struggling as to what posture to take – how to deal with what could be called the struggle for Jerusalem. Increasingly it becomes the focus of world attention – even though in secular terms it is a ‘nothing place’. Why? Because it is, and remains, God’s Holy City. Anon.

End notes for ready reference:

Ephesians 1:9-10

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,  to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

1Peter 1:5

...  (you Christians) who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

2 Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Next time: Present Signs (Global) – Section 3b

An Introduction to End Times.

Part 2 Daniel’s Prophecy (cont’d)

Will there be a positive outcome for Israel? – Section 2b

Yes! Of course. God has said so, initially in Ge 12:6-7*. Then again in Ge 13:14-17 He says  to Abram “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west.  All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.  I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.  Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

In Ge 17:19-22*, Ge 21:12* and Ge 35:9-13* God specifically confirms the lineage. Read also Ge 15:7-21, Ge 22:15-18, Ex 6:2-8, Jos 1:4-5, Is 11:11-16, Jer 23:5-8, Jer 30:3, and Jer 31:35-40 for further confirmation.

And, what is more – the land is His to give! See 2Chr 7:20 & Ps 24:1-2*.

So what does Da 9:26-27 mean?

To study this fully we need also to be aware of other prophecies in the book of Daniel. Of these there are many, but the ones that concern us here, since they relate closely to the area we are studying in Da 9:20-27 are:

Da 2:31-45* - Note the statue (v.31) then the change from the iron legs to the iron and clay feet in v.33 and the corresponding interpretation in vs.40 & 41, plus the explanation in v.42 onwards and;

Da 7:1-27* - Note the four beasts (vs.3-6) and then the change from the terrifying beast to the description that it was different with ten horns in v.7. Then the little horn which spoke boastfully and the fact that three of the first horns were uprooted before it, with the whole beast eventually being slain, in vs.8-11 (NB vs.9 & 10 are parenthetical and go with v.13). Note also the corresponding interpretation in vs.17 & 18, plus the expansion of this in vs.19-22. The explanation follows in vs.23-27.

In these two sections we have references to four parts of a statue and four beasts. These can both be compared to four major empires of the period. The gold head and the lion to Babylonia, the silver chest and arms and the bear to Medo-Persia, the bronze belly and thighs and the leopard to Greece, and the iron legs and the terrifying beast to the Roman empire.

But the areas we are concerned with are the 2000 year ‘church gap’ between the ‘iron legs’ and the ‘iron and clay feet’ in Da 2:33a and Da 2:33b, leading to the reference in Da 2:34 to the rock ‘not cut by human hands’ (ie. Jesus) smashing the feet and becoming a huge mountain (at his second coming). Similarly, in the interpretation of the dream, we notice the gap between Da 2:40 and Da 2:41 leading on to Da 2:44, the setting-up of God’s Kingdom that will never be destroyed.

And likewise the same 2000 year ‘church gap’ occurs between ‘… whatever was left.’ and ‘It was different …’ in Da 7:7, and also between Da 7:19 & 20 and Da 7:23 & 24. Also there is reference in Da 7:25 to ‘a time, times and half a time’, ie. 3½years, followed by ‘his power being taken away’ and sovereignty being handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High’ in Da 7:26-27.

In both these prophecies we see the ‘church gap’ occurring with the subsequent introduction of God’s kingdom after a period of tribulation.

The same sort of thing happens in Dan 9:26-27!

But in all these examples what/who is the strange new ‘It’ in ‘It was different’ in Da 7:7, and the ‘little one (a horn)’ in Da 7:8, and ‘the other horn’ in Da 7:20, and the ‘another king’ in Da 7:24 and the ‘He’ & ‘him’ in Da 7:25, and the ‘his’ in Da 7:26 and the ‘He’ at the beginning of Da 9:27? These are, I believe, all references to the new ‘Roman’ (or European) empire that will emerge at the end of the Church Age and its leader, the ‘antichrist’, as he is known to us! (The term ‘antichrist’ first appears in 1Jn 2:18*).

End notes for ready reference:

Ge 12:6-7

^{Ge 12:6} Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 

^{Ge 12:7} The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Ge 17:19-22

^{Ge 17:19} Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 

^{Ge 17:20} And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 

^{Ge 17:21} But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 

^{Ge 17:22} When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Ge 21:12

^{Ge 21:12} But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.

Ge 35:9-13

^{Ge 35:9} After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 

^{Ge 35:10} God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. ’” So he named him Israel.

^{Ge 35:11} And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 

^{Ge 35:12} The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” 

^{Ge 35:13} Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him.

Ps 24:1-2

^{Ps 24:1} The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

^{Ps 24:2} for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

Da 2:31-45

^{Da 2:31} “You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 

^{Da 2:32} The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 

^{Da 2:33} its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 

^{Da 2:34} While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 

^{Da 2:35} Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

^{Da 2:36} “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 

^{Da 2:37} You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 

^{Da 2:38} in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

^{Da 2:39} “After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 

^{Da 2:40} Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 

^{Da 2:41} Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 

^{Da 2:42} As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 

^{Da 2:43} And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

^{Da 2:44} “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 

^{Da 2:45} This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.”

Da 7:1-27

^{Da 7:1} In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.

^{Da 7:2} Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 

^{Da 7:3} Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.

^{Da 7:4} “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.

^{Da 7:5} “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’

^{Da 7:6} “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

^{Da 7:7} “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

^{Da 7:8} “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

^{Da 7:9} “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

^{Da 7:10} A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

^{Da 7:11} “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 

^{Da 7:12} (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

^{Da 7:13} “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 

^{Da 7:14} He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

^{Da 7:15} “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 

^{Da 7:16} I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 

^{Da 7:17} ‘The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. 

^{Da 7:18} But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’

^{Da 7:19} “Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 

^{Da 7:20} I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 

^{Da 7:21} As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, 

^{Da 7:22} until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.

^{Da 7:23} “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 

^{Da 7:24} The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 

^{Da 7:25} He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

^{Da 7:26} “ ‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 

^{Da 7:27} Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’

1Jn 2:18

^{1Jn 2:18} Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

Next time: Present Signs and the Rapture

An Introduction to End Times.

Part 2 Daniel’s Prophecy

The Church Age. – Section 2a

We have already mentioned the ‘Tribulation’ and touched on the ‘Church Age’. A third name we will come across in due course is the ‘Rapture’, but we will deal with that later.

To put these happenings and the rest of end times into perspective we really need to look at the overall timetable of events which can be called ‘God’s Prophetic Calendar’. (See diagram above). For this we need to start at the time of King Artaxerxes I of Babylon.

In the year 445 BC the cupbearer to this king, a Jewish exile named Nehemiah, found himself talking to the king, in Susa (near the present Basra), about the walls of Jerusalem – some 700 miles from Susa – which were still in disrepair following the sacking of Jerusalem some 90 years earlier, when the city had been taken by the Babylonians. The story is told in the book of Nehemiah, mainly in chapter 2. (See Ne 2:1-8*)

This episode within the book of Nehemiah forms part of a prophecy within the book of Daniel, chapter 9. In this chapter Daniel describes how he was praying to God about the due return of the Jews to their homeland, which had been prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 25:11-12)*. While he is praying the Archangel Gabriel came to him as follows:

The Seventy “Sevens”

^{Da 9:20} While I [Daniel] was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill— 

^{Da 9:21} while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 

^{Da 9:22} He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 

^{Da 9:23} As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:

^{Da 9:24} “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.

^{Da 9:25} “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (see Ne 2:1-8) 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. 

^{Da 9:26} After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off 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. 

^{Da 9:27} He 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 on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.’”

So what does this message tell us?

The ‘issuing of the decree’ to restore Jerusalem is taken by many to have been in the year 445 BC, as mentioned in Da 9:25 above, but scholars are divided on this point. Some take an alternative date of 458 BC and some use a slightly different calculation from then on, but the end result we are seeking is more or less the same whichever route you use.

When God speaks of ‘sevens’ (sometimes referred to as ‘weeks’), it is widely taken, as in this example, that he is actually meaning 7 years (Greek = Heptads), and in the times we are talking of here (in the Old Testament) a year was reckoned as 360 days.

For the illustration here, I will use the common method of reckoning as follows. Starting from 445 BC the first seven ‘sevens’, which would account for 49 years, takes us to 396 BC (or maybe 397 BC if we count in our ‘present day’ years of say 365.25 days per year!). This ties in with our reckoning of the completion of the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

The second time period of sixty-two ‘sevens’, referred to in Da 9:26, which equates to (62x7) 434 years, plus the first 49 years, takes us up to 38 or 39 AD (depending whether we count a year zero between BC and AD or not) (ie. 434+49 = 483 years altogether). However, if we reckon the total number of days (483x360) in years of say 365.25 days each we come to 31 or 32 AD. What happened about then? Well surely this would tie in with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, or when ‘the Anointed One’ was ‘cut off’, as Da 9:26 puts it.

Since then however (ie. when Jesus was crucified), practically 2000 years have gone by. So have we reached the end of the overall prophecy? Have we gone through the third time period of one ‘seven’, ie. the seventieth ‘week’, or final 7 years, of the prophecy in Daniel?

Well, the answer has to be ‘No!’, for we surely have not yet attained ‘putting an end to sin’ etc. as stated in Da 9:24. Anything but!! Also we have certainly not reached the end days envisioned by Isaiah, Daniel and David in Is 2:2-4*, Da 7:13-14*, and Ps 72:1-4*.

Furthermore we have not reached even, the events of Da 9:27, where a certain ruler (now known to us as the ‘antichrist’ - see section 1b) ‘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 on a wing  of the temple  he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.’

But, Da 9:24 tells us that ‘Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for Daniel’s people (Israel) and his holy city (Jerusalem) to finish transgressions, 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 (the Temple?)’.

So, what has happened?

This now re-introduces the concept of the ‘Church Age’ or ‘the Church Gap’, which has so far lasted around 2000 years and which was mentioned earlier in Part 1(section 1b). This period started at Pentecost, in AD 33, the year of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and is still running at where we are now, in the early part of the 2000’s. As stated in Part 1 it essentially covers the period of the non-existence of Israel. You could say that God’s clock stopped at the crucifixion and will start again, sometime after the re-emergence and establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948 (in fact at the time of the ‘Rapture’ - see Part 3, later). This ‘Church Age’ is a period of time that was ‘not seen’ by the Old Testament prophets. It was hidden by God as it were. In fact, the ‘Church’ itself is not mentioned in the Bible until Mt 16:18 when Jesus declares “On this rock I will build my church”. There are many instances of this same church gap appearing in the Old Testament, ie. references in the Bible where descriptions of events suddenly jump from what we know has happened in the Old Testament, to what has not yet occurred, and what must therefore still be in the future. Examples of this can perhaps be seen, for instance, between: Isa 40:3 and 40:4*, and Mal 3:1 and 3:2* with even more striking examples appearing in Daniel, some of which we will come to later.

So, it seems possible that God’ clock has stopped at the end of Daniel’s 69^th week, so to speak, and that for the last 2000 years Israel has been going through a second ‘Babylonian type’ experience. Why? Well, since the time of King David the Jews have been falling out of favour with God, again and again, culminating in the rejection and murder of His Son in AD 33. The steps God would take in such an event are described in Leviticus 26* and Deuteronomy 28*.

Jesus explains the situation in a prophetic parable in Matthew (also in Mark & Luke). See Mt 21:33-46*.

End notes for ready reference:

Ne 2:1-8

^{Ne 2:1} In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; 

^{Ne 2:2} so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 

^{Ne 2:3} but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

^{Ne 2:4} The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 

^{Ne 2:5} and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

^{Ne 2:6} Then the king , with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

^{Ne 2:7} I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 

^{Ne 2:8} And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. 

Jer 25:11-12

^{Jer 25:11} This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

^{Jer 25:12} “But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the LORD, “and will make it desolate forever.

Is 2:2-4

^{Isa 2:2} In the last days the mountain of the LORD’S temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

^{Isa 2:3} Many peoples will come and say, “Come let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. “ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

^{Isa 2:4} He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Dan 7:13-14

^{Da 7:13} “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 

^{Da 7:14} He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Ps 72:1-4

^{Ps 72:1} Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.

^{Ps 72:2} He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

^{Ps 72:3} The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.

^{Ps 72:4} He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor

Is 40:3-4

^{Isa 40:3} A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

^{Isa 40:4} Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

Mal 3:1-2

^{Mal 3:1} “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.

^{Mal 3:2} But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.

Lev 26:27-35

^{Lev 26:27} “ ‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 

^{Lev 26:28} then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. 

^{Lev 26:29} You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. 

^{Lev 26:30} I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. 

^{Lev 26:31} I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. 

^{Lev 26:32} I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. 

^{Lev 26:33} I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. 

^{Lev 26:34} Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 

^{Lev 26:35} All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

Deut 28:61-66

^{Dt 28:61} The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 

^{Dt 28:62} You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. 

^{Dt 28:63} Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.

^{Dt 28:64} Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. 

^{Dt 28:65} Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. 

^{Dt 28:66} You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.

Mt 21:33-46

^{Mt 21:33} “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 

^{Mt 21:34} When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

^{Mt 21:35} “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 

^{Mt 21:36} Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 

^{Mt 21:37} Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

^{Mt 21:38} “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 

^{Mt 21:39} So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

^{Mt 21:40} “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

^{Mt 21:41} “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

^{Mt 21:42} Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone  the   builders

rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?

^{Mt 21:43} “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and give to

a people who will produce its fruit.

^{Mt 21:44} He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be

crushed.”

^{Mt 21:45} When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was

talking about them. 

^{Mt 21:46} They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Next time: Will there be a positive outcome for Israel?