Talk About Global Chaos!
The Rapture is the snatching away of believers during the Tribulation. There is debate over the timing of this event. Some say it happens at the start of the Tribulation, some say it occurs in the middle, and still others claim it happens at the end. Remember, we now understand the significance of the Festivals and how they are a picture of future events. Those in the past were fulfilled by Chirst in perfect timing EXACTLY on their specific days.
The unfulfilled festivals that take place during the Tribulation will take place with the same precision... they are no exceptions.
The Bible states that the dead in Christ will rise first (those who have previously died but who believed in Jesus) this will be the resurrection promised by Jesus for all believers. The Bible goes on to say those (believers) who are alive and remain will be caught up with Him (Jesus) to meet the Lord in the air. DO NOT confuse this with Christ's second coming at the end of the tribulation. He will first come to get the believers, and will later return with the believers to battle at armageddon and to establish the permanent home for the 1000 years.
Understand that there are two theaters going on at the same time ... one in heaven and one on earth. The reason for taking away the believers is so that the coronation and the marriage supper of the lamb can be celebrated. Once again, if we look at the Jewish festivals, we can understand what will be happening here.
The Jewish Wedding Festival
The meaning behind this ceremony in regards to our future and God's gift to us is such a beautiful festival, we really should not try to explain it all in one page. If you have the time, you may want to study more on this festival to understand the deeper meaning behind it... but here is the condensed version.
When a Jewish couple wishes to marry, the groom's father approaches the girl's father with a proposal and complete marriage plans. The two men agree on a price to be paid (a dowry) and the agreement is sealed with a toast of wine. The future bride enters the room and the groom asks her to be his bride. This is her decision, and hers alone. She can accept this groom and proposal, or she may not. If she does, validation of the couple's agreement is a gift given by the groom. He has to offer it in the presence of at least 2 witnesses and say "behold you are consecrated unto me with this gift according to the laws of Moses and Israel".
A written contract is made listing the times, dates, places and celebrations in preparation for the marriage. This "ketubach" was kept in the bride's possession until consummation of the marriage. The first part of this 2 part ceremony then concludes with a toast of wine with the witnesses.
The groom then departs and assures his bride of his promise to build a home for her and return to get her for the ceremony. The bride did not know when this would be. She could know when it was near, however. It usually took a year to prepare her new home which was an addition built on his own father's house. The bride was to remain true and lived for the day of his return. The impending return of the groom was to influence her behavior and actions during the wait.
At the return of the groom, members announced the arrival with a loud shout as he is seen approaching the house with torches of fire. Rather than the groom entering the bride's house, the bride was to stop everything and go to meet him instead. The couple and wedding party return to the groom's home for the marriage ceremony. After their consummation (a 7 day period), the bride was unveiled to the guests and they live their future together in the father's house.
This is HUGE. I hope a light went off in your brain.
Now even if you only have slight experience with the Bible, I think you may be able to see some significance here. Remember, this wedding festival was practiced long before Christ was alive, and long before the Bible was in print, yet the Bible and events that happened 1000's of years later correspond to even the smallest details of this celebration. Remember, these festivals teach us about the past, they show us what to do in the present, and they have a prophetic application as well.
Just as the dowry (price) was decided. God the Father told us that he would send his son to pay the "price" for all of us. The Bible states "for you are bought with a price". After the "plan" was established, a proposal of salvation was given to all mankind in a written ketubach (the Bible). Just like the wedding festival's book, it contains events, times, dates and specifics regarding God's future appointments with man. The "plan" was sealed when Jesus lifted a glass of wine in the presence of his witnesses . Are you seeing the big picture? There is more...
Jesus said he would go to prepare a place for us IN HIS FATHER'S HOUSE and would return again for his bride (believers). This arrangement was secured by the Holy Spirit who protects the "purchased bride" until Christ"s return. When the groom (Jesus) returns for his bride (believers), he will come with a shout and note this: the bride (believers) will be caught up together to meet him, just as it happens in the Jewish wedding!
The bible then tells us there will be the marriage celebration in heaven (for a period of 7) which will correspond to the tribulation on earth. At the end of the celebration (and end of the tribulation period) Christ will return with his bride (the raptured believers) to "unveil" her before those witnesses on earth.
Rev 19:7 "Let us rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready".
You see, bible prophecy is not so mysterious if we have the information to work with! I hope you will read this page a second time if this is new to you. The end of the Tribulation and return of Christ centers around this beautiful wedding festival.
Back to the Rapture
Keeping the Festivals, the Rapture will occur on a Rosh Hashanah between 6000 and 6007. Considering the 3 possibilities of it's timing, we have a pre-trib, mid-trib and post-trib possibility. The most likely of these is the pre-tribulation model, but let's take a look at all three:
Pre Tribulation Rapture
This would likely occur on Tishri 1, 6000 (Rosh Hashanah). Ten days later on Tishri 10, 6000 (Yom Kippur) several things will have happened:
1) There will be the "rapture" or catching away of all believers
2) 144,000 "Firstfruits of the Tribulation" become believers and begin their preaching to the remaining non-believers
3) Construction of the new Jewish temple has begun, and animal sacrifices will resume during this time
4) The destruction of the greatest nation on earth (or 'Babylonian System')
5) The (EU) European Community meets and gives power to a new ruler in what will probably be an emergency session
6) The new leader guarantees a peace treaty with Israel for her protection against her enemies
Remember, the believers in Christ will be taken away at the time of the rapture. This will probably set the stage for the other events that take place. This will no doubt be the most traumatic event in all of human history for those left behind. The events that follow a Pre-Trib model seem to make the most sense. People disappear, the world is in fear and chaos. Along with the trumpet judgements... war, famine, and pestilences result. A False-Christ is brought to power. Christ returns with believers (a period of '7') 7 years later at the end of the Tribulation.
Mid Tribulation Rapture
This would likely occur on Tishri 1, 6003 or 6004 (Rosh Hashanah)
1) There will be the "rapture" or catching away of all believers
2) In the chaos, Anti-Christ comes to power and goes to the Temple
3) He takes advantage of the 'disappearance' of millions by providing some explanation that the world accepts (Remember this is going to be traumamatic for those left behind. How will this be explained to the world? It could be something wild like UFO's :)
4) Says the world was purged of 'intollerant' people, he claims to be God
5) The Abomination in the Temple has thus happened
6) Anti-Christ begins his reign of terror for the remaining 3 1/2 years
There is some evidence to suggest that the Rapture will be explained to those left behind as an alien abduction. Some texts do refer to a deception so great that even those that will become believers (during the trib) will be confused. The panic, fear and choas will be unimaginable. This view promotes a demonic deception and explains the rapture as a 'cleansing of the earth' of intollerant people. This explanation would fit well into the Mid Trib model.
Post Tribulation Rapture
This would likely occur on Tishri 1, 6007 (Rosh Hashanah).
1) There will be the "rapture" or catching away of all believers
2) Believers are spared the final judgements
3) Coronation and Marriage supper take place in heaven for 7 days
4) The destruction of Mystery Babylon occurs
5) Nations gather in the Megiddon Valley to wage war (against Christ)
6) Christ returns with His 'Bride' (raptured believers) to stop Armegeddon
Can you imagine the chaos that will occur when people physically disappear from earth? This will be the most glorious day for believers, but a day of horror for those left behind. If you picture every believer gone from the face of the earth, you can imagine the explanations given for the missing. The Bible states 'men's hearts will fail them' looking at those things which are coming to pass.
NOTE: I would like to suggest everyone read the "Left Behind" book series. It is a work of fiction, but is based on the tribulation. It is a good read, and you will learn what this time in history may be like. They have been on the NY Times best selling books list over and over. Again, I strongly (and seriously) recommend reading them.
And we'll continue next time...
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Tribulation
Birth Pains of the Tribulation
The Bible actually describes the time leading up to the Tribulation as birth pains. Just before a women is to deliver her child, she goes through some trying, difficult moments which are really just a taste of what is to come during the actual birth. In the same way, there will be world events that wake us to the fact that Tribulation like has never been seen before is about to occur. God will actually shorten this time frame because if He did not, no human would survive.
Mark 13:19-23 ...because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now-and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
The Tribulation
Luke 21:10-11 "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."
Leading up to this time are significant prophecies that have been fulfilled, one of the major ones being the formation of Israel as a "state" or "nation" as directed in the Bible and which occurred in 1948. There are some who believe this prophecy actually refers to the Taking of Jeruselem in 1968 during the Yom Kippur war. In either case, we cannot avoid the excitement the Bible proclaims following this event. The book says the generation that sees Israel become a nation will live to see the events of Christ's second coming! That generation is alive today.
The events which lead up to the tribulation include a shift toward global political and economic unity. One only needs to pick up the daily paper to see news about the "new world order". The Bible states that there will be a 10 nation union composed of the revised Roman Empire that will come to power near the "end times". People have cried out in the past that various governments and unions were "the" 10 nation group the Bible quotes. One of the biggest "scares" was the area of domain that Hitler ruled. Others have claimed it to be the U.N. nations. Make no mistake... the Roman empire has not been revived since its downfall about 2000 years ago. That is until today!
It is important to note that for the first time in history, the old Roman Empire has been "rebuilt". After nearly a decade of negotiations on January 1, 1993 the very powerful European Community or "EC" began its rule. Never before has their been a re-joining of the original Roman Empire countries into a unified power. In fact, the new EU contract was built on the "treaty of Rome" foundation and references the old empire as it's roots. This is indeed the 'revived Roman empire'. The Bible says the number of nations will grow to 13 or more, but the final number will be 10.
As of December 10th, 1991, the EC nations agreed in a 15 hour meeting in the Netherlands to adopt a one bank/one currency by. Earlier in 1991, the "EC Mark" was created and it will be required to be on every item entering or leaving the EC. This is not predicted fiction, it is already history. In January of 2002, the EC adopted a single currency for all countries.
Interesting Side Note: I was in Rome in 2004. The day we were leaving to return to the states the heads of all the EU nations were coming to sign the final 'Treaty of Rome'. I heard from a taxi cab driver "the signing of this document has been delayed for quite some time, but they were finally able to remove every single reference of God from the documents and that is why they are here today". The anti-christ will (likely) come out of a EU country and it is interesting to me that these nations have gone out of the way to remove any reference to God from the founding documents.
The Pope at the time was also very upset with the signing of this treaty. Rome is known as the city on 7 hills. The leaders chose one of these important historical hills to be the location where they signed the new contract for the EU. They chose the ONLY hill (one of 7) where the Judeo-Christian God has NOT been worshipped. It was the only location that has only had idol worship... again a slap in the face to Christianity and the significant role the Catholic church has played in the city of Rome.
You will also learn that during the Tribulation, a leader of a 'corrputed church' will team up with the false christ to do 'signs and wonders' to manuipulate the world. That leader will come from 'the city on 7 hills' according to the prophecy of the Bible. It seems to point to the city of Rome.
The site picked for all economic interests and a universal bank is Brussels Belgium. It is interesting to note that the largest computer in the world is located in Brussels which has the current capacity to generate 4 trillion pieces of information every second for every person in the world. By fate, plan or coincidence, it was nicknamed "the beast" several years ago. If you recall, the bible has alot to say about the word "beast". A one-bank, one-mark, cashless society is scheduled for completion by the EC within 5 years. This power group will be so strong, markets of the west and east will no doubt be forced to join out of necessity.
This will be a time of trouble and tension in the world, especially in the middle east. In fact, nearly all of the unfulfilled prophecy in the Bible will center around Israel. A great leader will either come up with or confirm a wonderfully designed peace plan to settle the problems between the Jews and the Muslims. He will be admired by the whole world as a man of peace, and will confirm a 7 year contract for peace.
A unified group of nations from the old Roman Empire World-wide economic problems Unrest in the middle east Preparation for the new Jewish temple in Israel Oil discovered in Israel Anti-semitism will rise dramatically.
As you can see the time is ripe. Many people feel a God who is loving and kind would not turn on mankind for their mistakes. God is love, and slow to anger, but do not doubt the degree of his wrath. Many people will not survive the tribulation period, and despite God's attempt to "convert" them to believers, many will resist to the very end and indeed perish. God has allowed 6000 years since Adam for the world to accept Him as their creator. For many, the Tribulation will be the time God finally gets their attention.
The events that will occur (in a nutshell) are in order as follows:
Timeline In a Nutshell
Tlie Bible prophesies a seven-year period that will immediately precede the Battle of Armageddon. It is at Armageddon when Jesus returns to earth to establish His 1,000-year reign of peace. The beginning of the final seven years will be triggered by an event called "the confirmation of the covenant." The one-world leader known as the Antichrist is the one who will confirm the covenant, but most of the world will probably be unaware of this development when it happens. In fact, the confirmation of the treaty my even be secret. Within three and one-half years after the confirmation of the covenant, a Jewish temple will be completed on the Temple Mount and animal sacrifices will be resumed there. This could be a building or a temporary structure like a tent used in the old testament.
Halfway through the final seven years, the Antichrist will be revealed. At the time of his revealing, he will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be God. This event is called the abomination of desolation. The occurrence of the abomination of desolation will signal the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the reign of the Antichrist. His reign will last for the final three and one-half years, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The anti-christ will be a very charasmatic leader, initially a man of peace. He will mimic the actions of Christ in his distorted way. He will be indwelled by Satan during the Great Tribulation. The Bible seems to indicate he might have recovered from a fatal head wound and may have a vision problem in one eye and a disabled arm as a result.
To the non-believer, this sounds like the plot to a Hollywood movie script. Remember, this prophecy was given thousands of years ago... before any of these things made sense or were known.
How do we know these things?
The prophecy concerning the final seven years is found in Daniel 9:27.
From this single scripture and other prophecies explaining this scripture, we are able to know most of the major events that will occur in the final seven years. Now let's discover the keys that will unlock our understanding of Daniel 9:27.
The prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 states that 70 weeks are determined upon the Jewish people. In this prophecy, each day equals a year. Consequently, this prophecy covers 70 weeks of years, or 490 years. Let's pause for a moment to explain how we know that each day equals a year.
According to Daniel 9:27, the abomination of desolation occurs in the middle of the 70th week. Jesus said that the abomination of desolation would be the event that triggers the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). The Great Tribulation then lasts for 3 1/2 years. We know this from Daniel 7:25, Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 13:5. Revelation 13:5 clearly states that power was given to the beast (the Antichrist) to continue for 42 months.
The gap between 69th and 70th week
One of the points of greatest controversy concerning Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy is the gap theory. This teaching states that there is a gap between the 69th and 70th week of the prophecy. That is the reason the 70 weeks were broken up into 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week.
Daniel 9:26 tells us that after 7 weeks and "...threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off..." This cutting off is obviously referring to the crucifixion of Jesus. It also states that, after the 69th week, "...the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."
The crucifixion of Jesus happened somewhere between 27 AD and 37 AD. The city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 70 AD by the armies of Rome, led by General Titus. Both of these things were prophesied to happen before the beginning of the 70th week. Consequently, it is obvious that there has to be a gap between the 69th and the 70th week. This is the time of the gentiles. It is also called the 'Church Age' and 'The Age of Grace' by some. When the 70th week resumes, things will turn to a jewish perspective as this is God's chosen people and he will complete his work through them.
How long is the gap?
It is very clear from the prophecy that the crucifixion marked the end of the 69th week-the end of 483 years. But what event signals the beginning of the final seven-year period
Daniel 9:27 clearly states that it is the confirmation of the covenant that begins the final seven years of Daniel's 70 Weeks prophecy. We will soon prove that it is the Antichrist of the endtime that will confirm the covenant. Since the Antichrist has not yet appeared on the world scene, we know that the last seven year period has not yet begun. The gap presently stands at around 1,99X years and counting.
What will the covenant be?
Before we can understand what the confirmation of the covenant is, we need to know what the covenant is. It appears that the covenant that is to be confirmed refers to Israel's right to the land of Israel and to Jerusalem. God first entered into this covenant in Genesis 15:18. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."
On May 19, 1993, the nation of Israel adopted a document called the Jerusalem Covenant. It is presently displayed in a beautiful glass case on the main floor of the Israeli Knesset. This Covenant states that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the nation of Israel. It affirms that Jerusalem must never again be divided or surrendered. The Jerusalem Covenant concludes with the famous words of King David, "If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy (Psalms 137:6).
During the Tribulation, three and one-half years after the covenant is confirmed, a Jewish temple will have been re-established and animal sacrifices will have been resumed. From this we can conclude that the covenant and its confirmation will affect the status of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. This strengthens the probability that the covenant is God's promise that placed Jerusalem under Israel's control.
What is the confirmation of the covenant?
We can't say for certain, at this time, what the confirmation of the covenant will actually be. Many have speculated that it will be a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians. However, it appears that this may not happen. We know this because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues throughout the great tribulation. The center of the conflict is the West Bank, which is also known as Judea and Samaria. Jesus pinpointed Judea as the center of the great tribulation in Matthew 24:16.
The more likely scenario would be an understanding concerning the Temple Mount between Israel and the Antichrist. The seemingly unsolvable problem in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the status of the Temple Mount. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, in an attempt to solve this problem suggested placing the Temple Mount under United Nations control. He proposed that, under this arrangement, both Jews and Muslims would be able to worship there.
Who confirms the covenant?
Some have contended that the "he" who confirms the covenant for seven years is Jesus Christ Himself. However, this cannot possibly be true. Since Messiah was to be cut off and Jerusalem destroyed after the 69th week, Jesus was gone from the earth before the 70th week could possibly have begun. Daniel 9:27 states that the "he" who confirms the covenant also causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease and is responsible for the abomination of desolation.
Daniel 11:30-31 proves that it is the Antichrist who takes away the daily sacrifice and places the abomination of desolation. Notice what it says: "And arms shall stand on his (the Antichrist's) part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries..." So we know for certain that it is the Antichrist who will confirm the covenant.
Why should we believe the final seven years is near?
For 2,000 long years, Israel has been estranged from the city of Jerusalem. To build a temple on the Temple Mount has been totally out of the realm of possibility. However, Israel's Supreme Court recently ruled that Gershon Solomon and his Temple Mount Faithful movement could conduct a symbolic cornerstonelaying for the building of the Third Temple. They were not permitted to do it on the Temple Mount because the Supreme Court knew that would unleash terrible bloodshed. However, they did permit the ceremony to be held just outside the walls of the Old City near the Temple Mount.
The Muslims became very upset at even this symbolic gesture. They began to throw rocks down onto the Jewish worshipers praying at the Wailing Wall. Four hundred Israeli police knocked down the door of the Temple Mount. Fifteen Palestinians and fifteen Israelis were injured in the resulting melee. The smallest dispute over the Temple Mount inevitably throws Israel and the Palestinians into violence.
When Yasser Arafat, Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton met at Camp David in July of 2000, the issue that reportedly kept the Palestinians and the Israelis apart was disagreement concerning the Temple Mount. Simply stated, the Temple Mount has become the center of the Middle East conflict. And the Temple Mount and the building of the Third Temple are the very issues that will trigger the final seven years to Armageddon
Here is ground zero for the coming conflict that ushers in the return of Christ:
The Bible actually describes the time leading up to the Tribulation as birth pains. Just before a women is to deliver her child, she goes through some trying, difficult moments which are really just a taste of what is to come during the actual birth. In the same way, there will be world events that wake us to the fact that Tribulation like has never been seen before is about to occur. God will actually shorten this time frame because if He did not, no human would survive.
Mark 13:19-23 ...because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now-and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
The Tribulation
Luke 21:10-11 "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."
And that's just for starters! Actually, this is a very serious time for mankind. It will be the worst the world has ever experienced. Although we are probably experiencing the 'birthpains' of this period, the actual 7 year timeline will begin on the year 6000. (Remember that we are somewhere between 5985 and 5999 today). Let's back up a bit to get a better look at the beginning of this time.
Leading up to this time are significant prophecies that have been fulfilled, one of the major ones being the formation of Israel as a "state" or "nation" as directed in the Bible and which occurred in 1948. There are some who believe this prophecy actually refers to the Taking of Jeruselem in 1968 during the Yom Kippur war. In either case, we cannot avoid the excitement the Bible proclaims following this event. The book says the generation that sees Israel become a nation will live to see the events of Christ's second coming! That generation is alive today.
The events which lead up to the tribulation include a shift toward global political and economic unity. One only needs to pick up the daily paper to see news about the "new world order". The Bible states that there will be a 10 nation union composed of the revised Roman Empire that will come to power near the "end times". People have cried out in the past that various governments and unions were "the" 10 nation group the Bible quotes. One of the biggest "scares" was the area of domain that Hitler ruled. Others have claimed it to be the U.N. nations. Make no mistake... the Roman empire has not been revived since its downfall about 2000 years ago. That is until today!
It is important to note that for the first time in history, the old Roman Empire has been "rebuilt". After nearly a decade of negotiations on January 1, 1993 the very powerful European Community or "EC" began its rule. Never before has their been a re-joining of the original Roman Empire countries into a unified power. In fact, the new EU contract was built on the "treaty of Rome" foundation and references the old empire as it's roots. This is indeed the 'revived Roman empire'. The Bible says the number of nations will grow to 13 or more, but the final number will be 10.
As of December 10th, 1991, the EC nations agreed in a 15 hour meeting in the Netherlands to adopt a one bank/one currency by. Earlier in 1991, the "EC Mark" was created and it will be required to be on every item entering or leaving the EC. This is not predicted fiction, it is already history. In January of 2002, the EC adopted a single currency for all countries.
Interesting Side Note: I was in Rome in 2004. The day we were leaving to return to the states the heads of all the EU nations were coming to sign the final 'Treaty of Rome'. I heard from a taxi cab driver "the signing of this document has been delayed for quite some time, but they were finally able to remove every single reference of God from the documents and that is why they are here today". The anti-christ will (likely) come out of a EU country and it is interesting to me that these nations have gone out of the way to remove any reference to God from the founding documents.
The Pope at the time was also very upset with the signing of this treaty. Rome is known as the city on 7 hills. The leaders chose one of these important historical hills to be the location where they signed the new contract for the EU. They chose the ONLY hill (one of 7) where the Judeo-Christian God has NOT been worshipped. It was the only location that has only had idol worship... again a slap in the face to Christianity and the significant role the Catholic church has played in the city of Rome.
You will also learn that during the Tribulation, a leader of a 'corrputed church' will team up with the false christ to do 'signs and wonders' to manuipulate the world. That leader will come from 'the city on 7 hills' according to the prophecy of the Bible. It seems to point to the city of Rome.
The site picked for all economic interests and a universal bank is Brussels Belgium. It is interesting to note that the largest computer in the world is located in Brussels which has the current capacity to generate 4 trillion pieces of information every second for every person in the world. By fate, plan or coincidence, it was nicknamed "the beast" several years ago. If you recall, the bible has alot to say about the word "beast". A one-bank, one-mark, cashless society is scheduled for completion by the EC within 5 years. This power group will be so strong, markets of the west and east will no doubt be forced to join out of necessity.
You may recall the Bible stating that during the tribulation, no man will be able to buy or sell without the 'mark of the beast'. We are certainly heading in that direction. This New World Order formed out of the EC will affect all major markets around the world. It is out of this union of nations that the "man of peace" (eventually the False-Christ) will appear.
This will be a time of trouble and tension in the world, especially in the middle east. In fact, nearly all of the unfulfilled prophecy in the Bible will center around Israel. A great leader will either come up with or confirm a wonderfully designed peace plan to settle the problems between the Jews and the Muslims. He will be admired by the whole world as a man of peace, and will confirm a 7 year contract for peace.
Unfortunately, this will be a false peace, and in fact he will break this contract after 3 1/2 years. The following must exist prior to the Tribulation:
A unified group of nations from the old Roman Empire World-wide economic problems Unrest in the middle east Preparation for the new Jewish temple in Israel Oil discovered in Israel Anti-semitism will rise dramatically.
As you can see the time is ripe. Many people feel a God who is loving and kind would not turn on mankind for their mistakes. God is love, and slow to anger, but do not doubt the degree of his wrath. Many people will not survive the tribulation period, and despite God's attempt to "convert" them to believers, many will resist to the very end and indeed perish. God has allowed 6000 years since Adam for the world to accept Him as their creator. For many, the Tribulation will be the time God finally gets their attention.
The events that will occur (in a nutshell) are in order as follows:
1. A group of 10+ nations united and powerful
2. Signing of a 7 year peace contract
3. War, famine, economic fall and pestilences occur
4. Believers in Christ disappear from earth (Rapture)
5. Wrath of God on non-believers takes place
6. Christ's second coming to Armegeddon7. A millenium of peace
Timeline In a Nutshell
Tlie Bible prophesies a seven-year period that will immediately precede the Battle of Armageddon. It is at Armageddon when Jesus returns to earth to establish His 1,000-year reign of peace. The beginning of the final seven years will be triggered by an event called "the confirmation of the covenant." The one-world leader known as the Antichrist is the one who will confirm the covenant, but most of the world will probably be unaware of this development when it happens. In fact, the confirmation of the treaty my even be secret. Within three and one-half years after the confirmation of the covenant, a Jewish temple will be completed on the Temple Mount and animal sacrifices will be resumed there. This could be a building or a temporary structure like a tent used in the old testament.
Halfway through the final seven years, the Antichrist will be revealed. At the time of his revealing, he will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be God. This event is called the abomination of desolation. The occurrence of the abomination of desolation will signal the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the reign of the Antichrist. His reign will last for the final three and one-half years, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The anti-christ will be a very charasmatic leader, initially a man of peace. He will mimic the actions of Christ in his distorted way. He will be indwelled by Satan during the Great Tribulation. The Bible seems to indicate he might have recovered from a fatal head wound and may have a vision problem in one eye and a disabled arm as a result.
To the non-believer, this sounds like the plot to a Hollywood movie script. Remember, this prophecy was given thousands of years ago... before any of these things made sense or were known.
How do we know these things?
The prophecy concerning the final seven years is found in Daniel 9:27.
"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
From this single scripture and other prophecies explaining this scripture, we are able to know most of the major events that will occur in the final seven years. Now let's discover the keys that will unlock our understanding of Daniel 9:27.
The prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 states that 70 weeks are determined upon the Jewish people. In this prophecy, each day equals a year. Consequently, this prophecy covers 70 weeks of years, or 490 years. Let's pause for a moment to explain how we know that each day equals a year.
According to Daniel 9:27, the abomination of desolation occurs in the middle of the 70th week. Jesus said that the abomination of desolation would be the event that triggers the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). The Great Tribulation then lasts for 3 1/2 years. We know this from Daniel 7:25, Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 13:5. Revelation 13:5 clearly states that power was given to the beast (the Antichrist) to continue for 42 months.
So, if the reign of the Antichrist and his Great Tribulation lasts for 3 1/2 years, then the last half of the 70th week equals 3 1/2 years. Of course, the first half would be the same as the last half. From this we know that a week in this prophecy refers to a week of years, or seven years.
The gap between 69th and 70th week
One of the points of greatest controversy concerning Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy is the gap theory. This teaching states that there is a gap between the 69th and 70th week of the prophecy. That is the reason the 70 weeks were broken up into 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week.
Daniel 9:26 tells us that after 7 weeks and "...threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off..." This cutting off is obviously referring to the crucifixion of Jesus. It also states that, after the 69th week, "...the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."
The crucifixion of Jesus happened somewhere between 27 AD and 37 AD. The city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 70 AD by the armies of Rome, led by General Titus. Both of these things were prophesied to happen before the beginning of the 70th week. Consequently, it is obvious that there has to be a gap between the 69th and the 70th week. This is the time of the gentiles. It is also called the 'Church Age' and 'The Age of Grace' by some. When the 70th week resumes, things will turn to a jewish perspective as this is God's chosen people and he will complete his work through them.
How long is the gap?
It is very clear from the prophecy that the crucifixion marked the end of the 69th week-the end of 483 years. But what event signals the beginning of the final seven-year period
Daniel 9:27 clearly states that it is the confirmation of the covenant that begins the final seven years of Daniel's 70 Weeks prophecy. We will soon prove that it is the Antichrist of the endtime that will confirm the covenant. Since the Antichrist has not yet appeared on the world scene, we know that the last seven year period has not yet begun. The gap presently stands at around 1,99X years and counting.
What will the covenant be?
Before we can understand what the confirmation of the covenant is, we need to know what the covenant is. It appears that the covenant that is to be confirmed refers to Israel's right to the land of Israel and to Jerusalem. God first entered into this covenant in Genesis 15:18. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."
On May 19, 1993, the nation of Israel adopted a document called the Jerusalem Covenant. It is presently displayed in a beautiful glass case on the main floor of the Israeli Knesset. This Covenant states that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the nation of Israel. It affirms that Jerusalem must never again be divided or surrendered. The Jerusalem Covenant concludes with the famous words of King David, "If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy (Psalms 137:6).
During the Tribulation, three and one-half years after the covenant is confirmed, a Jewish temple will have been re-established and animal sacrifices will have been resumed. From this we can conclude that the covenant and its confirmation will affect the status of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. This strengthens the probability that the covenant is God's promise that placed Jerusalem under Israel's control.
What is the confirmation of the covenant?
We can't say for certain, at this time, what the confirmation of the covenant will actually be. Many have speculated that it will be a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians. However, it appears that this may not happen. We know this because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues throughout the great tribulation. The center of the conflict is the West Bank, which is also known as Judea and Samaria. Jesus pinpointed Judea as the center of the great tribulation in Matthew 24:16.
The more likely scenario would be an understanding concerning the Temple Mount between Israel and the Antichrist. The seemingly unsolvable problem in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the status of the Temple Mount. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, in an attempt to solve this problem suggested placing the Temple Mount under United Nations control. He proposed that, under this arrangement, both Jews and Muslims would be able to worship there.
If the World Community did end up controlling the Temple Mount, that would explain why the Antichrist, as the international leader of the world, will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be in control there ...even claiming to be God. The Bible prophesies that he will do exactly that (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). So the confirmation of the covenant will apparently consist of the Antichrist and the World Community agreeing to Israel's presence on the Temple Mount, even to the extent of allowing the build of Israel's Third Temple.
Who confirms the covenant?
Some have contended that the "he" who confirms the covenant for seven years is Jesus Christ Himself. However, this cannot possibly be true. Since Messiah was to be cut off and Jerusalem destroyed after the 69th week, Jesus was gone from the earth before the 70th week could possibly have begun. Daniel 9:27 states that the "he" who confirms the covenant also causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease and is responsible for the abomination of desolation.
Daniel 11:30-31 proves that it is the Antichrist who takes away the daily sacrifice and places the abomination of desolation. Notice what it says: "And arms shall stand on his (the Antichrist's) part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries..." So we know for certain that it is the Antichrist who will confirm the covenant.
Why should we believe the final seven years is near?
For 2,000 long years, Israel has been estranged from the city of Jerusalem. To build a temple on the Temple Mount has been totally out of the realm of possibility. However, Israel's Supreme Court recently ruled that Gershon Solomon and his Temple Mount Faithful movement could conduct a symbolic cornerstonelaying for the building of the Third Temple. They were not permitted to do it on the Temple Mount because the Supreme Court knew that would unleash terrible bloodshed. However, they did permit the ceremony to be held just outside the walls of the Old City near the Temple Mount.
The Muslims became very upset at even this symbolic gesture. They began to throw rocks down onto the Jewish worshipers praying at the Wailing Wall. Four hundred Israeli police knocked down the door of the Temple Mount. Fifteen Palestinians and fifteen Israelis were injured in the resulting melee. The smallest dispute over the Temple Mount inevitably throws Israel and the Palestinians into violence.
When Yasser Arafat, Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton met at Camp David in July of 2000, the issue that reportedly kept the Palestinians and the Israelis apart was disagreement concerning the Temple Mount. Simply stated, the Temple Mount has become the center of the Middle East conflict. And the Temple Mount and the building of the Third Temple are the very issues that will trigger the final seven years to Armageddon
Here is ground zero for the coming conflict that ushers in the return of Christ:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
