Sequence of Eschatological Events

Part II: Explaining the transition from the Sixth Trumpet Era to the Seventh

By: Jim Wylder, ©2008

 

Preface

For the non-Christian that was told he or she would have to suffer seven years of great tribulation, when in fact that suffering would be somewhat less than three and a half years, would this not add much to the psychological aghast to that unbeliever?  Would that not be cruel?  This very simple conundrum is the crux of my developing the precise timeline of God’s eschatological events.

 

The timeline of God’s History for mankind, up to the day of Pentecost, has been adequately developed by Brother Harold Camping of Family Radio Incorporated; and it is at that point I break from his teachings, especially in the area of eschatology.  God’s timeline for the Church age, up to the introduction of the Laodicean Church type about circa 1900, has been adequately developed by the newly formed 19^th century dispensationalists.  Unfortunately, their systematic theology that followed, countering liberalization and introducing a fundamentalism movement, found oversimplification in the eschatological timeline that was about to unfold.  It has left many in the fundamental and evangelical movement a distorted picture of the end times, with unresolved theories becoming a continuum.  Much confusion has plagued the church, when in fact the eschatological era has relatively little to do with them.  This dissertation seeks to correct misconceptions.

 

Pastor Norman B. Harrison authored a very wise book which saw publication a few months prior to the grave events of Pearl Harbor.  It was written at a time Europe was embroiled in the Second World War.  Pastor Harrison saw clearly the effects of the prior world war; and he found much of those two epochs fulfilling the opening troughs of the revelation after the introduction of the Laodicean-type church.  He found the many birth pangs spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ in His Olivet Discourse. He noted a unique time interval between these two great conflagration epochs.  But most succinctly, he noted that humanism had began concurring the nations, concurring but not killing, a rider on a white horse with a bow, but no arrows.  That rider rides today with his other counterparts.

 

To be detailed more princely herein from the Word of God, let us consider the basic course of events in God’s timeline from the end of the Church age unto His Second coming.  It must be mentioned here up front, that after the take up of the true body of believers with Him in the Air, all eschatological events on earth have to do principally with Israel, the whole house of Israel; not limited to the House of Judah, nor modern day national Israel.  That notion must be clearly embraced.  It become important we who believe in the Word of God, understand it clearly, to give those left behind a proper understanding of what will be before them, the hope they can enjoy and the victory that will be all ours.  We believers have an obligation not to introduce undue aghast into an already troubled time by introducing false interpretations of things to come.

 

In a nutshell, about the time of the first Zionist Convention of 1897, humanism which had always been present throughout mankind, and rose in academic thought in the 1800s, began to take hold in the psyche of western powers and politics.  It began with the Liberal movement.  Fundamentalism countered soon after, but that first rider on the white horse, with a bow but no arrow, went forth conquering the hearts and minds of mankind.  The fall of the Ottoman Turks (Islam’s benefactor) made way for future wars that will begin in the greater region.  And we had seen that rider on the red horse begin his ride with a conflict that went global; heretofore a global conflict was unheard of.  This was consistent with Christ admonition of Kingdoms against Kingdoms, nations against nations.  Precisely, a global conflict was seen for the first time.  The Great War (WWI) saw the other riders of the apocalypse; such as plagues, famine.

 

Then there was silence in heaven for about a half hour.  It had been suggested the time interval between the two wars may have fulfilled this prophecy.  That is considering a thousand years on earth is like a day in heaven.  A half hour in heaven precisely equates to 20 years, 304 days, 8 hours and 13 minutes.  Then this author discovered that was the precise time from General Allenby signing an armistices agreement with the Ottoman Turks to the time Hitler began firing on the port of Gdansk and from the air over Poland.  It is too remarkable of fact to ignore.  Thereafter we have see the fulfillment of the first five trumpet events unfold during the Second World War, including the dropping of an atomic devise which plagued mankind for the next 60 years.

 

The sounding of the sixth trumpet opened the era of the sixth trumpet.  This is the second woe of the Revelation that will proceed unto the third, the great tribulation.  Four angelic messages from God are to proceed forth.  The first was the 1948-49 Arab-Israeli was which victory was given to the small fledging nation despite overwhelming odd.   God message was that Israel was to be protected yet given an opportunity to finish their transgressions; Israel had formed essentially a secular government.  The second message was the same in their victory in the six day war of 1967, where the fledging nation regained Jerusalem; all at God’s hand.  And again in 1973, with an unprecedented overwhelming odd against them, saw the Yom Kippur War, again saved at the hand of God.  National Israel remains principally secular, and God has a final saving message for them.  It will see an invasion from the north and the east; one that will see nuclear warfare, one that will involve well beyond the region, perhaps the entire world.  For we are told that on third of mankind will perish in that conflagration.

 

So how does all this fit in the light of the Prophet Daniel, Ezekiel, and John’s vision on the island of Patmos?  We must begin with the standard, the very precise spoken word of our Lord Jesus Christ.  His Olivet discourse.  There he answers his disciples when and how these things will be.  It is an outline that cannot be ignored or misapplied.  The prophecies of the three seers must be viewed in the contest of Christ discourse.  Let us begin with Daniel’s two great eschatological prophecies.

 

 

DURATION OF THE GREAT TRUBULATION

 

In clear and precise language, the duration of the great tribulation is defined as follows:

 

"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will have been rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will have awoke, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt…

 

Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river.   And one said to the man dressed in linen, which was above the waters of the river, ‘How long will it be until the end of these wonders?’  I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.”  [Daniel 12:1-2, 5-7]

 

“A time, times and half of time” is once plus twice plus a half, or three and a half.  This is consistent with the time of the Beast in John’s vision at Patmos (1260 days), which is roughly three and a half years.

 

The Word of God, given to us through the Prophet Daniel, is precise and unambiguous as to the duration of the time of distress that will occur at the end of the age.  Those who suggest a seven year period due to an out of context misread of Daniel 9:27 are creating a grave injustice to those who will have to suffer through the period, adding more aghast to an already troublesome time.  Now some will suggest (because they wish not to abandon that which they had been indoctrinated falsely, pride; or they believe authors of traditional dispensationalism or systematic theology are equal to the word of God, educated and esteemed, and ignore the above precise Word of God) that when you add to the time of the beast the time for the ministry of the two witnesses, you have seven years of tribulation.  To those I remind, we live in the age of the Laodicean Church, where many will prophesy falsely; and urge them to return to a Berean mindset. 

 

One must grasp the reason and the period of the ministry of the two witnesses.  The Church has been taken.  Israel and pagan Gentiles inhabit the planet.  Son of Israel will fall, or had fallen, into great apostasy; some return to the Mosaic faith.  Verse 11 of Daniel 12 alludes to regular sacrifice is re-instituted.  Then, with remarkable precision, Daniel tells us that from the abolishment of that sacrificial service, 1290 days remain.  It is clear, when the Antichrist kills the two witnesses, at the end of there 1260 day mission; we have three and a half years of tribulation to follow.  No where in scriptures will one find a reference to great tribulation until these two men from God are killed in the streets of Jerusalem.  The period of the two witnesses are nothing more than the later birth pangs spoken of by our Lord in His Olivet Discourse.  To suggest otherwise, is to be adding words to the prophecy; a damnable offense.

 

Another indication that the period of the two witnesses is NOT the great tribulation is found in the following verse:

 

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, F93 times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. [Daniel 12:7, KJV]

 

Here we see that it is that time, times and half of time of great tribulation that scatters the power of the holy people, that is —all Israel, nothing here suggests the ministry of two witnesses from God scatters the power of Israel.

 

The 70 Week Prophecy of Daniel 9[1]

The crux of my Doctoral Thesis/Dissertation

 

 

When Israel came into the land of Canaan, they were to observe that first year as a Sabbath Year.   God’s Law for Israel given to Moses on Mount Sinai stated in Leviticus 25:2:

 

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the LORD.

 

Following this seven years, they were to continue observing a Sabbath Year every six year until seven periods of seven years had elapsed.  We read in Leviticus 25:8:

 

And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

 

After these forty-nine years had ended, the next year, which was the fiftieth year, was to be a Jubilee Year.  The Bible declares in Leviticus 25:10:

 

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

 

Thus, the Jubilee was a year in length.  Moreover, as this verse indicates, it was a day (time, year) when liberty was to be proclaimed throughout all the land.

 

            History has well established the Exodus from Egypt occurred in 1447 BCE, and the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.  Since the first Jubilee year was the Israel came into the land of Canaan, in 1407 BCE, ever fifty years thereafter would be a Jubilee year: 1357, 1307, 1257, etc.  All the people of Israel understood this teaching from the Torah.  The idiom of seven sevens was well known to the nation at the time the Prophet Daniel put to pen the seventy week covenant given by Lord of Israel; a covenant for Israel to finish their transgressions.

 

           

The prophecy of Daniel’s 70 weeks is perhaps the most misunderstood prophecy in scriptures; at least it is the one that enjoins theories ad nauseam.   Some interpreter of Daniel 9:24-27 suggest that by adding 7 weeks to the 62 weeks, 69 weeks of years is intended scriptural prophecy; please be aware it is a grave err.  Nothing in scriptures is given to suggest that; yet your secular arithmetic teacher may suggest you do so.  Ever word in scriptures has meaning.  God puts every nuance in the Word for reason.  Unfortunately, many just skip over the nuance of seven sevens then 62 weeks as some enigma.  Enigma it is not.  Its significance is not to be ignored.  Yet many are not reading the later portion of Daniel 9 in context; they are adding words to the prophecy that are not there (such as arithmetic addition).  These are, bluntly stated, false prophets.  And we have been forewarned to become aware of these (some well intentioned yet reckless) in the later days.  There is a very good reason Daniel used the term seven sevens, then 62 weeks, and not a summed 69 weeks.  We will see this more clearly below.  Let us look at Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks as best we can in the English:

 

 

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

 

25. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall [another reading: seal up sins], even in troublous times.

 

26. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

 

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. [KJV]

 

Again, words have meaning; every word in the Bible has meaning.  They have purpose, and the nuance should never be dismissed.  First notice the covenant.  It is given to us in verse 24.  It is the only convent given in context of this prophecy.  To introduce another, is reading into the words of this prophecy.  But not, the New American Standard has a more proper translation of vss. 24-25 from the original text

 

24. "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy {place.} 

25. " So you are to know and discern {that} from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince {there will be} seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza {Another reading is "seal up sins"} and moat, even in times of distress.

 

Note clearly, that the commencement of the 70 week period begins after a decree to bring the LAW back to the city of Jerusalem.  It in no way suggest the rebuilding of a temple.  A temple is never mentioned in the contest of Daniel 9:24-27, nor any verses preceding this prophecy.  To introduce the notion of rebuilding of a temple is to add words to the prophecy of 70 weeks.

 

Here is the gross error promulgated as early as C.I. Scofield, the Dallas Theological Seminary, and their ilk ever since.  Note, no where in the Scriptures dose it indicated to add the first seven weeks to the 62 weeks.  To do so would violate the very meaning of the seven sevens know to Daniel and his people.

 

The First 69 Weeks (Dan 9:25), a very specific prediction occurs in verse 25:

 

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25

 

“This includes a mathematical prophecy,” so say the seven year spin Doctors. STOP! Scriptures does NOT indicate a mathematical prophecy.  It suggests a calendar prophecy, one that begins with a Jubilee period (the included seven sevens for that very reason) and then a contagious 62 week period.  There is no suggestion to add the seven and 62 weeks together contagiously.  That is reading into the words of the prophecy.  It is putting words into the mouth of our Lord.  How presumptuous can one be?  How distasteful.

 

“As we have noted in previous articles,” say the spin Doctors, “the Jewish (and Babylonian) calendars used a 360-day year; 69 weeks of 360-day years totals 173,880 days. In effect, Gabriel told Daniel that the interval between the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem until the presentation of the Messiah as King would be 173,880 days.”  So what if the Babylonian and Jewish calendars use a 360 day year, which by the way have additions added to catch up with the lunar and solar epochs.  Daniel 9 does not suggest, nor alludes to an account of number of days.  He speaks only of weeks of years.  To consider days, is to add to the word of the prophecy and glean the wrath of such false prophecy.

 

“Bull's-Eye!,” says one spin Doctor.  He continues: “The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus on March 14, 445 B.C.5 (The emphasis in the verse on "the street" and "the wall" was to avoid confusion with other earlier mandates confined to rebuilding the Temple.)”  Here, the spin Doctor misses the very point of the decree found in verse 24, that was to bring the LAW back to Jerusalem.  It has absolutely to do with rebuilding the temple nor any physical walls or streets.  Rather, it was to rebuild a spiritual path (street) to the Word of our Lord.  We have seen in the late 19^th and throughout the 20^th century numerous similar rendering of 69 contiguous weeks, many beginning with the order to or rebuilding of the Temple itself.  Temples, physical streets or walls is erroneous interpretation.  A path to the Law is what is indicated.  Thes sages prior to the Dispensational movement which began in earnest by John Nelson Darby will confirm otherwise.  Temple, as others have suggested, is never mention in Daniel 9:24-27; and to interject such a notion is adding words to the prophecy, thereby giving false prophecy.

 

“During the ministry of Jesus Christ there were several occasions in which the people attempted to promote Him as king, but He carefully avoided it: "Mine hour is not yet come", so advance by the spin Doctors”  That is true, however it has nothing to do with Daniel’s 70th week.

 

The spin Doctors further advance the Triumphal Entry.  “Then, one day, He meticulously arranges it.  On this particular day he rode into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey, deliberately fulfilling a prophecy by Zechariah that the Messiah would present Himself as king in just that way:

 

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

 

And they cite various other verses to focus your attention to the Death and Resurrection of the Messiah.  However, they are playing a slight of hand and eluding you from the true import of Daniel 9:27.  They conclude, “When we examine the period between March 14, 445 B.C. and April 6, 32 A.D., and correct for leap years, we discover that it is 173,880 days exactly, to the very day!” How convenient, yet how misleading.  Now they suggest the remaining seven years of Daniel’s 70th week is the future tribulation.  Their claim, based on their false premise, “There is a remaining seven-year period to be fulfilled. This period is the most documented period in the entire Bible. The Book of Revelation, Chapters 6 through 19, is essentially a detailing of that climactic period.”

 

If you consider any of previously “spin” interpretations correct, then one has to ask themselves very honestly: why did Daniel first mention seven sevens and then 62 weeks?  Why did he not just say 69 weeks?  The words are there for a reason, they have meaning.

 

The 69 week-ers do not understand the aforementioned Jewish idiom of seven sevens.  They fail in their Biblical interpretation.  They ignore the nuance that is straight before them.  From the modern day English mistranslations, and misguidance in seminaries, they have failed to embrace the very Hebraic or Aramaic syntax of the Prophet who penned the Word as our Lord had given them; that is, the words seven sevens that is right before their eyes. Unfortunately, today’s men of the pulpit have little or no knowledge of the idiom.  Even more disgusting, they ignore the presence of the idiom in the 70 week prophecy of Daniel completely.

 

Therefore, reading the prophecy in context and with the idiomatic understanding, we have the first 50 years of Daniels 70 week prophecy running a complete Jubilee period.  It is the first Jubilee period that runs entirely after Ezra brings the Law back to Jerusalem.  The prophecy gives no allusion to a rebuilding of a temple.  The later would be reading into the prophecy which has grave consequences for those who do so.  The year following this Jubilee year of the seven seven period, the 62 weeks of Daniels prophecy begins.  Now you have the proper foundation in understanding the prophecy of 70 weeks.  Don’t be adding 69 consecutive weeks, or 483 years to a year that has nothing to do with the prophecy.  To do so would be a false prophet.

 

From our knowledge of history, we know that Ezra returned to Jerusalem in 458 BCE bringing the LAW with him.  Previously, the returned former captives of Judah had lost copies of the Law while in captivity.  Ezra was commanded by the Lord to rewrite the Scriptures.  He did so, and took them to Jerusalem.  The year following his return was a Jubilee year.  The very next Jubilee period following Ezra’s return ran from 456 BCE to 407 BCE.  That is the seven sevens Daniel prophesied, and that is the seven sevens ever man and woman in Judah would have understood.  Unfortunately, modern pundits do not look at the scriptures from the viewpoint of the writer and the readers of the time.  They like to make things up that fits their worldview; in so doing, they add to the words of the prophecy, and are in essence, false prophets.

 

Now add 62 weeks, or 434 years to the year 406 BCE and we run up to 29 AD, the very year our Lord began his work of Salvation.  It was at His Baptism, on the Day of Atonement in 29 AD, that the 70^th week of Daniel 9 commenced; NOT some time future.  It was IN THAT week that our Messiah was “cut off.”  He was cut off precisely 1335 days after his baptism, when He gave us the Holy Comforter.  How do we know this? How do we know this with such precision?

 

September 25, 29 AD, is a very special date.  This is because September 25 is Tishri 1, and Tishri 1 is the date of the very first day of the seventh month.  Concerning this day, we read in Leviticus 23:23-25:

 

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

 

We can be absolutely certain that it was on this day of the first day of the seventh month in 29 AD that Jesus was baptized.  We can be absolutely certain because God had prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Daniel 12:12 that, “Blessed is he [the Messiah] that waiteth, and come to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”  How precisely the Bible gives information!

 

            The Hebrew word in Daniel 12:12 that is translated “cometh” in the King James Bible is used very interestingly in another place.  The word “cometh” used in Daniel 12:12 is the Hebrew word “naga.”   The same word “naga” is translated “tough” more than ninety times in phrases such as “the soul that shall tough any unclean thing” (Leviticus 7:21), and “an hand touched me” (Daniel 10:10).  But the same word “naga” is also translated “come” in a few places.  One of these places is extremely interesting because it is used in connection with the observance of feast days.  This citation is Ezra 3:1, where we read:

 

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

 

The word “come” is the Hebrew “naga” even as it is in Daniel 12:12.  In Ezra 3:6, God adds the words:

 

From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

 

            These verses historically relate the experiences of Israel in Daniel’s and Ezra’s days.  Spiritually, they point to Jesus who laid the foundation of the spiritual temple, by coming to His ministry and going to the cross.  The historical event recorded in Ezra Chapter 3 is, therefore, a portrait point to the baptism and announcement of Jesus as the Lamb that would take away the sins of the world.  Bothe in Ezra Chapter 3 and in Daniel 12:12, God is focusing on Tishri 1 which is the first day of the seventh month.  Three and one half years after Jesus was announced as the Lamb of God, the foundation of the (spiritual) temple would be laid by Jesus experiencing God’s wrath.

 

Since the word “come” used both in Ezra Chapter 3 and Daniel 12:12 ordinarily signifies “touch,” we can know that Daniel 12:12 is teaching that Christ as the Blessed One had to wait for the fullness of God’s timetable before He could come to, or be in touch with, the 1,335 days, which was the period of time when Jesus did all His work as Savior.  It began on the feast of Tishri 1 (Day of Atonement) in 29 AD and ended 1,335 days later on May 21, 33 AD when the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost.  How beautiful and harmonious is the Word of God!  How trustworthy are all the prophecies and numbers of the Bible!

 

Therefore we have not seven years remaining, but 1,222 (2557 – 1335) day left of Israel to finish their transgression.  This is consistent with Daniel’s other prophecy of a “time, times, and half of time.”  In any language, that is three and a half years,  NOT SEVEN.  To suggest seven would be adding words to the prophecy.  Revelation gives us the time of the beast: 1260 days.  That is tribulation.  To suggest the ministry of the two witnesses, or the ministry of our Lord should be added to this time, times and half of time to get seven years is adding words to the prophecy in the Revelation; and those who do so run the risk of the plagues of that prophecy.  Woe to them.  God word is perfect; only if you understand what was meant at the time it was written.

 

 

Remember, the prophecy of Daniel 9 is for Israel, not the Church.  The church will be well gone before this time, times and half of time commences.  In fact, the church will be gone before the ministry of the two witnesses, evidenced by Revelation 9:20-21, in which the body of Christ cannot be present among those described.

 

Rapture then seven years of tribulation...  utter nonsense, and false teaching to our friends of Israel.  Beware of false teachers; we were so warned.

 

THAT IS MY MESSAGE,

In Christ

 

Now by understanding that a 1,222 day period is a time for Israel to finish there transgressions, we can begin to put in proper context and juxtapose that which our Lord gave us in His Olivet Discourse with the vision of John of Patmos.  This time for Israel to finish their transgression, is consistent with the tribulation of those days.  It is consistent with Daniel’s precise statement of a time, times and half of time.  It is consistent with a period immediately prior to the Day of the Lord described by the Prophet Amos, but it is NOT consistent with the period of the two witnesses. 

 

The period of the two witnesses, then the tribulation of those days, are consistent with a time after the evangelical essence of the Church has been removed.  It is a time that begins with the Great Apostasy foretold by our Lord in His Olivet Discourse.  It is that Great Apostasy that sees the Lord sending his two witnesses to minister to Israel, at a time the Church can no longer do so.  This period of the two witnesses see the rise of the Antichrist, who kills the two and the end of their 1260 day ministry.  It is then the Antichrist is revealed, it is then the conditions for a great tribulation to unfold.  It is all in perfect order; given to us in the Word of God, and without the addition of some false premise such as a seven year tribulation.  To suggest a period of seven years would give many of those who were left behind to misunderstand their responsibility to call upon the name of the Lord.

 

 

SO WHAT IS NEXT?

From the standpoint of where we are now in God’s timeline of history.

 

We live now in the era of the Sixth Trumpet.  Proof of which can be found in my other essays.  The very next prophetic event yet to unfold is the killing of one third of mankind by the fire, the smoke, and brimstone (read nuclear warfare) instigated by Islamic forces once bound at the Great River Euphrates.  Since the aftermath of this conflagration describes those surviving as ones that could never be described as Christian (Rev. 9:20-21), the true Church will have been taken.

 

ON THE HORIZON

 

            Some have suggested the end of the world will end on or shortly thereafter May 21^st, 2011.  That comes from an Amillennialism argument.  The author subscribes to the commonly held, apostolic teaching, of a certain millennial Kingdom; and therefore believes in a premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Y’shua Ha Messiah).  This eschatologist also sees very clearly from the Word of God a pre-tribulation rapture of the true Church, not fro the reason given to us by dispensationalists (after Rev 4:1) but due to the absence of true believers in the description of those surviving the great conflagration that see the killing of one third of mankind by the fire, the smoke and the brimstone (see Rev. 9:20-21).  So what happens thereafter on earth?  We see the ministry of the two witnesses.  At the end of their ministry, they are killed by an Antichrist.  This Antichrist, as seen from Old Testament prophecies as well, forms a non-human government.  He is Satan incarnate, non-human.  Those who survived are forced to worship him.  There is no longer “human” government operating on the planet.  Remarkably, the year 2012 is the 7,000^th anniversary of God ordained human government.  While 2011 is 7,000 years from the flood, it is 2012 that is 7,000 years of human government.  It was in 4989 BCE Noah came out of the Ark and God gave us the Rainbow covenant, wherein we see the institution of human government.  I leave it to the reader and the Holy Spirit which concept, if either one, is a true indication of eschatological movements.

 

Let us look at the end times epochs given to us in the Bible.

 

1260 Days of the Two Witnesses:

 

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.  [Revelation 11:3, KJV]

 

Three and one half Days (4 days):

 

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. [Revelation 11:7-9]

 

1260 Day of the Beast:

 

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name  of blasphemy.  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. [Revelation 13: 1-7, KJV]

 

Here you have the consecutive epoch that ends with the tribulation of those days; that is from the Prophet Daniel, a time, times and half a time, the final 1260 days; the time of the Beast.  Careful reading of Daniel Chapter 12 demonstrates the words of the two witnesses, looking forward to that time, times and half of time.  Nowhere in Scriptures will one find a reference to a time, or that time, of witnessing as tribulation.  We know something more about that later 1260 epoch of the Beast.  We are told that there is a time for Israel to finish their transgressions.  Elsewhere in these writings, you will see the calendar of events for mankind given to us from the Word of God.  Seventy weeks.  Beginning with seven weeks, a unique Jubilee period, followed by 62 consecutive weeks ended with the Baptism of Jesus our Lord.  It was at that moment, when our Lord began is earthly ministry, Daniel’s seventieth week commenced.  And we know from Scriptures that He (our Lord and Savior) was cut off in the midst of that week; precisely 1335 days later as foretold in Daniel 12 verse 12.  Since seven years is 2557 days, there remains 1222 days for “Israel to finish their transgressions.”  This happens after the Church is taken up.  It happens after the two witnesses witness to Israel who was left behind.  This 1222 days ends when Israel call upon the name of the Lord, ending the tribulation of those days.  Careful reading of the Olivet Discourse, the very direct Words of our Lord to his disciples when question when will these thing be, we find that those things attributed to the Day of the Lord (cf. Amos), occur AFTER the tribulation of those days.  In other words, the Day of the Lord follows the tribulation of those days; after Israel calls upon the Name of the Lord and is HARVESTED before the threshing floor is taken in Day of the Lord judgments, such as the bowl judgments upon those whom never call upon the Name of the Lord.

 

Unfortunately, many misinformed folks and Biblical pundits have mistake the tribulation of those days with the Day of the Lord.  They miss the very teaching in the Olivet Discourse; proffering their own theories and ignoring the very Word of God.

 

So what else do we know of that period which re-starts Israel’s time to finish their transgressions?

 

1290 Days to end the abominations (plural) that causes desolation.

 

Note here, it is the one causing the other, we read:

 

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. [Daniel 12:11, KJV]

 

The time that the 1222 days are resumed, the daily sacrifice shall be taken away.  In other words, it is a time after the Church had been removed, and the two witnesses from God had been killed, lay dead in the street for almost 4 days, then resurrected.  There is no one remaining to give testimony to those of Israel who had not believed in the Name of our Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit, that which restraineth, has been removed: that is the sacrifice of our Lord, which had become our daily sacrifice, is removed from the planet.  Israel is left on the own to suffer the Beast.  This runs for 1290 days, or more saliently, for 68 days thereafter when Israel will have “called upon the Name of the Lord.”  This 1290 day period continues to run 68 day after the tribulation of those days.  But what happens next.  The return of our Lord and His set up of His millennial Kingdom.  It is this interim period, from the Harvest of those of Israel who called upon the Name of the Lord, to the time our Lord returns, that we see the judgments and cosmic disturbances, of the Day of the Lord.  Let us not forget the Olivet Discourse; those cosmic events occur AFTER the tribulation of those days.  Do no loose sight of that fact.  So there you have it, the end of those 1222 days for Israel to finish their transgression ends the tribulation of those days; but that is not to say all of that entire 1222 days is tribulation.  We are given more epochal evidence that nails down the precise duration of the tribulation.

 

1150 days for the sanctuary to be cleansed.

 

Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?  And he said unto me, unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. [Daniel 8: 11-14, KJV]

 

Here, the KJV is a mistranslation of the original Hebrew.  For it should read more properly:

 

It even magnified {itself} to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.  And on account of transgression the host will be given over {to the horn} along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform {its will} and prosper.  Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "  How long will the vision {about} the regular sacrifice apply, while  the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?"  He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings {and} mornings; then the holy place will be properly  restored." [Daniel 8: 11-14, NASB]

 

In the original Hebrew it is clear, we are looking at 2,300 even and morning sacrifices.  From the Torah, we know of these two sacrifices each day.  Therefore, it will be 1150 days for the sanctuary to be cleansed.  But when does that happen?  It happens only when Christ returns and set us His Kingdom on earth; that is after the aforementioned Day of the Lord where cosmic disturbances and judgments on those unbelievers are punished and removed.  So from these very Words of God, we can conclude that the tribulation of those days begins with the sacrifices REMOVED, and ends with the set up of the millennial Kingdom.  Calculating, that tribulation epoch must be 1150 days of the missing sanctuary minus the 68 day epoch for the Day of the Lord; that is 1082 days.  The tribulation of those days is of 1082 day in duration, well within the encompassing time, times and half of time; three and a half years (not seven, let the reader understand).

 

Remarkably, the Bible alone gives us this understanding.  Heretofore, no one had figured it out.  Why?  The Bible tells us.  In the later days, the end times, a time long after the musings of the dispensational sever year tribulationists, we are told that “knowledge will be increased.”  Your knowledge from the very Word of god has now been increased; and you should not be misled into some misguided treatment of Daniel 9 where an Antichrist comes and makes a seven year covenant.  The Prophet Daniel says no such thing.

 

Remarkably too, the early Christians knew of this calculated epoch.  Early Christens in the first Century were well aware of what the Apostles had told them.  They had left us with more testimony than that which was exculpated as our 66 books of cannon.  God had left us with more inspiration.  It would be presumptuous to limit God, limit His testimony to just those we humans limit. Again, what I now offer is in accordance with the above from which we hold true; and need not be added except as an interesting footnote to that which early Christians knew.  For they had added Christian testimony to an earlier Jewish text call the Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah.  They added a section scholar’s call the Testament of Hezekiah.  In that testimony, they recorded a prophecy that Beliar (the Jewish name for the Anti-messiah) would reign for 1332 days.  Let us not confuse this number with the 1335 days of Christ ministry on earth (cf. Daniel 12:12).  Noting from our received text of the Bible, 4 days inclusive the two witnesses lay in the street, 1260 days of the beast, and 68 days for the Lord’s judgments and punishments in what we call the Day of the Lord, the sum is remarkably 1332 days.  Yes, that is the reign of the Antichrist until he is cast into the lake of fire.  That is Bible prophecy, and first century Christian testimony; with precision and affirmation. Q.E.D.

 

Q.E.D. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum" (literally, "that which was to be demonstrated").

 

Diagram: The Eschatological Period

 

EPILOG

 

Satan knows his time is about up.  He is striving to keep as many as he can in his fold.  This is why he is attacking the family unit with such vigor, as well as the confusion and apostasy within the churches.  The proof of this can be found in the very last verses of the Old Testament; in warning, prophecy and promise from God.

 

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you Elijah[2] the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. [Malachi 4]

 

           

“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse,” a most profound warning for all who inhabit the earth.