In a letter to the Christians at Thessalonica, Paul speaks
of a future event he calls "the day of the Lord." He writes:
"We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon
shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. "Let no man deceive you by
any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians
2:1-3).
Some theologians believe the "day of the Lord"
Paul refers to here is the final judgment. However, I believe with most
scholars that Paul is speaking of Christ second coming. And Paul states that
Jesus return will not take place until two things happen:
1. A great apostasy will occur. Many who once knew God will
fall away from the truth of the gospel they've known.
2. The Antichrist, or man of sin, will be
"revealed."
It should be obvious to every lover of Jesus that a
"falling away" is already taking place. Many believers today, as well
as Christians throughout the past few decades, have grown cold in their love
for God. With that in mind, I’d like to focus on Paul’s second point - that the
day of the Lord won’t come until the "man of sin is revealed."
Paul says the mystery is simply this: Satan is going to
seduce masses into depths of lawlessness! The Greek word Paul uses for iniquity
in this passage means, literally, lawlessness. Therefore, the mystery is one of
lawlessness - meaning, multitudes are going to act without law or restraint.
Yet, this lawlessness is not simply a rebellion against therule of man. It’s not about rebelling against civil authority, or about
committing robbery, rape or murder. These things do provoke God’s wrath. But
the mystery of lawlessness goes much deeper. It is an outright rejection of the
truth that is in Christ - a casting aside of Gods holy word and commands. It is
rebellion against the restraints of Holy Scripture!
The sad fact of the matter is, today's evangelical church is
headed up by a group of frauds - fakes who present themselves as evangelicals
and as the heirs of our evangelical faith, and who trade on the godly
reputation of yesterday's evangelicalism, yet all the while they deny the
very doctrines which empowered that church and made it what it was. It may be
an indication of how close to the end we really are.
The Bible says, "Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).
The Lord's prophecy concerning the greatest end-time
deception should warn us that things are not always as they seem. For a
deception to be so seductive that even the very elect would take pause to
wonder if it is of God, it would have to have all the earmarks of a true work
of God. That means it would come in the name of Jesus, it would have a great
deal of solid biblical truth, it would affirm the Gospel, and it would be a
"good work." And signs and wonders would accompany it. Those who
might recognizeand expose the deception would be looked upon as divisive,
hateful and deceivedthemselves. For the most part, the churches would go along
with the deception.
What is the cause that leads people
into apostasy?
Deuteronomy 18: 19-22, is the test of a prophet, and
Deuteronomy 13:1-3, is also the test of a prophet, except the Deuteronomy 13
test of a prophet is God's testing of the hearts of the people as to whether
they love him or not. Understanding the text correctly, it seems that it was a
deliberate act of God to allow a false teacher into their midst. "
“For
the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with
all your heart and with all your soul." (v. 3). God tested the hearts of
His people as to whether they were sincere of their love towards Him, and by
them going after other god's was indication to God of their insincerity. Does
not God test the hearts of His people today?
What did God do with Israel when they went into apostasy? He
removed His blessing by permitting other nations to bring them into captivity.
This caused them to cry out and repent. Along with seeing God deliver them out
of the hands of their oppressors was His awesome power in being able to do
this. Even though God was always merciful to Israel, He was not tolerant with
them compromising His commandments.
Exalting Man
Many false and apostate wolves’ days are claiming special
knowledge with spiritual sounding verbiage that impresses the simple minded and
the scholar alike. Many are very charismatic and very educated with great
skills. When these men and women are standing
in the church preaching behind a podium I honestly believe that “professing”
Christians are being conditioned to believe in a faith that sounds good but is
in opposition to the truth and it’s all done in the name of truth. But is all
truth God’s truth? God’s Word IS Truth and that is the ONLY Truth we should set
our hope upon.
Whether a person demonstrates extraordinary talents or not
leads us to label or categorize them in some way. There comes a time when a man is gifted with awesome talents. Depending upon our personal admiration of their talents it
could lead to idolizing them. Placing someone in the position of self
exaltation can lead them to believe by popularity they are of greater
exceptional quality than others. This in event incites prideful misconceptions
with the possibility of delusions of grandiose. It’s the age old problem from
the beginning of mankind; Eve lied to by the Serpent that she and Adam could be
as god's knowing good and evil. (Genesis Chapter 3)
Prevalent in the church is how leaders are exalting
themselves above their adherents. Jesus said, "Neither be ye called
masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you
shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and
he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Mat. 23:10-12).
Some
movements declare themselves progressively reaching godhood, and exercise
intimidation over their flocks for not being at the place of spiritual growth
where they are. This attitude of superiority is severely condemned in the New
Testament. Christians are "one body" (1 Cor. 12) who should love one
another (1 Cor. 13; 1 John). Spiritual gifts are for the Christian community rather
than one's individual abuse, and should be exercised in humility rather than
pride (Cor. 12, 14; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the
doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. A little leaven, of unscriptural teachings, will eventually leaveneth the whole.
There is much abuse which goes on towards God's flock by the
so called shepherds. Some of the flocks are so mesmerized by the charisma of
these false teachers, even if warned; they continue to follow them unquestioningly.
We are not without excuse about the possibility of false prophets. The Lord has
warned us of such shepherds, and one need to withdraw from them upon realizing
this. Do not be intimidated by what they might have to say if after what you
have become aware of and wanting to withdraw when the eyes of your
understanding become enlightened. It is your God given right and choice. Please
read Ezekiel Chapter 34 and John Chapter 10 for confirmation of this abuse.
In the 6000 years of mankind’s existence, the nature of man
has not changed. The pride he had then is identical to the pride he has now.
His sinful acts then are identical to his sinful acts today. Mankind is in need
of the Savior, the Savior God made provision for through His Son Jesus Christ,
from the time they fell into sin. God's mercy has been demonstrated all the way
through the entire history of mankind, who was already providing a way out for
man from his fallen state immediately after the fall. (Gen 3:15)
The Laodicean Church of today
Rev. 3:14-22 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodicean
write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold
nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I
am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not
that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame,
and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Much has been made of this passage, using it to point out
what is happening today in the apostate churches around the world. It is true that they believe they are rich in
spiritual things when they are very poor.
It can be applied to this the 7th and last church age which
represent this Laodicean and 7th church in the book of Revelation.
This is significant because, by in large, it is the true
Church today that has allowed the movements and men mentioned above to
infiltrate and take over the agenda for what is called "Christianity"
today. Many in the Church have allowed
heretics and false prophets to fill the airwaves with their apostasy and bring
the truth into disrepute. Most have not
drawn a clear line in the sand among believers and non-believers so that they
would be able to understand that the leadership of those movements do NOT
represent true biblical Christianity.
Many have not contended for the Faith in order to preserve
the truth. A large part of the true
Church is lukewarm, just as Laodicea was addressed by
John as part of the true Church. It has sat back and allowed heresy to take a
front seat in the representing Christ and His Church while thinking that we are
rich and "have need of nothing". It has parked itself in expensive pews and sanctuaries and not responded
to the all-out attack on the core doctrines of the Faith and lying in the name
of God that is taking place in thousands of churches and movements
worldwide.
When does the Bible say about those who use the name of the Lord yet teach heresy and make false prophecies
without repentance are our brothers in the Lord?
Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares
brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ
Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Romans 16:17 Now I
beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to
the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Titus 3:10 A man that
is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;
Yet much of the true Church, by remaining silent, has not
rejected the heresy, but instead has allowed the influence of these false
brethren into our churches. Many use
their methods and materials. They read
their books and sing their songs. Most
pray with them using their agendas on the National Day of Prayer.
Many watch them on TV saying they can eat the
meat and spit out the bones, while actually being brought into bondage by their
brainwashing. How is it that the true
churches that remain believe they will be spared judgment for, in effect, being
ashamed (Mark 8:38) to stand up for the name of Christ today?
The fact is that many true churches and true
believers have been taught not to judge
by the very people who need to be judged! The book of John Chapter 24 verse 7 states
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” This means we judge according to the word of
God and yes, we are to judge or test the spirits to see if they are of God.
Many true biblical churches and individual Christians today
think they are fine because they say they are saved when, in fact, they are
disobeying the commands of the Lord, thus proving they do not really love Him
(John 14:24, John 15:10). They are
actually "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and
naked".
What needs to happen is for
true believers today to buy gold refined in the fire of standing for the truth
(Ephesians 6:14) and being persecuted for it (2 Timothy 3:12). This is EXACTLY what many discernment and
apologetic ministries including this one have done and have had to stand
ridicule from both the apostate churches and from true believers.
Those who are born again and wear the white
clothes need to stop dirtying them by consorting with apostates. We can pray for them and try to pull them
from the fire (Jude 1:23) when the Lord opens the door, but we must mark and
avoid them (Romans 16:17) until they come to the Faith or return to it.
Otherwise how can the world know what true Christianity is
all about? The true Church and true
Christians need to ask for wisdom from God to open their blind eyes they have
turned on what is happening to the cause of Christ before the world today. True believers need to REPENT of this
adultery with the world, the flesh, and those who serve the enemy (1 John 3:8)
instead of the Gospel! We all have a lot
to overcome and so we must, by faith (1 John 5:4), be over comers.
The Great Apostasy
The change from the church of Philadelphia to the Church of
Laodicea is what the Bible refers to as the “great falling away” or the great
apostasy. As I stated above we are in
the last Church Age known as the Laodicean Church Age. This church age will be marked by Great
Apostasy, Prosperity, Spiritual Delusion, Lack of Repentance or Confession, and
complete Lawlessness.
“Let no one deceive
you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes
first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12).
Historically, there has always been apostasy in Christendom.
Therefore this great and final sign before the beginning of the Great
Tribulation has to stand out from all the other heresies and cults of the last
2,000 years. As with the other signs of the times that Jesus gave, like birth
pangs, the ultimate fulfillment will be anextreme case compared to the similar
signs leading up to it. Jesus said that in this world we will have tribulation
and indeed we have, but the Great Tribulation will be a global condition that
makes all other crises in history pale by comparison.
Conditions in the world are gearing up for the time that God
will pour out His wrath on a Christ-rejecting world. And the apostate church,
in bed with the world, is also rising in power and global unity. God will allow
them both to prosper and take root until the cup of His indignation is full and
ready to be poured out. :” Revelation
14:10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence
of the Lamb)”:
It is not my intention to paint the T.D Jakes, Preachers of
L.A, or The Crefelo Dollar’s as apostates, but to sound a warning of the direction I
see these false prophets taking away from the faith once and for all delivered
to the saints. If they heed the warning, not only sounded by me but by many
voices of concerned watchmen in the church, they still have time to repent and
make a course correction before they are totally given over to believe a lie
and be damned. If they have no love for the truth, the Bible says that is their
fate.
“They did not receive
the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will
send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie that they all may be
condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
An exhausted biblical view at the
Rapture of the church of Christ. Is it Pre rapture, Mid rapture or
Post rapture?
The kingdom
of Satan is religion. It is the world with God's Name on it. Never forget that
and remember Christ's enemies are always those in His own household of supposed
faith. It is the church that is apostate in the end-time Laodicean church. This
apostate deceived church, not communism, will martyr the tribulation saints.
Paul
described the condition of society and the church in the time of the end, (II
Timothy 3-4), so did Jesus (Luke 17:20-37). Sodomy, incontinence, unruly
children, seductive clergy spirits, domineering female spirits, divorce,
apostasy in the church, a spirit of communism or liberalism among the people
and throughout the church; great advances in science, massive construction
projects, independence among the tribes and kindred’s, intermarriage between
the East and the West, and a vindicated prophet to the Church.
"But in the
days of the Voice of the Seventh Angel. . . the mystery of God should be
finished, as He spoke by His servants the prophets" (Revelation 10:7). So
the "time of the end" is when Christ has completed His Mediatorial
ministry and Revelation chapters 4 and 5 are fulfilled. Then He claims the
Book, tears open the Seven Seals and reveals them to the "angel" of
the Laodicean Church Age (Revelation 3:14; 10:7).
Most Evangelical
Christians are taught that Jesus will return secretly and invisibly to gather
the Church in the Rapture before the Tribulation. The problem with this theory
is that a secret return and invisible rapture cannot be found anywhere in the
Bible. In fact neither can a
Pre-Tribulation rapture and return be found at all. There is not a single verse
of Scripture which states that this invisible and secretive rapture will happen. Not even one that alludes to
it.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-5-But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they
shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day
should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Although no man knows the hour or the day (Matthew 24:36)
the above verses 4 and 5 in 1 Thessalonians states we shall not be overtaken
like a thief in the dark.
The reason is obvious.
His return will not be without sign, cycles and seasons.
SIGNS:
Matthew 24:2, As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives;
the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this
happen, and what will be the SIGNof your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus answers His
disciples in a point blank style which describes some SIGNS which would
indicate THE LAST DAYS in the next …verses.
Matthew 24:4-14, 4Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one
deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and
will deceive many. 6You will HEARof 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. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will
be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of
birth pains (SEASONS).
9“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to
death (SAY WHAT!!!), and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At
that time many will turn away from the faith (THE GREAT FALLING AWAY!!!) and
will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and
deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most
will grow cold, 13but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony
to all nations, and then the end will come.
Well I must say this verse definitely is a shocker for those
who believes that believers won’t face and TRIBULATION. The truth is the church has, is and always will
face TRIBLATION. Wrath and Tribulation
are two different things and it’s time to watch and prepare for the Time is at
hand.
THINGS TO SEE:
Matthew 24:15-21, 15“So when you see standing in the holy
place ‘the abomination that causes desolation as spoken of through the prophet
Daniel—let the reader understand— 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the
mountains. 17Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the
house. 18Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19How dreadful it
will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your
flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will
be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and
never to be equaled again.
In the above verse Jesus is talking about the Anti Christ
who defiles the Jewish Temple . This
Temple however does not exist as it was destroyed in Matthew 24:2 by Titus in
70 AD and will rebuild by Modern Israel so when you SEE the Temple defile
(Abomination of Desolation) then let the readerUNDERSTAND!!!
How can the reader understand when this was written 2000
years ago? Jesus left this as a sign for
believers to see and not be taken by surprise just as it stated in 1
Thessalonians 5:4-5, 4 “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day
should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”.
RAPTURE AFTER TRIBULATION & BEFORE WRATH:
Matthew 24:29-31, 29Immediately after the tribulation of
those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken:
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And he shall send
his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his
elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
In these verses we can see that it states thatIMMEDIATELY
AFTER TRIBULATIONand NOT BEFOREGod will gather His elect from one end of the
Earth to the other end. There is no
sound bible proof for PRE Tribulation doctrine and it’s time to awaken to this
truth.
Matthew 24 goes on to state what 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5
have already made clear. You will not be
surprise like a thief in the dark. That
will fall to the Unbelievers of this world who are not filled with the Holy Spirit
and therefore are in darkness. Let’s
look at Matthew 24 again…
Matthew 24:42-44, 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what
hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the good man of the house
had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would
not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for
in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
WATCH???? Why would The lord command us to WATCH for
Him? What are we watching for?
1. Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen,
and what will be the SIGNof your coming and of
the end of the age?
2. Jesus answered: Watch out that
no one deceives you.
3. For many will come in my name (False
Teachers/Preachers).
4. At that time many will turn away from the faith
(The Great Falling Away)
5. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted
and put to death.
6.So
when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination
that causes desolation as spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.
7. Immediately after the tribulation of those days.
8. And he shall send his angels with a great sound
of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Thessalonians 5
1.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
2.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that
day should overtake you as a thief.
3.
Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
What any student of the Scriptures can find, clearly stated,
and confirmed throughout the Bible is Rapture, as the Apostle Paul said, at the
last trumpet, the Seventh Trumpet of Revelation. Examine the Scriptures for
yourself, without any convoluted “explanation” of how they do not really mean
what they obviously state.
Daniel
12:7-7And 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, 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 7:25-And he shall speak great words against the most High, and
shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws:
and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing
of time.
Revelation
13:5 - 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.
Revelation
12:6 -And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a
place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred
and threescore days
1 Corinthians 15:51 - Behold, I
tell you a mystery, we will not all sleep but we will all be changed, in a
moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
I Thessalonians 4:16-17-For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and
remain will be caught up together with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the
air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Revelation 10:7-In the days of the voice of the
seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished
as He preached to His servants the prophets.
Revelation 11:15-Then the seventh angel sounded; and
there were loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he will reign forever and
ever.”
Matthew 24: 31-But immediately after the
tribulation (Great Tribulation) of those days the sun will be darkened and the
moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the
powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they
will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great
glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the
other.
Revelation
1:7-Behold, He is coming on the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those
who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.
Summary of the Seventh
Trumpet Rapture doctrine
First of all,
the Seventh Trumpet Rapture is pre-millennial, as well as pre-wrath and
pre-permanent return of Christ. The Scriptures teach a distinct difference
between the appearing of Christ on the clouds to gather the Church and His return
to earth, but unlike pre-tribulation doctrine, and His cloud appearance will
certainly be seen by everyone on the planet. There is no secret coming of
Christ taught anywhere in the Scriptures, in fact we are warned against that.
1
Thessalonians 5:1-6-“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not
need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”
destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and
they will not escape.
But you, brothers and
sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light
and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So
then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”
In the above
verses we can see that Jesus states His rapture and return will be like a thief
in the night. The key to reading this
verse is seeing that Jesus did not apply the thief in the night passage to
Christians who are awakened to His Holy Spirit and are watching for end Time
prophecy.
Look at verse 4 as Jesus says
but you brothers and sisters are not in darkness so that this day will not
surprise you like a thief. In Matthew
25:13 in talking to awakened Christian it states, 3”Watch therefore, for ye
know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”. In other
words while it won’t be like a thief in the night and you will have to watch to be
able to see the signs, cycles, and seasons to know that while in the last days,
His return has to be fulfilled by the very prophecies themselves. Those who are asleep are not watching.
The Seven
Bowls of God’s wrath are part of the Great Tribulation, and are the time of
God’s great wrath and judgment, while the wedding of the Lamb takes place in heaven.
This will be followed by the coming of the Lord Jesus on a white horse with His
saints to judge the nations, rescue Israel, and set up His Kingdom in
Jerusalem.
The Seventh
Trumpet Rapture is Pre-Wrath. The entire Tribulation is not God’s wrath. The Seventh Trumpet Rapture doctrine places
the Cloud Appearance and Rapture after all Seven Trumpets sound at the 3 ½ year
mark with the remaining 3 ½ being the wrath of God upon a world being Judged.
Scriptural proofs for
the Seventh Trumpet Rapture
The Mystery of God (The Rapture) is
finished at the Seventh Trumpet, not before
In
Revelation 10:7 the Mighty Angel declares that when the Seventh Trumpet sounds
the mystery of God will be finished (“reach completion” in the NBV).
The Apostle
Paul clearly defines the Mystery of God as Christ and the Church
Romans 16:25-26 - Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my
gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26but now is manifested,
and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the
eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of
faith; 27to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever.
Amen.
Ephesians 3:3-10- How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;
(as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known
unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit;
This verse speaks of the GENTILE church which was kept a
MYSTERY to PROPHETS of old.
Colossians 1:24-25, The mystery which has been hidden
from the past ages and generations. But has now been manifested to His saints,
to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory this mystery
among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The
appearance of Christ on the clouds for all the world to see (Revelation 1:7)
and the resurrection/rapture of the Church will finish (complete) the Mystery
of God.
At this point the entire world will have no
doubt who Jesus truly is and who God’s people really are. This mystery, which
today has been manifested only to His saints, will be revealed all unbelievers
as well when Jesus appears on the clouds in glory.
If Jesus
came on the clouds to gather His saints as He promises us in Matthew 24 before
the Great Tribulation then we see
the bible is very specific that the
Mystery of God will be completed exactly when the Seventh Angel is about to
sound his trumpet also called his voice.
Jesus clearly states that He will
come after the Tribulation and before Great Tribulation to gather His elect.Matthew 24:21 - For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:29 “But after those days, after
that tribulation...they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great
power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather
together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to
the farthest end of heaven.”
Most people
have no clue that Tribulation is the first 3 ½ years & Great Tribulation
occurs in the last 3 ½ years.
The Church is called elect or chosen
in numerous places in the New Testament.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore as the elect of God,
holy and beloved.
Romans 8:33 who
will bring a charge against God’s elect?
There is no
reason to doubt that Jesus is referring to the Church when He says “the elect.”
(2 Thessalonians 2 clearly states
that Christ will not come and gather us until after the Abomination of
Desolation in the Jewish temple and the Great Apostasy within the church by
believers.
II Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now we request you,
brethren, with regard to the coming of our lord Jesus Christ and our gathering
together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be
disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the
effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive, for it
will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every
so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of
God, displaying himself as God.
In short,
before Jesus comes and we are gathered with Him in the Rapture, the apostasy
must come first and the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist, must be revealed
and seat himself in the temple as God. This is a clear statement that certain
events absolutely must take place before Jesus returns and the Rapture can
occur, namely, the Great Apostasy of the Church and the Abomination of
Desolation, exactly as described by Jesus in Matthew 24.
Matthew
24:15, 16. “At that time many will fall away (Apostasy) and betray one another and
hate one another. ...Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation (Anti-Christ) which
was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the
reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”
The Kingdom of the World becomes the
Kingdom of God at the Seventh Trumpet
Revelation 11:15-18. This can only mean that Jesus Christ has
appeared to the entire world to begin the process of setting up His kingdom on
earth. This begins the Day of the Lord which will eventually include the
permanent return of Christ on a white horse to rescue and redeem Israel.
The Dragon goes off to make war on the rest of
the Woman’s (Israel’s) children who, “...keep the commandment of God and hold
to the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17) Since the woman is obviously
Israel, the rest of her children must be none other than the Jews and gentiles left behind after the Rapture.
The Seventh Trumpet is the last
trumpet mentioned in the entire Bible
The Apostle Paul clearly states that the
Rapture will take place at the last trumpet (I Corinthians 15:51-52). There are
literally no other trumpets mentioned in Revelation or the entire Bible after
the Seventh Trumpet. If there were seven more trumpets to sound after the
Appearance and Rapture, then Paul could not have said that the Rapture will
happen at the last trumpet. If we take Paul at his word, we must believe the
“last trumpet” really does mean the last trumpet and the Seventh Trumpet is
certainly the last according to Revelation.
Any student
of Biblical numerology can tell you that God completes things in sevens.
The seven
days of Creation.
The seven feasts of Israel.
The seven
Seals, 7 Trumpets, and 7 Bowls.
The seven
years of the Tribulation.
The Last
Trumpet must be the Seventh Trumpet to conform to this Scriptural principal for
Last Days events.
The Lord tells us that we will know
when He is near but not the day or hour.
Luke 21:28. “But when you see these things begin to take place,
straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Matthew 24:33, 36 “When you see all these things
recognize that He is near, right at the door. ...But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
Specific
events will undoubtedly precede the coming of Christ on the clouds and the
Resurrection/Rapture. Most of them are described as part of the Tribulation
period.
Other
events promised to precede Christ’s return
1. The Gospel would be preached to the entire
world. Matthew 24:14, Acts 1:8
2. The Great
Apostasy. Matthew 24:10, II Thessalonians 2:3
3. The
Abomination of Desolation. Matthew 24:15, II Thessalonians 2:3-7
4.
Earthquakes, plagues, famines, terrors, signs in the heavens. Matthew 24:7, 28-30,
Luke 21:11, 25-26
Unbelievers will be surprised on the
day of the Lord but “believers” will not be.
I Thessalonians 5:1-4-For you yourselves know full well
that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they
are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly
like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But
you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a
thief.
Tribulation is not wrath
Pre-Tribulation
Rapture advocates insist that the first 3 1/2 years of Tribulation is the wrath
and judgment of God and that believers are not destined for wrath, but
Tribulation and wrath are two different things in Scripture.
“In the world you have tribulation,
but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
The purpose of tribulation and suffering for
believers is to test us in order to strengthen our faith and cause us to bear
more fruit. The Tribulation is described as a test (Revelation 3:10). Gold is tested by *fire(Revelation 3:18)Tribulation is not wrath. Wrath is wrath and testing is testing. The Seven
Golden Bowls of The Great Tribulation of God’s Wrath and the judgments of God will be poured out on the
world only after the Church is taken into heaven. The Seven Seals and the Seven
Trumpets are not the wrath of God, but the result of Satan and man’s
activities.
I
Thessalonians 5:9-For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not having salvation is equated
to Gods’ wrath.
There have
been Christian killed throughout history with 100’s of millions of Christians
murdered by the enemy of God. Some in
the coliseum, some by animals, a great majority by Muslims, wars, and even
outright satanic demonic attack, and these are called PERSECUTIONS. They are not term the wrath of God because the
wrath of God is simply to be cast into the lake of fire.
The one
verse the Pre Tribulationist use is 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not
appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this verse the opposite of wrath is
salvation so wrath would be a life apart from God. Not the first 3 1/2 years of a 7 year
Tribulation period.
The Seventh Trumpet of God signals the
Rapture
The Battle of Jericho prophetically
describes the Gentile Bride taken out after the Seven Trumpets.
Joshua 6:20-When
the people heard the sound of the trumpet (the seventh trumpet on the (seventh
day), the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down.
Joshua 6:22-Joshua
said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the harlot’s house and
bring the woman and all that she has out of there.”
The battle
of Jericho is a prophetic type and shadow of the conquest of the Kingdom of the
World by Christ during the Tribulation. Rahab is the type of the Gentile Bride.
She is present all during the battle until the Seventh Trumpet on the Seventh
Day, then Joshua sends the two spies back into the city to take her out. This
is a clear prophetic type of the Rapture at the Seventh Trumpet following the
Seven Seals.
Jesus as the Mighty Angel appears in
the clouds just before the Seventh Trumpet
In Revelation 10 we see a vision of the Lord
Jesus clothed in the clouds as He comes to lay claim to the Kingdom of the
World just before the Seventh Trumpet sounds. “...there will be delay no
longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to
sound, then the mystery of God is finished.”
Jerusalem will be trampled by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled.
Luke 21:24 “and Jerusalem will be trampled
underfoot by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled.” These
gentiles are Islamic and Non-believers.
Romans 11:25 Paul tells us that: “...a partial
hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come
in.”
During the
Mid-Tribulation of the final week of Daniel (7 year period) when the Antichrist takes over, Jerusalem will be trampled down
by the Gentiles, but when Christ appears on the clouds and the rapture of the
Church occurs, the time of the Gentiles will be finished and Israel will be
reinstated as God’s nation and priesthood on earth.
If the
rapture were pre-Tribulation, then the time of the Gentiles would be over
before the Tribulation even started. We also see that the Gentile Church is
still here during the Tribulation as the Great Multitude of Revelation 7. It is
clear that the time of the Gentiles is not over until the Seventh Trumpet when
the Mystery of God (Christ and the Church) is finished, then Israel’s blindness
will be over.
The
appearance of the 144,000 in heaven means that the Rapture had to have taken
place at the Seventh Trumpet.
In Revelation
14, we see the 144,000 with the Lamb in heaven where they sing a new song
before the Throne. The last we read of them before this is in Revelation 7 when
they are sealed with the seal of God to protect them from the Seven Trumpet
plagues.
Revelation 7:3. “Do not harm the earth or the sea
or the trees until we have sealed the bond servants of our God on their
foreheads.”
Revelation 9:4.They were told not to hurt the grass
of the earth, nor any green thing, but only the men who do not have the seal of
God on their forehead.
The seal of
God obviously makes the 144000 impervious to the Seven Trumpet plagues. Since
the seal of God makes them immune from harm, they cannot be martyred and can
only appear with the Lord in heaven as a result of the Seventh Trumpet Rapture
along with the rest of the Church.
Joel: The heavenly signs will occur
before the Day of the Lord.
Joel 2:30-31 “I will display wonders in the sky
and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned
to darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the
Lord comes.”
The same
basic description is used in Revelation 6 which occurs during the Great
Tribulation:
Revelation 6:12.I looked when He broke the sixth
seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth
made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky
fell to earth.
Matthew 24 tells us that these heavenly signs
will occur immediately after the Tribulation and so would also place the Day of
the Lord after Tribulation.
Matthew
24:29,30 “But immediately after the tribulation of
those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and
the stars will fall from the sky...and they will see the Son of Man coming on
the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
These
Scriptures clearly shows that the Day of the Lord does not begin until after the
heavenly signs occur, so that Great Tribulation cannot be the Day of the Lord
as taught by Pre-Tribulation Rapture advocates.
The Seventh Trumpet
Rapture is the key to Revelation’s chronology
6. 7TH TRUMP IS THE LAST TRUMPET – Revelation 11:15
7. @ THE LAST/7TH TRUMPET THE MYSTERY IS REVEALED –
Ephesians 3:6
The Seventh
Trumpet appearing of Christ on the clouds and rapture of the Church is a keystone
event in apocalyptic prophecy. The last trumpet is stated in such a clear,
straightforward manner in Scripture that it cannot be legitimately rejected.
The Seventh Trumpet Rapture provides an anchor point to guard against erroneous
interpretations of Last Days prophecy, and helps to clarify certain prophetic
Scriptures that may have been little understood before.
The
Appearance of Jesus Christ on the clouds and the resurrection/rapture of the
Church will occur at the Seventh Trumpet at the end of the Tribulation period of 31/2 years or Mid Tribulation.
This will be followed by the Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath or Great Tribulation or last 31/2 years,
while the wedding of the Church takes place in heaven, after which the Lord
will return on a white horse to rescue and redeem the nation of Israel.
The Apostle
Paul clearly states that the coming of the Lord and our gathering together with
him will not happen until first the apostasy occurs and the man of lawlessness
is revealed, seating himself in the Temple. There are numerous Scriptures that
clearly show that the Church will be here during the Tribulation period to be
gathered up at the last trumpet. The Seventh Trumpet Rapture is the keystone to
understanding the true chronology of Revelation and Last Days prophecy.
Rapture 3 ½ Years
Midpoint
The end time
of the present world will come in the near future, and it will last for 7
years, which is what the Bible calls the Tribulation.
This a
period of time when evil will be abound and God’s divine judgments will be
poured upon earth as prophesied in the Bible. Both evils and divine judgments
will cause chaos and disasters in a scale so gigantic that the earth will be
changed by the events forever.
Where in the
Bible does it say that the Tribulation will last for 7 years?
Daniel
9:24-27
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 and moat, even in times of distress.
26“Then after the sixty-two weeks the
Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is
to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary And its end will come with a
flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
27“And he will make a firm covenant
with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week (Mid Trib.)he will put a stop to
sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who
makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured
out on the one who makes desolate.”
According to
the above passage, God has declared “seventy weeks” for the Jews. This period
is given 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.” (verse 24)
The entire
“seventy weeks” will be followed by the Millennium kingdom as prophesied in the
Bible, which will last for 1000 years with the Messiah Jesus Christ literally reigning
on earth.
However, the
“seventy weeks” isn’t a continuous period – it is consisted of seven weeks,
sixty-two weeks, and one week. Each period of weeks stands alone in
history. Each week stands for 7 biblical
years. That means 69 weeks have been completed.
We await the final week which equates to 7 years the final Tribulation.
The seven
weeks (49) and the sixty-two weeks (434) had already passed. It started from
the degree of Persian Emperor Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2) to rebuild Jerusalem and
ended at Jesus’ entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday).
Does that
mean there were exactly 483 years (49+434= 483) between the decree to rebuild
Jerusalem and Jesus’ entering Jerusalem as “Messiah the prince”? Sure, but it
is lunar year that we are talking about, not solar year that we use in our
secular calendar, aka the Gregorian calendar.
A lunar year is 360 days and a solar year is 365.2422. That would make 483 × 360 =
173,880 days (24 hours) = 476 solar years + 25 days. The decree of Artaxerxes made
the perfect starting point of the 483 years because, according to
secular history, that decree was made in 445 BC and Jesus was crucified in 32
AD.
There were
exactly 476 solar years + 25 days, which equal to 173,880 days, which also
equal to 483 lunar years, between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and Palm
Sunday.
We know that a Lunar year
is 360 days? So now what?
The Lunar Calendar
So, now to
apply this formula to the 3 1/2 times we must first establish just exactly how
many days this represents. The Jews did not use a solar calendar as we do today;
they used instead a lunar calendar, as indicated in Psalms.
Psalms
104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
The length
of the lunar month can be determined from Genesis-
Gen 7:11 In
the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day
of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,
and the windows of heaven were opened.
Gen 7:24 and
the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days
150 days = 5 lunar months). Not 155 days in a regular Solar 5 months.
Gen 8:4 and
the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon
the mountains of Ararat.
Note that
there were exactly 5 months from the point where the flood began and the ark
came to rest on Ararat, and the BIBLE stated this was a period of 150 days. This
demonstrates that the lunar calendar set forth in the Bible has a 30 day month;
therefore the year is counted as 360 days. (This 360 day lunar year also
accounts for the reason that there are 360 degrees in the compass).
The 1260 Days
Returning to
the 3 1/2 times, which we now know represents 3 1/2 lunar years of 360 days
each, using the same methodology as is used for the 70 weeks of Daniel we
calculate it to actually represent 1260 literal days.
So, Time, Times and half
a Time in prophecy is really 1260 days. To confirm this formula we need only to
look to the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation.
Revelation 12:6 and the woman fled into the
wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Here the
woman represents the Jews, who flees into the wilderness for 1260 days. This
speaks of the second 3.5 years as by now and I will show you later that the
church will have been already raptured.
Again using the day=year formula, this
actually speaks of 1260 days or 3 ½ years that the Jews would be persecuted.
Now look at this next verse from the same chapter.
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two
wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of
the serpent.
Here the
exact same time of persecution is referred to as 3 1/2 times, again meaning the
same period of 1260 days as found in Revelation chapter 6. In the book of Daniel, this exact
same period of persecution is also found for the Saints in the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation before they are raptured.
We know
there is one “seven” left that is waiting for its fulfillment in the near
future. The Bible talks a lot about this last “seven”, and we can therefore
soundly derive the number of days of an entire “seven” from the hints of the
scripture that talks about this ‘seven’.
First hints
(the last half of the ‘seven’ is 3.5 of times):
Daniel
7:25-26
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 (31/2 yrs).
26 ” ‘But the court will sit, and his
power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
This states the Anti-Christ will defeat the saints for 3 1/2 years which indicates MID TRIBULATION and also coincide with the 7th Trumpet aka The Last Trumpet sounded by an angel in Revelation 10:7 in which the Rapture Mystery is reveal which by the way coincides with the same Rapture Mystery spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. Revelation 10:7, But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his
trumpet, the MYSTERY of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his
servants the prophets.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Behold, I shew you a MYSTERY; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
So let us use our SANCTIFIED IMAGINATION to SEE:
1. That the Trump in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 speaks of the dead and living being raptured.
2. That the LAST Trumpet spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15;52 speaks of believers dead and alive being changed and raptured.
3. That the LAST angel with a TRUMPET will reveal a RAPTURE MYSTERY in Revelation 10:7.
4. That that same RAPTURE MYSTERY is also spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:51.
5. That when the 7th Angel sounded his TRUMPET in Revelation 11:15 Jesus officially took over this world permanently. Why hadn't He done this before. The MYSTERY was revealed and when he returns after the Rapture we shall return with Him to reign on Earth as in Revelation 19.
Daniel 9:27
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. “
Daniel 12:7
7 The man clothed in linen, who was
above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward
heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for
a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been
finally broken, all these things will be completed.”
We can see
from the above verses that the Antichrist will “confirm a covenant with many
for one ‘seven’, but he will cause the sacrifice and offering of the Jewish
temple to stop in the middle of the ‘seven’.
We can see
that during the first half of the ‘seven’, this Antichrist has no power over
the ‘saints’, but God will hand the ‘saints’ over to him after the middle of
the ‘seven’ for a ‘time, times, and half a time.’
Half of 7 is
3.5, which means that ‘a time, times, and half a time’ is 3.5 of times, but 3.5
of what time? 3.5 days? 3.5 month? Or 3.5 years?
Continue to see this truth:
Revelation
11:2
2But exclude the outer court; do not
measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the
holy city for 42 months.
Remember,
the Antichrist has little power over the ‘saints’ in the first half of the ‘seven’,
so he and his Gentiles army couldn’t possibly trample the holy city during that
time, so this 42 months have to be the second half of the ‘seven’.
So the
second half of the ‘seven’ = 42 months, and 42 months are 3.5 years, so half of
the ‘seven’ is 3.5 years!!!
To make it
clear, we now find that ‘a time, times, and half a time’ = second half of the
last ‘seven’ = 42 months = 3.5 years
Next, how
many days do we have for this 42 months?
Revelation
12:5-6
5She gave birth to a son, a male
child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was
snatched up to God and to his throne. 6The woman fled into the desert to a
place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
The woman is
the nation of Israel. Israel will enjoy peace and control of her holy temple
for the first half of the ‘seven’, but after that her holy city and temple will
be trampled by the Gentile for 42 months, during which the Israelis have to
flee.
She will
flee for 1,260 days. So here we see that 1,260 days = 42 months.
Again, just
to make it clear, so far we have: ‘a time, times, and half a time’ = second
half of the last ‘seven’ = 42 months = 3.5 years = 1,260 days
To be double
sure, let’s check out one more verse that confirms the conclusion we have:
Revelation
12:14
14The woman was given the two wings
of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the
desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out
of the serpent’s reach.
This verse
talks about the same woman who will flee to the desert in a AIRPLANE for 42 months. Again,
this 42 months have to be the second half of the last ‘seven’, because this
woman, the Israel, will enjoy peace for the first half of the ‘seven’ and
therefore she has no reason to flee during that period of time. So here again
we see that ‘a time, times and half a time’ equal 42 months!
Let check out this final one to seal
up the conclusion:
Revelation
13:5-7
5The beast was given a mouth to utter
proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.
6He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling
place and those who live in heaven. 7He was given power to make war against the
saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe,
people, language and nation.
Daniel
7:25-26 and the Revelation 13:5-7 above talk about the same period of time,
which is the second half of the ‘seven’, which confirm my conclusion that ‘a
time, times and half a time’ = 42 months.
So, in
conclusion, half of a ‘seven’ = ‘a time, times and half a time’ = 3.5 prophetic
years = 42 months = 1,260 days, and each prophetic year is therefore 360 days.
(1,260 days ÷ 3.5 years = 360 days)
How do we
know that the first half of the last ‘seven’ is also 1,260 days?
What happens
during the first half of the last ‘seven’? How long would that be?
Revelation
11:3-10
3And I will give power to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4These
are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of
the earth. 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and
devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
6These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the
time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood
and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. 7Now
when they have finished their testimony, the beast [the Antichrist] that comes
up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8Their bodies
will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom
and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9For three and a half days men
from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and
refuse them burial. 10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and
will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had
tormented those who live on the earth.
The first
half of the ‘seven’ is also 1,260 days, during which two powerful witnesses from
the Lord will vex the world. With the televisions, Internet, and the
Satellites, the whole world will be able to watch them preach day in and night
out for 1,260 days.
How do I know this is the first half
of the last ‘seven’?
The
Antichrist will control Jerusalem the holy city and the temple during the
second half of the ‘seven’, but if the two powerful witnesses are there during
that period of time, this is not possible. They can’t coexist in the same city
for the same period of time. Either the Antichrist stays while the witnesses
are gone, or the witnesses stay and the Antichrist stays away.
I believe
that Jerusalem is the main base of the two witnesses, because the above passage
says that they will die there. (Revelation 11:8) Even if they don’t stay in
Jerusalem most of the time during their 1,260 days of ministry, I don’t think
they will let the Antichrist and his minions touch that city and the temple.
They will
have to die before the second half of the last ‘seven’ years of Tribulation.
They will
testify against the New World Order, the evil plan of Satan, and the identity
and dark deeds of the Antichrist. Most importantly, they will preach the whole
Gospel to the entire world, and explain every divine judgment that will fall
upon earth during the Tribulation. They will explain that this is their last
chance to receive salvation.
Because of
their ministry, everyone who willing believes in God and dies for Him will be
able to choose to do so. By then everything will be plain and obvious— Life and
death, light and darkness, heaven and hell, Christ and Antichrist, divine and
evil.
Those who
choose to remain evil in that period of time will know fully what their choice
is about – to go against the biblical, trinity God who fully reveals Himself
during the Tribulation and to face an eternity of Hell. Nevertheless, the evil
people will think that they can overpower God by military force and they will
listen to the Antichrist, the false prophet, and their fallen angel’s buddies.
There will
be no middle ground. People have to choose either God or Satan. Listen up, for those who say this type of ministry does not matter and that it doesn't matter what you believe about the rapture, you are sadly mistaken.
The Bible has made it clear that this is a matter of the most important priority. It's time to become students of God's Word.
