There are many Christians who believe that the coming of the Lord is not near. They feel that the events that are happening all over the earth have no relevance to the signs that Jesus and the Prophets warned believers to watch for in order to recognize the end of the age. We cannot as believers identify with this lack of perception of reality and warn with restrained urgency that the Day of the Lord is almost upon us.
Contrary to what many believe, time elements involving the final days "are" given in Scripture. In this week's message we would like to share some of these crucial time indicators and will give our separate opinion for their placement in the final countdown before the blessed 1,000 year reign of Christ prophesied of in Revelation 20 is established.
In the grand picture we know that from the time of Genesis God established a 7 day cycle in His majestic plan for creation. All through the Old Testament God demonstrated these Sabbath cycles through the Jews in patterns of days, months and years, always holding to the demonstration of the 7th being the time of rest and the completion of things.
In Psalm 90:4 & II Peter 3:8 God reveals that this same pattern holds true for 1,000 year periods. The 6 thousandth year is about to end. Four thousand years passed until the birth of Jesus Christ and the final estimated 2,000 years since then are about to expire.
Hosea 5:15 & 6:1-2 in the Old Testament are an example of the prophetic texts that verify that Christ will return after 2,000 years to redeem His people and raise the dead to life. Jesus demonstrated this truth with numerous examples during His earthly ministry.
In John 4:40-42 it is notable that Jesus ministered to the Samaritans for 2 days before returning His attention back to the Jews on the 3rd day. Jesus was resurrected on the 3rd day of His burial and in Luke 13:32 demonstrated by this that the 3rd day would be the day of perfection. In John 2:1 Jesus specifically attended the wedding feast on the 3rd day (compare to Rev. 19:7) and in John 11:6 Jesus purposefully waited 2 days before raising Lazarus from the dead.
There are many more of such examples which could be cited and we are without reservation proclaiming that the great day of the Lord is at hand.
Let us look at other fascinating time revelations by God. A more comprehensive study and Scripture search can be made of these points, but we must be brief in this message.
To us the Scriptures of Psalm 83 and elsewhere reveal an Arab/Israeli war will soon take place where Israel will struggle to survive, but will be victorious nonetheless. We are unable to be specific about the length of time that this war will last, but our estimation is that it will be a short war over a period of months rather than years.
An indicator that the war will be over within one year's time can be found in Isaiah 21:13-16 where Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (Kedar) are portrayed as fleeing for their lives and receiving assistance within a year of this warfare.
We believe that immediately after this war the 7 year covenant of Daniel 9:27 will be established between Israel and her neighbors. Two prophets of God will prophecy for 3 ½ years of this treaty according to Revelation 11. At the end of their testimony they will be killed, then resurrected in front of the world after laying dead in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days.
Shortly before this time, we believe, the Magog (Russian) invasion of Israel prophesied of in Ezekiel 38 & 39 will have transpired. According to God's Word found in Ezek. 39:9 & 14 they will be burying the dead from this war for 7 months and will utilize the fuel and weapons for 7 years. These provisions will help the Jews survive the final 3 ½ year period of "Great Tribulation" under the reign of the Anti-Christ.
Then for a short number of years into Christ's earthly reign these spoils of war, along with those from Armageddon, will be retooled into farm implements according to Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3.
After the Anti-Christ kills the two prophets of Revelation Chapter 11 we know by such passages as Daniel 7:25 & 9:27 that this man of sin will be allowed to exercise authority over the earth for the remaining years. This is that period of history referred to in the Scriptures as "The Great Tribulation."
According to Daniel 12:7, 11 & 12 the Great Tribulation will last 3 ½ years, then there will be a 30 day addition added to this time and then one more extension of an additional 45 days.
Many scholars believe the 30 day extension corresponds with a scriptural based time of mourning and cleansing. It has also been noted that there are always 45 days between the Jewish holy days of the Feast of Atonement and Yom Kippur and that this time period was used in history to rededicate the Temple after Antiochus Epiphanes (an earlier archetype of the Anti-Christ) defiled the Temple with his great acts of blaspheme.
There will then be 1,000 years of Christ's rulership upon the earth as God allows the remnant of believing mankind to enter into His millennial Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:1-11 & Rev. 20:4-6). Satan is to be bound for these 1,000 years and then let loose for a short period of time at the close of this 7th millennium. He will try men's hearts one last decisive time (Rev. 20:1-3 & 7-10). Then will come the glorious, eternal state of glory - never to be defiled again (Rev. 21 & 22).
There are countless other specific time references given throughout the Bible. This fact separates it's absolute uniqueness, like heaven is from earth; when compared to all other so-called holy books. No other writings of demons and men dare to be so specific. Past timetables prophesied of in the Bible which have all been fulfilled have established it as the one and only true Word of God. Any attempt to do likewise in any other writings would continually expose them for the frauds that they are.
Of what good are gods who by their omissions divulge their vast ignorance? Men should think long and carefully before trusting their eternal future to the shallow words of prattling charlatans. Remarkably, most of the world prefers these false gods and their prophets over the Holy One of Creation. It is just one more manifestation of the pride and rebellion of mankind which exalts corruption in order to justify his own imperfect nature.
In I Corinthians 15:50-58 & I Thessalonians 4:14-18 we are told of the extraordinary day when Jesus Christ will change both the dead and the living who have trusted in Him into glorious beings and will catch them up to forever be with Him in heaven (see Jn. 14:2-3).
In Matthew 17:1-8 the Lord gave us another wonderful clue as to when we should expect the day of our transformation and deliverance when He revealed the day the Jews will be resurrected.
In this passage of Scripture Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. There before their eyes Jesus was transformed into His celestial state. We are told that the Lord's face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light. Then, Moses and Elijah, two men who had been dead for ages past appeared along with Jesus.
We are not told what Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about during this incredible demonstration of God's plan to resurrect and glorify believers, but a special hint as to the time of our own transformation was given in verse 1.
To fully appreciate the importance of what may seem to be an insignificant detail to the casual reader a believer must start to read from the previous verse in Matt. 6:28 then on through verses 1 & 2 of Chapter 17. Remember, the Bible was not originally written with divisions of chapters and verses, but these were only added much later for convenience sake.
We quote, "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom." Now after six days days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up on a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them."
God gave a grand picture in Genesis 1 & 2. On the 4th day He created the Sun, on day 6 He gave life to man and on the 7th day He rested.
In Malachi 4:2 God called Jesus Christ the "Sun of Righteousness" who would "arise with healing in His wings."
The word sun is spelled sun not son as one might expect. This is a wonderful prophetic clue.
On day 4 of God's 1,000 years equals a day timetable, Jesus Christ "the Sun of Righteousness" was born into a world of darkness to bring light (see Jn. 1:4-5).
At the close of day 6 of this same Divine calendar, mankind will once more be restored to life with His God. He will in fact have completed 6,000 years or 6 days of labor and toil.
On day 7, those that have been born again by trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins will be granted the glorious blessing of entering into God's Sabbath day of rest (Heb. 4:1-10).
Consider the sample of biblical prophecies that we have shared; the intricate and the grand and to what extremes God has went to demonstrate His knowledge, power and love for us.
The days of accounting and triumph are almost upon us. Today is the day to put your faith in God's only begotten Son for the forgiveness of your sins.
We are of the firm belief that the Church of Jesus Christ will be caught up to Heaven 7 years or more before His kingdom age is established on earth. Since Christ is to return during the morning of the 3rd day since His departure, then the Church is undoubtedly standing with ticket in hand at the departure gate.
Comparing the vast number of prophesied signs of the end and that which is taking place in Israel and the world today, we without reservation proclaim "the Day of the Lord is almost upon us." Even so, Come Lord Jesus.