Solar Eclipse 2024: Should We Be Concerned?

There has been a lot of talk recently about the solar eclipse that is to occur on April 8, 2024. A lot of people are looking at this as a prophetic sign of the end. In fact, the Internet is buzzing with people claiming prophetic insight into this event. Are they right, should we be concerned about this coming event? 

My short answer is no. What is coming is a scientifically predicted eclipse, just like a host of eclipses that have happened in the past. I remember the "prophetic" world was ready for the end in 2017 when that eclipse was in the forecast.

But what about the signs in the heavens that Jesus mentions? Isn't this that?

Let's look at the passages found throughout the Bible that mention these cosmic signs that will precede the day of the Lord.

Surprisingly these events are mentioned quite often. By comparing these passages we can determine what signs we should be looking for, and when we should expect to see them.

Isaiah has this to say about the coming day of the LORD,

Behold the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

                        Isaiah 13:9-10, 13  KJV

And the prophet Joel says this concerning the day of the LORD,

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it.

                               Joel 2:10-11 KJV

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

                                 Joel 2:30-32 KJV

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

                               Joel 3:14-16 KJV

I have just quoted several Old Testament passages that all refer to this same event. We have the cosmic signs, the sun is darkened, the moon turning to blood, and the stars not shining. All of this is happening before the Lord's coming in wrath to destroy the wicked, and to deliver His people.

You may still be thinking that this sounds a lot like a major eclipse. One could make this assumption I suppose, but as I previously stated, eclipses have occurred in the past, and they have had no real significance spiritually speaking.

The New Testament also contains references to these same verses we have just looked at. In these passages we begin to see a timeline that will show us what kind of heavenly signs  we should be looking for.

In the gospels, Jesus references these same apocalyptic signs that we have seen in Isaiah and Joel. But He gives us time markers that should eliminate our speculation. In Matthew 24:29-31 we read,

Immediately 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:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

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.

Notice that these signs in the heavens that precede the second coming of Jesus follow a time of tribulation. Go back a few verses and see the timeline that Jesus sets forth. The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet kicks off the great tribulation. This will be a time unlike anything the world has ever seen up until this point. (Matt 24:15-21, Daniel 8:9-12, 9:27, 11:31, 12:1).

A man who the Bible refers to as the Antichrist will invade Jerusalem, pollute the temple, and attempt to annihilate the Jews. Yes, Christians will be persecuted mercilessly at this time as well. This time of trouble preceeds the darkening of the sun and moon according to Jesus. He will not return until the end of this period of time.

Just think for a moment and walk this back a bit. In order for the abomination of desolation to be placed, and the sacrifices ended, a temple must exist in Jerusalem, and sacrifices have to be started. We don't see this today, so any eclipse or "harvest" moon cannot be a sign of the imminent return of Christ at this point in time.

One individual made a video where he quoted Luke 21:25-26. He mentioned the signs in the heavens and made a point to show that the nations today are indeed in distress. But look at the previous verse, (Luke 21:24), the time of the great tribulation, also referred to here as the time of the Gentiles. This is why the nations are in distress. All of the events of the final 42 months of this present world's existence are happening.These things must come first. On April 8, we might see an eclipse, but no second coming will occur yet.

In Revelation we see these signs mentioned again.

And I beheld when he opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became  black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

                      Revelation 6:12-17 KJV

Just as we saw in Matthew 24, the events of the sixth seal are late into the final seven years of this present world. Five seals have already been opened. By this point we have experienced the false peace initiated by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27),  followed by believe it or not, wars and rumors of war (Rev 6:3-4, Matt 24:6-7, Isaiah 28:1-4, Daniel 11:23-30), famine (Rev 6:5-6, Matt 24:7), and the breaking of this seven year covenant paving the way for the great tribulation. The Antichrist has taken his seat in the temple and made himself out to be god (Daniel 11:36, 2 Thess 2:3-4), Christians have been martyred in unheard of numbers for almost three and one half years by this point (Rev 6:9-11), and Jerusalem has been utterly ravaged (Zech 14:1-2). None of these things have occured as of yet. 

The final seven year period before the return of Christ is described in the book of Revelation through the opening of seven seals, the blowing of seven trumpets, and the emptying of seven bowls of wrath. These events are happening concurrently, and terminate at the same point, the return of Christ on the day of the LORD. Here are a few more things that the world will see and experience before the return of Christ takes place.

When the first trumpet is blown hail and fire mixed with blood is cast to the earth, causing a third of the trees and all the green grass to be burned up (Rev 8:7).

At the second trumpet something like a great burning mountain is cast into the sea, turning a third of the sea into blood (Rev 8:9). This is similar to what we read in Revelation 16:3-6, where the second bowl of judgement is poured out upon the sea, and the third bowl is emptied upon the rivers, turning them into blood.

At the blowing of the fourth trumpet a third part of the sun is struck, a third part of the moon, and a third of the stars. This causes a dimness of these heavenly bodies, shortening the days to an eight hour period of light during the daytime, and likewise at night. It is my belief, although I am not dogmatic, that this occurs somewhere near the middle of the final seven year period, perhaps coinciding with the revealing of the Antichrist as he places the abomination of desolation. Imagine living in a time when the sun is dimmed that much, especially if it stays that way for any length of time. 

At some point near the end, another bowl of wrath, the fourth one is poured out upon the sun. The resulting heat scorches men, who blaspheme God in their misery ( Rev 16:9). This is followed by the fifth bowl which, when emptied, plunges the kingdom of the beast into darkness (Rev 16:10).

The sixth bowl is a lead up to the battle of Armageddon, as the nations are being deceived, and gathered unto the great day of God Almighty (Rev 16:12-14). This is extremely late in time, the seals, trumpets and bowls are progressing swiftly to the end. It is at this point that Jesus interjects and says,

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

                      Revelation 16:15 KJV

Now the nations are gathered together at Armageddon and the seventh bowl is poured out into the air, a voice cries out it is finished. There is a great earthquake, the islands flee away and the mountains disappear, and the biggest hailstorm in history falls on mankind (Rev 16:16-21).

Likewise, in Revelation 11:13-19 we read of the same events at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Hail, a great earthquake, and the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of Christ. This is the day of the LORD, the thief like coming of Jesus Christ (1 Thess 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10). It does not happen secretly at some earlier point in time, no, it is a highly visible cataclysmic event preceeded by major events that will be obvious to all.

I mention a lot in this short post to try to show that we must be diligent to try everything by the word of God. Not every "blood moon," is a sign of the times, and likewise not every solar eclipse is forewarning of Christ's return. Much has to happen, and will happen before that day comes. If you are alert you can't miss it. Paul tells us that we as Christians don't belong to the night, we can and should be aware of what is coming so that we are not taken by surprise. The world at large will be deceived and caught unaware when these things begin to happen (1 Thess 5:1-8, Luke 21:34-36).

If talk of next week's eclipse has caused anyone concern about the last days, I urge you to examine yourself and be sure you are right with God. While events like this come and go with no major repercussions, the time will come when the real thing begins to unfold. Make sure you are ready.

Some Things to Watch.

There is something potentially happening in the not too distant future that will be a notable signpost of the days that we live in.

The Temple Institute in Israel has recently announced that they have several red heifers pure enough for sacrifice. (See Numbers 19:1-22)

This might not be something most Christians are looking for, or even aware of, but it is an important link in the events leading up to the final days, and the return of Christ.

Something the Jews have not had since 70 AD. is a temple or the sacrifices associated with temple worship. This is something many of them deeply desire, as they desire to adhere to the Mosaic system of worship, but have been unable to do so for nearly 2,000 years now.

They are training men to be priests, and have plans for a temple already to go. However there are a couple of things that need to happen first, before a temple can be built and sacrifices resume.

The purpose of the red heifer sacrifice was to make the water of cleansing. This was sprinkled on anyone who became defiled by contact with a dead body. According to the Temple Institute website there have been 9 red heifers sacrificed from the time of Moses up until the second temple period. This sacrifice would be the first one since then. The purpose of the water of cleansing would be to purify the site where the temple would be built. So it is a necessary thing that would have to be done before a temple would be built and the sacrificial system reinstated.

They are tentatively planning to sacrifice one of these heifers sometime between Passover and the Feast of weeks (Pentecost). That's coming up quickly here in the next couple months.

People have asked me why God would want a temple in the last days. After all, Jesus is our sacrifice. The point is however, the Bible predicts it. Remember, the Jews want their temple and sacrifices to resume. They don't follow Jesus as Messiah at this  point.

The Bible predicts a seven year period prior to the return of Christ where a treaty is made with many nations. This treaty is confirmed by a man who will ultimately be revealed as the Antichrist. There are not a lot of details about this covenant in the Bible, but one can assume that is made with the surrounding Muslim nations and perhaps contains some kind of "two state solution" that would allow the building of a temple on the temple mount, perhaps next to the dome of the rock. This would fit with what it states in Revelation 11:1-2. If the temple was next to the  mosque there would be room for it without a courtyard, the area the mosque sits on would be "given to the gentiles who will trample the city for forty two months."

This would be the next necessary step in building the temple and reinstating the sacrifices. At the mid point of this seven year period the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices, place the abomination of desolation, and sit in the temple declaring that he is god. 

All of this is prophecied beforehand.

This is the point that the time of Jacobs trouble begins, finally ending three and one half years later at Christ's return.

This will be interesting to keep an eye on. These heifers must be spotless. If there is one discolored hair, that animal is rejected. As I stated, I believe they have three at this point that they can use. Time will tell, keep an eye on this, and be ready for what is yet to come.

(See Daniel 8:9-12, 9:24-27, Matt 24:15-22, 2Thess 2:3-4)

The Restrainer, the Dragon, and the Beast

      Christians have long sought to understand the identity of the restrainer mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Paul is addressing an issue that the Thessalonian church was facing. It seemed that they were under the impression that the day of the Lord had already taken place. Naturally, this had shaken their faith, and Paul seeks to remind them of what he had previously taught them. 

     A common view of this passage is that these Christians had somehow come to believe that the rapture of the church had already taken place, and they had been left behind. This passage has been used as a proof text by those who promote the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. Therefore, Paul, attempts to show them that they have not missed the day of the Lord. 

     Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2 Thess 2:3-4 NKJV).

     Now this passage is telling us that the coming of Christ, and our gathering to Him (2 Thess 2:1) will not occur until there is a great falling away from the faith, and the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed. This already causes a problem for a pre-trib position, as they hold that the church is gone at the start of the final seven- year period known as the tribulation. 

     Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way (2 Thess 2:5-7 NKJV).  

     The question becomes that of, "Who or what is the restrainer?" Again, a common view is the Holy Spirit. I quoted these verses out of the New King James Version, where they capitalize the pronoun He, to show deity. However, did the NKJV translators impose their belief system into the text in this verse? 

     Pre- trib theology holds that the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, indwelling the church. Once the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit is absent from the earth, allowing the man of sin to be revealed. But Paul has just told us that the day of the Lord will not come until the antichrist is revealed, not before. The Holy Spirit within the church cannot be the restrainer according to what Paul has just stated. This causes a problem for a pre- trib rapture theology. Many Christians lament the fact that the Thessalonian Christians knew the identity of the restrainer (2 Thess 2:6), but Paul never mentioned him by name in this epistle. But is the Bible silent about the restrainer? Is there something the Thessalonians knew that we could know as well?

     It is helpful to understand that the early church was steeped in the Old Testament writings. The New Testament books and epistles were in the process of being written and passed around, but had not yet been formulated into what we now know as the Bible. When one studies prophecy it is crucial to look at the Old Testament prophets as well. Perhaps the one book that is absolutely necessary to a proper understanding of end time events is the book of Daniel. His visions of the end time events are referred to by Jesus, and form much of the background for the book of Revelation. 

     In Daniel chapter 12 we read of a time of trouble coming upon the world. Such trouble the world had never seen up to this point (compare Jesus' statement in Matt 24: 21).

     "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:1-2 NKJV)

     And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?" Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished (Daniel 12:6-7 NKJV).

     Daniel links the start of the great tribulation with the standing up of the arch angel Michael. What Michael does is not apparent here, but there is a link non the less. I also quoted verses 6 and 7, highlighting the words "time, times, and half a time". This phrase is found elsewhere in prophecy, and is interchangeable with forty two months, and 1260 days. What is revealed here, is that the time of the great tribulation is to last three and one half years. 

     Note also the mention of the resurrection of the dead. The various scriptures that mention the return of Christ, and the gathering of His people, also refer to the raising of the dead at the same time (1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16-17). Notice here in Daniel 12 that the resurrection is placed at the end (see also Daniel 12:13). Again, this does not fit the idea of a pretribulational rapture. 

     We read in Revelation 12 of a war in heaven,

     And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon: and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." 

     Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 12:7-17 NKJV).

     In this passage we read of a point in time when Satan is thrown out of heaven. I don't have all the answers, but apparently Satan has access to heaven (Job 1:6), but at some point he is defeated by Michael and his angels and cast out for good. He is filled with great wrath and pursues the woman who represents Israel (see Rev 12:1-6). Revelation 12 uses the symbols of the woman and a dragon with seven heads and ten horns to show how Satan has sought to destroy the male child (Jesus, the Messiah) through various empires throughout history, The time frame of this final assault is the last three and one half years of this age, when Satan is cast down to the earth. Notice again the reference to a time, times and half a time. This is the same reference as we saw in Daniel chapter 12, where Daniel prophecies of a time of trouble unrivaled in world history, We see here that a remnant of Israel finds protection in the wilderness, so the Devil, in his anger, seeks out her offspring who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. This group of people refers to Christians who will also suffer persecution on the earth at this point in history.

     We read of a beast, a mirror image of Satan, arising out of the sea in Revelation 13,

     Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority (Rev 13:1-2 NKJV).

     This is the emergence of the man of lawlessness and his kingdom. He receives his power and authority from Satan himself. Daniel has a vision of four kingdoms rising out of the great sea. In the Bible this refers to the Mediterranean sea. These kingdoms are represented by a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a dreadful beast unlike the others before it. (Daniel 7:1-7). This beast, in Revelation 13, is the fourth beast with ten horns, and is a conglomeration of the first three. Again, it is a mirror image of the dragon (Satan), with one difference. The dragon has crowns on his seven heads, while this beast has the crowns on it's ten horns. This signifies that this beast is the final world empire, consisting of ten united nations, under one wicked ruler. (Daniel 2:41-45; Rev 17:12-13). The world marvels after this beast,

     And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"  And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty two months. then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13: 3-8NKJV).

     This is the start of the great tribulation, We read here that the beast's authority is to last forty two months (Time, times, and half a time). He speaks blasphemous things against God. Daniel 7 records that a "little horn" rises out from among the ten horns on the fourth beast speaking arrogant words (Daniel 7:7-11). This horn makes war with the saints, and prevails against them for a time, times, and half a time, until the Ancient of Days comes and makes a judgement in favor of His saints (Daniel 7:19-27).

     This is the man of sin referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4 who sits in the temple, exalting himself above God. This is also what Jesus refers to as the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Matt 24:15; Daniel 9:24-27). The restrainer has been removed, and the Antichrist is revealed. This is the midpoint of the 70th week of Daniel, also commonly referred to by many, as the seven year tribulation. 

     To sum up, something is restraining the man of lawlessness, but it cannot be the Holy Spirit through the Church. Paul clearly links the coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him, with the "Day of the Lord." He states that that day will not come until a great falling away from the faith occurs, and the man of sin, who exalts himself above God in the temple of God, is revealed. We see the activity of Michael linked to the start of the great tribulation (the final 3 and 1/2 years) in Daniel 12, and also of the war in heaven between Michael with his angels, against the Devil and his angels. Satan is cast down to the earth where mounts an unprecedented assault, through a beast empire against the people of God. At the head of this unholy empire is the Antichrist who has authority given to him by Satan, which is to last for 3 and 1/2 years.

     Is Michael the restrainer? I am not dogmatic about it; I believe he has something to do with this, but I do not claim to have all the answers. I do know from reading Paul's second epistle to the Thessalonians however, that the Church will see the revealing of the Antichrist, when the restrainer is removed (2 Thess 2:3-8). There are abundant scriptures showing the presence of Christ's followers upon the earth, through the tribulation (Rev 7:9-17), until Christ's glorious appearing to gather His own, and destroy the lawless one (2 Thess 2:8).

      

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The Return of Christ

     Jesus tells us that His return will follow the Cosmic signs in the sky at the end of the 3 1/2 years of tribulation. "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" (Matt 24:30-31 NASB).

     There are some common themes found in these verses that are repeated in other passages relating to the second coming of our Lord. In Daniel 7:13-14 we read of one like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, approaching the Ancient of Days to receive an eternal kingdom. Jesus also claims this passage to Himself when interrogated by the high priest (Mark 14:61-62). We also read of the coming day when Egypt will come under a "cruel master" (Isaiah 19:4). This chapter foretells of the suffering of Egypt, and their ultimate redemption as they turn to the Lord in their time of distress. It begins with the LORD coming on swift cloud (Isaiah 19:1), ultimately placing this in the last days. Revelation 14:14-16 states, Then I looked, and behold a cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." So He who sat on the cloud  thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (NKJV)  The return of Christ will be the time when the saints are gathered to Him.

   Jesus tells us that when the sign of the Son of man appears in the sky, all the tribes of the earth will mourn. Revelation 1:7 agrees with this. Behold He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him, so it is to be. Amen. This verse is taking from Daniel 7:13, and Zechariah 12:10, which reads, "I will pour out on the house of of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."  The appearance of Jesus in the sky will certainly cause grief and mourning for those who are caught unaware, who are not spiritually ready to meet Him. However, it will be a day of salvation for the surviving remnant of Israel, who at the end of the brutal tribulation, will have their hearts open to receive their Messiah, the one whom they pierced at the time of His first coming to earth. God will pour out on them a Spirit of grace and supplication, they will repent with great sorrow at this time and so "All Israel will be saved." (Romans 11:26)

     And we read of the voice of the angel, and the trumpet blast in the epistles of Paul. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1Cor 15:52 NASB). 

     For the Lord Himself descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel 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 the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:16-17 NASB).

     John saw this in his revelation of Jesus Christ, Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that 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, as He preached to His servants the prophets (Rev 10:5-7 NASB).  

     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." (Rev 11:15) These verses quoted out of Revelation are in the context of the angels with the seven trumpets. This is speaking of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the same trumpet Paul refers to in his epistles, and what Jesus speaks of in His teaching on the end of the age. This is the trumpet blast that is sounded at the return of Christ.

     It is in Revelation 19 where we read of Christ's return, and the events that occur at that time. this is a subject I will explore in future posts. Let us all find ourselves ready to "Stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

Fear or Faith

      The last days will be a time of great trial upon the earth. We have looked at the teaching of Jesus concerning the time of the end, comparing it to the breaking of the seals in the book of Revelation. Up to this point we have briefly discussed deception, wars, famines, persecution, and the signs in the heavens that will precede the second coming of Jesus.

     Jesus, at the close of His parable on prayer found in Luke 18:1-8, asks a question that we all should seriously ponder. "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" This parable closes with the mention of the elect crying out to God for justice, and His faithfulness to carry it out (Luke 18:7-8). Revelation 6:9-10 tells of the martyred saints crying out to the Lord for judgement, and an avenging of their blood, upon those who dwell upon the earth. I think this is no accident, and Jesus is teaching us that persistent prayer is linked to faith, and that it is, and will be absolutely necessary to make it through the time of sorrow coming upon the world. 

     "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36 NASB). At first glance many may think this is a reference to a pre-trib rapture, hoping that we as Christians will not experience any of these events. But why pray that we will have strength to be raptured? It makes no sense. Jesus is telling us that in light of all the chaos taking place around us, the persecution, the deception, apostasy, natural disasters and cosmic signs, we must have an unwavering faith. "By your endurance you will gain your lives" (Luke 21:19). "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved" (Matt 24:13). "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son" (Rev 21:7).

     Contrast this with the unbelieving people of this earth, great and small, who hide themselves from the wrath of God, calling for the mountains and rocks to cover them from His presence (Rev 6:15-17). Jesus tells us that men will faint from fear as all these things are happening (Luke 21:26). But as for those of us who love Him, and long for His appearing (2 Tim 4:8), when we see these things taking place, we must look up for our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28).

Cosmic Signs

     Continuing on in the Olivet discourse Jesus states,

     "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 the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matt 24:29NASB). 

     Jesus refers here to several old testament passage that portray the same events set to occur at the "day of the LORD".  Isaiah 13 contains a prophecy against Babylon, the nation that was to carry the people of Judah into exile. Although this exile was due to Judah's apostasy, yet God would judge Babylon for its cruelty. This prophecy, although fulfilled in part when the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, telescopes out to the future, and the day of the LORD.

     Wail for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man's heart will melt. They will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold of them; they will writhe like a woman in labor, they will look at one another in astonishment, their faces aflame. Behold the day of the LORD is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light.  Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold and mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the LORD of hosts in the day of His burning anger (Isaiah 13:6-13 NASB).

     I have underlined the sections that Jesus refers to in Matthew 24. Again, the context of this portion of Isaiah 13 is the day of the LORD, and Jesus links this with His return.

     Isaiah 34 also foretells the time of God's wrath and indignation upon the nations and their armies (Isaiah 34:2). At this time All the hosts of heaven will wear away, and the sky will be rolled up as a scroll; all their hosts will also wither away as a leaf withers away from the vine, or as one withers from the fig tree (Isaiah 34:4 NASB). 

     Now let's look at the breaking of the sixth seal in Revelation chapter six. This event is set to occur after the martyrdom unleashed by the breaking of the fifth seal. This agrees with the statement of Jesus we read above (Matt 24:9). I grew up with the teaching of a pre-trib rapture. Part of my understanding was that the moon was to turn dark red before this event occurred. Yet we see here that this idea is actually wrong, it does not agree with Jesus' teaching, or the words of this chapter either. We actually find that the bible teaches the opposite here.

     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 the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places (Rev 6:12-14 NASB).

     This passage of scripture also draws from the old testament. Notice the quotation of Isaiah 34:4 here. The book of Joel is also quoted,

     "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes" (Joel 2:30-31 NASB). 

     This verse is found in a passage foretelling the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Peter quotes from this passage on the day of Pentecost, explaining to the people what it was they were seeing and hearing (Acts 2:14-21). Peter's focus was on the signs that accompanied the filling of the Holy Spirit, but this prophecy, like so many others, looks also to the distant future and finds its final fulfillment at the end of this age. 

     Scripture interprets scripture. You will find a continuity between the books of the bible, both old testament and new. It is fascinating to see the number of old testament quotes found in the new testament. The book of Revelation relies heavily upon old testament imagery. I would recommend to everyone who seeks to study scripture, and in this case, prophecy, that you use those cross references that many bible's contain. You will find these things spoken of throughout the word of God.

     

     

      

Tribulation

"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, 

and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

At that time many will fall away and will betray one another 

and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will

mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most

people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures

to the end, he will be saved." (Matt 24:9-13 NASB)

When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice

of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."

I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it

had the name Death; and Hades was following with him.

Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth,

to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence

and by the wild beasts of the earth. 

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath

the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of 

the word of God, and because of the testimony which they 

had maintained. (Rev 6:7-9 NASB)

     This is most likely at the mid point of the "70th week of Daniel" (Dan 9:25-27), where the Antichrist breaks a covenant he makes with Israel, and unleashes his fury against them. Other passages that correspond to this point in time are found in Daniel 7:7-8, 20-21, 24-25, which speak of the rise of the "little horn" who persecutes the saints of the Highest One for "a time, times, and half a time" (31/2 years). This is also mentioned in Daniel 8:23-26, and Daniel 11:31-36, where we see the abomination of desolation is set up, something Jesus warns us about as well in Matthew 24:15-22, as the point when the great tribulation begins. According to Jesus, this period of time will be a horrific time unlike any other that has been, or will be (Matt 24:21-22), and for the sake of the elect, it will be shortened.

     We read in Revelation 12:7-17 of a war in heaven, where the serpent, also called Satan, is cast down to the earth. This results in a time of terrible persecution against Israel, and upon Christians as well (see Rev 12:17). Again, in verse 14, we read that this time of tribulation lasts for a time, times, and half a time. Just like we read in Daniel 7, it is for a time frame of 3 1/2 years. 

     Revelation 13 speaks of the rise of the "beast", which is not only the Antichrist, but also his kingdom, made up of ten nations. It is my belief that at the point Satan is cast down to the earth, he enters this Antichrist and uses the "beast" as an agent of his wrath. 

     Here we read of the beast given a mouth speaking blasphemy (see also 2 Thess 2:3-6), and authority for 42 months, or 3 1/2 years (Rev 13:4-7). Just as we saw in Daniel's prophecy, this beast will make war with the saints and overcome them, and just as Jesus stated, It will be the one who endures to the end who will be saved (Matt 24:13).

     Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 

"Now the salvation, power, and the kingdom

of our God and the authority of His Christ

have come, for the accuser of our brethren

has been thrown down, he who accuses them

before our God day and night.

And they overcame him because of the 

blood of the Lamb and because of the word 

of their testimony, and they did not love 

their life even when faced with death."

Revelation 12:10-11 NASB.

     

     

The Birth Pains

      In the Olivet discourse found in Mathew 24 and 25, Jesus puts forth a timeline of events leading up to His second coming. He refers to false Christs, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines in various places, as "birth pains." He tells us not to be frightened, as the end is not yet (Matthew 24:4-8). 

     The opening of the seven seals in Revelation 6 follow this timeline remarkably. The rider on a white horse is representative of the emergence of a leader who will ultimately be revealed as the Antichrist (Rev 6:2). This leader will be a deceiver, and will usher in an age of deception that the world has not yet seen (Matt 24:4-5, 24). 

     Wars and rumors of wars (Matt 24:6-7), are those conflicts solidifying the beast kingdom of the Antichrist. The opening of the second seal (Rev 6:3-4), unleashes war and conflict upon the earth. Although it is true that we have had countless wars throughout the ages, the conflicts mentioned here will be those conflicts taking place within the final seven year period known as the great tribulation, and to be more specific, those conflicts taking place within the first 3 1/2 years. 

     Jesus mentions famines in various places (Matt 24:7). This corresponds to Revelation 6:5-6, where a rider on a black horse is released at the breaking of the third seal. This rider is carrying a pair of scales in his hand. A voice is heard saying, " A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine." A denarious was the equivelant of a days wages. Take your paycheck, and figure out what you make in one day. Imagine paying that amount for a quart of wheat?  The breaking of this seal releases economic collapse, and famine, at least to a certain extent into the world.

     Could it be that the conflicts taking place at this time in the middle east effect the oil trade?  Something of this nature could have a devastating impact on the economies of many nations. And could something like this set up the emergence of the Antichrist system, where the only means of trade will be by taking a mark (Rev 13:16-17)? At any rate, we see the devastation that war creates in our world today. Displaced people, starvation, poverty, are all inevitable results of war. 

     Jesus states that these things are merely the birth pains, and as a pregnancy is nearing its end, the labor pains intensify, which leads us to the next seal, the rider on an ashen horse (Rev 6:7-8).

     

Wars and Rumors of Wars.

 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard

one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come."

I looked and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; 

and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering

and to conquer.

When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature

saying, "Come."  And another, a red horse, went out; and to him

who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men

would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

Revelation 6:1-4 NASB

     Jesus tells us that prior to His return, we will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, however these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs (Matt 24:6-8). Famine is also mentioned in this passage, however for this post I will focus on some biblical prophecies concerning wars surrounding the emergence of the Anti-Christ.

     The old testament prophets have much to say about the last days, perhaps more than most of us realize. Daniel foretold much of what is to come, and anyone studying biblical prophecy soon discovers that much of what Jesus teaches, and much of what is revealed in the book of Revelation, has its roots in the prophecies of Daniel, 

     For the sake of brevity I will highlight some passages from the old testament prophets, and save further elaboration for future posts. 

     In Daniel 7, Daniel receives a vision of four beasts rising out of the great sea. One has the appearance of a winged lion, one a bear rising up on one side, one a four headed leopard, also with four wings on its back, and finally a dreadful beast unlike anything preceding it. Many scholars agree that these beasts correspond to the kingdoms represented in chapter 2, where Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a large statue, made up of differing metals. The kingdoms here represented are that of Babylon, which was conquered by the Medes and Persians, who were them defeated by the kingdom of Greece. I agree with this, and I also believe that these kingdoms are also represented by the first three beasts Daniel saw in chapter 7. However this vision is not a repeat of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, but concerns the re-emergence of these same kingdoms in the future. 

     The fourth kingdom in king Nebuchadnezzar's dream is commonly believed to be the Roman empire, which re-emerges as the beast kingdom (represented by the ten toes on the statue, and ten horns on the beast of chapter 7) in the latter days. I disagree with this view, and briefly here is why. This vision is concerning the kingdom of Babylon, and what happens to it. Each of the successive kingdoms swallow up the previous kingdom, always having control over Babylon itself. Rome, although a dominant empire on the world scene, never conquered Babylon, or Persia to the east. the eastern Roman empire had its capitol in what is now known as Istanbul Turkey, but their dominance did not fulfill the dream of Daniel chapter 2.

     The next major kingdom on the world scene, which also defeated the eastern portion of the Roman empire is that of the Islamic caliphate. This is a much better fit, and the Bible has a lot to say prophetically about the lands that are Muslim majority nations today. This caliphate dominated all of the countries that made up the former Babylonian, Persian, and Greek empires for centuries. While the caliphate is now broken up, these countries still have the potential to unite once more as a dominant world power. This is what I believe the Bible teaches, and I hope that future posts can clarify this further. 

     This is where the wars and rumors of wars come into play. Right now in the middle east and north Africa we see many nations, some get along with each other, many do not. For a final kingdom to emerge on the scene, made up of ten of these nations, something has to happen. 

     Daniel 8 records a vision of a ram and a goat. This vision is for the time of the end (Daniel 8:17). It has not been fulfilled yet, although the defeat of the Persian empire by Alexander the great fits this, and can be looked at as a type of what is to come. The Ram represents the kings of Media and Persia, and the goat Greece (Dan 8:20-21). The actual word translated Greece in our English Bibles is Yavan. Yavan was an ancient country that was made up of a part of what is present day Greece, and what is now known today as Turkey. The modern country of Iran would represent what was formerly called Persia. Briefly, the Ram (Persia), will arise and attack countries to the west, north and south, but is ultimately, and swiftly defeated by the kingdom of Yavan (Turkey).  After this, the king of Yavan suddenly dies, and his kingdom is divided into fourths. The "little horn" (Anti-Christ) emerges from one of these kingdoms (Dan 7:7-8, 8:9-12). Could this be foretelling a coming mid eastern conflict between Iran and Turkey? It is something to consider and watch for.

     Daniel 11 gives further details of the power struggle this divided kingdom will go through. It ultimately comes down to two kingdoms, the North, and the South. Historically these events played out in the Syrian wars between the Seleucid empire (North), whose capitol was in Antioch Syria, and the Ptolemaic empire (South), which was Egypt. Historic events between these two kingdoms took place, leading to the emergence of Antiochus Epiphanes, his invasion of Egypt, and the destruction and misery he inflicted upon the land of Israel. Yet these are only partial fulfillments, shadows once again, as the events are again set for the future days as Daniel 12 shows. Antiochus Epiphanes is a type of the coming Anti-Christ, and what is applied to him in Dan 11 is ultimately fulfilled by the coming beast (Dan 11:21-45). 

     Dan 11:42-43 speak of His conquest of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia (Sudan). Could this be the three horns uprooted by the little horn in Daniel 7:8? Isaiah prophecies of this in chapter 19. Again, the setting is the end, the return of Christ is referenced in the first verse (Isaiah 19:1). Remember Jesus' statement in Matthew 24, "Nation will rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom?" in Isaiah 19:2 we see a similar statement made where Egyptian will be against Egyptian, each against his brother and neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. Was Jesus making reference to this passage of scripture? Then we see Egypt fall to a cruel task master, the wicked ruler of Daniel 11 (Isaiah 19:4).  The good news is this. We see Egypt in their hour of need, cry out to the Lord, turn to the Lord, and find deliverance in Him (Isaiah 19:19-22).

     There are many more prophecies concerning the last days and the middle eastern nations found throughout the Bible. I would keep my eyes open to the events happening in that part of the world, and when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, and begin to see these events unfold, understand that this might be leading up to the return of Christ, and the inaugeration of His kingdom.

End Times Deception

Who is the liar but the one that denies that Jesus is the Christ?

This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 2:22 NASB

     When asked by His disciples about the end of the age, and of His coming, Jesus gave them a timeline so to speak, of the signs to watch for. The very first thing Jesus mentioned was deception. "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many." (Matt 24:5, Mark 13:5-6, Luke 21:8)  Indeed, we live in an age of deception, but this is nothing new to Christianity. The Bible warns of deception throughout its pages. The New Testament epistles are filled with warnings and corrections concerning heresies that were already in existence at the time of their writing. 

     Jesus is specific. He states that many will come in My name claiming to be the Christ. Out of these deceivers there are two specific ones to watch for. In the book of Daniel we read of a wicked ruler who is to come. It states that he will fling truth to the ground (Daniel 8:12), and that he ascends to power through intrigue and deception (Daniel 11:21-23). This is the same king mentioned by Paul in his second epistle to the Thessalonians. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul begins by warning his readers against deception. He then explains that the day of the Lord will not come until there is a great falling away from the faith, and the man of lawlessness is revealed. This ruler's coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, accompanied with false signs and wonders, and deception (2 Thess 2:8-10). 

     Here we also see that if we wish to avoid deception we must have a love for the truth. To love the truth means we desire, accept, and live by the truth even if it goes against the grain so to speak. To accept falsehood because it is the easy way out is dangerous! The truth is not always popular, and in the last days it will be even harder to stand for it. The warning here is that God will eventually let us go on in deception if that's the road we choose (2 Thess 2:10-12).

     We read in Revelation 13 of two beasts that arrive on the world scene. The first one again, is the one we have been talking about. The next one to watch for is found in Revelation 13:11-18. This individual is known as the false prophet. He exercises the same authority as the first beast (The antichrist), and through false signs and miraculous wonders, he deceives the multitudes into the worship of this beast (Rev 13:13-14).  This ultimately leads to an economic situation where it will be impossible to buy or sell without being marked, some sort of identification of allegiance to this satanic kingdom (Rev 13:16-17).  Jesus Himself warns us that the deceptive signs and wonders in these days are aimed at misleading even the elect if possible (Matt 24:24). 

     What do we do? There are those who believe we as Christians will not be here at this time. I would disagree. I believe the bible teaches that the saints will go through the three and one half years of the tribulation, and I will examine this in future posts. You can also read about it by clicking here. It is vital that we know the truth, that we love the truth, that we seek truth and implement it in our lives. Now is when we must grow and become strong in the faith, ultimately trusting God for the grace we will need in that hour. As Jesus said, "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. " (Matt 24:13 NASB)