Harmony of the Gospels -- Olivet Discourse

	Matt 23:37-39
Conditions of Return	37  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!  38 See, your house is left to you desolate.  39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
	Matt 24:1-2	Mark 13:1-2	Luke 21:5-6
Setting	1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."	13  And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2 And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."	5  And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 "As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."
	Matt 24:3	Mark 13:3-4	Luke 21:7
Three Questions and Three Signs	3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"	3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?"	7 And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"
	Matt 24:4-6	Mark 13:5-7	Luke 21:8-9
Characteristics of the Church Age	4 And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.  5 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.  6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.	5 And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray.  6  Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray.  7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.	8 And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.  9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once."
	Matt 24:7-8	Mark 13:8	Luke 21:10-11
The End of the Age Sign	7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.	8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.	10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
	Matt 24:9-11	Mark 13:9-13a	Luke 21:12-19
Before These Things … Apostles' Experience	9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.  10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.	9  "But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.  10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.  11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.  12  And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.  13  And you will be hated by all for my name's sake.	12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.  13  This will be your opportunity to bear witness.  14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,  15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.  16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.  17  You will be hated by all for my name's sake.  18 But not a hair of your head will perish.  19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.
			Luke 21:20-24
Fall of Jerusalem Sign			20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.  21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it,  22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.  23  Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.  24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
	Matt 24:12-22	Mark 13:13b, 14-23
Great Tribulation	12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.  13  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.	But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Great Tribulation (Second Half)	15 "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place ( let the reader understand),  16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  17  Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,  18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.  19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!  20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.  21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.  22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.	14 But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be ( let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  15  Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out,  16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.  17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!  18 Pray that it may not happen in winter.  19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.  20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.  21 And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it.  22  False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.  23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
	Matt 24:23-30	Mark 13:24-26	Luke 21:25-28
Sign of the Second Coming	23  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it.  24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.  25 See, I have told you beforehand.  26 So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.  27  For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  28  Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.	24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,  25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.	25 "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,  26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
	29 "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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
	Matt 24:31	Mark 13:27
Aftermath (Wedding Feast)	And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.	And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

The Seventy-Five Day Interval

Removal of the Abomination of Desolation

Dan 12:11-12 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. NIV

• Previously 1260 is used to describe the time until the middle of the tribulation, and the time to the end of the tribulation and the demise of the Anti Christ . Based on the use of 360 days as a prophetic year
• The author adds 30 extra days here (1290) for the end of the abomination that causes desolation
• The author adds 45 extra days (or 75 to the 1260 to make 1225) for additional events

Antichrist is Resurrected and/or only Cast into Lake of Fire with False Prophet

Isa 14:11-20 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, 17 the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?" 18 All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, 20 you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again. NIV

Rev 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. NIV

• The two passages seem to contradict each other. In the first passage, it is clear that the Antichrist is killed, yet in the second, he is captured. There are three possibilities
• One, Fruchtenbaum argues that the beast is killed and then resurrected as the first of the "second resurrection" (those who do not have eternal life), and then cast into the lake of fire
• Two, it could be that the casting into the lake of fire is the "death" of the Antichrist, later described in Isaiah
• Third, the Isaiah passage describes Satan, whereas Revelation 19:20 describes the Antichrist, not the person Satan

Casting of Satan into his fifth abode, the Abyss

Rev 20:1-3 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. NIV

• There are six abodes of Satan mentioned in the bible
• First, the throne of God
• Second, the mineral garden of Eden
• Third, the atmospheric heavens
• Fourth, the earth (in the middle of the tribulation, Satan is cast to earth)
• Fifth, the abyss
• Sixth, the lake of fire

Judgment of Living Gentiles

Matt 25:31-33 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. NIV

• Two groups are created. What are the requirements for entry into each group?

Matt 25:34-46 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." NIV

• Fruchtenbaum argues that the groups are separated into pro- and anti-Semitic groups. And verse 40 does seem to support that view, but verse 46 would then raise the question of salvation by works. Fruchtenbaum argues that only believers would have risked their lives to protect the Jews. In which case, the dividing line really is salvation and Semitic views, or at least it is both

Resurrection of OT Saints

Dan 12:1-2 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. NIV

• There are two resurrections mentioned here and they probably are separated in time because of one event still to come, the marriage feast of the lamb
• The OT saints are resurrected for the marriage feast
• The OT unbelievers are resurrected but not until the end of the millennial (during the "second resurrection") for judgment

Resurrection of Tribulation Saints

Rev 20:4-6 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. NIV

• Now, the martyrs during the tribulation are resurrected to participate in the marriage feast. At this point only believers will be alive
• Five resurrections
• First, Christ, the firstfruit
• Second, the NT dead in Christ (and then living believers raptured) (before the tribulation)
• Third, the two witnesses (during the tribulation)
• Fourth, the OT saints (after the tribulation)
• Fifth, the tribulation saints (after the tribulation)

Marriage Feast of the Lamb

Rev 19:4 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God." NIV

Matt 22:1-14 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. // 4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' // 5 "But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. // 8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. // 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. // 13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' // 14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen." NIV

Isa 25:6-8 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. NIV

• Technically, the marriage feast is a double marriage
• The church as the bride of the Messiah
• Israel as the remarried wife of Jehovah

APPLICATION:

• Gratefulness. We do not deserve our salvation
• Purpose. We are nearing the end of the days, and many do not believe in the God of the bible. If they do not see a difference in us, they may never get another chance to hear / see the gospel. Your life might be the last light anyone sees. Is it different enough (ie, holy) that people will see Jesus? Or does it look like everyone else around you?

The Campaign of Armageddon

Most of the ideas for this section come from Dr Fruchtenbaum's book "The Footsteps of the Messiah." Many more verses are found in his book and a much more detailed explanation and argument. My notes do not do justice to his work. I would recommend his book for those wanting to go deeper into the subject

Sixth Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:12-16 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." // 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. NIV [1]

• What is the sequence of events here?
  • River, Euphrates, is dried up. Why and where is it? To prepare the way for the kings of the east to mass their forces. Euphrates and Babylon are in modern day Iran
  • Evil spirits, who look like frogs (physically or in the spiritual realm), are sent to convince the other kings to attack Israel
  • A message of hope is sounded to the faithful
  • The armies gather at Armageddon (show on map). This is the gathering place, not the place of a final battle, nor is there one battle. It is more proper to call it the Campaign of Armageddon or the War of the great day of God
• Fruchtenbaum argues that as the armies of the Antichrist gather to destroy Israel, the first event is the destruction of Babylon. He argues that the prophecy against Babylon have never been fulfilled in the detail described and therefore refer to the future Babylon and not the Babylon of old. [I'm not convinced on the timing]
  • Jer 51:41-44 "How Sheshach // will be captured, // the boast of the whole earth seized! // What a horror Babylon will be // among the nations! // 42 The sea will rise over Babylon; // its roaring waves will cover her. // 43 Her towns will be desolate, // a dry and desert land, // a land where no one lives, // through which no man travels. // 44 I will punish Bel in Babylon // and make him spew out what he has swallowed. // The nations will no longer stream to him. // And the wall of Babylon will fall. NIV [1]
  • Rev 18:1-24 also deals with Babylon's final destruction
• The forces of the Antichrist next attack Jerusalem. They suffer extensive losses but succeed in taking the city
• Zech 12 This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: 2 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness," declares the Lord. "I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.' // 6 "On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. // 7 "The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the Lord going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. // 10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. NIV [1]
• In the next stage, the forces of the Antichrist head to Bozrah to destroy the remnant that is gathered there (we are now three days from Christ's return)
• Jer 49:13-14 I swear by myself," declares the Lord, "that Bozrah will become a ruin and an object of horror, of reproach and of cursing; and all its towns will be in ruins forever."  // 14 I have heard a message from the Lord: // An envoy was sent to the nations to say, // "Assemble yourselves to attack it! // Rise up for battle!" NIV [1]
• The fifth stage (using Fruchtenbaum's order of events) is the national regeneration of Israel
  • Rom 11:25-27 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: // "The deliverer will come from Zion; // he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. // 27 And this is my covenant with them // when I take away their sins." NIV
  • Ps 79 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. 2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. 3 They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. 4 We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. 5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; 7 for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland. 8 Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. 9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. 10 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. 11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you; by the strength of your arm preserve those condemned to die. 12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord. 13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. NIV
  • Ps 80:16-19 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish. 17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. 18 Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. NIV
    • Who is the man at your right hand, the son of man? He is Jesus, the messiah
    • Zech 12:10 makes a similar argument
• The sixth stage is Jesus' return. Fruchtenbaum argues that Jesus returns first to Bozrah
• Isa 34:1-10 Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it,the world, and all that comes out of it! 2 The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. 3 Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will send up a stench; the mountains will be soaked with their blood. 4 All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree. 5 My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; see, it descends in judgment on Edom, the people I have totally destroyed. 6 The sword of the Lord is bathed in blood, it is covered with fat — the blood of lambs and goats, fat from the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in Edom. 7 And the wild oxen will fall with them, the bull calves and the great bulls. Their land will be drenched with blood, and the dust will be soaked with fat. 8 For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause. 9 Edom's streams will be turned into pitch, her dust into burning sulfur; her land will become blazing pitch! 10 It will not be quenched night and day; its smoke will rise forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever pass through it again. NIV
• Isa 63:1-6 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me.I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. 6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground." NIV
• Matt 24:30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. NIV
• Acts 1:9-11 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. // 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." NIV
  • Note that it doesn't say the same place but rather in the same way or manner
• In parallel, Rev 19 describes the Lord's return in more detail. There is a four-fold hallelujah
• The seventh stage is the battle from Bozrah to the valley of Jehoshaphat
• Joel 3:12-13 'Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow — so great is their wickedness!' NIV
• The eight stage is the victory ascent up the Mount of Olives
  • Zech 14:3-4 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. NIV
  • It is at this point that the seventh bowl judgment is exercised

  Seventh Bowl Judgment

  Rev 16:17-21 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. NIV [1]

• The seventh trumpet is the end. A number of geographical changes occur as well as the falling of very heavy hail stones
• Also the fifth worldwide blackout occurs. Fruchtenbaum places it after the tribulation, but it could be argued prior as well
• Zech 14:3-4 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. NIV

APPLICATION: Everything in the bible that has been prophesied to take place has occurred with 100 percent fulfillment. There is a strong reason to believe that the remaining prophecies will come to fruition as well. The world wants to destroy God, to come up with rationalistic explanations for life. But they are just following Satan's plan, and their rationalistic explanations do not improve life or answer the big questions of life. We need to hold firm to truth, to not shrink back, and to offer to those around us a compelling reason for a change. If our friends and the people we meet in life don't see it within us, they may never see it

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.

Events of the 2nd Half of the Tribulation (Part One)

Seventh Trumpet Judgment, Third Woe

Rev 11:14-15 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. // 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: // "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, // and he will reign for ever and ever." NIV [1]

Rev 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. NIV [1]

• The seventh seal contained the seven trumpets
• Here the seventh trumpet (and third woe) contains the seven bowl judgments
• The bowl judgments are described in Rev 15-16. The description picks up where 11:19 leaves off
• The scene shifts to activities occurring during the middle of the tribulation period, and not necessarily associated with any particular judgment

Rev 15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues — last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and marvelous are your deeds, // Lord God Almighty. // Just and true are your ways, // King of the ages. // 4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, // and bring glory to your name? // For you alone are holy. // All nations will come // and worship before you, // for your righteous acts have been revealed."

5 After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. NIV

• What evidence is there that this is a continuation of Revelation 11?
  • The trumpet judgments proceed out of the temple
• When the trumpet is first blown, the twenty-four elders sing a song describing God's judgment and wrath against sin. Here the martyred saints of the tribulation, sing two songs
  • The song of Moses
  • The song of the Lamb
  • Fruchtenbaum argues that the first song is Ex 15:1-18 or Deut 32:1-43, songs of deliverance and that the second song is here, vs 3b-4. In my opinion, it is not clear. But the songs do provide a bookend for the events described in the preceding chapters, and an introduction to the last judgments
• This is probably the verses where people mistakenly conclude we will be sitting on clouds with harps singing forever

First Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:1-2 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." // 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. NIV [1]

• How is the first judgment described?
• It attacks a person with an painful and ugly sore. Satan attacked Job's possession and family, then he attacked Job's body. This is painful, it attacks people physically. But is also ugly, so it attacks people's vanity
• It only attacks unbelievers

Second Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. NIV [1]

• Previously, what had happened to the sea? One-third of the sea was affected. Now, the entire salt water sea is destroyed, killing all the marine life

Third Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:4-7 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: // "You are just in these judgments, // you who are and who were, the Holy One, // because you have so judged; // 6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, // and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."

7 And I heard the altar respond: // "Yes, Lord God Almighty, // true and just are your judgments." NIV [1]

• Now the remaining two-thirds of sweet water is destroyed. In all probability, this does not affect stored water, but it must cause a lot of fear since only stored water (a finite amount) would remain
• What is the reasoning for this judgment?
  • Because the world has shed the blood of saints and prophets, they are given blood to drink as they deserve
  • I imagine that those who think vampires are cool will be having second thoughts
• Not sure the significance of the altar responding to the angel in charge of the waters. Also not sure if that is a different angel than the third angel. What I do believe is that the judgment against those who have killed God's people is a long awaited judgment

Fourth Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:8-9 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. NIV [1]

• What had previously happened to the sun?
  • Somehow one-third of the light had been restricted
• Now the heat of the sun either increase, or the heat is trapped, or the ozone layer is destroyed, or massive solar bursts occur, but people experience severe sun burn
• What is the response of the world at this point?
• They curse the name of God
• They refuse to repent (possibly they don't see the connection between their sin and the resulting judgments)
• They refuse to glorify God

Fifth Bowl Judgment

Rev 16:10-11 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. NIV [1]

• This is the fourth blackout. This one is pretty severe and is more akin to what happened to the Egyptians
• And how does the world respond? They continue to refuse to repent

Background to the last Two Judgments

Matt 12:22-28 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. NIV [1]

• Jesus performs a messianic miracle
• The people seek confirmation from there leaders
• The rulers reject Jesus as Messiah and decide his power is from Satan

Matt 12:38-45 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."

39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." NIV [1]

• The Pharisees ask for a sign … have they not been looking?
• Jesus now only performs miracles for his disciples benefit or demands faith on the part of the hearer
• What term appears over and over? [this] generation
• John the Baptist began the house cleaning, but this generation, because of its decision is worse off
• The nation would only receive the sign of the prophet Jonah. Three times. Lazarus, Jesus, and the two witnesses

John 11:43-46 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. NIV [1]

• Some believe
• But some go to tell the Pharisees. Upon hearing the Pharisees decide that Jesus must die

Matt 23:33-39 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" NIV [1]

• This is a long discussion and goes back to Matt 12, the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by the leadership. The nation committed an unpardonable sin (the only possible unpardonable sin) and was judged in 70AD. There is now a condition upon Jesus' return, and that is the nation must accept the messiah-ship of Jesus Christ
• Consequently, the destruction of the nation will prevent the return of Jesus Christ. This is Satan's final plan

APPLICATION:

We have a peek into the future. A future we will not have to endure because of the promise of the rapture. Which is not to say we can not suffer persecution in the days prior. But because we have a glimpse of the end, it should encourage us to live our lives for God, in repentance, in a manner that would glorify him, in a manner that causes others to see the difference. Israel failed to be a witness during its day. It became so much like the world around it, that no one could see the difference. Even if our friends don't respond to the gospel, will they see enough of a difference that they respond before their hearts are hardened. You may or may not see many come to Christ, but will your legacy endure after you? Will anyone come to Christ during the tribulation because of you witness?

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.

Events in the Middle of the Tribulation (Part Two)

Rev 13:1-4 And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" NIV

• Who is the beast? He is the Antichrist, the leader of the new one world government
  • The next thing is to gain worldwide religious control. There are three obstacles: Ecclesiastical Babylon, the two witnesses (already discussed the killing of the two witness in chapter 11), and the Jews (already discussed the attack on the Jews in Chapter 12)
• What has happened to the beast? He has a fatal wound but comes back to life which completes the deception (a counterfeit multiplicity of names, a counterfeit virgin birth, a counterfeit god-man, and a counterfeit death and resurrection (Fruchtenbaum, 2003))
• And now, he also gains the worship of the whole world (vs 3-4)

Rev 13:5-8 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He 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. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast — all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. NIV

• This completes the description of his control of the whole world and the worship of Satan by the entire world. This is every maniacal world leader's goal, and Satan is allowed to achieve it

Rev 13:9-10 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. // 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, // into captivity he will go. // If anyone is to be killed with the sword, // with the sword he will be killed. // This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. NIV

• This is a warning to the world and a comfort to the saints about justice. Whatever happens to them, will be returned upon their persecutors

Rev 13:11-18 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666. NIV

• Where does the second beast come from? The earth, therefore he is human
• His voice betrays his true nature? He speaks like the dragon and is an agent of Satan
• This is the false prophet. What is his mission?
  • He operates as a counterfeit Holy Spirit, calling the world the Antichrist and the dragon
  • He can perform miracles and gives life to an image of the Antichrist
• And while he cannot indwell each person individually, he forces every person to receive a mark (for the Christian, everyone is sealed with the HS)
• What is this mark?
  • It is the name of the beast
  • It is the number of his name
  • It is the number of the beast
  • It is a man's number
  • It is 666
• We can't be sure. There are a number of theories. One is that each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet is assigned a number, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400. If we use the Hebrew version, and the numbers add up to 666, then that should identify the Antichrist

Mid Tribulation Announcements:

Rev 14:6-20 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

8 A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. NIV

• Three last warnings to those who will receive the mark
  • God is the one to worship
  • The apostate religion is dead
  • A warning against receiving the mark
  • The final judgment is coming
• Additionally,
  • The breaking of the seven year covenant, Dan 9:27
  • The abomination that cause desolation
    • Dan 12:11
    • Matt 24:15-16
    • 2 Thess 2:3-4
• Next week: The second half of the tribulation
• APPLICATION: How do we apply this?
  • Who do we worship really? Is it a thing, a person, a feeling, …
  • Why do we worship, really? Is it our parent's thing or the way we grew up, or …
  • How can we change the focus of our worship?

Events in the Middle of the Tribulation (Part One)

NOTE: The events in the middle of the tribulation are difficult to place and may not be chronological. We are sitting at the seventh trumpet, third woe. The trumpet judgment contains all the bowl judgments, just as the sixth scroll contained the seven trumpet judgments

Rev 10: 1-11 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! 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."

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." 10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings." NIV

• Who has been announcing the trumpet judgment? Angels
• Who is this story about? A mighty angel -- possibly the seventh angel
• Why do we know this is a long judgment (notwithstanding the fact that it also probably refers to the bowl judgments)? Verse 7 says, "in the days" -- so we know it occurs over a period of time
• We are not told everything, at least not what the seven thunders said
• Why does the scroll taste sweet then bitter?
  • Sweet -- people love to go to prophecy conferences or to buy books pertaining to the end times
  • Bitter -- we need to realize there is great and terrible pain coming unless a person comes to Christ for salvation. There is escape from the tribulation through the rapture. But there is no escape for believer or unbeliever once the days begin
• APPLICATION: Do we recognize the bitterness of the prophecies of Revelation? Or are they so unreal and far away as to not impact our hearts? We need to feel the pain, and the bitterness of the days to recognize our need to communicate truth with urgency

NOTE: Fruchtenbaum (2003) argues that at this point, the Antichrist enters into a war with the 10 Kings, killing three (Dan 11:40-45). The Antichrist is also killed during battle and comes back to life three days later.

NOTE: We have already discussed the ministry of the two witnesses which begins during the tribulation, and their death, resurrection, and disappearance into heaven which occurs during this time.

NOTE: We are going to skip ahead to other events in the middle and then pick up with the seventh trumpet, which is sounded in Revelation 11.

NOTE: The focus now shifts to Satan's persecution of the Jews.

Rev 12:1-6 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5 She 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. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. NIV

• The metaphor of the sun, moon, and twelve stars should sound familiar, where have we seen this in scripture?
  • It is a reference to Jacob (Israel), Rachel, and the twelve sons (tribes) of Israel (Joseph's dream)
  • Normally, the stars would refer to angels, when used symbolically, but the addition of the other aspects of the picture, makes it clear that it is Israel
• The picture is set back in time, repeatedly back in time. What is happening in the birth?
  • It is referring to the birth of the Messiah in Israel (many years ago)
• The story of the dragon goes back even farther, and explains where the enemy of the Jews comes. Satan is the dragon, and the one-third stars (angels) follow him
• Satan is trying to destroy the baby, which he tried through Herod and others
• The child is Jesus, and is in Heaven now
• The woman, who gave birth is Israel, and she flees to the desert for three and half years. Many believe this is Petra and that the Jewish people will find protection there. At this point, symbolically, Satan has broken the peace treaty with Israel. It probably occurs during the War of the Antichrist against the World

Rev 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. NIV

• At the same time that war is happening on earth, what is happening in heaven? There is a battle and Satan is thrown out of heaven. Satan is now confined entirely to earth. This is not a good thing for those on earth
• We learn some characteristics of Satan in this passage, what are they?
• Ancient serpent -- reference to Adam and Eve
• He leads the world astray. He is the main force for deception in the world. He is very effective, but not all powerful

Rev 12:10-12Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, // and the authority of his Christ. // For the accuser of our brothers, // who accuses them before our God day and night, // has been hurled down. // 11 They overcame him // by the blood of the Lamb // and by the word of their testimony; // they did not love their lives so much // as to shrink from death. // 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens // and you who dwell in them! // But woe to the earth and the sea, // because the devil has gone down to you! // He is filled with fury, // because he knows that his time is short." NIV

• Satan is particularly angry at this point, why?
  • Maybe he finally recognizes the futility of his rebellion
  • He knows his time is short
• We learn another characteristic of Satan in his description, what is it?
• Accuser of believers

Rev 12:13-17 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The 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. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring — those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. NIV

• In scripture, when used symbolically (not literally), a flood usually refers to an army. An army, probably the Antichrist's pursues the Jewish people into the desert. Somehow, the army is swallowed up by the earth and fails. Satan then pursues her offspring, Jewish and non-Jewish believers around the world
• APPLICATION: 1) Prophecy can be fun and exciting to look at, especially knowing that we will be raptured, but it should leave us with a bitter taste, because many who do not know Christ will suffer greatly during the time. 2) Satan is still the great deceiver who leads believer and unbeliever astray. His philosophies sound good on the surface, but they oppose God and his claim over our life. He is also a roaring lion, a liar from the beginning of times, and at times, an angel of light. If we do not build on a good foundation, when the storms of life hit us, our house will quickly fall

Events of the First Half of the Tribulation (Part Three): Trumpets One thru Four

Prelude to the Trumpet Judgments

Rev 8:1-6 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. NIV

• When incense is used symbolically in scripture, what does it represent?
  • The prayers of the saints

• What do you think is the point of verses 3 through 5?
  • The prayers are about to be answered with the trumpet judgments

• One of God's first commands to mankind was to take care of the earth. We have failed that in two ways. On one extreme, we have polluted it and on the other extreme, people worship the earth above God. The first three judgments are against the earth. The earth is not above God

The First Trumpet

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. NIV

• The judgment is that one-third of the physical dry earth is burned up

The Second Trumpet

Rev 8:8-9 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. NIV

• This judgment is that one-third of the salt water is ruined. One-third of the creatures die, and one-third of the ships are destroyed
• It could be the result of a meteorite, or possibly an undersea volcano of huge proportions
• While there may be physical reasons for the event, the turning to blood is clearly a supernatural event

The Third Trumpet

Rev 8:10-11 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. NIV

• This judgment concerns drinking water. One-third of the drinking water, rivers and springs, are turned bitter. Many people die from this bitter water (water that is supposed to refresh, but instead kills)
• The cause is either a meteor, named wormwood, or an angel named Wormwood. It is difficult to see how this might be interpreted symbolically (possibly the impact on spring water). When star is used symbolically, it usually refers to an angel

The Fourth Trumpet

Rev 8:12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. NIV

• There are a number of ways to view this verse, the most reasonable approach is to assume that one-third of the light source night and day is gone. The easiest approach is the darkening of the skies such that one-third of outside light can not make it to the earth. Another possibility is some serious meteorite explosion above the earth atmosphere which encircles the earth, and directly blocks light, potentially so thick in some areas that one-third of the light is blocked as it circles the earth

Class Notes on the Events of the First Half of the Tribulation (Part Two)

Events occurring during the first half of the tribulation, but not tied to a seal or to a trumpet

The 144,000

Rev 7:1-4 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. NIV

• Who are these 144,000?
  • New Jewish believers, who have come to Christ since the rapture
  • They are spread out over the whole world (four corners)
  • They are sealed (probably for service, but possibly for protection as well)

• What is the purpose of these 144,000?
  • It is given in the very next of verses (after the mentioning of the 12 tribes)
  • Verse 9: "After this …"

Rev 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. NIV

• Implied cause and effect -- "after this"
• Who are the multitude?
  • These are Gentiles who have to come to Christ as a result of the ministry of the 144,000 and who have been martyred, some associated with the fifth seal
  • Actually, John gets the answer in the next verses
    • Rev 7:13-17 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?" // 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." // And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, // "they are before the throne of God // and serve him day and night in his temple; // and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. // 16 Never again will they hunger; // never again will they thirst. // The sun will not beat upon them, // nor any scorching heat. // 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; // he will lead them to springs of living water. // And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." NIV

The Two Witnesses

Rev 11:3-6 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If 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. 6 These 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. NIV

• How long is their ministry?
  • 3.5*360=1,260, 3 1/2 years (based on the use of 360 days to represent a prophetic year)

• Who are they?
  • Zech 4:11-14 Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" // 12 Again I asked him, "What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?" // 13 He replied, "Do you not know what these are?" // "No, my lord," I said. // 14 So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth." NIV
    • The two anointed ones
  • Elijah and either Moses or Enoch
    • This is the common answer. People say Elijah and Enoch because neither died, but neither did any of the raptured saints and there is no requirement to die. There is a general principle (Heb 9:27)
    • Others say Moses and Elijah because of the similarity of the ministries
    • No one knows for sure, nor do the scriptures say. Fruchtenbaum argues that John the Baptist was Elijah or would have been Elijah had the Jewish leaders accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore there is still a forerunner for the second return of the Messiah, Elijah, (or my thoughts, someone again in the spirit of Elijah). Fruchtenbaum argues that the return of Elijah is separate from the two witnesses
  • Most likely answer: two Jewish prophets whom God will raise up during the tribulation

Ecclesiastical Babylon

Rev 17:1-6 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." // 3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 This title was written on her forehead: // MYSTERY // BABYLON THE GREAT // THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES // AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. // 6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. // When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. NIV

• Most of the thoughts in this section are directly from The Footsteps of the Messiah, Fruchtenbaum, 2003
• There will be two political systems during the tribulation, one in the first half, the ten kings, and one in the second half, the Antichrist
• Likewise, there will be religious systems. Rev 17:1-6 describes the system during the first half of the tribulation
• John is shown the Great Prostitute. To prostitute something is to take that which has a proper use and turn it into a improper use. The Harlot represents religion, as if often the case when a women is used symbolically. Religion has a proper use and here it is used improperly. She causes the world to commit fornication, which is used of both physical fornication and spiritual fornication in the bible
• The women is sitting on animal with seven heads and ten horns. Here we see that the political system is allowing and gives the woman, religion, her authority to operate -- a church-state union
• This is the final form of the apostate religious system. It is a prostitute and it contrasts with the Church, the true bride of the Messiah
• From what is the woman drunk?
  • The blood of the saints (those who bore testimony to Jesus). This explains who martyrs the tribulation saints (5th seal). And is also why we place this event in the first half of the tribulation

APPLICATION: We are not going to be in the 144,000. It is unlikely that anyone of us is one of the two witnesses. But we do see the beginning of the apostate church forming around us. The apostate church departs from the fundamental issues of the faith and is rendered worthless as far as the salvation of anyone in those churches. What are the fundamental issues? They are found in God's word and not in human reason. If we are not in the word regularly, reading it and studying it, we are in danger of contributing to the development of the apostate church, which will lead many astray. What are you doing toward developing a strong biblical foundation in your life?