Table of Contents
Scripture List
|
Gen. 3:15 |
Genesis 12:3 |
Genesis
22:17-18 |
Acts 3:25-26 |
|
Isaiah
7:14-15 |
Micah 5:2 |
Luke 19:43-44 |
Zechariah 9:9 |
|
Exodus 12:3 |
Matthew
21:2-5,8-9 |
Matthew
23:37-39 |
Ezekiel
12:27-28 |
|
Matthew
24:3-4 |
Matthew 10:28 |
Psalms 118:6 |
Hebrews 13:6 |
|
Matthew
24:14-15 |
Daniel
9:24-26 |
Hosea 6:1-2 |
Matthew 24:2 |
|
Acts 1:3 |
Isaiah
66:8-10 |
Leviticus
25:10 |
Leviticus
23:4-8 |
|
Leviticus
25:8-9 |
Romans
11:25-29 |
Revelation
11:1-4 |
Revelation
11:3-11 |
|
Matthew 10:1 |
Acts 1:8 |
Joel 2:28-32 |
Revelation
6:12-13 |
|
Revelation
13:7 |
Revelation
11:11-12 |
1 Thess.
4:14-17 |
Luke 21:27-28 |
|
Acts 1:9-11 |
1 Corinthians
15:50-53 |
Revelation
11:14-15 |
Revelation
12:7-12 |
|
Zechariah
12:10-11 |
Hosea 5:15 –
6:3 |
Revelation
19:20-21 |
|
From the first day of creation, God had a plan for the salvation of mankind. Nothing whatsoever happened by chance or circumstance. God knew Satan would play his tricks on Eve and what the plan to redeem man would be before He ever created light. God knew the day of the cross and the day of the white throne judgment when the gates were closed on Adam and Eve.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Children of Abraham
In the Old Testament, the prophets explained pieces of the plan throughout different generations. When God built His relationship with Abraham, He made a promise that all the earth would be blessed through him.
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
The children of Abraham would be called the Hebrew children, Israel, Israelites, and later Jewish, or the Jews. This blessing didn’t stop with the Jews as seen in Genesis 22, there would be two groups of children, as many as the stars and as many as the sand. When the Jewish nation, as a whole group, rejected Christ, God turned to the Gentiles. A Gentile is anyone who is not born a Jew. The Jews who believed Jesus was the Messiah and the Gentiles make up the Church that was born in the Book of Acts.
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
The Virgin Mother
Throughout history, Jewish maidens longed to be the one chosen to give birth to the new king. When Gabriel stood before Mary she knew the scriptures and what she was being asked to do, even if she didn’t understand “how” this thing could happen. When looking through the genealogy of Jesus both Mary and Joseph (Jesus’ legal father) are direct descendants of Abraham.
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.
15 Butter and honey shall he eat,
that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.
2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
Jesus First Coming
Prophets told of Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and finally the great return to the earth as the ruling King of all nations. In Psalms 22, David predicts the death of the Messiah in detail, starting with Jesus’ words from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Prophecies | The Messiah | Fulfillment | Notes |
Exodus 12:21-23 | The Messiah will be the Passover Lamb. | John 1:36 | And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” |
Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12 Ps 34:20 | None of his bones will be broken. | John 19:33 | But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. |
Zech 12:10 Ps 22:16-18 | They will look on him they pierced… in hands and feet. | John 20:20-29 | Thomas would not believe it until he put his finger in the nail prints and hand into Jesus’ side. |
Isa 53:8-9 | He will be cut off from the land of the living and no deceit was in his mouth. | Mark 15:3-5 | The chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. |
Lev 17:11 | He would die and shed his blood for the atonement of sin. | Acts 20:28. Col 1:20. Eph 1:7, Heb 9:14-22 1 John 1:7 | For where a testament is there must be the death of the testator. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. |
Ps 22:1 | My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? | Matt 27:46. Mark 15:34 | My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? |
Ps 22:7 | Those who see me ridicule me and shake their head. | Matt 27:46. Mark 15:29-32 | They railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, save yourself. The chief priest mocking said He saved others; he cannot save himself. |
Ps 22:8 | He trusted the Lord, let Him rescue Him. | Matthew 27:41-43 | He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. |
Ps 16:10 | He would not be left in hell or see corruption. | Acts 26:22-23, Acts 2:22-33 | His soul was not left in Haes nor did His flesh see corruption. |
Ps 22:18 | Lots would be cast for his clothes. | Matt 27:35-40, John 19:23-26 | They said let us not tear the garment but cast lots for it. |
Ps 68:18 | He would ascend to heaven. | Matt 22:42-46. Acts 1:9-12, Rev 3:21 | Jesus ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. |
The scriptures above are only a few of those about Jesus. Isaiah 53 is also full of prophecy about the coming Messiah. Quite honestly the Old Testament’s purpose was to explain why we needed a savior and who that savior would be.
However, when Jesus came as their Messiah the Jews missed God’s point entirely. They thought they understood that the Messiah would be coming to reign as King, and He will in the Last Days. But He came as the lowly servant first. They did not understand and because they missed the time of their visitation the gentiles were given the opportunity to be a part of the Bride.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Jesus' Last Week Of Ministry
Zechariah prophesied that Messiah would bring salvation riding upon an ass’ colt.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
he is just, and having salvation;
lowly, and riding upon an ass,
and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
In Jesus’ last week of ministry, He rode into Jerusalem on an ass colt that no man had ever ridden. The timing of this entry we call Palm Sunday, was done to match what the Jews called the Lamb Selection Day. As they were told in Exodus 12:3 each family would go on the 10th day to select the lamb that would be killed for them on Passover.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.
This lamb had to be perfect, without blemish, to take their sins away. The lamb was kept until the 14th day when it was slaughtered for the family to eat for Passover and the blood was placed on the door.
In God’s usual way, the timing of when Jesus would be crucified had to be exact. Every Passover celebration from the time of Exodus was a practice run. As of the day Jesus rode in on the colt, the final lamb to be slain for the sins of the world had been chosen by God but dismissed by God’s people.
Jesus ensured this prophecy was fulfilled so that not one word of the Old Testament prophecy about the lowly servant Messiah would be incomplete. The Jews fulfilled it by their actions, but it was not from their heart. Two days later they would say Ceaser is our King, crucify this man.
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Jesus told the Jews (as a nation) you will not see me again until you can say “Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord” and mean it. There has never been a time in history when the nation of Israel has accepted that Jesus was their Messiah. They have never repented for their actions or turned back to God. Until they do Christ will not return.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
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 were not willing! 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.’”
Many prophecies have not been fulfilled but this one fact means that Jesus can not come back at any time on any day. God can not lie and will not lie. He said you won’t see me UNTIL and He means you won’t.
We will look at other prophecies throughout the study, but we need to establish early on that God has specific timing in everything He does. All things are done with decency and in order. Not one word of God will be left unfulfilled when time ends.
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. 28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord GOD.”
Matthew 24 is focused on the prophecy of Jesus’ return. These same statements are also found in Mark 13 and Luke 21.
Just because He said no man will know the hour, doesn’t mean no one can understand the time of their visitation. Many thousands of Jews heard Jesus’ message and believed on Him but Israel as a nation did not. The nation decided to crucify Jesus. They only wanted to hear that their King would come in triumph and slaughter all their enemies. They couldn’t accept anything outside of their own expectations.
Don’t be found guilty of the same mistake at Jesus’ second coming. There won’t be a second chance. God will give revelation to any who asks and seeks the truth. God said for us to know the times and seasons. Don’t be deceived because things aren’t happening the way you thought they would.
Hindsight is 20/20
As Christians, we can look at the prophecies in the Bible and pick out those that pertain to Jesus. We know the stories and we know what happened when Jesus came to this earth as a baby and then grew up to die for our sins. We have the Bible to tell us all about it. We have thousands of years of preaching to tell us the stories.
What did the Jews have? They had the Torah, which is the first 5 books of Moses, and they had the prophets. When they looked into the scriptures they were just as confused as you are looking into the book of Revelation and trying to figure out what it all meant. The words were there, at hand, but the mysteries were not easy to understand. They also had thousands of years of other people’s opinions on what would happen when the Messiah came. But when the time came, they missed the time of their visitation and because of that millions upon millions of Jewish souls have been lost.
We have the opportunity to have the Spirit of God within us, to lead and guide us to all truth. They did not. Most did not own their own copy of the scripture. We have access to hundreds of different Bible versions and all the cross-reference materials known to man at our fingertips. We can even manage to read the Word in the original languages if we like. Therefore, we will have no excuse at all when we stand before the throne, as to why we didn’t at least try to understand what His second coming would be about.
Eschatology
This is why it is so important for us to study the Word of God and Eschatology. We don’t want to be found asleep when Jesus returns or miss out on what is going on because we didn’t take the time to understand what would happen in these last days.
Eschatology is the study of the death, judgment, and final destiny of the soul and humankind. A lot of people are afraid to step into End Time Studies. They read the descriptions of all the beasts, trumpets, bowls, kings, death, hell, and fire. It is overwhelming if you don’t take it all one step at a time. I learned many years ago that we are not going to understand everything in the Bible, but we can understand a lot if we try. Jesus will open the scripture and show you what things mean if you make the effort to try to understand.
Messiah the King
In Matthew 24 Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives talking to the disciples about what will happen in the last days. Jesus knew that time was running out and He would be killed soon. He wanted the disciples to understand that His death was not His final action. Not only would He arise in 3 days, but He would return as the triumphant king in the last days.
The disciples asked the same question I would have, “When will these things be?” Jesus’ first statement was to tell them not to be deceived. This is His most important point to share with us. If we can be deceived, we can be lost. If we can’t stand firm on what we believe some smooth-talking guy with a meal could cause us to lose our soul.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
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 end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
Jesus goes on to explain there will be many false Christs, there will be wars with nations fighting nations. There will be famines, plagues, and many earthquakes in different places but these things don’t mean the end time has come yet. These things are only the Beginning of Sorrows. Jesus called these things the Beginning of Sorrows because there would be many more sorrows to come. Jesus didn’t want us to think everything would be roses and rainbows. The End Times will be hard and full of pain and sorrow, but Jesus has promised that He will take care of us. While the last days are nothing to look forward to, He also doesn’t want us to fear what man can do to us.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
6 So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Jesus goes on to explain that the people of the end time will be so full of iniquity their love of God will grow cold. Iniquity is doing things your own way. Iniquity is when you know what is right and good, what pleases God or doesn’t, but you choose to do what you want to do anyway. This world is full of people guilty of iniquity in every nation. He does say that some will manage to stay away from iniquity and make it through to the end to be saved. These last-standing Christians will be the witnesses who spread the gospel to what is left of mankind. Once that is done THEN the end will come.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
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.
The Abomination of Desolation
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
x
Jesus doesn’t explain the abomination of desolation, He tells the disciples to look at what Daniel wrote. The book of Daniel goes into great detail about the antichrist and the false prophet. Daniel figured out that God had set the time of 70 years for Israels captivity in Babylon. God revealed to Daniel that there would be a time of 70 weeks before the Messiah would come.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
The Seventy Weeks
24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. 25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Jesus accomplished the first three in His first coming. The second three will be completed at His second coming.
The seventy weeks represent 490 years. The Jews count a week as 7 days, 7 weeks, 7 years or any group of sevens. The 70 weeks are broken down into 7 weeks = 49 years, 62 weeks = 434 years, and then 1 week which equals 7 years.
The Bible also sets a principle that a day can count as a thousand years. Hosea made the prophecy That Israel would return to the Lord and after two days He will revive or restore them.
1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD:
for he hath torn, and he will heal us;
he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us:
in the third day he will raise us up,
and we shall live in his sight.
Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant
1 “Come, let us return to the LORD;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
Destruction of Jerusalem
God maintained a silence with Israel from the time of Malachi to the time of John the Baptist, of whom they cut off his head. For 400 years the words of a prophet were not heard. Jesus gave the Jews an ultimatum in Matthew 23:37-39. He told them that He wanted to gather them together and cherish them, but they had killed the prophets and others sent to them. They refused His offer and chose to live in their iniquity. Because of this, He says your house is left desolate. Everything would be destroyed without one stone being left on another. Jesus was crucified around 30 AD. Forty years later Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Romans.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Lament over Jerusalem
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 were not willing! 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.’”
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
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.”
Jesus gave the Jews exactly 40 years from the time of His ascension, to repent and recognize what they had done when they crucified Him. Many followed the Apostle’s teaching, repented, were baptized in Jesus’ name, and filled with the Holy Ghost. But Israel as a nation did not repent.
Forty years signifies the time of testing. God poured rain on the earth for 40 days and nights to destroy mankind. The Israelites walked around in the desert for 40 years. Moses and Jesus fasted for 40 days. Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days before David slew him. David and Solomon both reigned as king for 40 years. God told Jonah to give Nineveh 40 days to repent or be overthrown. Jesus taught the apostles for 40 days after He rose from the dead.
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Forty years after the nation said “crucify Him” they lost their temple. They lost their right to worship or live in their own country. They were disbursed to all corners of the world to be shunned and abused for almost 2000 years. Until May 14, 1948 when Israel became a nation in one day. Exactly as God said it would happen in Isaiah 66.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day?
or shall a nation be born at once?
for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD:
shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her:
rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?
For as soon as Zion was in labor
she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”
says the LORD;
“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”
says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her;
Jewish Calendar
God is very specific about His allotted times for everything in His plan. Numbers are important and they show the exactness of how God works in the details. God pays attention to every day of every year.
Every 50th year is called the Jubilee year. In that year all slaves were set free. Any land sold went back to the original owner. Jubilee is a celebration year. However, every 40 Jubilee years something major changed. Fifty times 40 is two thousand. From Creation to Abraham was 2000 years and 40 Jubilees. From Abraham to Jesus was 2000 years. From Jesus to the end of the Gentile Age is 2000 years. Together they total the 6000 years allotted to mankind and the final count of 120 Jubilees.
10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.
God made a covenant with Adam, Noah, Abraham, and King David that lasted 1000 years each. Jesus brought in the New Covenant by His sinless sacrifice 2000 years ago.
While this Bible Study teacher is not silly enough to set a date and time for Jesus’ return, I will tell you that 40 Jubilees after Jesus’ death is almost up. Jesus set up the New Covenant around 32AD and it has almost been 2000 years. Granted He could be counting from the start of His ministry, which would make that time even closer.
Math is not my strong point and trying to add up the years is just confusing. If you would like to look at the significance of the Jubilee years I suggest watching Jonathan Cahn’s video on Revelations of Jubilee.
According to the Internet, the next Jubilee year for Israel will be 2025. However, the Jews have done all kinds of weird things to mess up their original calendar as God gave it to them. There are huge arguments among scholars on the date to start counting the 49 years. I am not sure if their 50-year count is correct, but I do not doubt that whatever that year is it is very close. This generation will see Jesus’ return.
On the Jewish calendar, the Biblical Feast days stand as a portrait of the Lamb of God and the role He will play at God’s appointed time. God taught Israel about the first and second coming of Christ through the Feast. The seven Feasts of God represent the full Plan of Salvation. The Tabernacle was laid out in such a way to represent how we are to come before God. The sacrifices were done as an example of how one sinless lamb would be sacrificed to take away our sin forever. Yehovah is a God of intricate plans and precepts. I couldn’t possibly cover the depth of all the spiritual meaning of these feasts, but I do want to point out a few things.
In the Bible the Biblical year begins with the first New Moon after the barley in Israel reaches the stage in its ripeness called Aviv. When the barley is Aviv, it means that it is ripe and ready to harvest. Aviv is what was used to determine when the first day of the new year and new month would be. No man can know the day because only God can ripen the grain to the point it is ready to harvest. The Jewish calendar was adjusted accordingly each year. The main point here is that none of the God-ordained feasts (holidays) were ever on a single set day every year. Some Jews or those following Jewish traditions still celebrate feasts according to the Biblical calendar and others have adopted different calendars.
Once the new month is determined fourteen days later is the Lord’s Passover. Passover is celebrated in one night. It memorializes the lamb’s blood that spared the children of Israel from the death angel. The important point for us is that this was a dress rehearsal of God’s mercy and grace to send His Son to shed His blood to save us from eternal death. Every Passover ever observed was done to remind God’s people that HE would supply a lamb whose blood would save them. Just as He proved to Abraham He would.
4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
The Passover
4 “These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’S Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 8 But you shall present a food offering to the LORD for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.”
Passover is the first feast, and the Ingathering or Tabernacles is the last feast. Just as the Ingathering of God’s people will signal the end of this era. In this current 2000-year block of time, Jesus died as the Passover. He rose again and went to heaven as the First Fruits. His Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Now we are waiting for the Trumpets to sound and the Day of Atonement to arrive.
8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
The Year of Jubilee
8 “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.
Trumpets
Trumpets were used to declare special events. The sound would carry through the villages and cities, then be taken up by other trumpet blowers to continue the sound. This was done at the beginning of the Sabbath, to call the people to war, to call a solemn assembly, to anoint a king, to announce a Jubilee year, or for a general sound of praise. The seven trumpets of Revelation will sound to begin the apocalyptic events of the last days. Everything in the Old Testament is a type and shadow of the things to come in the New Testament.
For 10 full days, Israel was supposed to meditate on God and repent to prepare themselves for the Day of Atonement. Each of these days the trumpet was blown to make sure their spirit is alert and prepared for the Day of the Atonement. This feast doesn’t have any direct instructions in the Bible as to what is to be done or its significance. However, the day of Pentecost was the birth of the church, and in 1948, which was a Jubilee year, the call went out for Israel to come home. Now the church and Israel both exist at the same time.
While the Jews are living in their God-given country again, they are not freely occupying all the land that God promised. They are also not living in peace. This is 2024 so they have been able to occupy the land for 76 years. In all that time they still have not repented or turned to Jesus as their Messiah. Granted, this is not all their fault since God blinded Israel after their rejection of Him at the cross.
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God called Israel to be His children and gave them the land of Israel as their inheritance. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance. God will never take away a gift bestowed upon a person. No matter what.
Israel as a nation will stay blinded by God until the fullness of the Gentiles is complete. Only God knows what the number or time is. When the door closes on the time of the Gentiles, suddenly and completely, no more Gentiles will have the option to be saved. The time will be over and will never be offered again.
John tells us in Revelation 11 that the Gentiles will occupy the outer court for 42 months, which equals the first three and a half years of the tribulation. He also says the two witnesses will have power for 1260 days, which if divided by 30 will equal 42 months, or three and a half years.
1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
The Two Witnesses
1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority 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.
The most important point to notice in all this talk of days, calendars, feasts, and God-given timeframes, is that God pays very close attention to the timing of things. God has never done anything on a whim or at the spur of the moment. Everything from the first day of creation has been timed exactly to fit into God’s overall plan. His final return will also be timed exactly. The statement “Jesus can come back anytime” is not true. There are specific things that must happen first. When those things are accomplished Jesus will return. Throughout this study, we will look for the scriptures that explain when the tribulation will begin, when the rapture will take place, and when Jesus will return. Then we will look at what will happen in the Millenium and at the Great White Throne Judgement.
Two Witnesses
Through the years I have thought the two witnesses were Elijah and Enoch because the Bible does not say that they died. Then on the Mount of Transfiguration Moses and Elijah appear talking to Jesus. Perhaps they are the two witnesses. I don’t find Elijah, Enoch, or Moses described as olive trees, candle sticks, or witnesses.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
John was sent in the spirit of Elijah according to Mark 9:11-13, and Jesus said He has a greater witness than John. The candlestick (or the Menorah) stands to represent the Holy Spirit. The olive tree represents peace, reconciliation, and the oil of anointing. The Jews are the natural olive tree and the church is graphed in. The work Jesus came to do was to build a church, full of people filled with the spirit, anointed with a cup that runneth over, to be witness of Him throughout all the earth.
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
This is my opinion: I believe the two witnesses are the Church and the Messianic Jews, which means those Jews who as individuals recognized Jesus as the Messiah. As stated before this is my opinion and you don’t have to agree with me, but search the scriptures and find what you believe to be true. The reason I believe this is true is because God says they are two olive trees. In Romans 11 Paul compares the Jews and the Church to two olive trees.
God says the witnesses are two candlesticks standing before God. In Revelations 1:20 God said the stars are the angels of the seven churches and the candlesticks are the seven churches.
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
3 And I will grant authority 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 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
The witnesses are standing before the god of the earth. In every Bible translation I checked the word “god or lord” is capitalized, meaning Yehovah God. Yehovah is not called the God of the earth. Satan is called the god of this world, the prince of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and the ruler of the darkness of this world. Therefore, the witnesses are standing boldly before Satan to prophesy his doom. (2Corinthians 4:4, John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 6:12)
The witnesses will be clothed in sackcloth. A sackcloth is a garment worn to show morning, submission, or self-humiliation. It was most often worn by Old Testament Prophets and usually, they sat in ashes. (Genesis 37:34, 1Samuel 3:31, Psalms 35:13, Isaiah 15:3, Matthew 11:21)
Fire proceeds out of their mouth. Who was given tongues like as a fire? (Acts 2:1-4)
These have the power to shut heaven. Jesus said that the church would have the power to bind things on earth and those things would be bound in heaven. Meaning that God would back up what they said. Jesus said those with faith could move mountains. (Matthew 16:19, 18:18-20, Mark 11:22-24)
Jesus gave the disciples power over unclean spirits. In the book of Acts, Jesus tells those who went to wait in the upper room that they would receive power after receiving the Holy Ghost. Granted we are not seeing this kind of power to shut up heaven or turn water to blood today, but we are also not walking in the fullness of the promise of God. When the time is right, that power will be released and those filled with the Holy Ghost, who have learned to die out to self, hear and repeat God’s words, walk in the Spirit, and do God’s commands, will be shown how to use that power to do the will of God to complete His plan.
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Holy Ghost was poured out in the upper room and thousands of people are shown to have received it through the rest of the New Testament. When the New Testament ended, we don’t have a written history of the Holy Ghost being given until it was poured out in the Azusa Street Revival in 1901. People have continued to receive the Holy Ghost every day since. I know this for a fact because I am one of them and I have prayed with more people than I can count and watched them receive the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues.
In Acts 2 those standing around outside the upper room began to ask what is this? Peter quotes the scripture in Joel 2:28-32. The spirit was poured out on all flesh but the wonders in heaven and earth didn’t happen yet. This is one of the scriptures, where part was fulfilled in the first coming, and part will be fulfilled in the second coming. Notice in verse 29 the words “and also”, I believe this means there will be a greater stronger outpouring upon the servants of God in the last days, or in “those days” as the scripture said.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth,
blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the LORD hath said,
and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
The LORD Will Pour Out His Spirit
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.
Notice in Revelation 6:12-13 that after the sixth seal is opened the sun is turned to darkness and the moon to blood in the great and terrible day of the Lord. This happens just before the time the two witnesses are given powers and sent to prophesy in Revelation 11.
12 And I beheld when he had 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; 13 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.
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.
The scripture said that the beast will make war against the two witnesses, overcome them, and kill them. Revelation 13 says the beast will be given permission to make war on the saints and he will overcome them.
In 1 Thessalonians Paul makes the statement that the dead in Christ shall rise first. The two witnesses are killed, and their dead bodies lay unburied for three and a half days. The same amount of time that is marked for the first half of the tribulation. Then suddenly they are resurrected from the dead and called to come up to heaven.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Granted this verse about the witnesses doesn’t talk about those that are alive and remain as seen in 1 Thessalonians. Perhaps because the beast overcame them all or because they are considered one group in this instance, alive or dead, they are Christ’s.
Notice in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, that Paul said that God will bring the dead in Christ WITH Him. This scripture in 1 Thessalonians is used to prove there will be a so-called “Rapture” of the church. The word Rapture doesn’t appear in the Bible at all. Both scriptures speak of a great voice from heaven calling them to come up.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
This scripture in 1 Corinthians is the first I have found that states plainly that the dead in Christ will rise at his coming. After the dead in Christ rise the end will come where Jesus will take authority over the kingdom.
The witnesses go up to heaven in a cloud and all will see them go up. Jesus ascended to heaven in a cloud and He will return in a cloud and all will see him. The angels told those standing around gazing up, that Jesus would return in the same way He went to heaven.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
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.”
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
The Last Trumpet and the Second Woe
Notice in 1 Corinthians Paul says that at the last trumpet, the dead shall be raised and changed in the twinkle of an eye. That last trumpet is sounded at the end of the first three and a half years. The second woe is passed at the same time and the third woe will happen quickly. This is also the point where God tells the two witnesses to come up hither.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.
The Seventh Trumpet
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, 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 shall reign forever and ever.”
The Third Woe
The third woe is listed in Revelations 12:12 after Satan is cast out of heaven. This action starts the second three and a half years of Daniel’s 70th Week. Satan has but a short time and he plans to do as much damage as possible.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Satan Thrown Down to Earth
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
What about the nation Israel?
God’s main complaint throughout the Old Testament was that Israel would not listen to Him or obey His directives. I have listed only a few times the Bible explained that the Messiah would come as a lowly servant first then He would return as a great King. The Jews read all these scriptures and memorized many of them throughout their lives but when the time came, they could not look passed their desire to be rulers over their enemies. They thought this was the most important thing.
When the eyes of the nation of Israel are opened their repentance will be immediate. They will mourn for what they did and for what they have missed. The nation will repent before the end of Daniel’s 70th week. They will be fooled into making a covenant with the beast that will last the first three and a half years. Then the beast will break that covenant and turn to try to destroy all of Israel.
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the spirit of grace and of supplications:
and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,
and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem,
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Him Whom They Have Pierced
10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
15 I will go and return to my place,
till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face:
in their affliction they will seek me early.
1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD:
for he hath torn, and he will heal us;
he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us:
in the third day he will raise us up,
and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD:
his going forth is prepared as the morning;
and he shall come unto us as the rain,
as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
15 I will return again to my place,
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
and in their distress earnestly seek me.
Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant
1 “Come, let us return to the LORD;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea says that after two days He will revive us. The two days are two thousand years and that 2000 years is almost up. God will turn back to Israel and save the remnant that repents. There are thousands of Jews who have already turned to see Jesus as their Messiah, but the full nation of Israel will not turn to repent until they see the beast for what he is. When that happens, they will realize where they were wrong.
He came like the rain, there will be two separate points where Jesus comes to the earth, the former and the latter rain. When He comes the second time it will be to destroy every enemy of Israel. The beast and false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire alive. No one else is ever shown to be thrown alive into the lake of fire.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Notice in verse 21 the rest of those who fought against Jesus were slain with the sword and the birds ate what was left. This is the point where the 1000-year Millennium is set up. There is no more time for repentance. All those who made their decisions are stuck with their choices through all eternity. Forever to live in peace and comfort or forever to burn in a never-ending flame. God gave mankind a free will to choose. The choice was always yours. What did you pick?
