Events Preceding Christ’s Return, Part 1

Transcript

GRM 607
1/3/1999
Events Preceding Christ’s Return, Part 1
Gil Rugh
Selected Verses

I believe the scripture teaches that the next event in biblical prophecy is what is known as the Rapture of the Church. That time when Jesus Christ will come in the air and call all believers in Jesus Christ, members of the Church, the Body of Christ, to meet Him in the air. And then He will take them to the presence of His Father in heaven.

Now, following that event, the Rapture, there will be a period of seven years on the face of the earth, on this earth, where God will complete His program with the nation Israel. That seven years will be brought to a conclusion by the return of Jesus Christ. This time He will come to earth. We will have what is known as Armageddon. And Jesus will destroy His enemies and will establish His kingdom on the earth. And the first phase of that kingdom is what is known as the millennium, the 1,000-year reign of Christ.

We’re going to talk about events that occur after the Rapture of the Church. So, it is not accurate to say any of these events are the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, because the specific fulfillment will occur after the Rapture of the Church. However, we may look at what is taking place and see certain things happening which may well be leading up to the actual fulfillment of prophetic events. I think a lot of damage has been done by preaching that becomes sensational and spectacular and we identify certain, specific events and say, this is the fulfillment and only to find out that we are disappointed.

However, I do not believe that we, as Christians, ought to be ignorant or unaware of what is taking place in the world. If the Rapture of the Church is going to occur in the near future, we can expect to see a number of events taking place in preparation of what must happen after the Rapture of the Church.
So, I want to talk about some of these events with you, both this morning and this evening. In our study together this morning, we’re only going to cover one or two of these events which are very major in the unfolding.

To give you an overview of how the scripture is focused. The first two chapters of the Bible present creation, how the world and humanity came into existence. Creation of Adam and Eve, given in detail in Genesis, chapter 2. In Genesis, chapter 3, we have the fall of mankind; rebellion against God, sin enters the creation through the rebellion of Adam, and now man is under the condemnation of sin and its penalty, which is death.

The rest of the Bible from Genesis 3 through the book of Revelation is the story of God’s salvation, His redemption to restore creation back to right relationship with Him. The closing chapters of the book of Revelation, particularly chapters 21 and 22, form the balance to Genesis 1 and 2, because in those closing chapters we see creation and mankind now in the relationship with God for which they were created. The curse will be over and the creation will praise God.

Genesis, chapters 6-9 record the Noahic Flood. The flood that destroyed the world. Genesis, chapter 11, records the establishing of the nations of the earth. Languages, different nationalities begin in Genesis, chapter 11, at the tower of Babel where God divided the world by its languages and by its nationalities. That will continue until Christ reigns. That explains why we have such intense national convictions and divisions today, battles among the races, and different nations cannot get together. God intends to keep a world marred by sin divided because when they unite they unite in false worship in opposition to God. The world will not see true unity and peace until Jesus Christ comes to rule and reign. But there will be some artificial times, and one of those is ahead of us.

So, the nation’s begin in Genesis 11. The nation Israel begins in Genesis, chapter 12 and most of the rest of the Bible is about the nation Israel. From Genesis 12 all the way through the Gospels in the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the nation Israel is the focus. In Acts, chapter 2, the Church begins, and the Church becomes the dominant focus until the book of Revelation, chapter 6. In Revelation, chapter 6, Israel again becomes the focus and will be the focus until Revelation, chapter 20, where we have the millennial reign of Christ.

Now, we talk about Israel being the focus and the Church being the focus. We talk about God’s plan of salvation and work of salvation focusing on Israel, then focusing in the Church, then focusing again in Israel. The Bible is clear that God’s plan and program for Israel is irrevocable. He has promised them an earthly kingdom with a Messiah who will rule over them. Much of what we’re going to talk about, about prophetic events, relates to what God is going to do in and through and for the nation Israel. Events taking place in the world take place in context of what God intends to accomplish for the nation Israel.

Let’s go to the book of Daniel. We’ll start in Daniel, chapter 2. What happens in Daniel, chapter 2 is Babylon was ruling the world and Israel had been taken into captivity, the southern kingdom, Judea. The Northern Kingdom had been taken into captivity earlier by the Assyrians, but now Babylon rules the world. Daniel is among those taken captive and carried to Babylon. He’s a very wise man who became an influential person, as you’re aware through the study of the book that bears his name.

In Daniel chapter 2 we have a record of the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, having a dream. To summarize it for you, Daniel is brought in and Daniel tells him what his dream was. And then Daniel gives him the interpretation of his dream. And the dream that Nebuchadnezzar has will really unfold the coming kingdoms of the earth, beginning with Babylon, which was presently in power.

So, we’ll pick up in verse 36, with Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. He says, “This was the dream; now we shall tell its interpretation before the king. You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.” You’ll note, first, God’s sovereignty. Nebuchadnezzar is the king. He rules with power, strength and glory because God has given it to him.

In verse 38, the last line of verse 38, “You are the head of gold.” What Nebuchadnezzar saw was the image of a man and the different parts of the man were composed of different metal. The head was gold. Then you came to silver. Then you came to bronze. Then you came to iron. Then you came to iron mixed with clay. The head of gold referred to Babylon, the most, pure of the kingdoms, if you would. Not pure morally, but it had the strength, not the absolute power that Rome would have, but the purity of government and, the strength that came with that. It’s a glorious empire, a majestic empire, a central empire. It was the head of gold.

Verse 39, we have a deteriorating quality. You go from gold to silver to bronze to iron. The iron being the strongest but not the most pure, not the most valuable. So, in that sense, not the most glorious. The empire of Medo/Persia is represented by the silver on the image of the man. Then you have a third kingdom, verse 39, of bronze referring to Greece. So, you see, what is happening is we’re unfolding the empires that will rise to power. Then in verse 40, the fourth empire representing Rome. “There will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces.” There you have the Roman Empire pictured. The mightiest empire, but in many ways inferior in its quality to the preceding empires.

Note verse 41, “And in that you saw the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle.” Now, what happens here is we have the Roman Empire down to the climax of time. We’re told in verse 43, “In that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.” So, the final form of the Roman Empire will be a very powerful and strong empire, but it will also be a brittle, fragile empire because of the mixture of clay. Then note verse 44, “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” That’s the reign of Christ, the millennial reign of Christ, when Christ will come, return to earth, and destroy all His enemies and assert his absolute sovereignty over all nations. Now we know verse 44 hasn’t been fulfilled yet.

Let me say to you something about interpreting prophecy. It’s very simple. Be consistent. So, you have this image of a man. You start out with the head of gold. A literal earthly empire, Babylon. Followed by a literal, earthly empire, Medo/Persia. Followed by a literal, earthly empire, Greece. Followed by a literal, earthly empire, Rome. Followed by a spiritual, allegorical kingdom in the hearts of people. Do you have a problem with the consistency of that? I think we should. It’s not a spiritual, allegorical kingdom. But this final kingdom which Christ will rule and reign over is a literal, earthly kingdom, also.

I say that because it’s very popular to have people say, “Well, the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual kingdom that exists in the hearts of people. And it’s not a physical kingdom on the earth like other physical kingdoms.” But that’s the whole point of Daniel 2! We’re talking about the course of earthly history and who will reign over this earth. Now, something else to note, Old Testament prophecy saw the events around the first coming of Christ and the events associated with second coming of Christ right together, like this. In other words, the events of Acts, chapter 2, down through Revelation, chapter 5, are not included in Old Testament prophecy, basically. So, the Old Testament prophecy, prophets talked about the birth of Christ at Bethlehem, being a man without honor, suffering and dying, resurrected. It also talked about Him ruling and reigning in glory and splendor and the curse being lifted from the creation. And it just talked about those events which went together.

Now, we know, from additional revelation in the New Testament, that there’s a space of at least 2,000 years between those events. Christ is coming to earth twice. The first to suffer and die. The second to rule and reign. I mention that because you come down through the events in verses 40 and following in Daniel 2, and you come to verse 42. “And the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery.” There is a space, 1500 years, let’s say, rounded off, from the end of the Roman Empire as we know it in history to its final form and its ten toes. Now, there are elements, some people would hold, that have continued down of the Roman Empire to today. I have no problem with that. But as an empire, the Roman Empire ceased to exist. So, what you have is that gap of time here that’s not included in the Old Testament and not necessary here. But we will go to what is called the Revived Roman Empire. It’s still the same empire because the iron continues, but in its final form it will be brittle because clay will be mixed with it.

“And in the day of those kings,” those kings refers to the kings who will rule, the ten toes. The ten toes represent ten kings or nations that will be in existence when Christ returns to earth to establish His kingdom. So, are you still with me? The Roman Empire is going to have a final form, ten nations or kings joined together, real strength, but brittle. And then Christ will come.

Turn over to Daniel, chapter 7. We get some elaboration. In Daniel chapter 7, Daniel himself has a vision. In this vision, he sees the same events that Nebuchadnezzar saw, but with a different symbolism. Daniel sees the coming empires of the world as ravenous, wild beasts. Nebuchadnezzar saw them as a beautiful image of a man. Probably, Nebuchadnezzar saw them from man’s perspective. The empires of the world are beautiful and attractive. Daniel saw the empires of the world from God’s perspective: wild, destructive beasts.

You have the same earthly empires, Babylon, Medo/Persia, Greece and Rome, depicted. We’re going to pick up with Rome again. Come down to verse 7 of Daniel 7, “After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it.”

So, we saw that with the iron in chapter 2. More powerful, strong. So here this fourth beast is more powerful and strong and devastating. Then you note, the end of verse 7, “It had ten horns.” Well, remember, the image of the man had the ten toes in chapter 2. Now we have the ten horns. They’re not separate, this is not a fifth beast, but they are part of the fourth beast. We didn’t have a fifth metal in Daniel, chapter 2. We had the gold, silver, bronze, iron so just four kingdoms. Here we just have four beasts, but there is a form of that fourth kingdom which is important. The ten toes, iron mixed with clay. Here ten horns, and these represent a king or a kingdom, as will be interpreted for us.
Verse 8, “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it.” Now Daniel gives us further information. In these 10 kings, these 10 horns, from among them will arise one who will assert himself. He will replace 3 of them and become a dominate element. Then you know where we go, verse 9, “I kept looking until thrones were set up, the Ancient of Days took His seat.” What we have in verses 9-14 is the reign of Christ established.

So, you see, we’ve followed the same pattern. In Daniel, chapter 2, you have the empires of the world culminating with the reign of Christ. In Daniel, chapter 7, you have the same empires of the world culminating in the reign of Christ. In each of these, we are talking about earthly empires that take place on earth. I take it, the kingdom of Christ is the same kind of kingdom. It’s important that we be consistent, otherwise we just get off into make believe worlds that really are not accurate in their handling of the scripture.

Let’s look over in verse 23 of Daniel 7. So we don’t have any misunderstanding the angel interprets it for Daniel. “Thus he said, ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, tread it down and crush it.’” We can look back in history and know something of how the Roman Empire worked and its might and power and sovereignty.

“As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom,” talking about Rome from the previous verse. There are ten horns on that beast that represent Rome. “Out of this kingdom, Rome, ten kings will arise.” So, the ten horns represent ten kings or kingdoms. A king and a kingdom will be used interchangeably in the passages we read. He will be different from the previous three. After them, another will arise after them. So, that’s the little horn. You have ten kings, then you have another king coming up “and he will be different from the previous ones and he will subdue three kings.”

So, you wonder what the picture was? That Roman Empire, in its final form, will have ten kings and then one king will arise up and replace three of them and he will be dominate. “He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One.” So, he will be one who leads a persecution of the people of God and in particular Israel. “They will be given into his hand,” end of verse 25, “the saints, for a time, two times or a time, times and a half time.” Talking about a time, two times and a half time.

Then what will happen? “But the court will sit his dominion will be taken away, annihilated, destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom. All the dominions will serve and obey Him.”

Now, if you think we’re in that period of time, I can’t help you. I mean, really, you know, are we reigning? Are all the kingdoms of the earth subject to us as the people of God? Well, in a spiritual sense. Well, try to implement it! Good-bye! It won’t work. You go over and knock-on Saddam’s door and say, “Hey, I just want you to know I rule.” We probably won’t even read about you in the paper. It’s just not so! So, let’s be consistent. What happens? We’re coming to a time when there’ll be a form of that old Roman Empire that will be comprised of ten kings or kingdoms. Then, one person is going to assert his dominance, and then Christ is going to come, destroy them and take power.

All right, the “time, times and the half time” are an important time mark. It’s three and a half. We’ll know from the New Testament, it’s three and a half years that we’re talking about. But before we go to the New Testament, since you’re in the book of Daniel, go to Daniel, chapter 9. God has some additional information for Daniel, which is very helpful for us. He’s unfolded something of the future empires of the world. Now the Bible’s concerned about the empires of the world as they relate to the nation Israel and its functioning as a sovereign nation. Daniel, chapter 9, we’re told in verse 24, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city.” We don’t have time to go into the details here, but the weeks here are weeks of years, not weeks of days. Literally it says “seventy sevens have been decreed for your people.” “Seventy sevens.” Four hundred and ninety. The context of Daniel and the context of the book of Revelation make clear we’re talking about years. These 490 years, 70 X 7, are for your people, Daniel. Daniel’s a Jew, so these are for the Jews. “For your holy city.” Your holy city is Jerusalem, no confusion on that at all.

Six things will be accomplished for Israel in Jerusalem in that 490-year period. We’ll finish the transgression, make an end to sin, make an atonement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and prophecy, anoint the most holy place. When you get to the end of that 490-year period, the sin of Israel will be, will have been dealt with, righteousness will have been brought to the nation and so on. Obviously that hasn’t happened. That’s not the condition of Israel as we meet together today.

Now, the seventy sevens, the 490 years, the seventy weeks, have a beginning point. So, verse 25 talks about that. The first 69 weeks are broken up into a seven, seven-year period, 490 years, followed by 62 weeks. So, the beginning point, depends, if you have a study Bible you’ll have a note. And it will probably say, “March 445 BC” or “July 444 BC” Somewhere in there, within a year or so, was when the decree was given to go and rebuild Jerusalem. That was the beginning point.

Now you note, verse 26, “After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off.” Now, the sixty-two weeks were after the seven weeks. So, after a total of 69 weeks, 483 years, Messiah will be cut off. Now it’s interesting here, we’re told, the Bible does not deal with the period we know as the Church. But there are some indications of a time there. One of them is right here. “After the sixty-two weeks” which was after the seven, so after a total 483 years, “Messiah will be cut off.”

It’s interesting he didn’t say in the seventieth week Messiah will be cut off, but after 69 weeks Messiah will be cut off, because there’s going to be a break between the 69th and 70th week, because there is a break between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ. A break between His birth to suffer and die and His return in glory to rule and reign. That occurs between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel. “The Messiah will be cut off, have nothing, the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary” and so on.

Verse 27, “He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week.” So, you see, we have the 70th week marked off. It has its own beginning point, not following the 69th week. All the other weeks, they just follow, but the 70th week, its beginning point is when “the prince who is to come” signs a covenant with the many, with Israel, for one week.

I mention the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture of the Church will bring to end the Church Age but it does not necessarily mark the beginning of the 7 year tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel. There may be a period of time, and we don’t know how long. I haven’t read anyone who believes in this prophetic order who puts a large period of time. Arnold Fruchenbaum, I know some of you have read some of his writings. He has an outstanding, large work called “Israelology.” The most complete, work I know of theologically considering Israel. He puts 3 and a half years between the Rapture and the start of the 70th week of Daniel, because he places the battle with Russia, recorded in Ezekiel 38 and 39, three and half years before the start of the 70th week of Daniel. Most put a shorter period of time. I would tend to think of a shorter period between the Rapture and the start of the 70th week, but that’s just personal opinion. It may be a day.
And there’s nothing that says that the Rapture could not occur at the time that the prince who is to come is signing the agreement with Israel and they coincide. But the point to note is it is the signing of the covenant that marks the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel.

You’ll note, that 70th week, that last 7 year period is divided into two segments. “In the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate.” Important expression. Remember Jesus counseled His followers, in Matthew 24, “When you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” then you better run. This is what he was referring to, Daniel 9:27. And that will go on. There will be intense persecution of Israel.

So, the person we have here in verse 27 who makes a firm covenant with Israel, is the person who is called the little horn in Daniel, chapter 7. He was that king who will arise among the 10 kings and replace 3 of them. Here, early on, before he is very prominent, he signs an agreement with Israel and the signing of that agreement will mark the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel, the final 7 years that will climax with the return of Christ to earth.

Now, we talk about events, we’re talking about events of the future, we’re talking about events after the Rapture, in this 7 year period. That’s when this 10-nation confederacy will be empowered. That’s when this little horn, this prince who will come will be a prominent and ultimately dominate person. Turn over to the book of Revelation. Now, you remember, with Revelation, chapter 6, we pick up with God’s program for the nation Israel that was broken off at Acts, chapter 2. Obviously, God is still dealing with Israel in preparation for His future plans for them, but Israel is not at the center of what God is doing in the world today. The Church is.

In Revelation, chapter 13, we are discussing events that will take place in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel. Remember Daniel 9:27? The prince who is to come signs an agreement and that starts the 7 years that we call the tribulation. In the middle of that 7-year period, he breaks the agreement and begins an intense persecution, an attempt to annihilate the Jews. So, we’re in events associated with the middle of that 70th week of Daniel, that 7-year period. In Daniel, in Revelation, chapter 13, we’re look at chapter 13 then we’ll back up to chapter 12. “I stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast Remember this beast? A beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads.” That sounds a little bit familiar. Ten horns, at least, right? Because we had ten horns back in Daniel, chapter 7. Here you have 7 heads. Well, in Daniel 2, we had four parts of an image that represented four nations, ah, four kingdoms. In Daniel, chapter 7, we had four wild beasts. Hear we have 7 heads. The 7 heads go together with the four empires of Daniel. Daniel only saw the empires Babylon, Medo/Persia, Greece, Rome. Then out of Rome that final ten nations or ten kingdoms. Daniel goes back before Babylon. He picks up Egypt and Assyria that preceded Babylon.

The Bible’s only concerned with earthly empires that have an impact on Israel. People say, “Well, what about other empires that may have existed in the world?” The Bible is only concerned with Israel. When we read the Bible, it’s not interested in giving you an account of life in China, because why? Because that doesn’t impact Israel. So, we’re talking about the nations of the world and the empires that impacted Israel. You go back to Egypt, obviously, that’s when Israel began as nation. So, John picks up Egypt and Assyria, plus the four that Daniel mentioned. That’s six. Okay, let’s see how he gets seven and then, he’ll ultimately get eight. So, he’s pretty good.

This beast comes up. It has ten horns, seven heads. And on his horns were ten diadems. That’s because the horn represents a king or a kingdom. So, they’re crowned. Then you have the beats which he saw and then describes. And the beast that he sees coming up is empowered, at the end of verse 2, by the dragon who is Satan, talked about in chapter 12 as the dragon. “I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and the fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast.” The beast referring to the ultimate man, the Anti-Christ, that little horn, the prince who will come. “They worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast. They worshipped the beast. Remember this! They worshipped the beast. There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words, verse 5 and blaspheming, blasphemies authority was given him to act for forty-two months.”

How long is 42 months? Three and a half years. How long is three and a half years? Its half of 7 years. Isn’t that interesting. Daniel 9:27 told me in the middle of the 7 years, the 70th week, he would begin a persecution of Israel. John now, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is giving further insight and information on what is going to take place.
Back in verse, chapter 12, we’re talking about the same period of time, the middle of that 70th week of Daniel. Look at verse 14, “Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman.” The woman represents Israel in chapter 12. “In order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time, times and a half time.” Sound familiar? From the book of Daniel, what is a time, times and a half times? It’s three and a half. Could translate it “a time, 2 times and a half time,” three and a half. What do you mean three and a half? I mean 42 months. Still don’t get it? Back up to verse 6 of chapter 12. “The woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” And a prophetic year in scripture is rounded off for us and here we have half of that, 1,260 days. I take it if you divide that out you have three and a half years, 42 months, a time, two times and a half time.

You know, people read the Bible and say, “Well, you can’t take the numbers of the book of Revelation literally.” Why? Do you think God can’t count? I mean, why would He go to all this trouble, 1,260 days. That’s a time, two times and a half time. Are you listening, Dummy! I mean by that 42 months. Oh, I’m sure, Lord, you don’t mean 3 1/2 years literally. Why? How many times does He have to say this?

You know, the first 69 weeks of Daniel were literal years, a total of 483 years. And you can go from the decree to, ah, rebuild Jerusalem. And you can go, ah, to a encyclopedia like the Encyclopedia Britannica and get the date, within a year or two depending how they, ah, worked their dates, on what we’re talking about. That’s been worked out. We have, ah, material on that in the Book Store. That you come up to the crucifixion of Christ. He was crucified about a week after that, 483rd year, the 69th week of Daniel came to an end. And now we think that this last 7-year period is just off in fantasy land some place and not really going to be a literal period, and we don’t have to finish it up? God said it will take 490 years to complete [His] program for Israel. There is a 7-year period left. And that 7-year period will be dominated by a revived Roman Empire. That beast is alive. It will have 10 kingdoms or 10 nations or 10 kings, that comprise it. And out of those will come one who will be dominate and rule.

Verse 8 of Revelation 13 says, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him.” They said that in verse 4 of Revelation 13. Revelation 13:4, 5 and Revelation 13:8, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of the life of the Lamb who has been slain.”

Turn over to Revelation 17. See a similar picture here. We won’t get into the details of this, in this study. But you see in verse 3, “He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast,” there’s a beast again, “full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.” Sounds familiar to chapter 13, doesn’t it? Then we’ll jump down. He asks, “Will you tell me the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her that seven heads and ten horns?” He says, verse 8, “The beast that you saw was and is not and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction.” That probably ties the deadly wound of chapter 13. “Was, is not, and will be.”

Well, come to verse 9. “Here is the mind, which has wisdom.” So, we want to be counted wise. We want to be intelligent, biblically. We want to have minds that have wisdom. “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.” I know my music. I know my geography. Rome sits on seven hills, there we go. That may be, but I don’t think so. The problem is it says the seven heads are seven mountains are seven kings. If you’re going to just read it grammatically here, it says, “The seven heads are seven mountains.” Go to verse 10, “are seven kings.” So, the mountains, the heads are mountains are kings. So, the heads, the mountains both represent kings. They represent the same thing. The 7 heads are the 7 mountains. The 7 mountains are 7 kings or kingdoms.

So, I don’t think we’re primarily talking about the 7 hills of Rome because he tells us here, “five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come.” Five have fallen. What have fallen? Well, let’s see: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo/Persia, Greece. That’s five have fallen. One is. What one is? Rome. That’s six. Another, the other has not yet come. Hm, the final, the seventh here has not yet come. I take it that will be the 10-nation confederacy, right? The ten-nation kingdom, the 10 horns.

“Then he comes, he must remain a little while.” So, this seventh can, horn version, is going to be short, basically three and a half years. “And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seventh.” So, he says, you know, this beast, this little horn of Daniel, is one we talked about in Revelation 13, the beast that you see now, he’s really an eighth. But he’s really of the seven, because remember he came up from among the ten. And he gets his power by replacing three of the ten. So, he’s really part of that seventh kingdom I’m talking about. But he’s going to be unique enough you could even call him an eighth. The last half of the tribulation is going to be markedly different than the first half.

I think we have to be very accurate and careful in our handling of biblical prophecy. People act like, well, it’s a book of revelation. You don’t have to handle it carefully. I mean, it’s all figurative and allegorical. And yet, God is being very precise here. The numbers are important. I mean, we’re talking about 5 have fallen, one is, the other is yet to come and it will endure for a short time and then, you have the beast. He’ll be an eighth, he’s of the seventh. We get the idea these numbers don’t mean anything particular. They’re just numbers. You can do with them what you want. God’s not talking about actual events that will happen. How, how clear can He be? So, here you have the eighth.

How did the eighth get the power? The ten horns, which you saw, are ten kings. So, and king and a kingdom. There we have it identified for us again. “They have not yet received a kingdom. But they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose; they give their authority and power to the beast.” So, when you get to the middle of that 7-year period, all ten are going to agree that there’s nobody as qualified to rule as the beast. Let’s give our power to him. So, they don’t necessarily go out of existence, but he becomes the world ruler, and they are subject to him.

So, here we have unfolded the events that are going to take place in the empires of the world. I do all of that to draw your attention to what is going on in Europe today. I mean, as believers, we ought to be alert. I’m not saying that’s the fulfillment, because maybe it’ll all disintegrate and go away. I don’t think so, but what I think doesn’t matter. If God decides to do it, He’ll do it. But isn’t it interesting?

How many of you have seen the special issue of “News Week” called “Euro Land.” A really popular edition we’ve got here. I should have bought them up and sold them at a premium. This is not sent to subscribers. So, if you are a subscriber to “News Week,” they don’t mail it to your home. You have to buy it on the news stand. But I would recommend you do. $4.00, it’s Winter 1998. I saw it in the newsstand here in the last week or so. I don’t know how long it’s been out. It’s 104 pages, published by “News Week” magazine on “Euro Land.”

Now, you’re aware that the European community has finally, where so many people thought it never could happen, committed themselves to a single currency, and will begin to be used by the banks, I believe, January 4th. It became official with the new year, but I believe the banks start January 4th. This, the magazine, is about “Euro Land,” the new name for Europe and Euro Land with a currency that will unite it. It’s a fascinating thing. There are 11 nations that are part of the Euro-confederacy, that are joined together for the financial. They all committed to turn their money into Euro-currency.

Now, I’m not saying that that’s anything to do with the Bible, what we’ve just been talking about, but I got to say I get interested. Daniel wrote 2500 years ago. John wrote the book of Revelation roughly 2,000 years ago, rounded off, 1900 years ago, so. And here we are, within the realm of the revived Roman Empire, or the old Roman Empire that may be revived. You have 11 nations joined together monetarily. Significant enough event that a secular news magazine publishes a special issue on it and you don’t have to read very much of the newspaper, it’s been on the front page of our own newspapers and so on, about the currency and, its significance.

What I like is the first article. Know what the title of the first article is? You can’t see it, but I’m holding it up. When you get your edition, go to the first article. You know what title says here? “What Strange Beast.” Now, I don’t make any connection to Revelation on that, but you know what I like? It’s got Euro here. It’s got a multi-headed beast. Let me count the heads 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. “And the beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth.” Interests me too, only one of the heads wears a hat.

Now, that may have nothing to do with biblical prophecy, but I’m tearing it out and putting it just behind Revelation, in case, don’t, don’t. You know, to me, it’s interesting that the secular world is beginning to look at things like this, talk like this, and you just read through the articles. This first article, “In January the world will start getting used to a new currency. Whether you love the Euro or hate it, know this, nothing so big has ever happened before. A single monetary regime will unite 11 European states, including the coronations of Germany and France, more than ever before.” You know what they’re saying? This will be a stronger union than has ever existed before. “The shear size of the project in which Europe is now embarked, sets it apart from all that has gone before.”

You know, they got a history of currency here. You know what the title of it is? It will tell you this, when you get your magazine, “The Euro’s roots: Do as the Romans.” You know where the push for a united currency goes back to? The rule of the Roman emperor Diocletian, who ruled, reigned 286-301 AD “He reformed the coinage of the realm, setting up a single currency, establishing primitive goal as the standard.” But then they got down the history and it’s two pages with little paragraphs, some of you can see the little dates on that, of showing how the efforts went to try to unite Europe with a common currency. This will be the most effective and is the strongest that has ever occurred.

One of the titles on the cover page is my man, the title of it “The End of Christendom.” There’s more prophetic than it realizes, when that will be the goal of the 8th empire, the rule of the beast, whose goal will be to annihilate everything but the worship of himself. The might and power of Europe. The future political power. What about military might that will come out of this?

All of that, we as believers ought to be alert. We run around and around and say, Oh, look at this. The Bible’s fulfilled. No, but neither do I want to be yawning and sleeping, realizing we may be on the brink of the return of the Lord. You put this together, if this was the only event, we’d say, “Well, that’s interesting.” But we’ll pull together some of these other events this evening. You have events that have taken place in Israel. Because the worship of this anti-Christ will take place in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and all that’s going on in that realm. What is taking place with the disintegration of the Russian empire in light of what is said in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The rise of the apostate church and on and on it goes.

All these are events that will not reach their prophetic fulfillment until after the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the 7-year tribulation. But we see all of these events taking place, events. Doesn’t it amaze you to read in Daniel and Revelation about a ten-nation confederacy and now read the old Roman empire being brought together, and they talk about it may be stronger than it was before? But we know it’s going to be brittle because of what? It’s made up of individual nations. France wants to be France. Germany wants to be Germany. And, yet, united together, the talk now, it will be stronger than the United States.

Our own Senator Hagel, “The European union could rival the US,” Hagel says. “Question is will the Euro even become stronger than the US dollar and its currency replace us in the world?” That kind of discussion Daniel wrote about it 2500 years ago. John wrote about it 1900 years ago. And I see these things won’t come to full fruition until after the Rapture of the Church.

Should we be a people looking for the return of our Lord? You know, the year 2000 is coming. I’ll say more about that tonight, since my time is gone. This is only the first of about four things we we’re going to talk about this morning. Be glad for my self-restraint.

You know, some people think the year 2000, maybe the Lord’s coming in the year 2000. Maybe that’s the millennium. It’s not the millennium, I promise you that. I sovereignly prophecy: the year 2000 will not begin the millennium. The millennium is at least 7 years away. So, maybe 2006, but not then. But if you thought the Lord was coming in the year 2000, what would you do differently? I mean, we run around like, “Oh, boy. Things are going to be disastrous in the year 2000. And maybe that’s the year.” Maybe it is! It will be the year for something.

What would you do differently if the Lord was coming in the year 2000? What would you do differently if the year, the Lord was coming in the year 1999? And those are the things that we better set about doing! First thing we need to do is settle on our salvation. We know our salvation is nearer today than when we first believed, as Paul wrote to the Roman.

Are you ready for the coming of the Lord? Have you experienced the redemption that He has provided through the death and resurrection of His Son. Only those who believe in Him will be caught up to meet Him in the air. The rest will be left to go into the 7-year period. And it will be a time of such suffering, death, that Jesus said that if He did not cut it short at the end of 7 years, there wouldn’t be a person left alive on the face of the earth. Now think about that! And yet He has promised to deliver us from the wrath that is to come. We are looking for the blessed hope as the Church. I hope you’re looking for that because you have believed in Christ as your Savior.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the richness of our salvation. Lord, a salvation that cleanses from sin and spares us from the coming wrath that would be poured out on this world and the eternal destruction of hell. Lord, we are thrilled as we reflect upon biblical prophecy and we look at the world around us and we see so much taking place. Lord, it makes us consider that we may be very quickly moving toward the climax of events in preparation for the kingdom of our Lord and Savior. Our desire is that we individually, and as a church, would be living in light of the imminent return of Christ. May we be alert. Lord, may we be expectant. May we be diligent as we go about Your service and Your work. We pray in Christ’s name, amen.