Events Preceding The Prophesied Kingdom

Transcript

GRM 996
1/06/2008
Events Preceding the Prophesied Kingdom
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh


If you've been here for the last several weeks, you've been part of our study on the kingdom in scripture. Our basic study together has been in I Corinthians and in I Corinthians 15 we came to a section where he's going to make reference to the kingdom. And we've taken opportunity to do a little side trail, looking at the matter of the kingdom in scripture, both the general concept of the kingdom, God's universal rule over all, every aspect of creation and more specifically the kingdom that He has promised to establish on this earth, the kingdom over which His Son will rule and reign for all eternity. The kingdom is important to all of us because that will be our place of residence through eternity, the kingdom that God will establish on this earth.

I want to look a little further at matters related to that with you. We are going to resume I Corinthians 15 here in the next couple of weeks. But I want to back up a little bit. We talked about the kingdom and we noted that the prophesied kingdom that will be established on this earth has two phases, the first phase is called the millennium, meaning one thousand years. During that thousand years God will complete His program in dealing with sin in His creation. At the end of that thousand-year period, sin will be removed, sinful beings will be in hell, God will create a new heavens and a new earth, and the kingdom will go on through eternity.

Now we also noted that the kingdom will be established on the earth with the return of Christ to the earth. And we looked at passages like Acts 1 where the angels told the disciples of Christ that He would return in the same way that they have seen Him go, in the clouds of heaven. In Matthew 24 we read where every eye will see Him. But we know we are not in the kingdom because Christ has not come in power and great glory to establish His kingdom. But if you have the chart that you were given several weeks ago still tucked in your Bible, you might look at that. And you'll note, in the context of the Second Coming of Christ to earth there is a 7-year period preceding the Second Coming of Christ to earth. So in light of scripture we are at least seven years away from the return of Christ to earth and the establishing of His kingdom, because the Bible makes clear there is a 7-year period clearly defined and marked out in scripture that will occur before Jesus Christ will return to earth and establish His kingdom.

I want to look at some matters relating to that 7-year period today, just to remind you. I will also tell you that my understanding of scripture is that Christ will return in the air for His church before that 7-year period. And we'll talk about the rapture of the church in connection with our study of the last part of I Corinthians 15, beginning with verse 50 ff. But right now I want to focus on that 7-year period—it's called the tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel. The 70th week because it is the end of a 70-week period, 7-year period. So it's a week of years, not a week of days. It's a time of wrath and judgment. God is completing His program with the nation Israel to prepare them for the kingdom that He will establish. And He is also pouring out His wrath on the world of unbelievers. So it is a period of time like nothing the earth has ever seen.

Turn back to Deuteronomy. And we're at a period of time where Israel has been brought out of Egyptian bondage after 400 years. They went down into Egypt as a family, 70 people or so, they come out of Egypt a nation of perhaps 2 million. Now they are getting ready to go into the land of Canaan which God has promised to them as their permanent inheritance. And in Deuteronomy 4, we'll just break into the section here, they are reminded in verse 23 to watch themselves, Moses the spokesman here to the nation, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and so you make graven images and you go contrary to what the Lord has commanded. Why don't you want to disobey the Lord? Verse 24, for the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Then he goes on to tell them, when you become the father of children and children's children, you have remained long in the land and act corruptly and make an idol in the form of anything, do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you were going over the Jordan to possess it. You will not live on it, but will be utterly destroyed. You'll note, punishment for disobedience will result in Israel being removed from the land. They will be destroyed. That does not mean they will be annihilated. We have to read on. The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. It's been estimated in the Holocaust during World War II half of the Jews in the world died. God's judgment will come, it will come under the Assyrians for the northern ten tribes. Then it will come under the Babylonians for the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom. Then it will come under the Romans and for 2000 years Israel wandered as a landless people until in 1948 they came back to the land.

In these other nations you'll serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. Note this now, from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you in the latter days. Important expression, carrying us to this 7-year period we're talking about, that will climax with the return of Christ. In the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. For the Lord your God is a compassionate God, He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to you.

So those Jews that rebel will come under God's judgment and suffer destruction, but God will be faithful to His promises to the nation. And when all is said and done and we read the last verse of the last chapter, Israel will be returning to God in repentance and God will intervene to deliver them. That will happen just prior to the return of Christ to establish His kingdom on the earth. We looked at some passages related to that. So the 7-year period leading up to the return of Christ is God's time of applying the heat, the pressure to Israel so that they will be brought to their knees and cry out in despair, repenting of their sin and calling upon God to save them.

Go to Zephaniah 1. You see something of the characteristic of this period of time we're calling the tribulation. Verse 14, near is the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly. Listen, the day of the Lord. In it the warrior cries out bitterly, a day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities, the high corners. I will bring distress on men so they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust, their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath. All the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy. He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one of all the inhabitants of the earth. There will be complete destruction of all His enemies. You see this is the day of the Lord, the tribulation. It is a coming time and the Bible makes clear it is a clearly defined time. Two things happening in this 7-year period, as I've mentioned. 1) God is refining the nation Israel. Two-thirds of them are going to die, one-third will be brought through. We saw that in Zechariah. 2) It is also a time of His wrath on the nations of the earth, a time of judgment, this time of consummate for the nations at Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ to earth.

Two key elements in this 7-year period that I want to draw attention to. 1) The revived Roman Empire, where we see a revival of the old Roman Empire and it's assuming power again. 2) And a restoration of the nation Israel. Now we're not going to get through everything, but we're going to wade into it just so you have some grasp. When we get to the rapture of the church in our study in I Corinthians 15, you understand what is taking place. This 7-year period is the consummation of God's program with Israel, it does not involve the church. We'll see that in a moment.

Come to Daniel 2. We've been in some of these portions because we looked at the kingdom as it's emphasized. But I want to note the connection here. Remember in Daniel 2 we have a vision of the empires of the world beginning with Babylon, the existing empire, and going forward in time. And we climax with the establishing of God's kingdom on the earth, the Messianic Kingdom. Now he saw Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome in the image of a man. And there are different metals, beginning with the gold head and climaxing with iron. And the iron will go down the legs and into the toes of this image. So verse 40, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron. Inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. In that you saw the feet and toes partly potter's clay, partly iron, it will be a divided kingdom. It will have the toughness of iron, because you saw the iron with the clay, as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, some of the kingdom will be strong and some of it will be brittle. It doesn't adhere together really well, verse 43. It's not like the old Roman Empire that was iron. But it's important to note here, the iron continues down into the toes. And the iron is the Roman Empire. So you must see the continuity here and the connection. It's the fourth empire, the Roman Empire. We say it's going to be revived, we'll say more about that in a moment, because you'll note the toes are partly iron. But now you have clay, pottery mixed in, and that's brittle. And clay and iron don't mix in to make one whole. So you have the strength of iron in this kingdom but the brittleness. It's a mixed kingdom. In fact it has ten major parts, ten toes.

Then you'll note in verse 44 it's in the days of those kings that the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed. And it will crush all these earthly kingdoms. That has not happened. You can't just decide to make this a spiritual thing in the hearts, we've talked about that. So we know from the kingdom working back, it's when we have this final form of the Roman government in existence that Christ will return to earth. So it carries us down to the end of time in the sense of the end of the time leading up to the coming to earth of Christ.

A ten-nation confederacy, ten toes, strong and weak. That's why you hear us talking about a revived Roman Empire. Now you may say, wait a minute, we had the Roman Empire. What makes you think we still.............. These are long legs or long toes, however you want to put it. Well remember the church is not seen in the Old Testament, it's not part of Old Testament prophecy. So the Old Testament prophets saw the first coming of Christ in His suffering and death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, they saw the time of tribulation and trouble, the 7-year period, that was climaxed with the return to earth and the establishing of the kingdom. They never were able to sort out the two returns and how they fit together. So they really are seeing the first coming of Christ, the time of tribulation and trouble and the Second Coming of Christ, and they're seeing it all here. How does it all fit together?

Come over to Daniel 7. You have the same vision, remember, same information but different images in a vision, another dream and vision that is conveying the same material. In chapter 2 it was the kingdoms of the earth depicted as the image of a man made of different metals. In chapter 7 it is the empires of the world pictured as wild beasts. So each of these four wild beasts picture another kingdom. Verse 3, he saw four great beasts coming up from the sea. So we're focusing on four kingdoms—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome. Again the interest here is a fourth beast. Down in verse 7, I kept looking in the night vision and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying, extremely strong. It had large iron teeth. So you see the similarity. A different image but the iron is there, the strength is there, the power is there. It devoured and crushed and trampled. It was different from all the beasts that were before it. Now note the end of verse 7, it had ten horns. You see we're coming to the same point. The image in chapter 2 climaxed with ten toes, the last beast in chapter 7 climaxes with having ten horns. But you'll note they are part of the fourth beast, the Roman Empire. The horns are on that beast. So it's a continuation, it is a form of the Roman Empire.

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. This horn possesses eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. Now you have an additional insight. Remember progressive revelation can add to the revelation, but it can't nullify or change previous revelation. This is the Word of God, it is unchanging. But here is additional insight. Now these ten kings, there is going to be a king come up among them who is going to displace three of them and become the dominant person. We'll get more revelation on this in the New Testament where we find these ten will come to be in agreement that this one ought to be the dominant figure, in Revelation 17.

Now we come to this ten-nation confederacy, this final form of the Roman Empire. And what happens? Verse 9, I kept looking until thrones were set up. The Ancient of Days took His seat. We're carried to heaven. Why? We're ready for the establishing of God's kingdom on earth in the days of these kings. Remember chapter 2, in the days of these kings God will set up a kingdom which will never end. Here we are, we go to heaven. And then we're reminded on earth this is the time of the destruction of that little horn and all those associated with him. And then verses 13-14 we had the kingdom of Christ on earth. So same information unfolding.

How do we know for sure this is the interpretation? Because you have a great teacher who has great insight. No, we just read the next few verses and the angel interprets it for us. Verse 17, these great beasts, and this is an angel interpreting it to Daniel, which are four in number are four kings who will arise from the earth. A king and a kingdom were used interchangeably. It's the king of Babylon or the kingdom of Babylon, the king or kingdom of Medo-Persia and Greece and Rome. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. You'll note, it's the same kind of kingdom in the sense it's an earthly kingdom ruling over the earth. The kingdom of God is not some spiritual kingdom that exists only in the hearts. These four kingdoms are replaced by, they inherit the kingdoms of the earth and they reign.

Daniel wants to know more about the four beasts. Verse 19, I desire to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast which was so different from all the others, and more powerful and dreadful. And verse 20, what's the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and then that other little horn that came up. And then verse 21, I kept looking, that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them. We're in the last half, the second 3½ years of that 7-year period. If you have that chart, you'll note it's divided into two 3½ -year segments. We are in the last 3½ years. The horn was waging war with the saints and over powering them. We'll read more of that in a moment. Until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One. And the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. You see when we get to that ten-king form of the Roman Empire and that dominant little horn, then Christ will intervene, His saints will be rescued, and they'll take possession of the kingdom. They'll rule and reign.

He said, verse 23, the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth and it is more powerful than the other kingdoms. Verse 24, as for the ten horns, out of this king ten kings or kingdoms, because remember the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom. Now we have the ten kings or kingdoms. The ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise. So now the Roman Empire has a ten-king federation. That's why it has the brittleness of clay. You don't have one dominant, except the little horn will arise and he asserts power. So he holds this federation together with greater power. He subdues three of the kings in assimilating his power. He'll speak out against the Most High, wear down the saints of the Highest One. We're in the middle of the 7-year tribulation, in the middle of that seven years. He will intend to make alterations in times and law, they will be given into his hand for a time, times and a half time. A time, two times and a half time, that's 3½ years. We know that's what it means because of later revelation, we'll get to that. Just take my word for it now. Remember a time, two times and a half time—3½ times which other passages make clear is a period of 3½ years.

But the court will sit for judgment, his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and 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 and all the dominions will serve Him. I mean where do we come? What will be the end of that? The establishing of the kingdom of Christ on earth. Some say this was all fulfilled spiritually back in connection with the first coming of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. I don't believe it. Babylon was literal Babylon, Medo-Persia was literal Medo-Persia, Greece was literal Greece, Rome was literal Rome. The kingdom that will be established will be a literal kingdom. We've been through that.

So we come to this time where we have the final form that will climax with the return of Christ. So we know it's yet future. Remember we have a small gap of time. We have the first coming of Christ, we have seven years and we have the Second Coming of Christ. That is what is revealed in the Old Testament, nothing about a church and 2000 years in between the first coming of Christ and the beginning of the tribulation is revealed in the Old Testament. So we oughtn't to be surprised and say it seems like they left out something. It wasn't God's intention. Now nothing revealed all the way to the book of Revelation, in fact the book of Revelation will further enhance this, undoes anything that God has said. What will be revealed as we've seen is there is a time in here between the first coming and the Second Coming of Christ where God is doing a work while He has Israel under judgment, removed from their land. He is building the church, comprised of people of all nationalities.

All right we'll jump to the New Testament, Matthew 24. There are many, many passages in the Old Testament on the tribulation. Wait a minute, I forgot, we have to do Daniel 9. Don't want to forget this because Daniel 9, beginning with verse 24 and following is really the backbone of God's prophetic plan for the nation Israel. I mean here in verses 24-27 you have God's plan and program for the nation Israel. I mean, it's remarkable.

This chapter began with Daniel telling us he had been studying the writings of the prophet Jeremiah. And through a study of the writings of the prophet Jeremiah he came to understand that the Babylonian captivity would last for 70 years. Israel had failed to keep their sabbath year every seven years for 490 years. So God says I will take them all at once, I'm taking you out of the land and you won't be able to work it, and I'll take all 70 years out of those 490 years at one time. So Daniel has been studying that. Then he turns to God in prayer. In response to Daniel's fervent prayer the angel Gabriel comes to Daniel in verse 21. And he tells Daniel that he has come to respond to his prayer, evidently asking about God's purposes and plans for Israel and what is going to happen.

Verse 24, seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city. Now hard for us, we read that word weeks and we think of seven days. But it literally days seventy sevens, and we have to determine from the context of scripture what we're talking about. Are we talking about seven days? Are we talking about seven years? Are we talking about seven hours? I mean, literally seventy sevens have been decreed. Now we'll see when we get to the New Testament that there's no doubt, there's no doubt in the context here also, that we're talking about years. So we have seventy seven-year periods, so it's a week of years, not a week of days. But it is so ingrained in our minds that a week is seven days, that when we read a translation seventy weeks, we want to say how do you get seventy seven-year periods. Well it's literally seventy sevens, so 70 times 7 is 490, and the context will make clear, there is not much doubt on this or argument that we're talking about 490 years. They've been decreed for your people. Daniel is a Jew, this is for the Jews and Jerusalem, your holy city. So a 490- year period will climax God's plan and program for the nation Israel so that the kingdom can be established. Obviously the 490 years don't include the kingdom because is eternal, He promised them an eternal kingdom. So 490 years don't include the kingdom, but it brings them to the place where the kingdom can be established.

Six things accomplished in that 490 years. Finish the transgression, Israel's sin finally dealt with and they turn in repentance to the Messiah; make an end of sin; make atonement for iniquity; bring in everlasting righteousness; seal up vision and prophecy; to anoint the most holy place. Know and discern from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be 7 weeks and 62 weeks. So the beginning point when it will begin to mark time for the 490 years, it's not from Daniel. It doesn't say it begins today, Daniel. No, it will begin when a decree is given to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. That will happen in Nehemiah 2 and the date will be 444 or 445 B.C. We'll leave it at those two possibilities for now. So there is not much debate on when that decree was given because it was given by a secular ruler and much work has been done on the date so some say 444 , some say 445. But that's the only debate.

So you have 7 weeks and 62 weeks until Messiah the Prince. So we have to go from 445 B.C. until the Messiah the Prince, the coming of the Messiah of Israel. And that's been worked, you can get little booklets and read sections of book on the 70 weeks of Daniel. And they'll chart it out and see it comes down and usually breaks off at that culmination of the first 69 weeks until Palm Sunday when Christ made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. But that's another time. So 7 weeks would be 49 years—7 times 7 is 49. What happened? Well Jerusalem, the decree was given to build it, it took 49 years to do that. Then 62 more weeks go be for a total of 483 years, we come to the time of Messiah the Prince.

Verse 26, then after 62 weeks, which was after the 7 weeks, a total of 483 years, Messiah will be cut off. Note it doesn't say Messiah will be cut off in the 70th week, which would be the natural way to speak. If He's going to be cut off in the 70th week it could be any time in that 70th week. But if it's in the 70th week he would have said, then in the 70th week Messiah will be cut off. But it's not, it's after 62 weeks, which were after 7 weeks. After a total of 69 weeks Messiah will be cut off and have nothing. That's what happened at the crucifixion, He had nothing. He was crucified and buried, the Romans were done with Him. No throne, no palace, no kingdom, nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come. Now there is the key figure, the prince who is to come. He's the same one as that little horn in chapter 7. His people will destroy the city and the sanctuary. That's talking about the Romans destroying the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. So the Messiah will be cut off and the people of the prince who is to come, the Romans, will destroy Jerusalem. This is how we come to say the antichrist will be a Roman. Some think he'll be a Jew, but he is going to be part of the people who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Everybody knows who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Romans did it.

Its end will come with a flood, even to the end there will be wars, desolations determined. And he, we're back now tot he prince who is to come, he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week. So you see what begins that last 7-year period, one week, one 7-year period, is the covenant that the prince who is to come signs with Israel, the many. The little horn. That's crucial. The rapture of the church does not necessarily begin the 70th week of Daniel, the 7-year tribulation. We often put it on charts like that, but that's not necessarily so. Now I say it's not necessarily so because it could happen just when this man is inking his agreement with Israel, the rapture could occur. But it doesn't have to. The rapture could occur and we could have a period of days or weeks or months before this agreement is signed. We don't know. Evidently it's not a long period because part of the purpose of removing the church is so God can complete His program with Israel. The church does not come into existence until after the 69th week and I think there is evidence it will be removed before the 70th week. But we'll talk about that in connection with the rapture.

So what do we have here? The Roman Empire is going to have a revival. Fascinating material that we won't be able to get into today except mention some verses. If you're interested in some helpful materials, and I'll read something to you the next time. The European Union and the Super Religions: Setting the Stage for the Final Act by Robert Congdon. Excellent work. Fascinating to see how much has been done, how much has not been lost. Dante back in the 13th century wrote of how necessary it was that they reestablish the Holy Roman Empire for the unity of Europe and so on. I mean, it's been an ongoing thing. They want to go back to the Hoy Roman Empire with Constantine of course and Roman Catholicism and the part it plays. Fascinating what's going on in the world that we don't have any concept of. This particular writer lives in the United Kingdom so he writes fascinatingly on what's going on, how far along we are, the dominance that is taking place. The entity that really gave birth to the European Union now oversees 46 countries and 800 million people. And their court is law overruling any of the courts and any of the member nations. I mean, some of these things go on and we sit in our country and think our election determines the fate of the world. You understand, I don't know where we are in biblical prophecy, but what really matters in biblical prophecy is what is going on in the old Roman Empire and what is going on in Israel.

So here we see in Daniel that the Roman Empire is going to come back in a final form, ten nations federated together to be its power. Yet it's going to be brittle because you have ten comprising it, and then one man dominating it. You'll note in Daniel 9:27, in the middle of the week, that 7-year period, he'll put an end to sacrifice and grain offering. A change. That's why we divide that week into two 3½ -year segments. Note what he does here. He puts an end to sacrifice and grain offerings, the animal sacrifices and the grain sacrifices. Now wait a minute, you know what that means? That means during that 7-year period, by the time you get to the middle the temple will be back in existence because the Jews can't have sacrifices without a temple. Now when it will be built we don't know. Perhaps as a result of the covenant he makes with Israel, and you ought to know Israel is in negotiations. In fact one of their key leaders in 2003 said Israel must be part of the Common Market, in fact the largest trading partner with the European Union is Israel. I don't know, maybe this agreement that is signed will enable Israel to build their temple. Maybe something will happen before the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel that will allow the construction of the temple. I don't know. All we know is by the time you get to the middle, the temple has been operating, sacrifices have been going on. But when you hit the middle of that 7-year period, it's done.

You understand everything the Bible talks about as far as prophecy is concerned here, through Old Testament prophets, has to do with this 7-year period or the kingdom. None of this is prophesying what is going on today. When I say what's going on today, I'm just saying it is interesting to see what God says will happen during that 70th week. That doesn't begin until the antichrist signs the covenant, which won't happen until after the rapture. But it's interesting to see some of these things seeming to begin to prepare the way for those events.

Now come to Matthew 24. And we've been to Matthew 24 talking about the kingdom. We're talking now about the events that lead up to the kingdom, and the pattern is exactly the same as we had in Daniel 2, as we had in Daniel 7, as we had in Daniel 9. In Matthew 24 Christ has already told His disciples He's going to Jerusalem, He's going to be crucified, buried, raised from the dead on the third day. In all of this the disciples are getting some idea that He's not going to establish the kingdom this week. So the question, verse 3, tell us when will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? The destruction of the temple and so on.

So He goes on to tell them about events of the tribulation. Some of you are aware, you can compare. Revelation 6-19 cover that 7-year period, the 70th week of Daniel. And you can start out in Revelation 6 with the opening of the seals and you will see the judgments unfolded in these verses, beginning in verse 4, and following in Matthew. The four horsemen of the apocalypse in Revelation 6 come out with the same kind of information. You come down to verse 15, we now have information regarding the middle of the 70th week of Daniel. He picked up with this in verse 9 as he overviewed the 7 years. In verse 9 He told them, they will deliver you to tribulation, kill you, you'll be hated by all nations because of my name. Then come down to verse 15, therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. And in the book of Daniel, we didn't take time to read it, but there comes one on the wings of abomination, one who makes desolate. When you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel standing in the holy place. This is when in the middle of the week he breaks his covenant. He will desecrate the temple, prefigured by Antiochus Epiphanes, Epimenas the madman back in the inter-testament when he set a statue of Zeus in the temple and sacrificed pigs there to desecrate the temple. That was in anticipation of the ultimate desecration of the temple in the middle of that 70th week. The little horn, the prince that is to come, the antichrist will set up the abomination of desolation in the holy place. Well wait a minute, the holy place, that requires the temple. You see nothing has changed. Christ is speaking of future events but He is not changing Daniel's prophecies at all. He may be adding information, but it doesn't change anything. In the middle of that 70th week the prince that is to come is going to break his covenant and desecrate the temple, set up an image in the holy place, the abomination of desolation. The temple has to be constructed, otherwise there would be no holy place. The holy place is the inner sanctuary of the temple where God's presence is to be manifested. This man desecrates the temple because he is claiming now to be God.

So anybody now, even if you're on the rooftop repairing the roof or relaxing as they sat on the roof, don't even go down to pack a bag. But you get out of the city because just that quickly persecution is going to be breaking out and they're going to be coming for you. And the region of the Transjordan area, old Ammon and Moab where the city of Petra is that most of you are familiar with. The area that encompasses much of what is Jordan today. That will be reserved by God as a safe haven for His people to flee to and hide. So he says, if you're in the field, verse 18, don't go back to get a cloak. I have to hide, but I better go get my cloak so I can stay warm. Don't do it, you won't make it.

Verse 21, for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now nor ever will be. Unless those days had been cut short no life would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and so on. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, verse 30. And there we have Christ coming again. Same pattern as in Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 9, along with other passages we didn't go to obviously. So Christ is not changing anything. I'm going to Jerusalem to die, to be crucified, to be raised, but you understand the program for Israel is set by God. It cannot be changed.

Verse 35 ought to settle any debate, heaven and earth will pass away, my words will not pass away. So you have to go through the 7-year tribulation before you can have the kingdom. When I say you, I don't mean you as a church, but I mean in God's prophetic plan there must be the 7-year tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel before you can have Christ return to earth and establish His kingdom.

Stop at II Thessalonians 2, I'll just read some verses there, then Revelation, then we're done. Then we'll pick up here. I used to think I wish the Lord had told us more. But then I realize, I sort of hear that voice in the back of my mind, the Lord's not talking to me, but I'm hearing, you can't even get through what I gave you. What would you do if I had more? I mean, what would I do if what God had revealed was ten of these volumes. I mean, therein the Lord has been gracious. II Thessalonians 2, talking about when the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction at the end of verse 2. Those are other names for the little horn, the prince who is to come, the antichrist, the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction. He is the one who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. The abomination of desolation, the desecration of the temple, the persecution of anyone who won't worship him. Consistent with Daniel's prophecy, with what Christ says, now what Paul says in his epistles. The Word of God does not conflict with itself. Furthermore, the Word of God later revelation does not change or alter previous revelation. You say, why do Christians disagree over this? Because they think that heaven and earth will pass away and so will God's Word. It doesn't mean what it says. Of course it means what it says. Here is Paul writing years after the death and resurrection of Christ. Same thing as Daniel said, same thing as Christ said in the gospels would happen.

Verse 7, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming. Same thing Daniel revealed, that the little horn, this prince that is to come will be brought to his end by the direct intervention of the return of Christ to earth.

Now come over to Revelation 11, we only have time to read the verses here. We'll pick up with this. You know you ought to study Revelation, we may do that again here if the Lord tarries and I survive. Because you know there's a special blessing, the responsibility of the church to understand this. Christ says we will be held accountable to know this revelation and understand it. It's written to the churches, but chapter 6-19 are about His future plan for Israel. The end of verse 2 talks about when Jerusalem, the Holy City, will be trodden underfoot for 42 months. How much is 42 months? I think it's 3½ years. Look at verse 3, I will grant authority to my two witnesses, they will prophesy for 1260 days—3½ years. Then we are reminded the kingdom is coming, we are near the end.

Come down to chapter 12 . Here you have a picture of Israel that gave birth to the Messiah. And remember when persecution breaks out in the middle of that 70th week of Daniel, the Jews have to flee? Verse 6, the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God so that there she would be nourished for 1260 days. This is in the context of satan being cast to earth. We can't talk about that now, but we'll allude to it next time. Come down to verse 14, middle of the verse. Israel, and the symbolism here of the woman who flies into the wilderness. She was nourished for a time, times and a half time. We saw that in Daniel—a time, times and a half time. How long was it? Well we already read the previous chapter and we're talking about 1260 days, 42 months, a time, times and a half time. In fact what is the period of time from the middle of that tribulation to the end that the antichrist, this blasphemous man will have power? The end of verse 5 of chapter 13, authority to act for 42 months was given to him. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, verse 8, with exceptions. So the timing is set. People say, I think Christ came in 70 A.D. and now we've been in the spiritual form of the kingdom .............. You just can't play fast and loose with the Word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away, my words will not pass away. This is fixed, it is settled by the decree and determination of Almighty God. There are yet seven years in God's program that must occur for the nation Israel before Christ will return to earth to bring them ultimate deliverance and establish His kingdom. May be longer, because the seven years hasn't begun yet. It will begin when the prince who is to come, the antichrist, the leader among the revived Roman Empire nations inks an agreement on their behalf with Israel. Then the clock starts for seven years to complete God's program with the nation Israel and pour out His wrath on the earth. Billions of people on earth will die during that time. It will culminate with Christ's return and the destruction of the armies of the earth and Armageddon and the establishing of the kingdom.

We as God's people today live in remarkable times. I'm not saying when the Lord is coming because I don't know, but by the same token I can read the scriptures, I can see what He says will take place in those seven years, and I see events coming together that seem to be pointing that that time could be very close. I believe the scripture is clear that Christ will return for us, the church, before that seven years. And that's our blessed hope.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your Word. Thank you that you are a God of your Word. You are truth, your Word is truth, we can study your Word, we can read it, we can contemplate it. And by your grace through the ministry of your Spirit we as your children can understand it. It is firm, it is forever settled in heaven. Not one jot, not one tittle will pass away unfulfilled. Lord, our hearts are thrilled as we contemplate what you have promised, what you have planned. Lord, we would be responsible, we would be faithful, we would be obedient. May we as your people individually and as your church in this day stand strong in declaring the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, unashamed and unafraid to be representatives of the Savior who loved us and died for us. We pray in His name, amen.