COUNTDOWN TO 6000

BY R. J. ADAMS








ALL SCRIPTURE VERSES ARE QUOTED FROM THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. USED BY PERMISSION.

The Holy Bible: New International Version, published by Zondervan Bible Publishers, copyright 1984 by The International Bible Society.

COUNTDOWN TO 6000

FIRST EDITION 1992

COPYRIGHT (C) 1992, 1995 R. J. ADAMS

SAGINAW, MICHIGAN 48603
 
 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 
 

PREFACE

GOD HAS PROMISED THAT IN THE LAST DAYS BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE INCREASED. (DANIEL 12:9) MANY DISCOVERIES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE LAST 100 YEARS THAT HAVE GIVEN US A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE. ARCHAEOLOGY, THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, AND NEW TRANSLATIONS OF EXISTING LITERATURE, HAVE ALL SERVED TO MAKE END TIMES BIBLE PROPHECY, AND PARTICULARLY THE BOOK OF REVELATION MORE UNDERSTANDABLE.

MODERN SCIENCE AND COMPUTERS HAVE ALSO PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THE KNOWLEDGE EXPLOSION. COMPUTERIZED CONCORDANCES HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED SYSTEMATIC BIBLICAL STUDIES. BY THE USE OF ONE "KEYWORD," EVERY VERSE WITH THAT PARTICULAR WORD, LETTER OR NUMBER COMBINATION IN IT CAN BE FOUND IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERLOOKING EVEN ONE OF THEM.

THIS BOOK UTILIZES ALL OF THE LATEST DISCOVERIES AND TECHNIQUES TO RESEARCH THE BOOK OF REVELATION, AND PLACE THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN IT IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR. THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN ARRANGED AND ORGANIZED WITHIN THIS BOOK IS BASED LARGELY ON HOW EACH VERSE FITS TOGETHER WITH EVERY OTHER VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT PERTAINS TO THE SAME SUBJECT.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK IS TO GIVE THOSE WHO WISH TO STUDY END TIMES BIBLICAL PROPHECY A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVENTS, AND THE ORDER OF THOSE EVENTS, THAT THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO BRING TO PASS ON THE EARTH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. R. J. ADAMS
 
 

CHAPTER TITLES

NOTE: Text printed both Large and Small type are quotations from the bible and other sources. Text printed in all "CAPITAL" letters are the author's opinions.
 
 

CHAPTER 1: WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

Psalms 14:1 "The fool says in his heart, `There is no God."

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

ONE PREREQUISITE TO UNDERSTANDING GOD'S PROPHETIC PLAN FOR THE FUTURE IS THAT YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT A HIGHER POWER THAN MAN EXISTS, AND THAT HE WILL REWARD THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM WITH WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUAL THINGS.

Proverbs 8:10-11 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the

truth.
 
 

CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO PROPHECY

THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS AN INEXACT SCIENCE, BEFORE THE PROPHECIES ARE FULFILLED. ALL OF THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT FUTURE BIBLICAL PROPHECY, INCLUDING THIS ONE ARE JUST "GUESSTIMATES" AND MEN'S OPINIONS ABOUT HOW GOD WILL FULFILL HIS WORD. WE ARE IN A SIMILAR POSITION AS THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS TIME FOR GOD TO FULFILL HIS WORD WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN NEARLY 2000 YEARS AGO. NO ONE KNEW THE PARTICULAR ORDER OF EVENTS THAT GOD WOULD USE TO FULFILL HIS WORD. THE SCRIPTURES SIMPLY SAID THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD COME OUT OF BETHLEHEM, BE CALLED OUT OF EGYPT, AND BE CALLED A NAZARENE. (NAZARENE COMES FROM THE HEBREW WORD "NAZAR" WHICH IS TRANSLATED "BRANCH" IN ENGLISH.

Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

Hosea 11:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Jeremiah 33:15 "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

Zechariah 3:8 "'Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. (THE NAZARENE)

THERE ARE MANY WAYS IN WHICH GOD COULD HAVE FULFILLED THESE SCRIPTURES ABOUT JESUS. HE COULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN ANY ONE OF THE THREE PLACES AND LIVED AT VARIOUS TIMES IN THE OTHER TWO. HE COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN NAMED OR CALLED THE "BRANCH" OR "NAZARENE" AND NOT HAVE LIVED IN NAZARETH AT ALL TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURES. NOW WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THE VERSES ABOVE ACTUALLY CAME TO PASS.

Matthew 2:4-6 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

John 7:40-43 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

Matthew 2:14-15 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Matthew 2:23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS TO LEARN WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY WILL HAPPEN JUST BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST, SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. EVEN AFTER THE MESSIAH HAD COME AND FULFILLED MANY OF THE PROPHECIES WRITTEN ABOUT HIM THERE WAS STILL CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS THE CHRIST.

John 12:37-43 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them." Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him. Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN STUDYING YET UNFULFILLED BIBLICAL PROPHECY THAT OUR OPINIONS OF HOW WE THINK THE LORD WILL FULFILL HIS WORD DO NOT PREVENT US FROM UNDERSTANDING THE ACTUAL FULFILLMENT WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF JESUS' TIME ON EARTH WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE THE TRUTH BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS AND HARDENED THEIR HEARTS TO ANY NEW INTERPRETATION OF GOD'S WORD THAT DID NOT AGREE WITH THEIR ANCIENT TRADITIONS.

Luke 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Matthew 22:29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

Mark 7:6-8 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

Matthew 16:2-3 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE WITH THE AUTHORS OPINIONS ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD WILL TAKE PLACE OR WHETHER SOME OF THE EVENTS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION ARE ONLY FIGURATIVE IS NOT IMPORTANT. IT IS THE COMMAND OF CHRIST TO HIS SERVANTS TO WATCH FOR HIS APPEARING, AND EVEN IF WE DIE WHILE WATCHING AND WAITING FOR HIM, WE WILL STILL BE BLESSED IN THIS LIFE AND IN THE LIFE TO COME FOR OBEYING HIS WORD.

Luke 12:37-40 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
 
 

CHAPTER 3: THE FOUNDATIONS OF PROPHECY

THERE ARE SEVEN MAJOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD TODAY, AND THESE ARE; CHRISTIANITY, (3 GROUPS, ROMAN CATHOLIC, ORTHODOX, AND PROTESTANT) JUDAISM, ISLAM (THE MOSLEMS), HINDUISM, AND BUDDHISM. ONLY THE RELIGIONS THAT ARE FOUNDED ON ALL OR PART OF THE WRITINGS OF THE HEBREW PROPHETS IN THE BOOK THAT HAS COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE BIBLE, INCLUDE IN THEIR BODY OF SACRED LITERATURE, PROPHECY, PREDICTIONS CONCERNING FUTURE EVENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN ON EARTH.

THE ONLY PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE FOUND IN THE WRITINGS OF ALL OF THE OTHER RELIGIONS ARE THOSE CONCERNING THE AFTERLIFE, HEAVEN AND HELL, AND JUDGMENT AFTER DEATH. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THE BOOKS THAT ARE HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM BY THESE RELIGIONS ARE ONLY THE WRITINGS OF MEN, WHO CANNOT FORETELL THE FUTURE. ALL THAT MEN CAN DO IS SET DOWN IN WRITING RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR LIVING LIFE ON EARTH.

THE GOD WHO IS WORSHIPPED BY THE CHRISTIANS AND THE JEWS IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER GODS WHO ARE WORSHIPPED BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. HE CLAIMS TO CONTROL THE EVENTS ON EARTH, AND HAS PROVED HE HAS THE POWER TO DO SO BY PAST HISTORY. FULFILLED PROPHECY IS ONE OF THE PROOFS THAT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS THE ALL POWERFUL GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.

6000 YEARS AGO GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE, AND WHEN THEY SINNED, HE PROMISED TO SEND A SAVIOR TO REDEEM THEM. THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PROMISE IS THE TURNING POINT OF HISTORY. WHEN CHRIST CAME THE FIRST TIME, 4000 YEARS AFTER GOD GAVE THE PROMISE TO ADAM AND EVE, EVEN THE CALENDAR CHANGED. OUR CALENDAR TODAY REFLECTS THE FACT THAT ABOUT 1,995 YEARS AGO, JESUS CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND, WAS BORN. THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT TRACE GOD'S DEALINGS WITH MEN AS HE PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH TO COME. JESUS HIMSELF VERIFIED THE FACT THAT MUCH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS HISTORY WRITTEN ABOUT HIM IN ADVANCE, WHICH IS WHAT PROPHECY IS, PRE-WRITTEN HISTORY.

Luke 24:25-27 & 44-47 KJV Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS TO REVEAL THE MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST. EVERY VERSE OF MESSIANIC PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE THAT JESUS DID NOT FULFILL DURING HIS 33 YEARS ON THE EARTH MUST OCCUR AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.

THERE IS A PROBLEM HOWEVER, THAT HAS SPLIT THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTIANS, WHO BOTH BELIEVE THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT IS GOD'S WORD. THE PROBLEM CAME ABOUT BECAUSE GOD DID NOT MAKE IT EXPLICITLY CLEAR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT THERE WOULD BE TWO PHASES TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, ONE AS A SUFFERING SERVANT TO REDEEM THE FALLEN HUMAN RACE, AND ANOTHER WHEN HE COMES AS THE KING AND THE JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE. THAT IS THE REASON WHY THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTIANS HAVE SEPARATE RELIGIONS. WE WILL LOOK AT SOME SCRIPTURES FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH THAT SHOW HOW AND WHY THE DIVISION OCCURRED.

THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST AS PREDICTED IN ISAIAH

Isaiah 9:5-6 KJV Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

EVENTS PERTAINING TO THE SECOND COMING

Isaiah 9:7 KJV Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

THE JEWS ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A MESSIAH WHO WILL REDEEM THEM AND SET UP A KINGDOM IN ISRAEL, WITHOUT A TIME BREAK BETWEEN THE TWO EVENTS.

Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

Luke 4:14-21 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

JESUS STOPPED READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH BEFORE SPEAKING OF THE VENGEANCE OF GOD, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND ALSO THE COMFORT THAT WILL COME TO THOSE WHO ARE ON HIS RIGHT SIDE AT THE JUDGMENT. HE STOPPED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT GOING TO FULFILL THOSE PROPHECIES DURING HIS FIRST ADVENT. IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE THERE HAS BEEN A PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF COMFORTING THOSE WHO MOURN, WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GIVEN, BUT IN THE PHYSICAL REALM IT REMAINS TO BE FULFILLED.

THE PROMISED MESSIAH

Isaiah 11:1-9 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

AS YOU CAN SEE THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE MESSIAH IN ISAIAH CHAPTER ELEVEN, VERSES THREE TO NINE PERTAIN TO BOTH THE FIRST AND THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. IT IS EASY TO SEE HOW THE JEWS BECAME CONFUSED BECAUSE OF THIS AND REJECTED JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH.

THE REGATHERING OF ISRAEL

Isaiah 11:10-12 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.

THE JEWS WERE ALSO EXPECTING THE MESSIAH TO REGATHER THEIR BRETHREN THE LOST TEN TRIBES, THE ISRAELITES WHO WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE FROM ISRAEL MORE THAN 700 YEARS BEFORE AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE EARTH. IN FACT, THE VERY OPPOSITE OCCURRED. IN 70 AD THE TWO TRIBES (JUDAH AND BENJAMIN, KNOWN AS THE JEWS) WERE DRIVEN FROM ISRAEL, THEIR TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED, AND THEY TOO WERE SCATTERED WITH THEIR BRETHREN THE ISRAELITES, OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. TO THIS DAY THERE IS A VEIL OVER THE HEARTS AND THE MINDS OF MOST OF THE JEWS, AND THEY CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.

2 Corinthians 3:12-16 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING SUBJECTS THAT A PERSON CAN UNDERTAKE, AND IT BUILDS FAITH. BY SEEING THAT GOD HAS KEPT HIS PROMISES IN THE PAST, IT HELPS US TO BELIEVE HE CAN KEEP HIS PROMISES TO US TODAY. SOME HAVE MISUSED BIBLICAL PROPHECY OUT OF IGNORANCE AND SET DATES FOR CHRIST'S RETURN THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, AND SOME HAVE USED THE SUBJECT FOR PERSONAL GAIN. BUT, THE ERRORS OF MEN IN NO WAY DIMINISH THE POWER OF GOD TO KEEP HIS OWN WORD.

Romans 3:4 KJV God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written,

Titus 1:2 KJV In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

IN ORDER TO STUDY GOD'S WORD, ONE MUST HAVE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CROSS REFERENCE EVERY VERSE PERTAINING TO A PARTICULAR SUBJECT WITH EVERY OTHER VERSE PERTAINING TO THAT SUBJECT. GOD'S WORD MUST BE RIGHTLY DIVIDED IN ORDER FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 
 

CHAPTER 4: BIBLICAL PROPHECY

Amos 3:7 "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets."

GOD, SINCE THE CREATION OF ADAM, HAS SENT HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS TO REVEAL HIS FUTURE PLANS TO THOSE WHO WERE WILLING TO LISTEN. BEFORE THE FLOOD GOD SENT ENOCH AND NOAH TO PREACH TO THE PEOPLE THAT A GREAT FLOOD WOULD COME UPON THE EARTH. AFTER THE FLOOD GOD CHOSE ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS TO BE HIS ORACLE PEOPLE. FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS GOD SENT HIS PROPHETS TO ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS, AND THE WRITINGS OF THESE PROPHETS ARE PRESERVED FOR US IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OF THE BIBLE.

2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 44:6-8 "This is what the Lord says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God." "Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come--yes, let him foretell what will come." "Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."

Isaiah 48:5 "Therefore, I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them."

GOD, IN THE BIBLE HAS DECLARED HIMSELF TO BE THE ONLY GOD, THE FIRST AND THE LAST. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT HE IS THE GOD, THE ONLY GOD, WHO CAN FORETELL THE FUTURE WITH 100% ACCURACY, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT CONCERNS HIS ANCIENT PEOPLE, ISRAEL.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken."

THE TEST OF AN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET WAS THAT WHAT HE HAD SPOKEN IN THE NAME OF THE LORD HAD TO COME TRUE DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE PEOPLE HE WAS SPEAKING TO, EXCEPT FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY STATED TO BE PROPHECIES FOR THE DISTANT FUTURE. IF A PROPHETS WORDS DID NOT COME TRUE, HIS WRITINGS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BIBLE. THIS IS WHY SOME DENOMINATIONS TEACH THAT ALL PROPHECY EXCEPT FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST HAS ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED. ALMOST ALL BIBLICAL PROPHECY HAS HAD A MINOR FULFILLMENT SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS GIVEN, WITH THE MAJOR FULFILLMENT COMING HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER. GOD HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL REVEAL NEW THINGS TO THOSE WHO ARE ALERT AND WILLING TO RECEIVE THEM.

Isaiah 48:6-7 "You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today."

ALSO, NOTICE IN THE NEXT VERSE THAT GOD NOT ONLY KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT HE KNOWS WHO IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO. HE KNOWS PEOPLE, NOT JUST BEFORE THEY ARE BORN, BUT BEFORE THEY ARE EVEN CONCEIVED.

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

THE PROOF THAT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS THE MOST POWERFUL BEING IN THE UNIVERSE IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR MORNING NEWSPAPER ONCE YOU KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD SAYS HE WILL ACCOMPLISH AS WE DRAW NEARER TO THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST.

THE BIBLE SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY AND THE HOUR THAT CHRIST WILL RETURN.

Matthew 24:26 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Acts 1:6-7 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR THAT HE WILL RETURN, CHRIST COMMANDS US TO WATCH FOR THE SIGNS THAT WILL PRECEDE HIS SECOND COMING SO THAT WE WILL BE EXPECTING HIS APPEARING, AND NOT BE CAUGHT UNAWARES.

Matthew 24:42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."

CHAPTER 5: COUNTDOWN TO 6000

IT IS INDICATED IN THE BIBLE THAT THE HISTORY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM LIVING ON THE EARTH WILL LAST FOR SIX THOUSAND YEARS, FOLLOWED BY 1000 YEARS OF PEACE UNDER THE RULE OF JESUS CHRIST. THROUGH THE CALCULATION OF THE AGES OF THE BIBLICAL PATRIARCH'S WE CAN DETERMINE THAT THERE WERE 2000 YEARS FROM THE CREATION OF ADAM TO THE CALL OF ABRAHAM, AND 2000 YEARS FROM THE CALL OF ABRAHAM UNTIL THE TIME THAT JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY. THIS INDICATES THAT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PERIOD OF 2000 YEARS FROM THE TIME OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS UNTIL HIS SECOND COMING. THE SUM OF THE THREE 2000 YEAR TIME PERIODS WILL BE 6000 YEARS. AS WE APPROACH THE YEAR 2000 MANY PREACHERS AND PROPHECY STUDENTS ARE TEACHING THAT THE 6000 YEARS ARE ALMOST FINISHED AND THAT CHRIST WILL RETURN ON OR BEFORE THE YEAR 2000. THEY HAVE OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT OUR CALENDAR IS IN ERROR BY ABOUT 30 YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS SET BACK TO ZERO ON THE YEAR THAT CHRIST WAS BORN, RATHER THAN ON THE YEAR THAT HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY. BIBLICAL RESEARCHERS HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE FIRST 4000 YEARS OF HISTORY WERE NOT COMPLETED UNTIL THE DAY CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED IN THE JORDAN RIVER BY JOHN THE BAPTIST. THE SCRIPTURES STATE THAT JESUS WAS ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME.

Luke 3:21-23 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

THIRTY IS THE AGE THAT GOD HAS DETERMINED AS THE TIME WHEN A MAN IS BOTH LEARNED AND EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO ENTER INTO THE SERVICE OF THE LORD AS A PRIEST OR A KING.

Genesis 41:46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

THE FIRST 4000 YEARS WERE NOT COMPLETED UNTIL THE MOMENT THAT CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED BY JOHN AT THIRTY YEARS OF AGE. IF CHRIST WAS BORN IN 4 BC, THEN THE 6000 YEARS WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL ABOUT 2026. THE YEAR 2000 ON OUR CALENDAR IS REALLY ONLY THE YEAR 1970. WHEN THE YEAR 2000 ARRIVES WE WILL ONLY HAVE ACHIEVED 5,970 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY, NOT 6000. WE WILL STILL HAVE ABOUT 30 MORE YEARS BEFORE THE 6000 YEARS ARE COMPLETED.

2 Peter 3:2-4 & 8-9 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

NOTICE THE CLUE THAT PETER GIVES US, THAT A DAY IS TO THE LORD LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS. THESE FUTURE SCOFFERS WILL FORGET THAT WE ARE COUNTING TIME ON THE ROMAN CALENDAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 30 YEARS AHEAD OF GOD'S CALENDAR. GOD'S CALENDAR FOR HUMAN EVENTS BEGAN ON THE DAY AND THE HOUR THAT HE CREATED ADAM. ONE OF THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE IN GENERAL, AND PROPHECY IN PARTICULAR, IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS A MATHEMATICAL GOD. THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE HE CONSTANTLY USES THE SAME NUMBERS AND NUMBER COMBINATIONS TO SYMBOLIZE VARIOUS THEMES. THE NUMBERS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT ARE FREQUENTLY USED BY GOD TO REPRESENT PROPHETIC THEMES.

THE NUMBER SEVEN, IN THE BIBLE, SYMBOLIZES COMPLETENESS AND PERFECTION. THIS IS THE REASON WHY SEVEN HAS BEEN CONSIDERED A LUCKY NUMBER FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. SEVEN DAYS MAKES A COMPLETE WEEK, AND SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS WILL COMPLETE ONE HEAVENLY WEEK, A WEEK MADE UP OF SEVEN ONE THOUSAND YEAR DAYS. THERE ARE MORE OCCURRENCES OF THE NUMBER SEVEN IN THE BIBLE THAN ANY OTHER NUMBER.

THE NUMBER SIX IS THE NUMBER THAT SYMBOLIZES IMPERFECTION AND INCOMPLETENESS, BECAUSE IT IS ONE LESS THAN THE PERFECT NUMBER, SEVEN. MAN WAS CREATED ON THE SIXTH DAY, AND HIS HISTORY BEFORE THE RETURN OF CHRIST WILL LAST FOR SIX THOUSAND YEARS.

THE NUMBER EIGHT IN THE BIBLE SYMBOLIZES NEW BEGINNINGS. AFTER THE HEAVENLY WEEK OF SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS IS COMPLETED, THE EIGHTH DAY WILL BEGIN, WHICH WILL BE ETERNITY.

THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, GOD GIVES US CLUES THAT THE PRESENT WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, WILL LAST FOR SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS. THE LAST ONE THOUSAND YEARS WILL BE THE HEAVENLY SABBATH DAY, ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF PEACE UNDER THE RULE OF JESUS CHRIST, FOLLOWED BY THE EIGHTH DAY, THE NEW CREATION.

Psalms 90:4 KJV For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

THE BOOK OF JUBILEES ALSO STATES THAT ONE DAY IN HEAVEN IS LIKE A

THOUSAND YEARS. (JUBILEES IS AN ANCIENT JEWISH RABBINICAL HISTORY BOOK)

Jubilees 4:28-29 And Adam died, and he lacked seventy years from one thousand years, for a thousand years are like one day in the testimony of heaven. And therefore it was written concerning the tree of knowledge: "On the day which you eat of it you will die." And for this reason he did not complete the years of this day, for in it he died.

PAUL HAD A PARTNER IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL NAMED BARNABAS. HE ALSO WROTE A BOOK KNOWN AS "THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS." THIS BOOK WAS READ IN THE EARLY CHURCHES AND USED AS A TOOL TO ASSIST IN UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES. ALTHOUGH THIS BOOK IS NOT A PART OF THE BIBLE, IT IS USEFUL BECAUSE IT TAKES US BACK TO THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH AND SHOWS US WHAT WAS BEING TAUGHT ABOUT PROPHECY WHILE THE APOSTLES WERE STILL ALIVE.

Barnabas 23:1-6 "Furthermore, it is written concerning the Sabbath, in the Ten Commandments, which God spoke on Mount Sinai to Moses, face to face; Sanctify the Sabbath of the Lord with pure hands and a clean heart. And elsewhere he said; If your children shall keep my Sabbaths, then will I put my of the Sabbath. And God made in six days the works of his hands; and he finished them on the seventh day, and he rested on the seventh day, and he sanctified it. Consider, my children, what that signifies. He finished them in six days. The meaning of it is this; that in six thousand years the Lord God will bring all things to an end. For with him one day is as a thousand years; as he himself testifies, saying, Behold this day shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, shall all things be accomplished. And what is it that he said, and he rested the seventh day: he means this; that when his Son shall come, and abolish the season of the Wicked One, and judge the ungodly; and shall change the sun and the moon, and the stars; then he shall gloriously rest in that seventh day."

BARNABAS GOES ON TO SAY IN HIS BOOK, THAT FOLLOWING THE ONE THOUSAND YEAR HEAVENLY SABBATH, THE EIGHTH DAY, THE NEW WORLD WILL BEGIN. GOD ALSO GIVES US ANOTHER CLUE IN THE BIBLE \THAT THE WORLD WILL GO ON AS NORMAL FOR SIX THOUSAND YEARS WHEN HE STATES THAT THE PUNISHMENT OF THE JEWS FOR REJECTING CHRIST WILL LAST FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS.

Hosea 5:14-15 "For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."

THE PRECEDING VERSES ARE REFERRING TO GOD'S DEALINGS WITH THE JEWS AFTER THEY REJECTED CHRIST. NOTICE IN HOSEA 5:15 HE SAYS THAT HE WILL GO BACK TO HIS PLACE. THIS HAPPENED WHEN CHRIST ASCENDED TO SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER AFTER BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD, HE WENT BACK TO HIS PLACE, HEAVEN.

Mark 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

HE WILL NOT RETURN UNTIL THE TIME COMES WHEN THE JEWS ADMIT THEIR GUILT IN REJECTING THEIR MESSIAH, AND SEEK CHRIST.

Hosea 6:1 & 2 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence."

AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE, AFTER TWO HEAVENLY DAYS, TWO THOUSAND YEARS HAVE PASSED, GOD WILL OPEN THE EYES OF THE JEWS AND THEY WILL RECOGNIZE JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR MESSIAH. WE KNOW FROM HISTORY THAT CHRIST DID NOT RETURN FORTY EIGHT HOURS AFTER HE ASCENDED TO HEAVEN, SO THIS VERSE MUST BE REFERRING TO TWO HEAVENLY DAYS OF ONE THOUSAND YEARS EACH. NOTICE ALSO THAT IT SAYS THAT ON THE THIRD DAY THEY WILL LIVE IN HIS PRESENCE. THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE MILLENNIUM, WHEN CHRIST WILL REIGN ON EARTH.

FOUR THOUSAND YEARS HAD ALREADY PASSED WHEN CHRIST BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, SO THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD DAY FROM THE TIME THAT JESUS RETURNED TO HEAVEN, AND THE BEGINNING OF THE SEVENTH DAY FROM THE CREATION OF ADAM, WILL OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME. BOTH ARE REFERENCES TO THE HEAVENLY SEVENTH DAY, GOD'S SABBATH, THE MILLENNIUM. GOD HAS DECREED IN HIS WORD THAT THE JEWS PUNISHMENT FOR REJECTING CHRIST WILL LAST FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS. THEY WILL NOT SEE CHRIST AGAIN UNTIL THEY SAY, "BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD."

Luke 13:34-35 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.'"

MANY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES HAVE TAUGHT DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES THAT GOD HAS REJECTED THE JEWS FOREVER. THE BIBLE DECLARES THAT THE TIME OF THEIR PUNISHMENT IS ONLY TEMPORARY, AND THAT SOMEDAY GOD WILL RENEW HIS DEALINGS WITH THE JEWS.

Luke 21:24 "They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Romans 11:25 "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."

PAUL DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO BE IGNORANT ON THIS SUBJECT, SO HE STATES IT CLEARLY, PART OF ISRAEL, THE JEWS IN PARTICULAR, HAVE HAD THEIR HEARTS HARDENED, UNTIL GOD IS FINISHED DEALING WITH THE GENTILES. PAUL UNDERSTOOD CLEARLY THAT THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES WOULD EVENTUALLY COME TO AND END, AND HE WARNS THE GENTILES NOT TO BECOME CONCEITED BECAUSE GOD WAS AT THE PRESENT TIME DEALING WITH THEM LIKE HE HAD DEALT WITH THE JEWS FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO THOUSAND YEARS.

Romans 11:17-22 "If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say, 'the branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.' Granted, but they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider, therefore, the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

THE TIME PERIOD KNOWN IN THE SCRIPTURES AS THE "TIMES OF THE GENTILES" IS COMMONLY CALLED THE "CHURCH AGE" BY THOSE WHO STUDY PROPHECY. ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THERE WILL BE ONE THOUSAND YEARS, A HEAVENLY SABBATH DAY, WHEN THE "CHURCH AGE" ENDS, AFTER THE FIRST RESURRECTION. THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "THE RAPTURE." IN THIS STUDY WE WILL REFER TO THAT EVENT AS "THE FIRST RESURRECTION," BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT IS CALLED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."

GOD CLEARLY STATES THAT THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL ONE THOUSAND YEAR TIME PERIOD AFTER THE FIRST RESURRECTION. THIS AGAIN TIES IN PERFECTLY WITH THE TEACHING THAT THERE WILL BE SIX THOUSAND YEARS OF PEACE UNDER THE RULE OF JESUS CHRIST, AND THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE EIGHTH DAY, ETERNITY, AND THE NEW CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. THIS ONE THOUSAND YEAR TIME PERIOD IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE "MILLENNIUM."

CHART 1: THE HEAVENLY WEEK

CONSCIENCE LAW THE CHURCH AGE ROD OF IRON

<-2000 YEARS-><-2000 YEARS-><-2000 YEARS-><-1000 YEARS-->

SUN-MON TUES-WED THUR-FRI SABBATH

<------ 4000 YEARS --------><-2000 YEARS-><-1000 YEARS->

FROM ADAM TO CHRIST CHURCH AGE MILLENNIUM
 
 

SEVEN IS THE NUMBER GOD USES TO SIGNIFY "COMPLETENESS. SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS WILL COMPLETE ONE HEAVENLY WEEK. WHEN THE SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS ARE COMPLETED, THE EIGHTH DAY WILL BEGIN, WHICH IS ETERNITY.

NOTE: SATURDAY IS THE BIBLICAL SABBATH DAY. SUNDAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE ROMAN WEEK.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: THE 7000 YEAR THEORY OF GOD'S PROGRAM FOR MANKIND DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE ARE ONLY 6000 YEARS OLD. THE EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE MAY BE MILLIONS OR BILLIONS OF YEARS OLD, AS THEY WERE CREATED "IN THE BEGINNING." THE LORD CREATED AND PLACED HUMAN LIFE, DESCENDED FROM ADAM AND HIS WIFE, ON EARTH ABOUT 6000 YEARS AGO.
 
 

CHAPTER 6: THE DAYS OF NOAH

JESUS SAID THAT IN THE END TIMES CONDITIONS ON EARTH WOULD BE LIKE THEY WERE DURING THE TIME OF NOAH.

Luke 17:26-27 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

Matthew 24:37-38 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

IN ORDER TO MORE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WORLD CONDITIONS WILL BE LIKE IN THE END TIMES, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THINGS WERE DURING "THE DAYS OF NOAH."

Genesis 5:22-25 & 28-29 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed."

NOAH WAS THE GREAT GRANDSON OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS ENOCH, WHOM GOD TOOK OFF OF THE EARTH BEFORE THE FLOOD OCCURRED. ENOCH BEING TAKEN OFF OF THE EARTH BEFORE THE FLOOD IS A PICTURE OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION, AND NOAH BEING BROUGHT THROUGH THE FLOOD IN THE ARK IS SIMILAR TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND ISRAELITES WHO WILL BE SEALED AND SURVIVE THROUGH THE POURING OUT OF GOD'S WRATH OF ON THE EARTH.

Genesis 6:5-7 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them."

BEFORE THE FLOOD MANKIND TURNED WHOLLY TO EVIL. THE BOOK OF JASHER RECOUNTS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING AT THAT TIME. THE BOOK OF JASHER IS A JEWISH HISTORICAL BOOK THAT IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. (See Joshua 10:13 & 2 Samuel 1:18)

Jasher 4:16-20 And all the sons of men departed from the ways of the Lord in those days as they multiplied upon the face of the earth with sons and daughters, and they taught one another their evil practices, and they continued sinning against the Lord. And every man made unto himself a god, and they robbed and plundered every man his neighbor as well as his relative, and they corrupted the earth, and the earth was filled with violence. And their judges and rulers took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order to therewith provoke the Lord; And God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth.

ACCORDING TO ANOTHER SOURCE OF ANCIENT HISTORY, THE BOOK OF ENOCH, THE PEOPLE BEFORE THE FLOOD WERE ALSO PRACTICING ASTROLOGY, MAKING SWORDS AND KNIVES TO KILL ONE ANOTHER, PRACTICING SORCERY, AND LEARNING ALL FORMS OF EVIL FROM THE FALLEN ANGELS.

THE FLOOD

Genesis 6:8-14 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

Genesis 6:17-18 & 22 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Genesis 7:1 & 4 & 7 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.

1 Peter 3:20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

GOD WAITED PATIENTLY WHILE NOAH BUILT THE ARK AND THEN POURED OUT HIS JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH.

Genesis 7:15-16 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

THE BOOK OF JASHER GIVES A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF NOAH ENTERING THE ARK AND THE REACTION OF THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE ARK.

Jasher 6:15-26 And Noah and his household, and all the living creatures that were with him, came into the ark on account of the waters of the flood, and the Lord shut him in. And all the sons of men that were left upon the earth, became exhausted on account of the rain, for the waters were coming more violently upon the earth, and there were other animals and beasts still surrounding the ark. And the sons of men assembled together, about seven hundred thousand men and women, and they came unto Noah to the ark. And they called to Noah saying, open for us that we may come to thee in the ark, wherefore should we die? And Noah, with a loud voice, answered them from the ark, saying, have you not all rebelled against the Lord, and said that he does not exist? And therefore the Lord brought upon you this evil, to destroy and cut you off from the face of the earth. Is this not the thing that I spoke to you of one hundred and twenty years back, and you would not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and now do you desire to live upon the earth? And they said to Noah, we are ready to return to the Lord; only open for us that we may live and not die. And Noah answered them, saying, behold now that you see the trouble of your souls, you wish to return to the Lord; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which the Lord granted you as the determined period? But now you come and tell me this on account of the troubles of your souls, now also the Lord will not listen to you, neither will he give an ear to you this day, so that you will not succeed in your wishes. And the sons of men approached in order to break into the ark, to come in on account of the rain, for they could not bear the rain upon them. And the Lord sent all the beasts and animals that stood around the ark. And the beasts overpowered them and drove them from that place, and every man went his way.

Genesis 7:20-24 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished--birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 9:18-19 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.

THE EARTH WAS REPOPULATED AFTER THE FLOOD BY THE THREE SONS OF NOAH AND THEIR WIVES.

2 Peter 2:4-9 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.

JUST AS HE DID IN NOAH'S DAY, THE LORD IS ABLE TO DELIVER THE GODLY FROM HIS WRATH, AND HE WILL DO SO FOR HIS CHURCH WHEN HE SPARES THEM FROM HIS WRATH DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
 
 

CHAPTER 7: THE SIGNS OF THE END OF THE AGE

Matthew 24:3 & 7-8 "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. `Tell us,' they said, `when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?' Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

MANY STUDENTS OF PROPHECY BELIEVE THAT 1914 WAS A SPECIAL YEAR ON GOD'S PROPHETIC CALENDAR. 1914 WAS THE YEAR THAT WORLD WAR I BEGAN, WHEN NATION ROSE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. THIS TIME PERIOD IS SOMETIMES CALLED "THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS." (THE KJV TRANSLATES "BIRTH PAINS," "SORROWS.") THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE GOD HAS REPEATEDLY COMPARED THE TIME OF THE END TO THE "DAYS OF NOAH." IN NOAH'S TIME, GOD GRANTED 120 YEARS FOR NOAH TO BUILD THE ARK AND PREACH TO THE PEOPLE THAT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH BY WATER WAS IMMINENT. GOD, IN THE BIBLE, USES THE SAME NUMERICAL PATTERNS OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO SIGNIFY CERTAIN THEMES. THEREFORE, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT MANKIND WILL RECEIVE 120 YEARS OF WARNING BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST.

Genesis 6:3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

1 Peter 3:20 "God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark

was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through

water,"

NOTICE, IN THE VERSE ABOVE, THAT GOD SPARED EIGHT PEOPLE FROM THE FLOOD, HIS NUMBER FOR NEW BEGINNINGS. IN THE BOOK OF JASHER THE 120 YEAR TIME PERIOD ALLOWED FOR REPENTANCE IS EXPLAINED EVEN MORE CLEARLY.

Jasher 5:8 & 11 "For thus saith the Lord, behold I give you a period of one hundred and twenty years; if you will turn to me and forsake your evil ways, then I will also turn away from the evil which I told you, and it shall not exist, saith the Lord. And the Lord granted them a period of one hundred and twenty years, saying, if they will return, then will God repent of the evil, so as not to destroy the earth."

ANOTHER INDICATOR THAT GOD IS GIVING US A SPECIAL TIME PERIOD FOR

REPENTANCE IS THE FACT THAT THE PENTECOSTAL REVIVAL MOVEMENT BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1900'S. GOD ALWAYS SENDS PREACHERS GIVING WARNING BEFORE JUDGMENT COMES.

2 Peter 2:5 "if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of `righteousness, and seven others;"

THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOTE FROM EERDMANS HANDBOOK TO CHRISTIANITY, COPYRIGHT 1977, LIONS PUBLISHING. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.

THE PENTECOSTALS

"But it was the revival which began in Azusa Street, Los Angeles, in 1906, that was the launching pad of twentieth century Pentecostalism. For three years, many hundreds of Christians from all over North America, and then from Europe and the third world, visited Azusa Street and took its message back with them. The fire spread quite rapidly, resulting in the formation of many new churches. "In the seventy years since Azusa Street, Pentecostalism has spread throughout the world."

IN 1906, THE MODERN DAY PENTECOSTAL REVIVAL MOVEMENT WAS BORN. IT APPEARS THAT GOD IS GIVING US 120 YEARS TO REPENT, JUST AS HE DID FOR THE PEOPLE OF NOAH'S DAY. BY ADDING THE 120 YEARS ALLOWED FOR PREACHING AND REPENTANCE TO 1906 WE COME UP WITH THE YEAR 2026. THIS IS NOT VERY FAR FROM THE RESULT OF ADDING THE 30 YEAR ERROR OF THE ROMAN CALENDAR TO THE YEAR 2000, WHICH BRINGS US TO THE YEAR 2030. GOD HAS NOT PROMISED US THAT WE COULD KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR OF HIS RETURN, BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THE SEASON.

THE SIGN OF THE FIG TREE

THE FIG TREE IS ONE OF THE NATIONAL SYMBOLS OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL, IN PARTICULAR, THOSE WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE JEWS.

Jeremiah 24:3-7 Then the Lord asked me, `What do you see, Jeremiah?' `Figs,' I answered. `The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.' Then the word of the Lord came to me: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: `Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Hosea 9:10 "When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree."

THESE OLD TESTAMENT VERSES CHARACTERIZING JUDAH AND ISRAEL AS BASKETS OF FIGS, AND FRUIT ON A FIG TREE, ARE ONE OF THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT TIME PERIOD WE ARE IN AS FAR AS BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS CONCERNED. THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING NEW TESTAMENT BIBLICAL PROPHECY, ARE FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERIES OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION ONE MUST FIRST BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT WRITINGS. JESUS TOLD THE DISCIPLES THAT THE SIGN OF THE FIG TREE WOULD BE ONE OF THE INDICATORS THAT THE TIME OF HIS RETURN WAS DRAWING NEAR.

Matthew 24:32-34 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

Luke 21:29-36 He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

GOD HAS PROMISED US IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL THAT IN THE LAST DAYS KNOWLEDGE WILL BE INCREASED. WHILE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL TYPES HAS BEEN INCREASING IN THE WORLD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT GOD WAS REFERRING TO IN PARTICULAR WAS BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE, THE WORDS OF THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL.

Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

GOD CAN SUPERNATURALLY INCREASE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE DIRECT WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHENEVER HE CHOOSES TO DO SO, BUT IN MOST CASES HE DOES IT THROUGH MEANS THAT APPEAR NORMAL TO THE UNBELIEVING WORLD. BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR SINCE THE 1800'S WHEN ARCHAEOLOGY BECAME A SCIENCE. IN 1947 THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS WERE DISCOVERED, AND THEY ARE STILL CONTINUING TO BE TRANSLATED TO THIS DAY. EACH YEAR NEW DISCOVERIES ARE ADDING TO BIBLICAL BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE, INCREASING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES.

ONE DOCUMENT THAT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED AND TRANSLATED IS KNOWN AS THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER. ACCORDING TO THIS BOOK, PETER AND SOME OF THE DISCIPLES WERE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND ASKED THE LORD WHAT WOULD BE THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING AND THE COMING OF THE END OF THE AGE.

Apocalypse of Peter (Paraphrased)

"And you, learn a parable from the fig tree: As soon as the shoots come forth, and the twigs are grown, the end of the world shall come. And I, Peter answered the Lord and said unto him: Interpret unto me concerning the fig tree, so we may perceive it; for throughout all of its days the fig tree sends forth shoots, and every year it brings forth fruit for its master. What then does the parable of the fig tree mean? We do not understand it. And the Lord answered and said unto me: Don't you understand that the fig tree is the nation of Israel?

IN 1948, ISRAEL BECAME A NATION ONCE MORE, AFTER BEING SCATTERED

THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS SINCE 70 AD WHEN THE ROMANS DESTROYED

JERUSALEM. IN 1967 THEY RECAPTURED JERUSALEM FROM THE ARABS. THE FIG

TREE HAS BUDDED. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN IN 1948 AND AFTERWARDS WILL LIVE TO SEE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST.

Psalms 90:10 "The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT SEVENTY OR EIGHTY YEARS IS THE NORMAL LIFE SPAN FOR HUMAN BEINGS. JESUS SAID THAT THE GENERATION THAT SAW THE BUDDING OF THE FIG TREE, THE RESTORATION OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL, WOULD NOT PASS AWAY BEFORE HIS RETURN. WHEN YOU ADD THE NORMAL LIFE SPAN FOR A HUMAN AS STATED IN THE PSALMS, TO THE YEAR 1948, YOU COME UP WITH A YEAR BETWEEN 2018 AND 2028. THIS IS ALSO VERY CLOSE TO THE DATES WE CALCULATED WITH THE OTHER METHODS OF DETERMINING WHERE WE ARE IN PROPHETIC HISTORY. OCCASIONALLY PEOPLE DO LIVE TO BE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS OF AGE, OR EVEN A LITTLE LONGER. THERE COULD STILL BE PEOPLE ALIVE IN THE YEAR 2070 WHO WERE BORN IN 1948.

THE SIGN OF THE GOSPEL

Mark 13:10 "And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations."

ANOTHER SIGN THAT JESUS GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES THAT THE END OF THE AGE WAS NEAR IS THAT THE GOSPEL WOULD BE PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS. BIBLE TRANSLATORS HAVE BEEN WORKING FEVERISHLY FOR THE PAST FIFTY YEARS TO TRANSLATE THE SCRIPTURES INTO EVERY LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD. THE INVENTION OF COMPUTERS HAS GREATLY SPEEDED UP THIS WORK, AND THEY ARE NOW VERY CLOSE TO ACCOMPLISHING THIS GOAL. AT THE END OF 1994 AT LEAST ONE BOOK OF THE BIBLE WAS AVAILABLE TO 98% OF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD. PORTIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED INTO MORE THAN 2000 LANGUAGES. THE GOSPEL IS NOT ONLY BEING DISTRIBUTED BY THE WRITTEN WORD, BUT SINCE THE INVENTION OF RADIO, TELEVISION, AND NOW SATELLITE TELEVISION, THE GOSPEL IS BEING BEAMED AROUND THE WORLD, FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE JESUS WALKED THE EARTH.

THE SIGN OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION

JUST BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST, THERE WILL BE A TIME OF TROUBLE UNEQUALED IN THE ANNALS OF HUMAN HISTORY. THIS IS THE TIME PERIOD KNOWN AS THE "GREAT TRIBULATION," OR THE "TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE."

Matthew 24:21 KJV "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."

Jeremiah 30:7 KJV "Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it:

it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."

THE "GREAT TRIBULATION" IS THE TIME PERIOD THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. IT WILL BE A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED HORROR FOR THE JEWS, AND NOT MUCH BETTER FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

THE SIGN OF THE ANTICHRIST

THE ANTICHRIST, OR THE MAN OF SIN AS HE IS CALLED, WILL BE SATAN'S IMPERSONATION OF CHRIST. INSTEAD OF GOD IN A HUMAN BODY, HE WILL BE THE DEVIL IN A HUMAN BODY. HE WILL COME ON THE SCENE APPEARING TO BE A MAN OF PEACE, AND WILL MAKE A SEVEN YEAR PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL AND MANY OTHER NATIONS. AFTER THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS, HE WILL BREAK HIS TREATY AND DEMAND THAT EVERYONE WHO WILL NOT WORSHIP HIM AS GOD, AND TAKE HIS MARK, BE KILLED.

Revelation 13:16-17 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

THIS WILL BE SATAN'S IMITATION OF GOD COMMANDING US TO KEEP HIS

COMMANDMENTS IN OUR MINDS AND IN OUR HEARTS, AND TO PERFORM THEM WITH OUR HANDS.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE

ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH DONE BY THE AUTHORS OF "THE CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE," OUR CALENDAR YEAR 2000 IS ACTUALLY ONLY 5974 YEARS FROM THE TIME WHEN GOD CREATED ADAM. SO, IF THEY ARE CORRECT, THE YEAR 2026 WILL BE THE TIME WHEN 6000 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY HAS TRANSPIRED. IF THIS IS TRUE, WE COULD LOOK FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY, COMMONLY CALLED "THE GREAT TRIBULATION" TO BEGIN, AND THE ANTICHRIST TO COME INTO WORLD POWER, AROUND THE YEAR 2019. BUT, THE TIME OF TROUBLE MAY BEGIN A FEW YEARS EARLIER BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED TO SHORTEN THE DAYS, TO STEP IN AND STOP THE DEVASTATION BEFORE THE ELECT AND THE WORLD ARE DESTROYED. THE VERSE BELOW COULD MEAN THAT THE 6000 YEARS WILL NOT BE FULLY COMPLETED BEFORE THE LORD RETURNS.

Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

THERE ARE MANY SIGNS TODAY THAT INDICATE THAT WE ARE NEARING THE END OF THIS PRESENT AGE, AND THAT CHRIST SHOULD RETURN SOMETIME BETWEEN THE YEARS 2000 AND 2070. BUT, EVEN IF THE LORD SHOULD TARRY FOR ANOTHER SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS, OR SEVENTY THOUSAND YEARS, OR EVEN SEVEN MILLION YEARS, GOD HAS PROMISED TO BLESS THOSE WHO STUDY HIS WORD AND LOOK FOR THE 2ND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching:

Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
 
 

CHAPTER 8: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST, TO JOHN THE APOSTLE, TO SHOW US, THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS, THE EVENTS THAT MUST COME TO PASS BEFORE HIS RETURN. BY STUDYING THE PROPHECIES IN IT WE WILL NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE ANTICHRIST OR THE FALSE PROPHET WHEN THEY ARRIVE, OR BE DISTURBED BY THE EVIL TIMES THAT ARE COMING UPON THE WORLD.

Revelation 1:1-3 "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

THERE IS A SPECIAL BLESSING AVAILABLE HERE FOR THOSE THAT READ, HEAR, AND DO WHAT IS RECOMMENDED IN THIS BOOK. JOHN WAS EXILED ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS FOR PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD WHEN JESUS GAVE HIM THE VISION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

Revelation 1:9 "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the Island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."

THE INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION TELLS OF THE VISION BEGINNING WITH A LOUD VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET, AND OF WRITING ON A SCROLL ADDRESSED TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES.

Revelation 1:10-19 "On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

CHRIST CLEARLY IDENTIFIES HIMSELF HERE AS THE SPEAKER, WHEN HE STATES THAT HE IS THE LIVING ONE, WHO WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE. HE INSTRUCTS JOHN TO WRITE THREE SPECIFIC GROUPS OF THINGS; WHAT HE (JOHN) HAS SEEN, WHAT IS NOW, (WHAT IS HAPPENING IN JOHNS DAY) AND WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER, IN THE FUTURE.

THE BOOK OF REVELATION HAS BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISINTERPRETED EVER SINCE IT WAS GIVEN TO JOHN AND SENT TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. THIS IS BECAUSE THE EVENTS PREDICTED IN THIS BOOK WERE SO FAR OFF IN THE FUTURE, NEARLY 2000 YEARS, THAT MOST OF THE MEANS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THESE PROPHECIES HAD NOT EVEN BEEN INVENTED YET.

TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN BEFORE THE YEAR 1900 AD IT WAS LIKE READING A SCIENCE FICTION STORY. REVELATION TELLS OF CITIES BEING DESTROYED IN ONE HOUR, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD VIEWING AN EVENT AT THE SAME TIME, AND OF ARMIES WITH 200 MILLION SOLDIERS IN THEM.

TO US TODAY, IT IS NOT A PROBLEM TO VISUALIZE THESE THINGS HAPPENING, BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING IN THE TIME PERIOD WHERE THEY ARE ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. TODAY, A CITY CAN BE DESTROYED IN ONE HOUR WITH A NUCLEAR ATTACK. THE WHOLE WORLD CAN VIEW AN EVENT HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE USE OF SATELLITE TELEVISION. CHINA, WITH A POPULATION OF OVER ONE BILLION PEOPLE, AND STILL GROWING, CAN EASILY MUSTER AN ARMY OF 200 MILLION PEOPLE. THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST FOR OUR GENERATION.
 
 

CHAPTER 9: THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

Revelation 1:20 "The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."

UNTIL ABOUT 1900 AD, WHEN ENOUGH TIME IN HISTORY HAD PASSED FOR US TO LOOK BACK AND VIEW THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, IT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD THAT GOD HAD GIVEN US AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, FROM BEGINNING TO END. EACH CHURCH THAT GOD TOLD JOHN TO WRITE TO HAD CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS ABOUT IT THAT WOULD PORTRAY THE EVOLUTION OF THE CHURCH UNTIL THE TIME OF THE END.

EPHESUS

Revelation 2:1-4 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet, I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love."

WHEN A PERSON FIRST BECOMES A CHRISTIAN THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT STUDYING THE BIBLE AND LEARNING NEW THINGS ABOUT GOD AND HIS WORD. AFTER A WHILE, THE EXCITEMENT WEARS OFF, IF YOU DO NOT CONTINUE TO LEARN NEW THINGS EACH DAY OR EACH WEEK. GOD COMPARES IT HERE TO MARRIAGE, THE FORSAKING OF ONES FIRST LOVE. IF A COUPLE DOESN'T CONTINUE TO WORK AT KEEPING A MARRIAGE ALIVE AND INTERESTING AND EXCITING, LOVE WILL DEPART AND THE MARRIAGE WILL GROW STAGNANT AND COLD. CHRIST IS WARNING US HERE NOT TO LET THIS HAPPEN CONCERNING THE THINGS OF GOD, AS THE EARLY CHURCH WAS DOING IN ABOUT 100 AD.

Revelation 2:5-7 "Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS REPRESENTED THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF CHURCH HISTORY. FOR THE FIRST 100 YEARS THE CHURCH AND IT'S DOCTRINES WERE RELATIVELY PURE. AS LONG AS THE APOSTLES WERE ALIVE THEY COULD BE CONSULTED IF A DIFFICULT PROBLEM AROSE, AND GIVEN A CORRECT ANSWER.

AFTER THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLE JOHN, POWER STRUGGLES BEGAN TO DEVELOP BETWEEN THE BISHOPS OF THE LARGER CITIES AS THEY SOUGHT TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE THEIR AREAS OF AUTHORITY. WE WILL SEE WHAT THE NICOLAITANS TAUGHT WHEN WE STUDY THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM.

SMYRNA

Revelation 2:8-11 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty-yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."

THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA REPRESENTED CHURCH HISTORY FROM ABOUT 100 AD TO 325 AD DURING THIS TIME THE CHURCH ENDURED TEN WAVES OF PERSECUTION FROM THE ROMAN EMPERORS, AND MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED FOR HOLDING TO THEIR FAITH. DURING THIS TIME IT WAS A CRIME TO BE A CHRISTIAN IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. IT WAS THE BELIEF DURING THIS TIME THAT THE EMPERORS WERE GODS, AND DESERVED TO BE WORSHIPPED. THE CHRISTIANS REFUSED TO DO THIS AND WERE, ACCORDING TO THE LAW, TRAITORS, A CRIME WHICH WAS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.

PERGAMUM

Revelation 2:12-15 "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city-- where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans."

FALSE TEACHING, IMMORALITY AND IDOL WORSHIP WAS BEGINNING TO CREEP INTO THE CHURCH. THESE ARE CALLED THE TEACHINGS OF BALAAM, A PROPHET FOR HIRE AND SORCERER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. JEALOUSLY AND STRIFE WERE ALSO ENTERING THE CHURCH THROUGH THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH IS THE TEACHING THAT THE CLERGY IS SUPPOSED TO RULE OVER THE LAITY, THE CONGREGATION. THE LITERAL GREEK TRANSLATION OF "NICOLAITANS" IS "CONQUERED LAITY." AFTER THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLES THE BISHOPS BEGAN CONSOLIDATING ALL OF THE POWER IN THE CHURCH INTO THE HANDS OF THE CLERGY. THE PARISHIONERS BECAME SPECTATORS IN THE SERVICE OF GOD, RATHER THAN PARTICIPANTS. GOD SAYS THAT HE HATES THIS DOCTRINE. THE LORD WARNED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT THIS WHEN THEY WERE ARGUING ABOUT WHO WOULD SIT NEAREST TO HIM IN HIS KINGDOM.

Mark 10:42-45 "Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH DURING THIS TIME IS THAT IT NOW BECAME POLITICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BECAUSE THE EMPEROR WAS ONE. ALL KINDS OF UNSCRUPULOUS AND UNSPIRITUAL PEOPLE BEGAN TO JOIN THE CHURCH AND SEEK HIGH OFFICES IN THE CHURCH IN ORDER TO PLEASE THE EMPEROR. THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM THEIR PAGAN CUSTOMS AND DOCTRINES AND INCORPORATED THEM INTO CHURCH DOCTRINE. IN 275 SHORT YEARS, FROM 325 AD UNTIL 600 AD, THE PURE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH WERE RUINED. WHEN CHRISTIANITY BECAME THE STATE RELIGION OF PAGAN ROME, THE STATE, THE ROMAN EMPERORS, AND THE NEW PAGAN MEMBERS CHANGED IT TO MAKE IT RESEMBLE THE TYPE OF RELIGION THEY WERE USED TO. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH WAS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE IMAGE OF THE ANCIENT RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON.

Revelation 2:17 To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS IN THIS CHURCH THE LORD PROMISES THAT HE WILL REWARD THOSE WHO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES IN IT. THEY WILL RECEIVE THE HIDDEN MANNA, WHICH IS A REFERENCE CHRIST, WHO IS CALLED THE BREAD OF LIFE IN THE SCRIPTURES. THE WHITE STONE WITH A NEW NAME ON IT IS ANOTHER REFERENCE TO MARRIAGE, A NEW BRIDE RECEIVES A DIAMOND AND HER HUSBANDS LAST NAME, AND THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL IN THIS CHURCH WILL BE PERMITTED TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP KNOWN AS THE "BRIDE OF CHRIST, WHEN THE FIRST RESURRECTION TAKES PLACE. "

THIS CHURCH STILL EXISTS TODAY IN THE FORM OF THE EASTERN ORTHODOX GROUP OF CHURCHES. THESE CHURCHES BROKE AWAY FROM THE ROMAN CHURCH AND FROZE THEIR DOCTRINE RIGHT WHERE IT WAS AT WHEN THEY SPLIT. THE DISPUTE BEGAN IN 325 AD WHEN THE ROMAN CHURCH CHANGED THE NAME OF PASSOVER TO "EASTER" IN HONOR OF THE GODDESS ISHTAR, AND CHANGED THE CELEBRATION OF IT TO A DIFFERENT DATE THAN THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE FIRST JEWISH MONTH. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES TODAY AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE CHURCH WAS LIKE ABOUT 600 AD. THE FORMAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE EASTERN (CONSTANTINOPLE) AND WESTERN (ROME) CHURCHES OCCURRED IN 879 AD WHEN THE POPE OF ROME AND THE PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE EXCOMMUNICATED EACH OTHER. IN 1054 THE SPLIT BECAME PERMANENT.

THYATIRA

Revelation 2:18-23 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So, I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds."

THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE RUINED CHURCH, FROM ABOUT 600 AD TO 1500 AD THIS WAS THE PAPAL CHURCH, THE CHURCH THAT NOW HAD INCLUDED IN ITS DOCTRINE ALONG WITH THE TEACHINGS OF BALAAM AND THE NICOLAITANS, THE TEACHINGS OF JEZEBEL. THIS IS MORE SPIRITUAL ADULTERY, A DEEPER FORM OF IDOL WORSHIP. THE CHURCH WAS BEGINNING TO VENERATE IDOLS, IMAGES, PAINTINGS, AND SO CALLED "HOLY RELICS." THIS CHURCH CONTINUED ON DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES ADDING FALSE DOCTRINE AFTER FALSE DOCTRINE TO THEIR LIST OF BELIEFS. NOTICE THAT THIS CHURCH HAS CHILDREN. THESE CHILDREN ARE THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH THAT HAD ALREADY BROKEN AWAY, AND THE CHURCHES THAT WOULD BREAK AWAY DURING THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION. THIS CHURCH PERMITTED ALL TYPES OF SIN SO LONG AS IT'S MEMBERS WERE FAITHFUL IN GIVING MONEY. NOTICE THOUGH, THAT THIS CHURCH HAD AND STILL HAS SOME PEOPLE IN IT WHO ARE DOING GOOD WORKS OUT OF LOVE AND FAITH IN CHRIST. THIS CHURCH IS STILL IN EXISTENCE TODAY, IT IS KNOWN AS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE CHILDREN OF THIS CHURCH ARE DESCRIBED IN THE NEXT SET OF VERSES.

SARDIS

Revelation 3:1-3 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars." "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

THIS "DEAD" CHURCH REPRESENTS THE CHURCHES THAT BROKE AWAY FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DURING THE REFORMATION ERA. THIS CHURCH AGE BEGAN IN ABOUT THE YEAR 1500 AND CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY. THE REFORMATION STARTED OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT BY RESTORING THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. WHERE THEY FAILED WAS IN NOT CONTINUING ON AND ROOTING OUT THE REST OF THE FALSE DOCTRINES THAT HAD CREPT INTO THE CHURCH DURING THE PREVIOUS 1500 YEARS. IN ACTUALITY, THEY WERE ALMOST CARBON COPIES OF THEIR MOTHER, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THEY FROZE THEIR DOCTRINE AS SOON AS THEY WERE FORMED AND HAVE REMAINED THERE UNTIL TODAY. PROTESTANTISM BECAME THE STATE RELIGION IN MANY COUNTRIES. THEY HAD A FORM OF GODLINESS, BUT WITHOUT ANY POWER. WHEN EVER A GOVERNMENT CONTROLS THE RELIGION OF A COUNTRY, THAT RELIGION BECOMES A POLITICAL FORCE RATHER THAN A SPIRITUAL FORCE. MOST OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES WILL BE REUNITED WITH THEIR MOTHER BEFORE THE GREAT TRIBULATION. THEY WILL BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHEN THE FIRST RESURRECTION TAKES PLACE. IT WILL SURPRISE MOST OF THEM LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT STUDY OR TEACH ABOUT BIBLICAL PROPHECY.

PHILADELPHIA

Revelation 3:7-9 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you."

THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA REPRESENTS THE CHURCH AGE THAT BEGAN WITH THE HOLINESS REVIVAL IN THE 1700'S AND CONTINUES TO THE PRESENT TIME. SOME OF THESE CHURCHES ARE NOW ABOUT AS DEAD AS THE REFORMATION CHURCHES, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. THE HOLINESS REVIVAL OF THE 1700'S WAS THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH THE MODERN DAY PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT WAS BORN IN 1906. ONCE AGAIN, THE NEW CHURCHES DID NOT INVESTIGATE AND GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH AGE AND RECOVER ALL OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH. THEY DID HOWEVER, BRING THE CHURCH CLOSER TO THE ORIGINAL DOCTRINES OF THE EARLY CHURCH THAN ANY OF THE PREVIOUS CHURCH AGES AFTER 325 AD. THESE CHURCHES HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE JOB OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL DURING THE LAST 120 YEARS OF THE AGE OF GRACE, FROM 1906 UNTIL THE RETURN OF CHRIST. THE LORD HAS GIVEN THIS CHURCH AN OPEN DOOR TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL THE WORLD BEFORE HE SHUTS THE DOOR WHEN HE TAKES THIS CHURCH OUT OF THE WORLD. THIS CHURCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST, BUT IT WILL SPLIT OFF INTO TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WHEN THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARRIVE. THE DEAD BRANCHES WILL MERGE WITH THE LAODICEAN CHURCH, WHILE THE LIVE BRANCHES WILL PRODUCE THOSE FAITHFUL SAINTS WHO WILL BE MARTYRED DURING THE REIGN OF THE ANTICHRIST AND THOSE WHO WILL NEVER DIE, BUT WILL LIVE UNTIL THE FIRST RESURRECTION OCCURS.

Revelation 3:10-12 KJV "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."

THIS CHURCH WILL BE SPARED FROM THE "HOUR OF TEMPTATION," THE WRATH OF GOD THAT WILL BE POURED OUT ON AN UNBELIEVING WORLD. THEY WILL BE SPARED BECAUSE THE FIRST RESURRECTION WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET, AND THEN THE WRATH OF GOD, WILL BE POURED OUT TO TRY THEM THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH.

LAODICEA

Revelation 3:14-16 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA REPRESENTS THE FINAL CONDITION OF ORGANIZED RELIGION JUST BEFORE THE RETURN OF CHRIST. THE CHURCH OF TODAY IS THE LUKEWARM CHURCH. THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ATTEND CHURCH TODAY, DO SO FOR THE WRONG REASONS. THEY GO TO CHURCH BE CAUSE THEY WERE TAUGHT THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO BAPTIZE, MARRY, AND BURY THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN. MANY OF THE PREACHERS IN THESE DEAD CHURCHES ARE JUST THERE FOR A JOB. THEY CANNOT TEACH FROM THE BIBLE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT, AND WHEN THEY DO QUOTE FROM IT THEY DO SO IN IGNORANCE AND TWIST THE MEANING OF THE SCRIPTURES TO SUIT THEIR OWN PURPOSES. GOD HAS SAID THAT HE WOULD RATHER HAVE PEOPLE HOT OR COLD, LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, THAN TO BELONG TO A "SO CALLED" CHRISTIAN CHURCH THAT DOES NOT REALLY BELIEVE OR TEACH THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST.

THE LAODICEAN CHURCH BEGAN FORMING ABOUT 100 YEARS AFTER THE HOLINESS CHURCHES. IT BEGAN WITH THE SO CALLED "AGE OF REASON," WHICH WAS THE NAME OF A BOOK PUBLISHED BY THOMAS PAINE IN 1794. FOLLOWING THIS, IN THE EARLY 1800'S, KARL MARX FATHERED ATHEISTIC COMMUNISM AND LATER FREDRICH W. NIETZSCHE PROCLAIMED THAT "GOD IS DEAD." THEIR WRITINGS HAVE INFLUENCED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, AND THEIR HUMANISTIC "MAN IS HIS OWN GOD" TEACHINGS HAVE CREPT INTO MANY DEAD CHURCHES. FROM THE MIDDLE 1800'S AND ONWARD THE LAODICEAN CHURCH HAS BEEN GROWING STEADILY. IT NOW CONSISTS OF ALL OF THE CHURCHES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, THE "NEW AGE" RELIGIONS, AND MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ALL SEEKING TO UNITE THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD INTO ONE GLOBAL NEW AGE, HUMANISTIC, IDOL WORSHIPPING ORGANIZATION. ANY AND ALL FALSE RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES ARE WELCOME TO JOIN INTO THE LAODICEAN

CHURCH. THE ONLY RELIGIONS THAT ARE NOT WELCOME TO JOIN ARE THOSE THAT TEACH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY THAT MANKIND MAY BE RECONCILED TO GOD.

Revelation 3:17 "You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

THE DEAD CHURCHES OF TODAY ARE RICH WITH MONEY, BUT THEY ARE POOR AND BLIND WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITUAL THINGS. THEY ARE UNABLE TO GIVE THEIR MEMBERS ANY SPIRITUAL HELP BECAUSE THE LEADERS THEMSELVES ARE BLIND TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD. GOD WILL STILL BE DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THESE DEAD CHURCHES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS UNTIL THE DAY THAT THE FIRST RESURRECTION TAKES PLACE. HE WILL OPEN THE EYES OF THOSE WHO HAVE A LITTLE FAITH TO BRING THEM OUT OF IT BEFORE THE WRATH OF GOD STRIKES THE EARTH. WHEN THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET COME TO POWER THEY WILL COMPLETE THE UNITING OF ALL OF THE DEAD CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD INTO ONE WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION. IF YOU ARE IN A DEAD CHURCH THAT DOES NOT TEACH ABOUT JESUS AND PROPHECY, YOU WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO GET OUT OF IT AND JOIN ONE WHERE THE WORD OF GOD IS BEING PREACHED AND TAUGHT.

Revelation 4:1 "After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said," Come in here and I will show you what must take place after this."

THIS VERSE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN ALL OF THE PROPHECIES

CONCERNING THE SUCCESSIVE CHURCH AGES HAVE BEEN FULFILLED. THEN, A DOOR WILL BE OPENED IN HEAVEN, AND THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET WILL BE HEARD, AND THE FIRST RESURRECTION WILL TAKE PLACE. THIS VERSE IS ALSO THE PROOF THAT THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES ARE A PROPHECY OF CHURCH HISTORY, AND NOT MERELY LETTERS TO THE SEVEN ANCIENT CHURCHES. NOTICE, THAT THE ANGEL TELLS JOHN TO COME IN HERE, AND THEN THE ANGEL WOULD SHOW JOHN WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS, AFTER THE SEVEN CHURCH AGES HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. IF THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WERE SIMPLY LETTERS, AND NOT PROPHECIES, THEN JOHN HASN'T EVEN SEEN ANYTHING YET. BUT, IF THE LETTERS ARE PROPHECIES, THEN WHAT THE ANGEL IS SHOWING JOHN IS WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE AFTER THE LAODICEAN "LUKEWARM DEAD CHURCH," BECOMES THE DOMINANT RELIGIOUS FORCE ON THE WORLD SCENE. WE ARE NEARING THAT POINT IN TIME TODAY.
 
 

CHAPTER 10: THE SEVEN SEALS

THE SEVEN SEALS WILL BE ACTUAL EVENTS THAT WILL BEGIN TO TAKE PLACE WHEN THE ANTICHRIST COMES TO POWER, AND THEY ARE ALSO AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORDER THE REST OF THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. EACH SEAL WILL HAVE A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT, ONE WILL OCCUR EARLY IN THE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD, AND ONE LATER. WE WILL CALL THE SECOND FULFILLMENT THE OVERVIEW FULFILLMENT.

THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS NOT WRITTEN IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. YOU CANNOT READ IT THROUGH FROM START TO FINISH, AND EXPECT THAT THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN IT WILL COME TO PASS IN THE ORDER THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN DOWN. THE BOOK OF REVELATION GIVES US INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF THE MAJOR PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT WILL DOMINATE THE WORLD SCENE DURING THE LAST SEVEN YEARS BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST. MANY OF THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WILL OVERLAP EACH OTHER, AND SOME WILL BE OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME. IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS DESCRIBED THERE AND PLACE THEM IN THE ORDER REVEALED TO US BY THE SEVEN SEALS. ONCE THIS HAS BEEN DONE THE EVENTS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION CAN BE STUDIED IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WILL HAPPEN DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. LISTED BELOW IS THE OVERVIEW ORDER OF THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS REVEALED BY THE SEVEN SEALS:

YEAR 1. ANTICHRISTS PEACE PACT WITH ISRAEL AND THE WORLD.

YEAR 2. PEACE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH, THE WARS OF ANTICHRIST.

YEAR 3. FAMINE ON EARTH, THE TWO WITNESSES WITHHOLD THE RAIN.

YEAR 4. DEATH FROM WAR, FAMINE AND DISEASE.

YEAR 5. MARTYRDOM OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.

YEAR 6. THE TWO WITNESSES DIE, THE FIRST RESURRECTION OCCURS.

YEAR 7. THE WRATH OF GOD AND THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST.

Revelation 4:2-3 & 5:1-2 "At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. "Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, `Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?'"

AFTER JOHN HAS SEEN THE HEAVEN OPEN AND HEARD THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, HE IS IN THE SPIRIT AND IS VIEWING A SCENE IN HEAVEN IN WHICH THE LORD IS SEATED ON A THRONE AND BEING WORSHIPPED BY HEAVENLY BEINGS. A MIGHTY ANGEL IS ASKING THE QUESTION "WHO IS WORTHY TO BREAK THE SEALS AND OPEN THE SCROLL." CHRIST, THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN, IS FOUND TO BE THE ONLY ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL. WHEN THE SCROLL IS OPENED, THE FIRST SET OF JUDGMENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WILL BEGIN.

THE ARRIVAL OF ANTICHRIST

Revelation 6:1-2 "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest."

WHEN THE FIRST SEAL IS OPENED, THE ANTICHRIST WILL APPEAR ON THE WORLD SCENE, AND WILL SEEM TO BE A MAN OF PEACE. THIS IS WHAT THE RIDER ON A WHITE HORSE REPRESENTS, A KING WITH GREAT POWER COMING TO BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD. BUT, THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE A FALSE MESSIAH. IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL WE ARE TOLD THAT HE WILL MAKE A SEVEN YEAR COVENANT WITH ISRAEL AND MANY OTHER NATIONS. THIS PACT WILL PROBABLY INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES.

Daniel 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.'

BEFORE THE TIME ARRIVES WHEN THE SEVEN SEALS BEGIN TO BE OPENED, THE ANTICHRIST WILL ONLY CONTROL EUROPE AND THE NATIONS WHO VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT TO HIM. THE SIGNING OF THE SEVEN YEAR PACT WILL BE THE EVENT THAT WILL INCREASE HIS STATURE AND DOMINION TO WORLD WIDE PROPORTIONS.

WAR

Daniel 7:24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.

AFTER A SHORT TIME OF PEACE, PROBABLY ABOUT 6 MONTHS, THE ANTICHRIST WILL ATTACK THREE NATIONS, AND SUBDUE THEM. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST FULFILLMENT OF THE SECOND SEAL. LATER, (ABOUT 4 YEARS INTO HIS REIGN) THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES WILL REFUSE TO WORSHIP HIM, AND HE WILL ATTACK US AND TWO OTHER NATIONS. BRITAIN AND ISRAEL MAY BE THE OTHER TWO NATIONS, AS THEY ARE USUALLY OUR ALLIES. THIS WILL BE THE OVERVIEW FULFILLMENT.

FAMINE

Revelation 6:5-6 "When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, `Come!' I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, `A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'"

FOOD PRICES WILL SKYROCKET WHEN THE THIRD SEAL IS OPENED. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST FULFILLMENT. LATER, THE TWO WITNESSES WILL WITHHOLD THE RAIN AND A WORLDWIDE FAMINE WILL BE THE RESULT. THIS WILL BE THE OVERVIEW (2ND) FULFILLMENT. NOTE: THE REFERENCE TO NOT DAMAGING THE OIL AND WINE MAY MEAN THAT ANTICHRIST WILL PROTECT THE ECONOMIES OF ISRAEL (SYMBOLIZED BY OLIVE OIL) AND OF ITALY AND POSSIBLY FRANCE. (THE WINE MAKING CENTERS OF EUROPE)

DEATH

Revelation 6:7-8 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, `Come!' I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth."

THE NATURAL RESULT OF WAR AND FAMINE IS DEATH AND DISEASE. DURING THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS IT APPEARS THAT THE FIRST FULFILLMENT WILL FOR THE MOST PART AFFECT EUROPE AND THE MID EAST, THE KINGDOM OF ANTICHRIST. LATER, AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE TWO WITNESSES AND THE BEGINNING OF THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS, THE PLAGUES WILL BE WORLDWIDE.

MARTYRDOM

Revelation 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

THE ANTICHRIST WILL BLAME ALL OF THE WORLDS PROBLEMS ON THE UNCOOPERATIVE CHRISTIANS AND JEWS WHO ARE DENOUNCING HIS POLICIES AND REJECTING HIS CLAIM TO BE THE MESSIAH. FIRST HE WILL PERSECUTE AND MURDER THE BELIEVERS IN EUROPE AND THE MID EAST, AND THEN LATER, AFTER HE DEMANDS TO BE WORSHIPPED, THE PERSECUTION WILL SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD. THE PRICE OF SALVATION WILL BECOME DEATH, EXCEPT FOR THOSE FEW PEOPLE WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN TO LIVE UNTIL THE TIME WHEN THE FIRST RESURRECTION TAKES PLACE.

THE WRATH OF THE LAMB

Revelation 6:12-17 "I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

THE SIXTH SEAL PRIMARILY LOOKS FORWARD TOWARD THE END OF THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD, WHEN "THE WRATH OF GOD" WILL BE POURED OUT. EVERYTHING DESCRIBED AFTER VERSE TWELVE UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER SEVEN PERTAINS TO EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR JUST BEFORE AND JUST AFTER THE FIRST RESURRECTION. GOD WILL BEGIN TO SHOW SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS THAT THE TIME OF HIS WRATH HAS COME. THE CHURCH WILL BE SPARED FROM HIS WRATH BECAUSE THE FIRST RESURRECTION WILL TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS THE NEXT EVENT DESCRIBED IS COMPLETED.

THE SEALING OF THE 144,000

Revelation 7:1-4 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, hav