Bible Study No 14 of Revelation

Good evening, brethren! Here we are today on our 14th study on the Book of Revelation. Today we have quite an in-depth study on a lot of material.

And so I want to go through this revision reasonably quickly. We went through the Book of Revelation. We saw it was chapter 1, that it was a revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave him. Then we looked at the seven messages to the seven churches. And then we saw that in Revelation 6, Jesus Christ begins to open the seven seals. And we see that in this chapter alone, we have the first six seals. So that is very interesting, because from Revelation 7 onwards we see events pertaining to or preceding the last seal, which is called the Day of the Lord.

So the other thing we also highlighted in previous studies is that once the seals are open, they stay open. Now the point here is important to understand that, because these are all events that will continue until Christ's coming. They are things like false religion, things like wars, famine, death will continue until the coming of Christ.

These are parallel running events. So we then started by talking about the fourth seal on the last study, which is the pale horse. We also mentioned that it represents death and Hades, basically death and the grave. And the final outcome through this death that will occur will be mass burials. We saw some of it last year. It was very sad on TV, seeing in some areas, they just they went digging burial areas one after another. There was a huge backlog there. So it's very sad, the situation that confronts us in the days ahead, and it's not anything to rejoice.

Now in Matthew 24, we saw also, we quoted about the parallel of Matthew 24 with Revelation 6, and we saw that the word earthquakes comes from the Greek schismos.

We highlighted that the implication could be disease hosting animals such as mice or other microscopic viruses or pathological agents or whatever it may be. But we also saw that these earthquakes could be climate change, storms, hurricanes, tsunamis, and things like that, because we looked at the meaning of the word and how it is used in other scriptures in the Gospels. So the outcome of this pale horse is death in the grave. As I mentioned, these horses ride, the seals proceed in parallel, and so it means that although there is a sequence of seals, there's the first and the second, etc., it does not mean that, for instance, the first one happens, like false religion, false religion, and then it stops. There's no more false religion. Of course not. False religion will continue until the time of Christ's coming. Then the wars, many of them triggered by religion, that's the second seal, so it does not mean that wars are going to stop, and then after that there will be the third seal which is hunger. No, the second seal will continue, wars will continue all the way until Christ's coming, as we well know. And so these seals, therefore, continue in parallel until the coming of Christ. Then we also looked at Revelation 6, verse 8, which is a point that sometimes we don't notice, because in verse 8, at the last part of verse 8, and it says, or let's say the second part of verse 8, it says, and power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, but it says to them.

And the way I understand it is that it applies to these seals, because it says it was given to them power to kill of the sword, which is the second seal with hunger, which is the third seal, and with death, which is the fourth seal. So this is the end result of affecting or impacting a quarter of the earth's population.

I would say that this actually applies to the cumulative result of these different seals. The last slide we looked in the last Bible study was this slide, which I have brought across previously, and I did say that we were going to go through a lot more about this slide. And that's exactly what we're going to do today. And today we're going to look at this first section of the slide, this, let's call, the left section of the slide. So we're going to look at that, and we're going to start by looking at seven things to watch.

Now, quite often, let me just, for instance, just highlight this thing. These seven things to watch, we're talking about these specific ones that I've marked as Israel in Jerusalem, and daily sacrifices, Europe uniting with 10 kings, King of the South, the loss of pride of the pride of the power of the pride of the power of the U.S. and Britain, false religions and Catholic Church, that's embedded under false religions, then God's Church, and declining values and morality.

And we can see that today. So let's look at these seven things to watch. Why I'm saying that is because quite often we say, well, these four horsemen are riding, and the people are saying, well, when is the next step, which is the great tribulation or abomination of desolation? I think it is important to consider these seven things to watch, which are additional coming from other scriptures, not necessarily just the book of Revelation, but these seven things add quite a little, quite an important amount of detail for us to see what is coming as the days are moving ahead.

So let's look at these seven things to watch for. First, as I said, is Israel, Jerusalem, and daily sacrifice. Now, we have not seen yet this daily sacrifice. And so that is a big item that we need to see to happen.

It hasn't started daily sacrifices, much less the stopping of the daily sacrifices. But we do see that a Jewish nation has to exist, and he is now existing in these last 70 odd years, because since 1948, if I'm not mistaken, the Jewish nation has existed. So let's just look at Zechariah chapter 12, because those are prophecies that a Jewish nation will exist, and we know it basically never existed since the AD 77, since the destruction of the temple and the destruction, even though it was not a truly independent nation, which ceased to exist when Judah went into slavery, and then basically has been under subjection under other nations, or for instance at the time of Christ was under the subjection of the Roman Empire.

So let's look at Zechariah chapter 12. Let's first read verse 3, and it says, And it shall happen in that day that I'll make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples. Now for Jerusalem to be a heavy stone, it's implied, Yah, that Jerusalem will be the Jewish nation.

Look also at verse 6 and through 9. In that day, I'll make the governance of Judah. So Yah is the leaders of this Jewish nation, like a fire pan in a woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves. So anybody that wants to try or do something against the Jewish nation, they are like getting to a fire pan in a woodpile.

It's just there is fireworks. Let's put it this way. There is a lot of fireworks, and it's not that easy. It says, They shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and the left. And we saw that, for instance, during the Six-Day War and things like that, which was a Yom Kippur War, which was amazing. But it says, But Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in our own place. Jerusalem. The Lord will save the tents of Judah first.

So Yah, we see that the Jewish nation will be the first nation, will be first, to reach, let's call it, an overall conversion. And then it says, So that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. In that day, the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

So we can see that the Jewish nation will exist. And look at verse 9. In that day, it shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. So there is, therefore, this nation existing. But what we don't see yet is this sacrifices. Look at Matthew 24 verse 15. In Matthew 24 verse 15 says, Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, and I'll talk a little bit more about that moment or a little later, but it says, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, so there's going to be an abomination of desolation in the holy place around, obviously, the area where we believed it is the temple mount. So around that area, there are various disputes about where it is and where it isn't. But the point is nothing is happening there as far as offering sacrifices, much more or much less abomination of desolation stopping those sacrifices, which is what is spoken by Daniel the prophet. So that is one item of prophecy that the church has believed for many years, and which we just don't know how it's going to happen. I personally think I just can't see how that's going to happen, but we just have to wait and see. Anyway, another item I mentioned is of those seven items to watch is the uniting of Europe. Now, we have gone through in different previous Bible studies on this topic. We've gone through this point of European unification, basically covering Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, and also Revelation 13. It should say that Revelation 13, not Daniel, should have said Revelation 13. So Daniel 2, 7, and 8 in Revelation 13 as well. So then we've covered in previous studies. Then the other one is the king of the south. Now, in Daniel 11 talks about the king of the south. We will talk a little bit more about that a little later as well, but look at it here in verse 40. Daniel 11 verse 40 talks about the time of the end. The king of the south will attack him. That is the king of the north. That is the beast. And the king of the north shall come up against him. That's against the king of the south, like a whirlwind. So there is a point of some events that are going to happen that we need to understand. Right. Then the next fourth point is the loss of pride of the power of the United States and Britain. Now, look that I've basically structured these four together because they are more or less political or regarding nations. And we always believed in that, but one thing that we have not looked at too intensely or too significantly is Leviticus 26.

So in Leviticus 26, as we know, excuse me, he talks about blessings for obedience and cursings for disobedience. Yes, Deuteronomy 28 also does that, but with a different angle. But Leviticus 26, it says from verse 14, if you do so by me, then it gives what I call five waves of punishment. The first wave is starting in verse 16, and it says, I will do this to you. I'll even appoint terror over you. I suspect that is very much a possible comparison to 9-11 in 2001. Then we look at a second wave, which is verse 18 through 19, that it says, I'll punish you seven times more and I'll break the pride of your power. When the power of the American dollar got hit with the market crash in 2008, was a strong hit, a strong impact at the pride of your power. And so that could very possibly be that second wave. A third wave is in verse 21, and it says, and if you still don't obey me, I'll bring on you seven times more plagues. Well, that could have been the beginning of the plagues of last year, 2020. And so we see the first one, 9-11, was 2001. And then after a 19-year cycle, 19 plus one, makes 2020 last year, or the year before, 2020 when Covid started. And so could well be that. I'm not saying it is, but it is something to consider. That's why I put it with a question mark. Then we look at verse 24 and 25, which says, if you still walk contrary to my way, I'll punish you yet seven times more. And now it says a sword against you, which could imply like a civil war or things of that kind internally in the nation, like in fighting, possibly inside a nation or outside. Now granted, we've had wars, but this seems to be something very strong because when we saw 9-11 was one thing, when we saw the market crash was like seven times more. When we see now Covid, it's been like it is seven times more powerful. So this situation here, a sword against you, which is seven times more powerful, seven times more devastating, I think it's still to happen. Obviously we don't know how long to this, but interesting point here is that maybe these first three waves have already happened. We're now waiting for the fourth, and if you and I are open, have our eyes open, the situation for this terrible sword could be very near. Could be very near. And then after that, after the impact and really trying to recover from that, if you still don't obey me, then you've got the fifth and last wave, which is verse 28 through 33, which talks about, I'll destroy your high places, verse 31. Verse 30, I beg your pardon, verse 31 says, I'll lay your city's waste, and 32, I'll bring the land to desolation, and verse 33, I'll scatter you amongst the nations. So to me, this birth wave, again, I am speculating about these waves, but it seems to be analogous to the Great Tribulation, which is scattering, and the nation becomes a slave, slavery, and that is the Great Tribulation. That is the first seal, as we'll look in a moment again. So where are we on things to watch? We're kind of somewhere in between. If these five waves, if this speculation of about the five waves of Leviticus 26 is somehow accurate, then we're somewhere in the middle of just one more wave, which will be a very serious sword against us. So the question is, time is very short. So these four items, or the point, sorry, not the question, the point is time is very short. Then I've grouped into two more, which are religious. One is false religion and the Catholic Church, that we tie into 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3 to 5. So let's look at that.

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 3 to 5. It talks about a time of falling away, and the man will soon be revealed. I will touch a little bit more on that as well a little later. And then he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God. So he sits as if he's God, as God sits in the temple of God. So you'll sit like I am God. And then it continues through verse 5. It says, remember, I warned you about this. So this false religion and Catholic Church, Catholic Church would explain that when we spoke about the Lettuce to the 7 churches, we explain that. So that is some very concerning events to happen. And also, we see in other areas of Revelation where there is the holleth and the mother of holleths, and in Klein there is going to be a unification, a humanism. In other words, these churches getting together back with the mother and becoming together. So that is something to watch as well. Then we have to watch God's Church. Matthew 24.14 says, in this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached unto all world as a witness, and then the end will come. So that is being done, and it's being done more and more powerful, and into more and more countries. Even some of the countries we're not reaching, they're getting it through Google and Google Translate. People are picking up our stuff, and now, in some ways, Google Translate is pretty effective. And so this Gospel of the Kingdom is going out to the whole world, not to convert the whole world, but it's going out as a witness to the whole world, and then the end will come. So even that shows time is very near. And lastly, there's this declining moral values and morality. You and I know that the way things are going in society, as far as marriage, and all morality, and all moral values, it's going down. You look at 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 1 through 5. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 through 5 says, in the last days perilous times will come. He talks about lovers of themselves, I was all money, etc, etc. And then he says, and these people in verse 5, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Or they appear very religious, but there's a lot of sin out there. And amongst the sin is unforgiveness, is slandering, is a lot of things. And so there's a declining of value out there. Another one is Luke 17. Let's just look quickly, take a glance at Luke 17 verse 28 through 30.

Which says, likewise as it was, in the days of Lot, they ate, drank, they brought, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built. But in the day that Lot went out of Sodom. So there's this sodomy, this perversion that is happening today as well. It rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so, will it be in the day of the Son of Man, when the Son of Man is revealed? So it will be the same sort of situation, declining moral values and morality.

So those are things to watch before the next seal, the fifth seal. And so as we know, let's read Revelation 6 verse 9 through 11. Revelation 6 verse 9 through 11.

And now we have, when it opened, the fifth seal are so under the altar that the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held, and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth. Those people that have suffered martyrdom in this situation, as I say, it's like a metaphor about these saints who suffered martyrdom and died in the past. They are asking when the judgment will be. And then verse 11, there the white robe was given to each of them and was told them that they should rest a while longer. That rest means they should stay sleeping dead for a while longer. Now obviously, it does not mean that these people that were dead suddenly are talking. This is a metaphor to give you an example here, which they say, now these people have to wait a little longer until the number of the fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as their wear was completed. So, it basically means there's going to be a guide, martyrdom and brethren in the church that are going to be killed. And that is indeed very sobering. So, this great tribulation represents that time.

So again, the answer to that metaphor is that they must remain dead until they are more brethren who will also suffer martyrdom as they did. So, there's going to be another way in the future of martyrdom like it happened in the Dark Ages. I'm not saying that Christians are not being martyred in some nations, but this could very well in the context I'll be talking about Israelite-ish nations. So, it is very sad. Now, this therefore, in this section of 9 through 11 of the 5th seal, is pointing to a great tribulation like never before.

A great tribulation like never before. So, if you look at Matthew 24, verse 21 and 22, Matthew 24, verse 21 and 22.

It says, for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be. And then it says, and unless those days were short, and no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake, those days will be shorted. So, there's going to be a tribulation like never before. That's why we call it the great tribulation. Now, the Bible does not use the word the great tribulation. It uses the word a great tribulation like never before. But we have used the word the great tribulation, which is, let's call it, a way of us describing it that is greater than anything before. Daniel 12 also talks about that. So, Daniel 12 verse 1 says, at that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of the people, and there shall be a time of trouble. That's a great tribulation, which such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. So, a little bit of time that will be like never before. It does say something encouraging, and at that time your people shall be delivered. So, it could imply a duality of meaning here. That means before the great tribulation some people will be delivered, as we'll see in a moment, but also implying that once the great tribulation is finished, then your people will be delivered. So, and that could very well be, because on the next verse, or the next section, is everyone who's found written in the book, in the book. That's the book of life, of course, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. So, that's kind of pointing to the end of the great tribulation, where there'll be Christ coming and the resurrection. So, really the first seal points to a great tribulation. If we look at Matthew 24, if we go back to Matthew 24, verse 23 and 24, we can see that if it were possible, we'll deceive even the elect. So, it's going to be a very big deception.

So, it is possible that some elect will be deceived, because they're not close to God.

So, there is some chosen that would go into the great tribulation, and some could be deceived if they're not awake. Reading again, Matthew 24, verse 23 and 24, it says, then if anyone says to you, look, Yah is the Christ, or there do not believe it. False Christ and false prophets will arise, and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So, it is a great deception. So great that if it were possible, we'll receive many other people that are being chosen by God. And therefore, Yah is a point that if we're not careful, we could be deceived and miss out on our very calling and election. That's why in Revelation 3 verse 11, Revelation 3 verse 11 says, be careful, don't you lose your crown. This is in one of Christ's letters to the seven eras of the church. Revelation 3 verse 11, Be old, I'm coming quickly, hold fast what you have, which means some people will not hold fast and will let go. And if they let go, they're going to lose that crown, because they've been deceived, or they're going to be not close to God. It says that no one may take your crown. And that is analogous to Matthew 25 1 through 10, which is the parable of the 10 virgins. And the parable of the 10 virgins, therefore, brings us the example that some were wise and some were foolish, but they were virgins. In other words, they were part of the election, part of the cold ones, of the ones that were cold. So, is there going to be a warning before the Great Tribulation?

So, let's read again in Matthew 24 verse 15 through 20. Matthew 24 verse 15 through 20.

And there it talks about, when you see the abomination of desolation, flee. It says flee verse 16. And wherever you are, flee. Particularly, I was talking about those that are at that time in the area of Jerusalem. And then we read in verse 20, and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. So, there is going to be a time to flee, which means is before the Great Tribulation. Because in verse 21 says, for then there'll be a Great Tribulation. So, it is a warning before to flee. Now, some people say, oh well, this was historical because it was referred to the destruction of the temple, which occurred in AD 20. Yeah, that's true. It could be dual. A lot of the scriptures are dual. And so, but that destruction of the temple is not really what it's referring to, because it is really also referring to the time of Christ's coming. Because in verse 21 says, verse 21 says, it will never be a time like that. And then verse 24 says, it could deceive, if possible, even the elect. And then in verse 27 says, for as the lightning comes from the east and the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. So, it's actually talking about a period right there, when there's the Suception and all this building up at this tribulation like never before. And don't be deceived, because Christ's coming will be like lightning. So, it is around the time of Christ's coming. Now, another important point about something happening before the Great Tribulation is a promise we read. And I just want to highlight it again. A promise that we read referring to being protected from the hour of trial. And that is in Revelation chapter 3 verse 10. It says, because you've kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world. The hour of trial will come upon the whole world. Is this hour that it's not just regional, but affects the whole world, and it's a trial or a time that never before, because it affects the whole world all at the same time. And it says that I'll keep you from the hour of trial, which means I'll protect you from the hour of trial. So really, what we're talking about here is protection to some of God's people. Now, if we look at Revelation chapter 12 verse 13 and 14. So let's look at Revelation chapter 12 verse 13 and 14. It says, now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman. Now who's the woman? That's the church, right? He persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. In other words, basically Yah is again a bridging verse that points both to Old Testament and New Testament Israel, but it says, but the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she's nourished for the time and times and half the time from the presence of the servant. So therefore, Yah we have a period of three and a half years in which the church is protected from the presence, in other words, from the face of the dragon of Satan, and is going to go into some physical wilderness place where Satan does not have access to deceive these people. So it will be a place of some protection. Right. As we read in verse 14, it says that Revelation 12 verse 14, it says, and the woman was given two wings of a great eagle.

Now, what does that mean? Does it mean they're going to be flying in aircraft? Not necessarily, because look at Exodus 19 verse 4. Exodus 19 verse 4. Now this is talking about in Exodus 19 verse 4. It says, now therefore if you will indeed obey my voice, I beg pardon verse 4, you have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. So yeah, it shows in Old Testament the Israelites left Egypt and it says they were born by God on eagle's wings. So it is, let's call it, an idiomatic expression that they had protection from God, like in the eagle's wings, like the eagle protects its young. So that does not necessarily mean an aircraft, because the Israelites did not leave Egypt via an aircraft. Also look at Deuteronomy 32.

Deuteronomy 32 and we're going to read verse 11 and 12. Deuteronomy 32 verse 11 and 12. It says, as the eagle stirs up its nest, hovers of its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings. So the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign God with him. So again, here is an example. This is the Song of Moses. After they escaped Egypt, there it is, this example, bringing just like an eagle. So this scripture does not mean that you will be free by some known airline, like Delta or American Airlines or anything set up special conditions. We really don't know how that will happen.

We just have to trust God that it will happen. But there is some additional, very encouraging scriptures about this protection. I just have Psalms 27. Let's look at Psalm 27 verse 5. Psalms 27 verse 5. It says, For in the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion, in the secret place of his tabernacle. He shall hide me, he shall set me high upon a rock, which means some desert place. So there is a subtle hint of God protecting us. So yes, the David in the psalm is actually talking about how God protects us in our daily lives. But again, there's a duality, which is very interesting. Again, just a little bit further, in Psalm 31 verse 20, Psalm 31 verse 20 says, You shall hide them in the secret place of your presence. From the plots of man, you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion.

Or the word pavilion there could be translated in a shelter from the strife of times.

So again, there is an interesting connotation here. And then if you look at Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 3, Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 3, it says, Seek the Lord, all your meek of the earth, and who have upheld his justice, seek righteousness, seek humility for your meekness, it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. The day of the Lord's anger is the day of the Lord. So it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. So there is going to be protection. Now in the day of the Lord's anger is also potentially talking about something else, which I will approach later. But anyway, it's just giving you some scriptures about that God does protect us. And look at Isaiah 26 verse 20. Isaiah 26 verse 20.

Isaiah 26 verse 20.

Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself as it were. For a little moment until the indignation is passed.

Very, very powerful scriptures, brethren, about things to come.

Look at Matthew 24. We quite often read the scripture, but with that in mind, with that top of the mind, look at Matthew 24 verse 36 through 48.

But the hour and day, but of that day and hour, no man knows, nor even the angels of heaven, but my father only. But as in the days of nowhere, so will be the coming of the Son of man be. So when Christ will come, people will not be expecting it. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark. What happened when Noah entered the ark? Protection before that flood. So, yeah, is an analogy. There is a protection before that great tribulation. Interesting, isn't it?

And they did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So, are we going to be wise?

Are we going to be wise? Are we going to be watching? And we're going to be ready so that we may be counted worthy to escape and to stand before the Son of man. You see, so, and look at verse 39, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also be the coming of the Son of man. So when Christ comes, before that there will be great tribulation. Like the example there of a flood. And in the case of Noah, eight people were rescued.

Small, small group of people. I'm not saying it will only be eight, but there will be a small group of people. And then it says, then two men will be in the field, one will be taken, and he never left. Well, people take this while it's the single rapture.

Other people say, well, this means it will be the resurrection. But what if it actually means that in this analogy of the days of Noah, that they will be protected, as we read in Daniel, Abiaphan in Revelation 12, that they will be protected. And we're going to look a little bit more about that in a moment. So, yeah, we see a protection.

Therefore, verse 42, watch. For you do not know the hour of your Lord is coming. Very interesting point, yeah, in verse 40 and 41, it says, two men will be in the field. It says in 41, two women will be riding the stone, and one will be taken, and one will not.

You know, when you've got two men, one is taken and one is not, isn't that 50%? 50% are protected and 30% are not protected. When you compare that in parallel to the parable of the ten virgins, five are wise and five are foolish. Again, it's 50%. Very interesting, isn't it?

Now continue, but notice verse 43, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allow his house to be broken. And what is the thief?

It's that great tribulation, and you're going to be watching, so you're not going to be fall part of the great tribulation. Therefore, you be ready. For the Son of Man is coming, hour he do not expect.

Now it could be implied, be ready, because when the time of all this starts happening, the days are counted or numbered, as we read in Daniel 12, as we're going to see in a moment. So, continue reading in verse 45.

When the great tribulation comes, and all these things, we can't do God's work anymore. So, it could very well be, is a point, actually just before Christ's coming, that they are so doing. They are watching. They are doing the work. Once the great tribulation happens and starts happening, everything will be out of chaos. And everybody says, whoa, it's too late. It's kind of chaos has broken. It's like in the case of Noah, the rain has come.

And we're not in the boat. We're not in that shelter, in that protection. Let's continue that. Verse 47.

When the pastor is delayed, he's coming. Are they gonna say, is delay, he's coming?

Why? Because the great tribulation hasn't come. Because once the great tribulation has come, and all these things start going, people say, wow, he is coming. So, it could very well be that it really is actually talking about the time before the great tribulation. At the time, when the church is going to be protected. So, now let's now look at Daniel 12 verse 12. Daniel 12 verse 12, it says, blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days. So, there is accounting that starts. From that moment, it is as if we know the day of Christ's coming. And it says, therefore, my question is, will it be the end of the work done by the church as an organization, and us working together as a team in this end time, and it comes to that point, and the work stops. And it says, blessed is he who waits and comes to that day. Why? Because they've been found so doing until God says, that is it. That's the end. Now, in Matthew 24 verse 15, in Matthew 24 verse 15, now therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet standing in the holy place. So, there's going to be a time when the abomination of desolation is going to be. And look at it also in Daniel 11 verse 31. Daniel 11 verse 31.

Sorry, that probably should be, just have a look. Yeah, Daniel 11 verse 31. Yeah, that's correct. And the forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress. Then they shall take away the daily sacrifices and place the abomination of desolation. So, in Matthew 24, we say, okay, when abomination desolation happens, then he says the daily sacrifices will be stopped and placed there the abomination of desolation. That's why in Matthew 24, 15 says spoken of by Daniel. So, we're looking at Daniel there. And then also look at Daniel 12 verse 11. Daniel 12 verse 11 says, from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination is set up, the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1290 days. So, you can see that that timing clock is going down. It appears, therefore, the work stops. Maybe I'm speculating it, but it could be something major is going to happen. Maybe the work stops, and then we've got 45 days. And after that, the abomination of desolation happens, which is the daily sacrifice ends. So, we have to see the daily sacrifices to start happening.

Now, look at Daniel 12 verse 1. In Daniel 12 verse 1, it says, at that time Michael shall stand up, and we read that a little earlier. Michael shall stand up. The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, that's the great tribulation, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time, and at that time your people shall be delivered. Oh yeah, so there is some deliverance. So, there is a time of things happening. And at that time, when these events start happening, look at Revelation. I'll be about to Daniel 12 verse 6 and 7. And one said to the man of linen, who was above the waters of the river, how long shall the fulfillment of these things be? Now, what are these wonders? If you read verse 1, 2, 1 and 2, and even 3, it's this time of trouble, this time of the great tribulation, and how long will this be? How long will this be?

And if you read a little later, at the end of verse 7, it says, and at that time, and it shall be, that it shall be, for a time, times, and of the time. That's three and a half years, or 1,260 days. And if you actually look, the world end, if you actually look, the world end is not in Hebrew. And so when the power of the holy people how is the holy people? Daniel 8, 24, gives an indication.

Now, the holy people can be interpreted two ways. Could be physical Israel and spiritual Israel.

So when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, and the world shattered, could also have been translated as scattered. And when we look at Luke 21, verse 20 and 24, let's look at Luke 21, verse 20 and 24.

But it says, and when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, there now that its desolation is near. That's the time of the event, there that and then those that are in Judea flee to the mountains. So that's the beginning of that great tribulation, the abomination of desolation. Look at verse 24, and it says, And Jerusalem shall will be trampled by Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled. That means when Christ comes back. So it shall be, this time will be for 1,260 days, or three and a half years. And that is when the power of the Holy People has been completely shattered or scattered. Which means they would have been scattered, as I mentioned, probably by 1335 days. If that's what 1335 days means, we really don't know that. So I'm speculating there's a possibility.

So the Church would stop its organized work, and 45 days later, the Great Tribulation starts. That's when the power of the Holy People has been scattered or shattered, if that applies to spiritual Israel. But if it applies to physical Israel, consider the following.

Between 1290 and 1260 is a month, which is 30 days. Now we know in Revelation 12, verse 13 through 17. So let's look at Revelation 12, verse 13 through 17. It talks about, it says, and when the dragon saw that it may cost the earth, he persecuted the woman. In other words, that's the Church, and that's part of the Church. So he's going to scatter the Church. He's going to scatter. He's going to persecute it, you see. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, as we saw, and it will be protected for three and a half years. These same three and a half years, these same 12, 1260 days, they will be protected. So it says that the woman was spewed, I mean the serpent spewed water out of his mouth, etc. It was enraged, and then he says at the end of verse 17, so Satan went to make war with the rest of earth of spring.

That is the rest of the Church. So can you see how that tysene with the 10 virgins, which we'll look at in a moment, ties in with two in the field. One is taken, the other one is not, and the other is part of the woman is protected, and part of the woman is not. The interesting thing is, it says the ones left behind are the ones that do keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus Christ, as we read in Revelation 1910, is the spirit of prophecy. Christ is the outcome, the end result of the whole prophecy, but these people have the testimony of Christ. They keep the commandments and believe in Christ. These people understand prophecy as well, because they're part of the Church of God, but they were not protected. So what is the difference between one part of the woman and the other part? Well, that's where I think the 10 versions give us a clue, because in Matthew 25, 1 through 13, we read about the 10 versions. Five are wise and five are foolish. Matthew 25.

And then it says, well, they all fell asleep, and the ones that were foolish, they were just not watching. They were not watching. They fell asleep. And so they went to buy more oil, where they said, well, now 13, 35 days, they say, yeah, we got to get close to God, but it's too late.

And so they're not protected. You see? So that could be it. Therefore, in verse 13, it says, watch therefore, for you know neither the day or the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. It's if this is the correct interpretation, which again, I'll say I'm speculating, but if this is the correct interpretation, it means not necessarily the actual day when Christ is coming, but it's the actual day of Christ coming minus, for instance, 1260 or 1290 or 1335. Therefore, that last period, it's like it's set in stone. So at that time, you basically know when Christ is coming. But yeah, it says you don't know when Christ is coming, which means it's before these events trigger, and therefore they were not ready. They were not wise. That obviously is speculative from my side. I admit that, but that to me seems to be what fits most with the Scripture. It fits better. The next one is Isaiah, because we have a period of a month. And in Isaiah chapter 5, verse 5 through 7, Isaiah 5 verse 5 through 7, it talks about the pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel, Ephraim, stumbling their iniquity, and Judah also stumbles with them. And you're reading verse 7, because they've begotten pagan children, in other words, children that don't know by God. And it says, now a new moon, which means the period of a month, which is the period of 30 days, from the beginning of a month to the next month, a period of a new moon shall devour them, who's them? Israel, Ephraim, and Judah. And they'll be punished at the same time. So, what do we have? The period of 1290 to 1260 seems to be the period when Israel will be destroyed. So, what do we have? The beginning of 1290 is abomination of desolation. Then there's 30 days, and Israel, Ephraim, and Judah will be destroyed. And then at the end of that month, 1260, the great tribulation begins.

And they are, therefore, various other scriptures, because it says in Psalm 83. So, if you look at Psalm 83, it talks about this confederation, this unity of nations. Psalm 83, and I'm not going to read the whole psalm, but I'm just highlighting it to you. And you can read these scriptures in more detail, but in Psalm 83, it's talking about that these people do not like God. Really, they hate God. That's why they want to destroy Israel, because they hate God. And because of that, it says they've consulted together. You read that in verse 3, against your sheltered ones. And then it says, they said, come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.

And they have consulted together with one consent, and they form a confederacy. It was an alliance against you. And then it tells the nations that will be there, which is basically the king of the south. But Assyria, says there in verse 8, will join forces with them. Now, who's the king of the south and who's the king of the north? Well, Daniel 11 is a very detailed prophecy about this, and I've mentioned before, and there is our booklet in Middle East in Bible prophecy.

And in that booklet, starting in page 18, there's a section that says, there are four empires of Daniel's prophecy, and I have the link. And it's very interesting to understand who is the king of the south and the king of the north. But our understanding is that the king of the north will be the beast, that ten nations combined, based in Europe, and the king of the south will be a union of nations of this group from further south, around the Zetesia, the tents of Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, the Hagrites, and Thelicia, which is the Palestine area. And so it's those nations which I would call maybe the Muslim nations, which are part of probably the Sunni group, the Shiites, but the Sunni. So that could be. And then when we read in Daniel 11, when we put all this together, and we read in Daniel 11 in verse 40 to 45, it says, at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack him, and that's against the king of the north, and the king of the north shall come. So the AI is talking about a wall between the south and the north, and so, and then he's talking about who the final about this king of the south, and again this booklet on page 65 has got a section entitled, The Final King of the South, and that explains who the king of the south is. So what do we have so far? What do we have is a number of things to watch that we've covered. We have the appearance of this false prophet and the man of sin, which will set up the abomination of desolation, but 30 days before there's the destruction of, or during that period of 30 days, there's destruction of Israel, Ephraim, and Judah, and before that is the stoppage of the work, and that countdown of days 1335, 1219, 1260, yah, after the abomination of desolation, meaning the beginning of the Great Tribulation. We're talking about 1260, the becoming of Christ. So we have there in this chart how long? 1335, 1290, 1260, and we also covered the church protected for a time, times, and half a time. During this period, portion of the church, which are compared as a possibility being the five wise virgins, will be protected, and the others will not be protected. It'll be too light when they say, well, protect me as well. Well, they gotta go to the Great Tribulation. So that is a possibility, a scenario, which I feel it's probably at the most probable one. Now, continuing that, what have we got now? We've got a time period where we have the beast, we have the false prophet, but now because the church is not preaching, God raises up two witnesses to preach to the world. Because the church can't preach. The church will be cancelled as organizations. We can't do a word. So God miraculously sets up these two leaders, two witnesses, against the beast and the false prophet, which are also two people. Now we've got two others standing up against them at a worldwide level, and you can't cancel them because they will say things, and things will happen, and the media and everybody will just be phoning and video typing and saying, what else are they going to say next? So what do we have is this period in which going in parallel with the fifth seal, which is the Great Tribulation. Let me go back.

This period is in parallel with the fifth seal. See, the other fifth seal, which is the Great Tribulation. During this period, there'll be the two witnesses. Remember, I mentioned that when a seal is open, it will run till Christ's coming. So the Great Tribulation will run till Christ's coming, like the Four Horsemen will run to Christ's coming. But for simplicity in the graph, I just drew it this way, but it will run. The point is this Great Tribulation will be reduced in power, as we know, because it says, unless it would be cut short. Cut short, how? By reduced in power, by God starting to intervene. And therefore, yes, the Great Tribulation is still pursuing, but it has been reduced in power. But in parallel with this fifth seal, with this time of the Great Tribulation, all the way until Christ's coming, in fact, till about three and a half days before Christ comes, these two witnesses will be prophesying. You see, there will be this false prophet, as we read in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. There's this falling away and the man of sin. That's the apostasy and the man of sin. They're going to be revealed. And there's going to be a time that the church will have stopped its work. Therefore, you don't have the yearning of the words of God, as we read in Amos chapter 8 verse 11. Let me just read Amos chapter 8 verse 11.

It says, Be all the days are coming, says the Lord, that I'll send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but of yearning the words of the Lord. Now, understand it's yearning.

And yearning means the gospel is not being preached. It does not say a famine of being able to read the Bible, because Bibles are everywhere. But it's a famine of yearning the words of the Lord. Therefore, as the work of God is stopped, as an organization of preaching the gospel. Does that mean that God does not have witnesses against the beast and the false prophets and to witness the whole world? No! God will continue witnessing. How? Through the two witnesses. And we read that in Revelation 11 verse 1 to 3. Revelation 11 verse 1 says, Then I was given a read like a measuring rod, and angel stood, rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those worshiped there, implying that measure the church, and some of it will be protected. Could we? But leave out the court, which is outside the temple, leave out those outside the church. That could be symbolically that as well. And do not measure it, for it has been given to the time of Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for three and a half years, 42 months, and I'll give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1260.

Three and a half years in parallel. And so, what do we have, brethren? As a concluding revision of what we covered, that during this we have covered all these things here before. I'll try to go in fairly good detail, explaining that then there will be a time that the church will stop its work, possibly, speculation, possibly. That's the meaning of the 1335 days. Then 1290 days of abomination of desolation, which is symbolized by this flag, this big event here, this big milestone. And then 30 days later, I mean, and then 30 days later, which means the destruction of Israel. And then the great tribulation begins for three and a half years. And in parallel, the two witnesses are preaching for those three and a half years. Well, brethren, we'll continue with us in the next Bible study.