Lesson #13

Related Articles

Revelation

September 21, 2015

Introduction to Revelation

January 30, 2010

Lesson#02

January 30, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #13
END TIME SIGNS

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 24:14

• AS THE CHURCH AGE DRAWS CLOSER TO THE END, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE MORE AND MORE CLEARLY THE COMING DAWN OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND THE EVENTS OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• AS WISE BELIEVERS WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR JUST BEFORE AND DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THOSE WHO STUDY PROPHECY FREQUENTLY TALK ABOUT THE SIGNS OF THE END TIME. HOWEVER THERE IS MUCH DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ABOUT WHETHER THESE SIGNS OF THE END TIME OCCUR STRICTLY WITHIN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OR WHETHER THEY ARE OBSERVABLE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS.
• PERSONALLY I BELIEVE WE CAN DISCERN TRENDS THAT ARE OBSERVABLE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS AND WILL CONTINUE IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. WE CAN CALL THESE TRENDS, “END TIME SIGNS”.
• HOWEVER, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE NO OBSERVABLE SIGNS TO DETERMINE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
• THESE END TIME SIGNS REFER ONLY TO THE COMING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD.
• READ 1THE 5:1-6
• THE WORD, “TIMES” MEANS = THE PASSING OF TIME (1).
• THE WORD, “SEASONS” MEANS = POINTS IN TIME.
• THE PHRASE, “DAY OF THE LORD” (2) MEANS = THE SPECIFIC INTERVENTION OF GOD INTO HUMAN HISTORY TO BRING BLESSING TO BELIEVERS AND JUDGMENT TO NON-BELIEVERS.
• THIS IS A PROPHETIC PHRASE THAT SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH.

• THE PHRASE IS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF THE JEWISH DAY THAT GOD BEGAN AT CREATION (GEN 1:5 “THE EVENING AND THE MORNING WERE THE FIRST DAY”).

• THE PHRASE, “COMETH AS A THIEF” (2)
• THIS PHRASE MEANS THAT THE DARKNESS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL COME SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ON A WORLD OF NON-BELIEVERS. THE LORD COMES AS A THIEF TO THE NON-BELIEVERS (CHILDREN OF DARKNESS) IN THE WORLD.
• THE BELIEVERS KNOW THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES SO THIS DAY DOES NOT COME UPON THEM AS A THIEF (4)
• THE COMING OF THE LORD IS LIKE THE BIRTH OF A CHILD. (3)
• THE SYMPTOM OF IMPENDING BIRTH IS PAIN.
• THE INTENSITY OF BIRTH PAIN INCREASES AS THE ACTUAL BIRTH DRAWS CLOSER.
• THE FREQUENCY OF BIRTH PAIN INCREASES IN TIME AS THE ACTUAL BIRTH DRAWS CLOSER.
• THE INTENSITY AND THE FREQUENCY OF SIGNS INCREASES OVER TIME FROM THE TIME OF PENTECOST TO THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• THE PREGNANT WOMAN KNOWS WHEN HER CHILD WILL COME BY THE SIGNS THAT PRECEDE DELIVERY. SHE MAY NOT KNOW THE EXACT DAY OR HOUR, BUT SHE KNOWS THE APPROXIMATE TIMING.
• READ 1JOH 4:3
• THE SPIRIT OF ANTI-CHRIST WAS IN THE WORLD WHEN JOHN WROTE THIS BOOK OF REVELATION. AS A RESULT YOU WILL SEE THE END TIME SIGNS BACK IN THE EARLY CHURCH DAYS. IN FACT, THE THESSALONIANS WERE LOOKING FOR THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THOUGHT THEY WERE ALREADY IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

• JESUS SPOKE OF SIGNS IN MAT 24.
• THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE NEED TO REMEMBER ABOUT MAT 24:
• =1= MATTHEW WAS WRITTEN TO THE JEWS, AND MATTHEW 24 DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY REFERENCE TO THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
• =2= JESUS IS SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• READ MAT 23:37-24:3 (LUK 21:5-7)
• THE DISCIPLES ASKED JESUS 3 QUESTIONS IN MATTHEW 24:3.
• #1 WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE?
• JESUS GIVES THE ANSWER IN MAT 24:15-28
• THE QUESTION AND ANSWER REFER TO JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE. (MAT 23:37-38)
• #2 WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY COMING?
• JESUS GIVES THE ANSWER IN MAT 24:29-31
• #3 WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THE END OF THE AGE?
• JESUS GAVE THE ANSWER IN MAT 24:4-14.
• READ MAT 24:15-28 (LUK 21:20-23)
• QUESTION #1: WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE?
• THE PRIMARY CONTEXT ACCORDING TO MAT 23:37-38 REFERS TO JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION = DAN 11:31; 12:11
• THE 1ST PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT = ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES WHO OFFERED A HOG ON THE ALTAR IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE.
• THE 2ND PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT = THE ANTI-CHRIST IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL SET HIS IMAGE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP.
• THE CONTEXT ASSUMES THERE IS A TEMPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE REBUILT BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THE TEMPLE MAY BE REBUILT JUST BEFORE THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BEGINS OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BEGINS. THE JEWS WILL BEGIN ANIMAL SACRIFICE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT OTHERS TRIED TO PUT THEIR IMAGE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE, BUT IT WAS NOT TIME FOR GOD’S SECOND FULFILLMENT:
• EMPEROR CALIGULA ORDERED HIS STATUE TO BE PUT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES, BUT A ROMAN GENERAL, PATRONIUS, KNEW IT WOULD PROMPT AN UPRISING AND DID NOT CARRY OUT THE ORDER. CALIGULA WAS ENRAGED AND ABOUT TO HAVE THE GENERAL EXECUTED. HOWEVER, BEFORE HE COULD ACCOMPLISH IT, CALIGULA SUDDENLY DIED.
• THE FLEEING OF THE JEWS (16-21)
• THE 1ST FULFILLMENT = IN 70 AD, TIRED OF JEWISH UPRISINGS, THE ROMANS BURNED THE TEMPLE AND DESTROYED THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. THEY DID NOT LEAVE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER. THE FIRE WAS SO HOT IT MELTED THE GOLD THAT DECORATED THE TEMPLE. THE SOLDIERS WANTED THE GOLD FLAKES IN THE MORTAR OF THE TEMPLE BUILDING AND DISMANTLED EVERY STONE. THE JEWISH PEOPLE FLED FROM THE ROMANS. THE ROMANS KILLED BETWEEN 600,000 AND 1,250,000 JEWS IN 70 AD.
• A SMALL GROUP OF ORTHODOX JEWS FLED TO MASADA AND HELD OFF THE ROMAN ARMY FOR 3 YEARS.
• THE 2ND FULFILLMENT = IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION, THE ANTI-CHRIST STOPS JEWISH TEMPLE WORSHIP AND SETS HIS IMAGE IN THE TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP. WHEN THE JEWS REBEL, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL PURSUE THEM AS THEY FLEE FROM JERUSALEM TO KILL THEM. MANY JEWS WILL FLEE TO PETRA IN JORDAN.
• EXCEPT THOSE DAYS BE SHORTENED (MAT 24:22) = THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD DURING THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, WILL PREVENT MAN FROM TOTALLY DESTROYING HIMSELF.
• “ELECT’S SAKE” = JEWS AND CHRISTIANS
• THE GREAT DECEPTION BY THE ANTI-CHRIST (23-26)
• JESUS MENTIONS FALSE MESSIAH’S 3 TIMES IN MAT 24 INCLUDING FALSE MIRACLES.
• THE ANTICHRIST WILL CLAIM TO BE GOD ON EARTH AND DECEIVE MANY PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING IT, WITH THE HELP OF THE FALSE PROPHET.
• LIGHTENING COMETH OUT OF THE EAST = JESUS WILL COME OUT OF HEAVEN IN THE EAST.
• JESUS TELLS PEOPLE HOW THEY CAN KNOW WHEN THE ONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE THE MESSIAH IS THE TRUE MESSIAH. HE WILL APPEAR IN ONLY ONE WAY…IN THE MIDDLE EAST ON THE MT. OF OLIVES IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE LEFT. (ACT 1:9-11)
• LIGHTNING COMES QUICKLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. IT IS OVER IN LESS THAN A SECOND. IT IS NOTICEABLY VERY BRIGHT SO ALL WILL SEE IT.
• “FOR WHERESOEVER THE CARCASS IS, THERE WILL THE EAGLES BE GATHERED TOGETHER” (28) = FOR WHEREVER MORAL CORRUPTION EXISTS, THERE DIVINE JUDGMENT FALLS.
• READ MAT 24:29-31 (LUK 21:25-28)
• QUESTION #2: WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY COMING?)
• THESE VERSES TELL US EXACTLY WHEN IS THE EVENT OF JESUS’ SECOND COMING:
• RIGHT AFTER THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS.
• WHAT ARE THE SIGNS HERE?
• SUN DARKENED, MOON DARK, STARS FALL, POWERS OF HEAVEN SHAKEN.
• THESE SIGNS WERE PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. (ISA 13:10 JOE 2:31 AMO 5:18 ZEP 1:15)
• THERE ARE SEVERAL POSSIBILITIES AS TO HOW THE SUN AND MOON COULD BECOME DARK:
• A CLOUD FROM A NUCLEAR BLAST COULD BLOT OUT THE SUN AND MOON.
• THE SUN COULD DARKEN BECAUSE OF A SUPER NOVA WHERE IT ACTUALLY BURNS OUT. THE SUN IS ACTUALLY SHRINKING ? INCH AN HOUR.
• THESE EVENTS COULD OCCUR IF AN ASTEROID HITS THE EARTH.
• A SUPERNATURAL UNEXPLAINABLE PHENOMENA.
• THE STARS FALLING COULD RESULT FROM A LARGE ASTEROID HITTING THE EARTH.
• A GIGANTIC ASTEROID (6 MILES IN DIAMETER) HIT THE EARTH THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO DURING THE TIME OF THE DINOSAURS. IT HIT ON THE YUCATAN PENINSULA IN MEXICO. THE IMPACT AFFECTED 75% OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE, BLOTTING OUT THE SUN AND MOON AND CAUSING METEOR SHOWERS. (A FORCE OF 5 BILLION HIROSHIMA SIZE ATOMIC BOMBS). PERHAPS IT CAUSED THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE DINOSAURS.
• ALL BELIEVERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN HEAVEN AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST ARE GATHERED TOGETHER TO COME WITH CHRIST TO EARTH.
• READ MAT 24:4-14 (LUK 21:8-19,24)
• QUESTION #3:WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THE END OF THE AGE?
• JESUS MENTIONS SPIRITUAL DECEPTION AGAIN.
• THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FALSE CHRISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS DOWN THROUGH HISTORY SINCE THE CRUCIFIXION.
• SIMON BAR KOCHBA 132 AD
• SHABBETAI ZVI 1666 AD
• JACOB FRANK 18TH CENTURY
• FOR CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, THERE WILL BE A GREAT APOSTASY IN THE LAST DAYS. WE CAN ALREADY SEE THIS APOSTASY TODAY FOR 1 IN 3 AMERICANS ARE INVOLVED IN SOME KIND OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION.
• READ 1TIM 4:1-6 AND 2TIM 3:1-17
• WE WILL DISCUSS THIS APOSTASY LATER IN OUR STUDY OF REV 17-18.
• SCOFFERS WILL INCREASE (2PET 3:1-4)
• WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS (MAT 24:6)
• IN RECORDED HISTORY, FOR EVERY YEAR OF PEACE THERE HAVE BEEN 13 YEARS OF WAR. HOWEVER, SINCE WORLD WAR II THERE HAS BEEN OVER 400 WARS WITHOUT ONE DAY OF PEACE.
• MORE THAN 180 MILLION PEOPLE DIED IN WARS IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
• NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION (MAT 24:7)
• THE WORD, “NATION”, SPECIFICALLY MEANS = ETHNIC GROUPS.
• WE HAVE AN EXPLOSION IN THE LAST 25 YEARS OF THE RIGHTS OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS. SINCE HITLER, THE PHRASE, “ETHNIC CLEANSING” HAS BECOME FREQUENTLY USED.
• KINGDOM SHALL RISE AGAINST KINGDOM (MAT 24:7)
• THE WORD, “KINGDOM” MEANS = POLITICAL GROUPS.
• IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES THERE HAS BEEN A CLASH OF VARIOUS IDEOLOGIES SUCH AS COMMUNISM, SOCIALISM, NAZISM, DEMOCRACY, ETC.
• FAMINES AND WATER SHORTAGE (MAT 24:7 JOE 1:20)
• FAMINE USUALLY RESULTS FROM WAR AND POLITICAL OPPRESSION. THIS PLANET GROWS A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF FOOD. THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS ONE OF DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND NOT OVER-POPULATION.
• GOD TOLD MAN TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. HE IS ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL WE NEED IF WE TRUST HIM.

MAJOR FAMINES SINCE WORLD WAR I
1928 – 1929 N.W. CHINA	3,000,000 DIE
1932 – 1934 SOVIET UNION	5,000,000 DIE
1941 – 1943 GREECE	500,000 DIE
1943 HANAN, CHINA	5,000,000 DIE
1943 – 1944 BENGAL, INDIA	3,000,000 DIE
1944 – 1945 EUROPE	UNKNOWN
1944 – 1945 S. E. ASIA	UNKNOWN
1967 – 1970 BIAFRA/ NIGERIA	3,000,000 DIE
1968 – 1974 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA	UNKNOWN
1976 – 1980 CAMBODIA	3,000,000 DIE
1979 – 1981 UGANDA	250,000 DIE
1983 HORN OF AFRICA	UNKNOWN
1984 – 1985 ETHIOPIA	UNKNOWN

• PESTILENCE (MAT 24:7 ZEC 14:12-15)
• WE CAN RELATE TO AN INCREASE OF PESTILENCE, MANY THAT WERE UNKNOWN 50 YEARS AGO:
• E BOLA VIRUS
• HIV/AIDS
• HANTA VIRUS
• CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGIC WARFARE
• ANTHRAX
• BUBONIC PLAGUE
• BIRD FLU
• POLLUTION (AMO 8:9)
• EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES (MAT 24:7)
• IN 1992 THE FIRST EARTHQUAKE EVER OCCURRED IN EGYPT.
• EVERY TEN YEARS THE NUMBER OF EARTHQUAKES DOUBLES.
• FROM 1900 TO 1949 THERE WERE AN AVERAGE OF 3 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES OF 7.2+.
• FROM 1950 TO 1959 THERE WAS AN AVERAGE O 9 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES.
• FROM 1960 TO 1969 THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF 13 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES.
• FROM 1970 TO 1979 THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF 56 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES.
• FROM 1980 TO 1989 THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF 74 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES.
• FROM 1990 TO 1995 THERE WAS 127 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES.
• THERE ARE 60 OR MORE QUAKES OF 6.5+ EACH YEAR AROUND THE WORLD.
• 5 MAJOR EARTHQUAKES ARE MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

THE GREAT EARTHQUAKES OF HISTORY
373 BC	HELICE, GREECE	UNKNOWN
365 AD	EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN	UNKNOWN
476 AD	ROME	UNKNOWN
526 AD	ANTIOCH (NOW TURKEY)	250,000 DIE
1556	N. CHINA	830,000 DIE (WORST IN HISTORY)
1692	JAMAICA	UNKNOWN
1707	TOKYO	200,000 DIE
1755	LISBON, PORTUGAL	60,000 DIE
1783	CALABRIA, ITALY	30,000 DIE
1811	NEW MADRID, MISSOURI	UNKNOWN (LARGEST IN U. S.)
1812	VENEZUELA	UNKNOWN
1868	PERU	UNKNOWN
1896	SANRIKU COAST, JAPAN	27,000 DIE
1905	KANGRA, INDIA	157,000 DIE	8.3
1906	SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA	700 DIE	8.3
1908	MESSINA, ITALY	160,000 DIE	7.5
1920	GANSU, CHINA	100,000 DIE	8.6
1923	SAGAMI BAY, JAPAN	100,000 DIE	8.3
1931	HAWK’S BAY, NEW ZEALAND	255 DIE	7.9
1933	LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA	120 DIE	6.3
1939	ANATOLIA, TURKEY	30,000 DIE	6.0
1950	ASSAM, INDIA	30,000 DIE	8.4
1960	AGADIR, MOROCCO	15,000 DIE	5.9
1962	IRAN	12,000 DIE	7.3
1964	ANCHORAGE, ALASKA	114 DIE	8.5
1972	MANAGUA, NICARAGUA	10,000 DIE	6.2
1976	TANGSHAN, CHINA	695,000 DIE	7.9
1978	IRAN	25,000 DIE	7.7
1980	ALGERIA	20,000 DIE	7.5
1980	ITALY	3,000 DIE	6.8
1985	MEXICO CITY, MEXICO	7,000 DIE	8.1
1987	ECUADOR	4,000 DIE	7.3
1988	ARMENIA	25,000-45,000 DIE	6.9
1989	NORTHERN CALIFORNIA	67 DIE	7.1
1990	IRAN	40,000 DIE	7.7
1992	LANDERS, CALIFORNIA	1 DIES	7.4
1992	FLORES, INDONESIA	2,500 DIE	7.5

• OTHER ASSOCIATED NATURAL DISASTERS:
• TIDAL WAVES (TSUNAMI) (LUK 21:25)
• STORMS (ROM 8:22)

• PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS (MAT 24:9-10)
• 50,000 ALBIGENSIAN CHRISTIANS WERE BEHEADED IN 24 HOURS IN SOUTHERN FRANCE DURING THE DAYS OF THE INQUISITION AND OVER 1,000,000 WERE TORTURED AT THE END OF THE 13TH CENTURY.
• CURRENTLY OVER 300,000 CHRISTIANS ARE MARTYRED EVERY YEAR.
• AN ABUNDANCE OF SIN (MAT 24:12 NAH 3:5-6 2TIM 3:1-9)
• AN INCREASE IN PORNOGRAPHY, HOMOSEXUALITY, MORAL DECAY, GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS CRIME.
• A LACK OF HUMAN LOVE AND GOOD WILL (MAT 24:12).
• THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN ALL NATIONS (ETHNIC GROUPS) (MAT 24:14)
• THE NUMBER OF BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS HAS GROWN AT A RATE 3 TIMES FASTER THAN THE WORLD POPULATION.

1430 AD	1 IN 99 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1790 AD	1 IN 49 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1940 AD	1 IN 32 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1970 AD	1 IN 19 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1980 AD	1 IN 16 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1983 AD	1 IN 13 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1986 AD	1 IN 11 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS
1994 AD	1 IN 10 PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS

• THEN THE END WILL COME (MAT 24:14)

• APPLICATION:
• WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSE TO THESE SIGNS?
• NO FEAR
• BE INVOLVED
• BE INFORMED
• LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY AS AN EXAMPLE
• STAY CLOSE TO THE LORD SO AS NOT TO BE DECEIVED

• HOMEWORK
  END TIME SIGNS CONTINUED
  THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF YOUR STUDY OF END TIME SINGS:
• IN PRAYER, COMMIT TO BEING AN ACTIVE CHRISTIAN IN THE TIME WE HAVE BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
• PREPARATION FOR END TIME SIGNS CONTINUED:
• READ MAT 24:32-44 AND LUK 21:29-34
• WHAT CONDITIONS EXISTED IN THE DAYS OF NOAH?

• WHAT DOES THE FIG TREE REPRESENT?
• READ EZE 37:1-14

• WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN BY THE WORDS, “WHEN ITS BRANCH IS YET TENDER, AND PUTTETH FORTH LEAVES”? (32)

• WHAT DOES SUMMER REPRESENT? (32)

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 24:44