What event begins The Tribulation or 70th Week of Daniel? Is it a peace treaty with the Antichrist, the Rapture, the revealing of Antichrist, the start of the twice-daily Temple sacrifice, or is it something else? It is crucial that we know because those days are almost here. Watch this Nelson Walters video to find out, and why knowing will help prepare us for those times.
If you have not already done so can I suggest you read my recent post “What will initiate the last seven years before Jesus return?” It shows how important the Seventy Weeks prophecy of Daniel is in understanding what is playing out in world events today.
The Seventy Weeks prophecy of Daniel is a foundational end times prophecy
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.” Daniel 9:24
In this Seventy weeks (seventy weeks of years) prophecy, the first 69 weeks have played out exactly as prophesied including Jesus first coming to this earth and being killed “cut off”. There is an unspecified time gap between the 69 weeks and the last seven weeks (seven years) but as many of the other end-times events specified by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24) and in Revelation are beginning to play out we know that the last seven years before Jesus returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom is not too far off.
Note what is in store for the leaders of nations and those that follow them that set themselves against God and His commandments. “He will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury.”
“Why do the nations rage, and the people’s plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed (Saints), saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then He will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury. As for me, I will set my King on Zion, my holy hill. I will declare the decree: The Lord said to Me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.Now, therefore, O’ kings be wise: be warned O’ rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He is angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.Psalms 2: 1-12
This cannot be about King David as he never ruled the ends of the earth, nor did he or any of his sons ever enjoy unrivaled control over all the nations. David endured a constant state of warfare until the end of his life. It only makes sense to conclude that it is the Messiah himself, Jesus who is receiving his inheritance from God the Father in these verses, which he will possess when he establishes the Messianic Kingdom in the future.
“They (Saints) came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”Revelation 20:4-6
Enjoyed this Lyric Video Come Emmanuel. Jesus came a first time and suffered greatly to make it possible for those that are prepared to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour to be accepted by our Heavenly Father. We are made righteous in Him.
“For our sake, He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
There are many more prophecies about Jesus’ second coming to earth than His first coming to earth. He came the first time exactly as prophesied so you can reasonably assume the prophecies of His second coming will also be fulfilled exactly as given.
Jesus, true God, and true man was born into this world to redeem all of His people: past, present, and future.
“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.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 forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6-7
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (which means God spoke to us).” Isaiah 7:14 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2
At the time Isaiah wrote his prophecy about the coming Saviour, the people of Israel were waiting for a king—the Messiah—to emerge and sit on the throne of David. Judgment was upon Judah at the time, and the nation had barely survived.
Just when the lineage of Jesse and his son, David, seemed all but gone—cut down like the trees of Israel—this passage in Isaiah indicates that the Saviour was yet to come out of a small shoot from the stump of Jesse and that eventually, He will rule the nations. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1 And for the people of Israel, where no hope seemed to be found, God used the smallest of beginnings to sprout up a lineage that led to the birth of our Savior Jesus. The second part of the prophecy is future, at Jesus’ second coming.
The prophecy by Isaiah is just one of 300 prophecies of Jesus first coming to earth and all proved accurate. There are 2000 prophecies of Jesus’ second coming including this one and many of them have already been fulfilled, Israel’s re-establishment as a nation back in 1948 was a prominent one. Another is the increasing apostasy in the church as it compromises with world values that are against God’s moral laws.
Robin Schumacher is an accomplished software executive and Christian apologist who has written many articles, authored and contributed to several Christian books, appeared on nationally syndicated radio programs, and presented at apologetic events. He holds a BS in Business, a Master’s in Christian apologetics, and a Ph.D. in New Testament. His testimony of how God used Bible prophecy to get Him into the kingdom of God confirmed my own belief in its importance in making new disciples of Christ.
God used the teaching of Bible prophecy to bring me to Himself. As an engineering student in college, I was blown away by the statistical impossibilities of the Old Testament predictions of Christ’s first coming happening by chance, with God opening my eyes to the fact that “No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2Peter 1:21).
My jaw dropped even further when I became educated to the fact that just 20 percent of the Old Testament prophets spoke about His first coming, but 80 percent speak to His second coming. Moreover, there are 1,500 passages in the Old Testament that refer to Christ’s second coming, and one out of every 25 verses in the New Testament refer to Jesus’ return.
The study of Bible prophecy and the second coming became a special area of joy and study for me, and I woke up every day praying, “Maranatha” (1 Cor. 16:22; “O Lord come”). Chances are, as a Christian, you do the same.
Scripture testifies to the fact that, as believers, we should be “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13) and “awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:7).
The Bible tells us we ought to join with John in saying, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20) because “our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20) and “in the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).
The intensity of this desire is made especially strong when we observe the upside-down world in which we now live.
Today our society vilifies law enforcement and celebrates lawbreakers, imprisons the innocent and releases criminals, murders babies in the womb and lets killers go free, feigns respect for women while letting biological males into their bathrooms, disrespects strong work ethics, and coddles the lazy, shirks responsibility and embraces victim mentalities, preaches justice while committing injustice through mob-driven tactics, prioritizes gender-neutral toy aisles over stopping rampant business theft, decries racism with its mouth while promoting it through its actions, steals from others in the name of “equity,” censors truth while promoting lies, and cancels anyone with an opposing view.
Our culture is summed up well by Paul’s simple statement, “whose glory is in their shame” (Phil. 3:19).
Given all this, how could any believer not pray every hour for Christ to come back?
Jesus’ call is radical: cross-bearing, self-denying, love of others. Sadly, I do not see too many Christians, certainly in the public sphere, carrying out this cross bearing, self denying, love of others. Moreover, God’s Word tells us that in the last days before His return that those that do love Jesus and are obedient to His call invariably suffer for it. Paul, his disciples and the early church invariably did. Often their suffering was perpetrated by the religious people of the day.
Biblical prophecy reveals that in the last seven years (Daniel’s 70th week) before the Rapture of the Saints and the wrath of God is poured out on an unrepentant world with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements, there will be tribulation even great tribulation ahead for Jesus followers, and much of that will come from the False Prophet and his church, the religious people of the day. Knowing, believing, and acting upon the following Scriptures empowered by the Holy Spirit is essential to be overcomers.
“If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”Mark 8:34-38
“Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.” Philippians 2:3-8
“And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, for we are as He is in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19
Biblical prophecy reveals that there will be many false prophets in the “last days”
“Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” Matthew 24:9-11
Prophets exhort Jesus followers to be faithful, to be obedient to His call on their lives. We hear many who consider themselves to be prophets declaring to the world it must uphold laws and commandments that have been compromised by the world. They say we are loving and inclusive, gay marriage, homosexual and transgender pastors are embraced. These are false prophets, true prophets speak Biblical truth to God’s people. Jesus tells us that when these things take place we are in the last days and His return is not too far off.
“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27
What signs dramatically point to the end of this age and the soon return of Jesus Christ? Find out with guest Pablo Frascini and Nathan Jones of the Lamb & Lion Ministries evangelism team as they provide their Prophetic Perspectives.
This is just an 8 minute video that focuses on the key elements of what we see unfolding in the world today that lines up with “end times” Bible prophecy. God is raising up people and ministries that believe God’s Word is inerrant and that the many Bible prophecies of Jesus return to this earth to rule and reign for 1000 years are being fulfilled now.
Fulfilled Biblical prophecies are proof the Bible is God’s Word that reveals not only the true history of His world but it reveals how He will end the story.
There are more prophecies about Jesus second coming to this earth to rule and reign for one thousand years than there were for His first coming to earth and there were more than three hundred of those that were all fulfilled to the letter.
That’s why biblical prophecy is so important. Each prophetic verse in the Bible is another brick in the tower of HOPE that God wants to build in our minds and hearts.
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
Biblical prophecy never leads us down dark pathways. It leads us past chaos and tribulation to Christ Himself, who is over all victorious. Those without Christ will feel ill at ease when reading God’s plans for the future. But those who walk with the Lord should rejoice whenever our mind learns something more about the “glory which shall be revealed”
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:18-21
The writers of the Bible viewed the End Times as the opening curtain for the return of Christ, and they anticipated the scene.
Peter told us we should be “looking forward to these things”.
“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace… take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14,17-18
And Jesus said,
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near”Luke 21:28
“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6
Biblical hope is sure, certain, and inexorable—promised by the decrees of God, guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ, and confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was asked by His disciples about the end times and His return to this earth:
“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?Matthew 24:3
The following two paragraphs are just a sample of the detail Jesus gave them in His response entitled the Olivet Discourse.
“And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14
Jesus does not paint a “rosy/joyous” picture to attract followers. Why would anyone want to follow Him when this is their fate? It should challenge the sceptic as to Jesus authenticity. In addition, what Jesus prophesied is in fact unfolding in our time. Fulfilled Biblical prophecy proves the Bibles authenticity.
This idea that Jesus’ second coming is imminent is found throughout Scripture. The following scripture tells us not only to wait for Jesus second coming but also that He will deliver us from the wrath to come.
“and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrathto come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10
This scripture reinforces that Jesus is coming again to deliver us from a time of affliction.
“and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.” 2 Thessalonians 1:7
The following two scriptures address the purpose of His first coming and the blessed hope we have for His second coming. The second scripture also covers His promise to deliver Israel from its enemies.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:11-13
“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28
Expecting Jesus to return should make us watchful, diligent in our faith, and eager to live holy lives in preparation to rule and reign with Jesus in His Millennial Kingdom.
“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” Isaiah 62:1-2 The name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.” Ezekiel 48:35
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6
You need to start thinking about the role Jesus will assign to you during His Millennial reign on this earth. Remember, Jesus and the Saints will rule with a rod of iron. Satan is bound for most of the Millennium but God has revealed that he will be released at the end and he is able to assemble an enormous army from people who have been born during the Millennium to come against Jesus and the Saints. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:7-9
“My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the LORD God. “That is the day of which I have spoken” (Ezekiel 39:8).
When will God not allow His holy name to be profaned any more in Israel? Only after Jesus returns. When will God set His “glory among the nations”? When He establishes His kingdom (Millennial Kingdom) on this earth. When will the entire house of Israel come to know the Lord and experience a great outpouring of His Spirit? Only after the Second Coming of their Messiah.
What an amazing Scripture this is. God has unfinished business with Israel. The nation He established for His purposes.All the nations will know God is the Holy One of Israel. “Behold it is coming and it shall be done.”
“And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgement which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them. And the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day onward” (Ezekiel 39:21).
It is amazing the detail God revealed to Ezekiel about what He will do with Israel in the last days.
“I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Ezekiel 37:21-22
“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” Ezekiel 37:26-28
Look at this scripture which says unbelievers will learn why God has dealt harshly with Israel
“And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.” Ezekiel 39:23
And finally God explains He will pour out His Spirit upon the House of Israel when He has gathered them out from their enemies lands then Israel and the nations will know God is the Lord God of Israel.
“When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 39:27-29
In this post we have looked at what God revealed to Ezekiel. He revealed just as much if not more to Isaiah. It just confirms what was said to Ezekiel and the other prophets. Next post we will look at what Moses revealed to the nation about its future even before they went into the promised land.
“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 