Part II
Jesus tells us that when Antichrist breaks the treaty with the Jews, all Christians in Judea are to flee to the mountains for safety, just as they did in 70 AD (when they fled to Pella), when this prophecy received a partial fulfilment. The Scriptures call the period of 3½ years after the desecration of the Temple “the Great Tribulation.”
Daniel, Paul and our Lord state that immediately after this period of great tribulation the Lord will return and set up His kingdom. Rev 7v14, Dan 12v1, Matt 24v21,29-31, Mark 13v19. The Great Tribulation ends with the destruction of the armies of Antichrist around a devastated Jerusalem. Luke 17v37, Rev 11v8, 14v8, 17v16-18, 18v1 to 19v21, 2Thess 2v8.
Jesus said that the overall picture of the conditions in the world just prior to His coming will be as bad as they were in the days of Noah and Lot. Luke 17v26-31. The expulsion of evil angels from the heavenly places into the earth results in a great increase in wickedness, and a wilful ignorance of the promised judgement of God. Gen 6v1-13, 1Peter 3v19,20, Rev 12v7-12. The wicked despise the riches of God's goodness, forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God is trying to lead them to repentance and salvation. Rom 2v1-4,9, 2Peter 3v3-9, Jude v14-16. Many signs are now being fulfilled, they are a great warning to the Church that it is time to put on the armour of God, for no lukewarm Christian will stand in this evil day. Rom 13v11-14, Eph 6v10-20.
The final period of seven years which brings in the end of the age
Jesus referred to the final seven years of Daniel's prophecy concerning “thy people,”the Jews, and “thy holy city,” Jerusalem, as the period that would precede His return, and God’s kingdom being set up on earth. Immediately after these seven years Jesus will return and “bring in everlasting righteousness and seal up the vision and prophecy.” When we consider this verse in connection with Rev 10v7,11 and 11v15,18, we see that the seventh trumpet will sound on the last day of these seven years and God will take over the rule of the earth and destroy the wicked. Since most of Israel are blind to grace and are broken off, the Church now has the leading part in God's prophetic purposes, until the last seven years of this age, when both the Church and Israel have a part to play in prophecy. Rom 11v7-26.
Only Babylon, and the nations that have ruled over Jerusalem during these 483 years in the past, and the seven years of Antichrist's kingdom in the future, are shown as part of the Beast. This 490 year period of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy is referred to as “The times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21v20-24.
Other nations, such as the Turks, are not included in the Beast, even though they have reigned over Jerusalem. We know, from Rev 17v10, that at the time of John, the sixth kingdom was ruling Jerusalem, this was Rome; the seventh kingdom, the kingdom of Antichrist, has yet to come.
NB: The exact fulfilment of the first part of Dan 9v24-27, assures the fulfilment of the second part
There was a remarkable fulfilment of the first part of the prophecy of Dan 9v20-27, and in Matt 24v15-33, Jesus tells us that there will be an equally striking fulfilment of the last part of this prophecy. In 2Thess 2v1-12, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that the desecration of the Sanctuary of the Temple at Jerusalem by Antichrist, will inform us that the second coming of Christ, and the Millennial kingdom, is only 3½ years away. Jesus said that no one knew the day or the hour of His coming, but He tells us that we shall know the year, month and week of His coming by Daniel's prophecy, and that when the signs that He gave us come to pass, that His coming will be “nigh, even at the door.” Matt 24v32-36.
Yahweh Shalom
Part I
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