Archive for category: Series The Last Days

Well, it’s been 2000 years since that happened, so where are those last days prophesised so long ago.

As we read in the Bible continuing past Acts chapter 2, we see that Christ saved the apostle Paul in a completely unprecedented and unprophesied event. Christ revealed to Paul a mystery dispensation where not only could mankind be saved by grace alone through faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross, but that He’s creating a new creature that’s not Jewish or Gentile. It wasn’t a fulfillment of prophecy, but it was a mystery that was kept secret since the world began.

It was something that concerned a new creature that would reign and rule with Christ in Heavenly places as part of God’s universal plan and purpose for the ages.

This revealed mystery was different from what God had purposed for the earth in prophecy.

We’ve seen in this series that when we rightly divide the Bible, this mystery, now revealed, this dispensation of the church, the Body of Christ, from the tribulation, the Bible begins to take on a simple clarity.

Where people get confused with the end time prophecies is when they think we live in this time of tribulation, or that the catching away of the church is a tribulation event.

When we rightly divide this mystery period from prophecy, we see that the tribulation was prophesied throughout the Bible but what God’s doing today is not.

So, when we separate these periods, it’s called rightly dividing as 2 Timothy 2:15 says in a direct instruction from Paul to us today

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It’s very important to see this distinction between prophecy and mystery, Israel and the church, law, and grace.

If we don’t make that simple distinction, we’re going to have trouble with these end time events because we’re going to mix in prophesied events with what God’s doing today and we’re going to get confused and possibly lead people into error.

People may take these verses about the Tribulation or these Kingdom verses and apply them to their salvation today and may even get the idea that they’re enduring till the end to be saved, or that they’ve got to keep those commandments to be saved. They may think they’ve got to build this Kingdom.

The Gospel of grace in 1 Corinthians 15:3 – 4,

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 

Studying end times and for that matter the whole Bible according to God’s dispensations is critical to understanding. By dispensations we simply mean taking into account the different ways that God deals with mankind through different ages and seeing where we are today in those ages.

There’s so much we could talk about relating to prophecy, but we simply want to get the foundation right first, so we’re not talking about the antichrist, the 144,000 Witnesses, or the mark of the beast.

When we talk about the end of the world, we’re not talking about the annihilation of everything. It’s not that a comet’s going to hit us and suddenly humanity is extinct. That’s not it at all.

We understand that God created the world out of nothing. He created man from the dust of the earth, and He has a purpose and a plan for the ages and so when we talk about the end of the world, as the Bible’s talking about, it’s the end of the world system as we know it, the end of the present evil of the world’s institutions where sin and rejection of God are the foundations.

In Ephesians 2 – 3 Paul explains this,

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

We were born unsaved and before we were saved in this present world we walked according to the things of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of Disobedience.

That Prince of the power of the air is not the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many people think Christ is King now, that He’s reigning now with his rod of iron and He’s currently running this world. Not so!

He has every right to be King and we’ve covered that. Because of his death on the cross He’s been set in a position where He’s going to possess that Kingship in the future, but He’s not possessed it yet.

The prince of the power of the air here has to do with Satan.

2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4 says this about the God of this world that blinds people’s minds,

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 

In Galatians 1:4 we read about Christ,

who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.

We battle today against spiritual wickedness in high places according to Paul in Ephesians 6:12,

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

We’re also in a battle of doctrine, a battle where the enemy tries to twist, and distort the Words that God’s spoken to mankind.

2 Corinthians 11:3,

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 

We’re not fighting against people, we’re fighting against the bad Doctrine and the wrong teaching that keep people from salvation and from trusting Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:3 says,

Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

When we talk about the end of the world, we’re talking about that right there.

About the children of Wrath that’ll be dealt with during this time of tribulation and Judgment of the Nations.

We’ve seen that in the tribulation Christ returns and tears down the institutions and kingdoms of this world and sets up His own kingdom. That’s when the children of wrath get dealt with.

We’re talking about the rise of the Kingdom of God on Earth, Christ’s Kingdom, where Christ returns and says I’m the King and I’m here to claim My kingdom.

It’ll be a great day because no longer will we talk about the prince of the power of the air or the God of this world or this present evil world because during this time Christ will be on His throne reigning.

Look at Zechariah 14 verses 7 to 9.

It shall be one day Which is known to the LORD Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light. And in that day it shall be—That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be “The LORD is one,” And His name one. 

That tells us that we’re not living in the time of the prophesied Kingdom at the moment and yet that’s what some people believe.

They think when Christ came and died and rose from the dead, His kingdom began and all those prophecies, one of which we’ve just read, is now fulfilled and we’re now living in the Kingdom.

Christians pray for the furtherance of God’s kingdom, to further build his kingdom out and that’s what they honestly believe the church’s job is today.

They think we’re living in this Kingdom and that we are the kingdom, and we need to build institutions to reform our world.

But this world is lost.

God’s already condemned it. That’s why we’re called by the scripture ambassadors in 2 Corinthians 5:20,

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We’re sent into an evil world where Christ currently has no rule and influence because everyone’s rejected Him.

However, there will be a time when He’s no longer offering those terms of peace that we’re here to tell of. The ambassadors are gone, caught up together with the Lord after which time He comes back in wrath and judgement before he sets up his kingdom.

The world will see the salvation of the Lord and his righteousness, and they’ll no longer be able to say, I don’t believe anything I can’t see. They’ll see Him alright!

This’ll be a time when Jesus is actually there, where they’ll see Him not only as He was once before, but he’ll be reigning and ruling.

We’re looking for the hope of this change, Christ as King as government and as judge.

Today we listen to politicians of all parties of government trying to convince us that this or that policy will work better but it’s not an internal change. It’s a mental calculation done in minds that are completely unable to see the entire picture.

But to preach salvation and trust in the gospel will change a person by putting their hope in the right thing, Christ coming as King and ruling in absolute righteousness and justice.

Christ came the first time as a servant, as a minister and his ministry lasted three and a half years and, in that time, He changed the world. What’ll happen when he comes and reigns for a thousand years.

Look at Psalm chapter 2. This is a Messianic Psalm that talks about Christ, and it says in Psalm 2: 6 – 8,

“Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ” 

Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 

That’s God the Father speaking to Jesus, God the Son and He’s talking about this time of the Kingdom.

Paul talks about this same prophecy in Acts 13:33. Let’s see that,

God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.’ 

Christ was begotten to sit in the position as the Son of God in heaven when he rose from the dead and ascended to heavenly places and He hasn’t yet possessed the kingdom.

When he comes back it’s time to possess it and He’s going to take it. It’ll be His and it says in Psalm 2:9 and 10,

You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 

This is an Earthly Kingdom friends, not spiritual or heavenly that’s somehow in our hearts.

Notice the warning in these verses? It says when Christ comes and possesses His kingdom beware you judges and kings on the Earth. You’d better kiss the Son, that’s the Son of God, or Trust in the Son. You’d better fear the Lord or else He’ll judge you face to face right there on the Earth.

We’re talking about that Kingdom on the earth when Christ is King and what that’s going to be like.

Will that be different than today? Very much so. The name of Christ’s become an insult for a lot of people today in this world. It won’t be then when He’s the King over all the earth and everyone’ll know Him.

Romans 14:11, quoting prophecy from Isaiah 4:23,

For it is written: “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD.” 

Then Philippians 2:10 & 11,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Now let’s go to Romans 11:25 – 27 and we read,

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “THE DELIVERER WILL COME OUT OF ZION, AND HE WILL TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB; 

FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”

Paul’s again quoting prophecy, this time Isaiah 59, explaining Israel’s place in this dispensation of grace today and why Israel and their promises aren’t being fulfilled today.

He explains that Israel is not finished. Israel will be saved because of those prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled. Every Word of every prophecy God has given must and will be fulfilled.

Paul explains this mystery unless, as he says, you should be wise in your own conceits, or opinions, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.

That’s after this current mystery dispensation that was kept secret since before the foundation of the world but is now revealed. Israel’s blind in part currently. Israel’s fallen today, but they’re only blind in part until a future time and that’s when Paul says in verse 26 here, that all Israel shall be saved, as it is written in Isaiah 59.

Remember how in previous episodes we saw how ever since Israel was taken to captivity back there in Daniel that Gentiles have reigned over the world and Israel’s not been in their position that God promised them as a nation and how Christ called this time, “the time of the Gentiles”, because of that.

However, when the time of the Gentiles is done, and Christ comes back and destroys the kingdoms of this world and sets His own kingdom up, what happens?

Israel’s going to be saved and put in the position that God promised them since Abraham.

All the world’ll be blessed through Israel at that time. People will look at Israel and say the Lord’s with them. They’ll say salvation is in Zion. That’s a lot different than now. When Israel’s talked about today, we only hear about bombs and armies and guns and struggle and hatred.

But not then.

They’ll be in a position above all Nations and all the world’ll come to them as Romans 11:25 – 26 says.

Israel is no longer blind in those days. They get saved to be the priests and ministers of the lord, to bless the nations of the world.

In Romans 11:12 Paul writes,

Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 

If their fall led to Salvation being sent to Gentiles by Grace what incredible things will come from their fulness?

Romans 11:32 says,

For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

That’s the reason why God’s giving grace to the world, Jews, and Gentiles, because the Jews, as a nation, fell when they rejected Christ their Messiah.

As a result, they no longer have a position anywhere close to what they had before they fell.

They’re no different than the Gentiles that’ve rejected Christ.

So, since both Jew and Gentile are fallen, God can offer salvation to all of them freely by grace and that’s what he’s doing today.

The problem is that, today, we’re still in our sinful flesh.

We have salvation by grace through faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet we have to constantly deal with our flesh not being healed.

We struggle with things in this present evil world.

When Christ Reigns as King we won’t have to deal with that anymore. No more present evil in this world.

How much more their fullness the salvation of Israel.

That’s the hope that God has for the Earth.

Romans 11:15 says,

For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 

I mean if we get reconciled through grace freely today what will it be like when Israel actually rises to power, and this world is no longer evil with everyone in unbelief?

Look at Jeremiah 23:3 and it’s God speaking through Jeremaiah,

But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 

Everywhere we see that word “flock” in the Bible it deals with Israel.

Israel are God’s sheep so it shouldn’t surprise us to see in Psalm 23 the shepherd leading through the valley and the green pastures, talking about Israel in that tribulation time of trouble, the shadow of darkness and death, and leading them into that Kingdom Psalm 24 depicts.

Jeremaiah 23:4,

I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the LORD. 

Many people think that Israel’s fulfilling these prophecies of Jeremiah 23 today.

They think that the Balfour Declaration of 1917 was God bringing them back to the land. But does Israel today lack nothing and is the Lord their Shepherd over them?

As a nation, they reject the Lord Jesus Christ today just as they’ve always done.

Prophecy says Israel will return in a certain way and God’ll do it and when they return the world’ll know that God did it and that surviving remnant of them will finally accept the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 23:5,

Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 

Is that a picture of unbelieving Israel today?

See this is talking about a kingdom that God establishes after he’s knocked down the kings of this world. This’ll be a King who’ll execute judgment and Justice in the whole earth.

There’d be a huge political problem with that right now if you preached God’s Kingdom on the earth following the justice and Judgment of Jesus Christ.

It’s ridiculous for Christians to think they’re helping bring God’s Kingdom to earth by donating to the building of the next temple.

We live in a present evil world where even Bible believing Christians either reject the whole counsel of God or fail to learn it.

In Jeremaiah 23:6 God says,

In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Is that what we see in today’s headlines? Israel dwelling safely?

Some say, well, they’ve got the Iron Dome missile protection system, so there it is, fulfillment of Prophecy! Hardly!

He shall be called the Lord our righteousness. Is that Israel’s current prime minister?

Jeremiah 23 verse 6 is talking about Jesus Christ as King in Israel and He’s going to protect them.

We’ll see later in Revelation 21 how He protects them with fire from heaven and it’s not the Iron Dome system.

He’ll just burn them up. That’s how he protects them. No need for missiles. Won’t it be great when the people living at the time in that Kingdom no longer need to use the brains that God gave them to create missile defence systems? How many unknown and awesome things will they turn their intelligence to?

Today Israel observes their holidays, and those holidays hearken back to when God delivered them out of Egypt. So, they do Passover, and they do the feast of unleavened bread and all to remember what God did for them in Exodus.

But God says in Jeremaiah 23:7 and 8,

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 

but, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” 

They’ll say the Lord brought them back, not out of Egypt but out of the countries, to their own land.

The world will say this. They won’t need a church to explain it to them, they’ll all know the Lord. That’s what the Bible says.

Look at Jeremiah 33:14 to 16,

Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

Is that what we ought to call Israel today? The Lord our Righteousness?

These are questions we all need to ask if we think the Kingdom’s happening today.

Of course, it isn’t but what a time that’ll be when there’s actually a nation that’s proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ and He’s the King.

Jeremaiah 33:17,

“For thus says the LORD: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 

Never shall there not be a king from the house David on the throne of Israel and so the promises that God made to David will be fulfilled in this Kingdom.

It’ll be a Son of David as the King.

Jeremaiah 33:18,

nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ ” 

Today Israel can’t offer sacrifices because the Kingdom’s not here and the temple’s torn down.

Jews today want to rebuild their Temple to offer sacrifices. What’s stopping them? Money? No, it’s not money it’s politics. They don’t have the authority. They’re fighting a political battle. There’s Muslims over there. There’s Palestinians over there. There’s Jews over there who all but a few reject Christ outright.

The issue is political, and it’ll be solved when this Kingdom comes with Christ as King.

In Jeremiah 33 we can read down to verses 25 and 26 where God explains this promise He made to them and how He made a covenant with them that will not be taken away.

He considers the things in the heaven and in the skies as a covenant. He’s saying that if I can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night then there should not be day and night in their season. Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant.

He says similar in Jeremiah 3.

Look at the sun, the Moon, and the stars. The sun comes up every day and the moon has its Circle every month. If you can stop the Sun from shining and stop the Moon from doing what it’s doing and the stars from shining, then Israel will cease to be able to claim the promise I made with him.

That’s what God says in Jeremiah 31.

Those things are there because I put them there for times and seasons and if you can stop that then you can stop the kingdom coming back to Israel.

The point being that nothing can stop what God’s going to do. He’s going to make it happen. He’s got a covenant with Israel. He made a promise to them.

The Kingdom come to Earth means the rise and salvation of Israel.

For Christians today to preach that the Kingdom on Earth is theirs is only one step away from claiming to be Israel.

Christians cannot build the Kingdom and it won’t be set up without Israel being present.

Isaiah chapter 11 verse 1 and 2, was fulfilled in Jesus’s Earthly Ministry, now he’s going to be the judge of all the earth.

In verse 3:4 we read,

His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears,

But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 

See, with righteousness He’ll judge the poor and with equity or fairness He’ll judge the meek, the humble of the Earth.

Look down at verse 9,

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. 

It says nothing will hurt or destroy. There won’t be people hurting each other at this time.

When the Gentile powers are destroyed and Israel is set up as that Kingdom, and Christ is ruling, the Gentiles will come to Israel and Israel’ll give them blessings. They’ll come to learn the law of God. No more debates about the best system of government or the best form of economics or the best political rules. You go to Jerusalem to learn the law of God and that’s how it’s done all over the Earth. What a great time.

Isaiah 11:11 and 12,

It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. 

He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. 

This is what will happen in this Kingdom after the tribulation is over.

It’s time to gather in His people. Building the kingdom begins here when Christ returns.

Look at Isaiah 46:13,

I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.

The glory of God on the earth will be that Nation, and it’s where people get saved.

We wouldn’t send someone to Israel today to be saved, but at that time that’s where they, the nations, will go for salvation.

They’ll hear about salvation and God’s blessings in Israel.

Look at Isaiah chapter 60 verses 1 and 2,

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

Who’s this? Israel! The darkness over the face of the Earth is the tribulation where there’s flames and fire and smoke and dead people. That’s darkness. But what happens? The light that comes out of this Darkness is saved Israel.

He says rise from the ashes Israel. I’ll resurrect you; I’ll make you this nation and you’ll be my glory on the Earth.

Isaiah 60:3 and 4 now,

The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. 

Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

So, you see all the nations come to them and they won’t need to be convinced.

God makes that happen.

This certainly doesn’t describe Israel today, does it?

However, at that time the world will be so desperate for salvation from this destruction that when they see a nation with the power of God on them that’s where they’ll go.

To Isaiah 62:1 and 2.

For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. 

The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name. 

This is the Word of God, where God Himself is speaking by the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet. It’s very plain.

Isaiah 62:3 and 4,

You (Israel) shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem In the hand of your God. 

You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; For the LORD delights in you, And your land shall be married. 

There’s a famous old Christian church hymn called Sweet Beulah Land, but it’s not for the church today, it’s about Israel and their land. This is the only place where Beulah shows up, and it’s clearly about Israel.

In Biblical Hebrew Beulah means “married”, and applies to the land that Israel will marry, the land promised by God to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

We’re not Israel and we don’t have a land promise so us singing about this Beulah land somehow relating to the church today is very odd.

By the way this gives a whole different perspective on Revelation 21 and the Bride of the Lamb which many if not most Christians think is the church.

Where does the church get that from? But that’s a discussion for another day.

In Zechariah 8:22 and 23 we read,

Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the LORD.’ 

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ‘ ” 

People will flock to Israel to learn of God.

We’re going now to Revelation 19 to see what this is all going to look like according to the revelation of Christ.

The Book of Revelation is not a confusing book. It’s very clear if we take it literally.

Revelation 19 is where the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to judge and make war and to set up his Kingdom.

Revelation 19 down in verse 19 and 20 we read,

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

Christ comes back and destroys the armies of the world, and he takes that false Christ and that false prophet, those dictator leaders of the world at that time, and casts them into the Lake of the fire.

They’re done, finished. He doesn’t compete with them. They’re simply finished off.

Verse 21,

And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 

Remember last episode we spoke of this sword being a symbol of the Words that Jesus speaks. Words of Judgment in this case.

Now look at what happens in Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 and 2,

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 

He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 

So, we’re here at the beginning of the kingdom and Christ has just destroyed the armies of the earth and He’s destroyed the antichrist and the false prophet by casting them into the lake of fire.

Then he turns to Satan, the third member of that Unholy Trinity.

He casts him into a bottomless pit, and he binds him for a thousand years.

We can’t bind Satan today, contrary to what most in the charismatic movement believe.

When the kingdom comes Christ will bind Satan and he’s not going to be unbound for the 1000-year span of the Kingdom.

Can any of us imagine this earth with Christ ruling and Satan and his evil influence bound from anything to do with the operations of this world?

Revelation 20:3,

and He (Christ) cast him (Satan) into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 

You see, at this time in the Kingdom, when Christ first sets it up, this isn’t to get rid of sin and death.

This is simply to set up his Kingdom and He’s going to show the whole world what the reign in righteousness is like.

Sin and death are still there.

Satan’s in the bottomless pit and he’s just bound up at this time, but then, when this thousand-year period is up, Christ will let him out!

Why would He do that?

Well, this Thousand-Year Millennium as people call it, this Millennial reign of Christ is going to be a time where Christ enters into this cursed world and reigns Himself showing people how righteousness can reign and how from that we’ve been for the last six thousand some years. He’ll show firsthand the incredible way the earth functions with sin bound and Christ ruling.

But even then, even at the end of this Thousand Years there’s going to be people who oppose Him.

How could that be?

Sinful man! Sin still exists!

There ‘ll be people in this thousand-year long Kingdom, generations in fact, who weren’t born before Christ set up this Kingdom.

All they know is Christ on the throne.

Their parents’ll tell them stories of old about before Christ came and how He was rejected and how He destroyed all the unrighteous people of the earth, but the kids don’t know that, or at least it’s just an old story to them. They’ve been born in this Kingdom, and they don’t know anything else.

There’ll be plenty of them who’ll say, “I don’t like the way Christ’s doing things”, even though they don’t know anything different.

It’s like kids today complaining they’re bored, even though they have smartphones and TVs and video games and every toy and gadget imaginable. It’s like, “Really? We used to have a stick!”

That’s how it’ll be in this time. People are born and at the end of this thousand years there’ll be an uprising again against Christ.

The Lord’s response is quick and sharp.

I’m the King of the earth. You’re in rebellion, poof. With fire they’re gone.

That’s the end of all things. That’s the end of the world. We talk about the end of the world, that’s the end of it.

He, The Lord Jesus Christ, comes back to conquer and possess the world, but this is the end of it.

There’s no more sin and death after that, after the thousand years.

In Revelation 20:7 and 8 we read,

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 

Though it says in verse 2 that Satan is bound for a thousand years here we see where he’s unbound after the Thousand Years.

So much is written about Gog and Magog today, but do you know that this is the only time in the entire New Testament it shows up?

In what context do we find it? In the millennium, at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ.

Why is there such a fascination with Gog and Magog today?

Even if you think we’re living in the tribulation, they’re not mentioned in the tribulation at all. They’re mentioned here at the end of the millennium and only here.

The only people who could possibly be looking for Gog and Magog are people who don’t take their Bible literally and who think we’re living in the Kingdom now, otherwise it’s not important to us today.

There’ll be a thousand-years where whole Nations will be built. Gog and Magog will be there. Generations will be born, and Gog and Magog show up to gather them together to battle.

The number of them is as the sand of the sea.

Revelation 20:9,

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city (that’s Israel and the city of Jerusalem). And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

Revelation 20 verse 10,

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

That right there is the end of all things sin.

Now, let’s jump back a moment to Revelation 20 verse 4 which is after Satan is bound for a thousand years. Who’s going to reign in these thousand years?

We know Christ is on the throne, but John says here, and we read,

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

There’s going to be people who had died Martyrs deaths during the tribulation and were resurrected to be rulers in this Kingdom.

That’s an amazing thing because today, only Christ has been resurrected. Christ is the first of the Resurrection.

But during this time, these people will be raised from the dead to Reign on Earth with Christ.

As Revelation 20:5 says,

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

There’s going to be both people who’re resurrected from the dead and people who are living for the first time during this Kingdom.

It seems strange, but that’s what the Bible says.

There’re going to be children being born during this time and we’ll get to that in a moment.

There’re also going to be people dying during this time. You’d better be dying in the Lord because Revelation20 verse 6 says,

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Paul, in the epistles to the church today, never once uses the word priest to describe members of the Body of Christ.

We’re not Priests of God! We’re his ambassadors and we’re members of his body.

The priests of God mediate between two parties, that’s what a priest is.

During the kingdom there’ll be Israel who’ll be priests mediating between the Gentiles and God.

In Israel there’ll be great rejoicing.

Psalm 98 is the song they’ll be singing and it’s a song about all the nations coming to Jerusalem and praising God for the works that He can do. It’s a great Psalm that confirms all we’ve been discussing here.

Isaiah 49:6 deals with this Kingdom and talks about the restoration of people during this time,

Indeed, He (God) says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 

Then Isaiah 49:7,

Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.”

Isaiah’s talking about the day of salvation and the restoration of Israel.

God’s going to remember Israel and He’s going to bring them back.

Ezekiel chapter 40, which you can read on your own, talks about priests and temples.

Israel had a religion that God established and he’s going to set it up in this Kingdom, in this time during the thousand years where there’s still sin and there’s still death.

Christ is the king and he’s judging righteously, and Israel is resurrected and they’re reigning with him and they’re going to be ministers to the world ministering God’s righteousness.

Ezekiel 40 describes a temple that has never been built in the past. It can only be built in the future.

People might say that’s crazy. You’re saying they’re going to reinstitute the sacrifices? Yes!

Jesus Christ is the atonement for sins and during this time sin has not yet been destroyed.

How many times did Israel sacrifice for atonement of the sins of the nation?

Once a year? How many times do they offer other sacrifices? All the time!

There are offerings and sacrifices that have nothing to do with the atonement of sins. There’re burnt sacrifices that have to do with praising God. It’s a testimony given to God.

People are disgusted by sacrifices. They say, see God’s going to kill animals. But hold on.

What about your steak on the grill, your hamburger patties, or the roast cooking in the oven?

We tend to disconnect from where our food comes from.

There’s going to be sacrifices.

Ezekiel 40-48 explains how that Temple will be rebuilt and how The Lord will actually be sitting there.

In the Old Testament there was the glory of God in the Holy of Holies.

No one could go in there except the chief priest once a year.

But that changed when the veil, the curtain, that separated the Holy of Holies was supernaturally torn when Christ died. We see this in Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38 and Luke 23:45.

But in this Kingdom day Jesus Christ will be sitting in the temple.

There’ll be a table of the Lord and the priests, as described in Ezekiel 40, will bring their sacrifices to Him and they’ll eat these sacrifices with Him.

In the Old Testament the priest would eat the sacrifice. The burnt ones are all burned up but the other ones they’d eat.

That’s what the priest’s privilege was and so in the Kingdom come the priest will take the sacrifices for the sins of the people.

They’ll come to that table of the Lord, and Christ’s priests’ll sit and eat with Him.

In this amazing picture the whole world comes to Jerusalem and what are they doing? Bringing sacrifices to the King of all the earth.

You and I are not going to be on the Earth but that’s what’s going to happen. Read Ezekiel 40 through 48 and you’ll read more about that temple and the temple worship before the table of the Lord and how they’ll follow that law.

Isaiah 66 says that they’ll observe the Sabbaths, Passover, and the new moons and all those holy days.

They won’t celebrate their deliverance out of Egypt at Passover, but Jesus Christ and his shed blood.

They’re going to observe those holidays and those Sabbath days as they were then in the past shadows of the things to come which is this Kingdom on the earth.

The millennial reign’ll be an institution of perfect worship on the earth which is why they pray “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven”.

There’ll be a final judgment after the thousand years, after Christ’s reign of righteousness and judgment, after Israel’s rise.

There’ll be an uprising when Satan’s released, as we’ve seen, and Christ, the King, will put that uprising down very quickly as Revelation 20 says.

Fire comes down and devours the rebellious just like in the Old Testament, and immediately after this happens there’s a judgment.

Revelation 20:11 and 12,

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 

Are you and I going to be there?

The answer is no!

If we’re saved by God’s grace, we’re not saved by works, we’re not judged by works.

We’re saved in Christ Jesus and we’re in Heaven at this time.

These are all the dead who have been in Hades as verse 13 says,

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 

This resurrection of the dead is not for believers.

For believers who died during the tribulation, the resurrection of the just has already happened and, of course, the dead from our age today, the dispensation of grace, were resurrected at the catching away of the Body of Christ, the rapture, along with those that were alive at the time.

This is the resurrection of the unjust.

Death is not the end of the story.

Those dead who’re not saved throughout the ages will see Jesus Christ.

In Revelation 20 verse 11 there’s the final judgment. All the unbelieving world’ll be judged, you see. All those throughout the ages who’ve rejected God and the salvation He paid such an incredible price to give us.

This includes Hitler along with every filthy dictator like him. The politically correct, self-serving unjust judges and politicians, the war and terror merchants, every killer and thief, every unbelieving, God rejecting person who ever lived.

This is why we read in Deuteronomy 32:35,

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’ 

And in Romans 12:19,

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 

They’ll all be resurrected and stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, King of all the earth and answer for their sins and their works.

As believers we’re judged righteous. Not for our good works, we have none, but because Jesus was judged on our behalf all those years ago at Calvary’s cross.

But these people have rejected what Jesus did in taking our place, so judgment can only be carried out on their own works and there’s no righteousness in those works.

At the end of this judgment, we have Revelation 20 verse 14 saying,

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

No one will ever go to Hades, to hell, anymore after that because it, along with death has been destroyed forever.

Then verse 15 says,

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 

That’s when we move to Revelation chapter 21, and in verse 1 John says,

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

To the Jewish mind, the sea meant a place of separation and evil.

In verse 2 John says,

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Then in verses 3 and 4,

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 

Then in verse 5,

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

God’s intention throughout all mankind’s history is to first show this world what righteous reign looks like in a sinful world, then get rid of sin, get rid of death, and make everything new.

Believers are here for eternity with Christ. They’re serving Christ with no pain, no death, and no sorrow and they’re reigning with him forever.

You and I as believers are part of that reign but not on the earth. We’re in Heavenly places. We’re part of God’s great purpose to reign with him forever in perfect righteousness, but we’re not part of Israel on the Earth.

Ephesians 2:4 to 7 make this clear as it says,

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

We’ve been given a Heavenly place, so when we talk about this everlasting Kingdom and how great it’s going to be, where all things are new, we see that we’re part of the Heavenly purpose of God.

We have a hope that Jesus Christ, as King will reign both in heaven and earth and we’ll be subject to him.

This is the great hope. It’s why we see in Revelation 22:0,

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 

So, when we read these things about the Kingdom, we can understand it’s for Israel and it’s for the Earth. We see in this preaching of the Kingdom, God’s plan to reign in righteousness.

It also should give us hope for the heavenly places as well, because that’s how he’s going to reign there, with righteousness, and justice. We’re going to be with him in glory in heaven.

May all who have the opportunity to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth do so today.

Then we looked at how the tribulation will achieve these things and we saw that included in the process is the redeeming of Israel’s land grant that God promised unconditionally to Abraham.

In this episode we’re going to look at salvation in this period. We know many people will be saved in this very dark time, but how?

People tend to think that the study of the end of the world events is about studying every detail in the book of Revelation, but the main point is understanding why we believe in the return of the Lord and the fulfillment of prophecy and what the difference is between the end times and us today.

This is what rightly dividing scripture means in 2^nd Timothy 2:15

Be diligent, or study, to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

If you and I don’t understand the difference between the mystery of Christ given to Paul, the time we live in now, the dispensation of grace, and God’s purpose to Israel, or if we try to mix these times, we’ll not grasp the reality of end time events.

We should understand that today is called the day of salvation by Paul in 2^nd Corinthians 6 verse 2,

For He says: “IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s using the prophecy of Isaiah 49:8 here.

We’re saved today by what Christ did for us in suffering death on the cross in our place.

We’re sinners deserving of just punishment, but He took it for us that we might be saved from it.

So, God has this world today, a world full of sinners, a world that’s entirely rejected Him.

Gentiles had rejected God for centuries in the past, but his own people Israel had rejected him also.

So, what should God do?

Well, the just way for our Righteous Holy God would be to judge the sinners and then save the righteous, but instead of this God reveals the mystery of salvation and the mystery of the gospel to this man named Saul whose name is later changed to Paul.

He wrote 13 epistles in our Bible and in them Paul describes this gospel of salvation, not by our righteousness or our works of the law or because of who we are, if we’re of the nation of Israel or not, but by grace through the hearing of and the acceptance of, the gospel of grace.

We don’t do anything to be saved other than believe.

Christ did everything required for our salvation when he died and shed his blood on that cross and rose from the dead. It was fully complete works and we can add nothing to it.

If we believe that, it’s called faith and  we’re saved freely by His grace, through that faith.

That’s how God sees the world today, a world of sinners that, potentially, can be saved by God’s grace if they accept it by believing the Gospel of grace.

We, who are Christians, are His ambassadors according to 2^nd Corinthians 5:20,

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

To those who are saved God gives the role of ministers of the gospel and we make this gospel known to others and more are saved and the church, the Body of Christ is built and continues on and that’s why we do what we do.

God’s not pouring out judgment today, He’s offering salvation. Believe the gospel and be saved. How long will he wait? Only as long as His grace is still available.

In this dispensation of God’s grace that we live in today, salvation is different to the time of the prophesied tribulation, the day of the Lord’s wrath, the time of Jacob’s trouble.

This is the time God pours out judgment and wrath to the people on the earth who’ve rejected Him.

That change is so important to grasp.

In Romans 11:32 we read speaking of Israel,

For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 

The reason God can offer salvation freely to all sinners today is because His own people, Israel, rejected Him.

That’s why He offers grace to all individuals today, Jew and Gentile. We’re not being dealt with as Gentile nations or a Jewish nation anymore, but as individuals who make up a body, the Body of Christ.

Israel as a nation is counted into unbelief.

We’re looking at salvation in the tribulation and how it works.

Though there’s a change in the method of salvation between now and then, this does NOT mean that Christ’s blood isn’t still the bases of salvation. It’s on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection that all men are saved and it’s always by God’s grace.

But God’s attitude towards humanity’s going to change when He stops dealing with the world according to His grace alone.

It’s time for judgment then and we understand more why Paul said now is the day of salvation. Now is the time when God’s not pouring his judgment on the earth. Now is the day to be saved when it’s offered freely.

In Roman’s 6, Paul explains how we’re free from the power of sin over us and how, not being under the law, we’re dead to sin and dead to the law.

Romans 6:11,

Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

He also explains how we’re free from the penalty of sin, which is death. Verse 23 of Romans 6,

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Then there’s a third thing called the presence of sin.

Romans 7:18,

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

We’ll it’s this presence of sin that’s exactly what Christ is coming to eradicate, temporarily before the Kingdom is set up during the tribulation and permanently after the Kingdom has existed for 1000 years.

To save the world from the presence of sin is going to take a major overhaul!

That’s why the cataclysmic events that occur in Revelation are justified and need to happen on such a grand scale, because sin is so entrenched in people and institutions and governments in the kingdoms of this world that they cannot stand.

Simply reforming them won’t work.

We see that time and again through the Bible. Israel would occasionally get a good king and times would be good for the nation only for the whole thing to fall miserably with the next appalling king. It’s no different than governments today except they get continually worse. It all needs to be overturned and started anew.

In this we see the justification in what God’s going to do in this coming tribulation.

We’ve all heard about the horrors that’ll happen during the tribulation, the water poisoned, people being killed by the millions, the oceans turning to blood, horrific sores over people’s bodies, and we think, how can anybody get salvation from this.

When you and I talk about salvation we’re talking about how to be saved from the penalty of sin. How can we, as individual humans, be saved from eternal death and get eternal life? How do we get justified before God? How do we get forgiveness? And we know all is answered in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But for Israel as a nation to who God promised would be a nation above the nations, a nation of blessing over the earth with physical prosperity, they’re looking for salvation from the oppression of their enemies.

That’s what Zacharias, John the Baptists father prophesied about regarding Jesus in Luke chapter 1.

He says here’s a child that will deliver Israel from its enemies and allow them to live peacefully in this world. He’s talking about worldwide peace and salvation, physically, on the earth, not just a spiritual peace with God.

So, the salvation that we’re talking about here is different.

Let’s look at Hebrews 9:26 to 28,

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

This is where we get the phrase “second coming” and we’re not talking about Him returning to Paul which He did after he ascended to heaven, and we’re not talking about the rapture where He’ll meet the Body of Christ in the air.

We’re talking about a second time the Messiah comes to the earth according to prophecy, in the Hebrew Scriptures.

And when He appears the second time it’ll be apart from sin.

Now I’m sure you all realise that doesn’t mean He sinned the first time. It means He won’t come to pay the price for sin. He did that when he came the first time, he bore the sin of man in His own body on the cross, but here in Hebrews He’ll come the second time bringing salvation.

We’ve really got to get what’s going on here.

Hebrews 9:28 talks about a future salvation. So, are we saved now or are we not?

Well, only in Paul’s epistles do we hear that we’re saved now, but in the Hebrew epistles, in prophecy, they’re hoping for salvation and salvation’s going to come when the Messiah returns to the earth the second time and brings it.

He came the first time to pay for the penalty of sin and to send the Holy Spirit to help us break the power of sin in our lives, but salvation isn’t complete until the presence of sin is destroyed.

For Israel, for prophecy, there’s a different attitude towards salvation and, in Hebrews 9:28, Jesus comes a second time to bring salvation.

Look at 1^st Corinthians 1:18,

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved, it is the power of God.

This is the language in Paul’s epistles, that Christ died in the cross and when we believe we’re crucified with Him. Our sin is paid for in full.

We’re not Israel hoping for a future salvation. We’re not under Israel’s covenants or its law which would require something of us to do.

If it’s by grace, we can be saved completely right now. If it’s by grace, if God does all the work, there can’t be anything we have to do or anything on the earth that needs to be done.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

See that phrase?

We’re saved if we trust the cross of Christ. Thats the gospel for our salvation we are saved by the power of God.

We should point out that this verse, 1st Corinthians 1:18, in the New King James Bible says, “to us who are being saved!” The King James is more correct here and reads, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

So, in the New king James it infers a process. How do we know when that process is complete?

We shouldn’t allow these changed words to confuse our understanding of God’s salvation.

Romans 5:11 says,

but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

See how different this is than future salvation?

It all comes down to whether or not we’re Israel under law and covenant or we’re under grace.

If we have earthly promises from God attached to our salvation, then our salvation isn’t complete until those things’re accomplished.

If we have no earthly promise, if we don’t have an earthly destination, and we’re not under a law that requires us to perform some sort of works, then we don’t have to wait for it. God’s offering it to us now.

Now look at 1^st Peter.

Peter is one of the Twelve Apostles who ministered at the events on the day of Pentecost. He’s writing to people who he said himself were living in the last days and he’s warning about the coming tribulation.

When he preached at Pentecost he stood up and said this is that which Joel spoke about.

Joel prophesied about what would happen during the “day of the Lord”, this period of tribulation before the Kingdom is set up.

Peter prepares them for that in Acts chapter 2 because that’s the next event prophesied to happen, after which Christ will return a second time to set up the kingdom.

Peter also writes the epistle of 1^st Peter where he’s talking to people who’ll go through the tribulation.

If you want to know what salvation’s like during the tribulation read the Hebrew epistles, Hebrews to Revelation. They speak about Christ and salvation in the tribulation according to prophecy.

1^st Peter 1:1 to 5 says,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation “”ready to be revealed in the last time””. 

He’s talking to people who have a hope renewed through faith for salvation which will be revealed in the last times, the last days.

Remember that according to their program they needed a King to set up a Kingdom and when their King died all hope was lost in that program.

When Christ rose from the dead it’s all back on again because now the King’s alive again.

1^st Peter 1:3 says,

He (God the Father) has begotten us again to a living hope. A hope of what? The Kingdom come.

That’s the gospel they preached! A lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

See, it’s all on layby until it comes.

Verse 5 refers to those who’re kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, the last day.

In verse 7 Peter encourages them and tells them not to be discouraged about the trial of their faith.

What trial? Tribulation!

This isn’t talking about the guy down the street that pokes fun at Christians.

This is talking about the prophetic tribulation where Peter’s warning that there’s very bad times coming. He talks about the fiery trial.

Again in 1^st Peter 1 in verse 7 Peter says,

that the genuineness, the trial, of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Peter says when Christ appears again, He’s coming with salvation.

So, you see these verses in the Hebrew epistles dealing with Israel going into the tribulation talk about salvation in the future when Christ comes again.

It all makes sense when you separate this from Paul’s writings.

It’ll be confusing if you try to push these Hebrew epistles in together with Paul’s epistles.

Paul talks about present salvation while the Hebrew epistles talk about future salvation.

1^st Peter 1:13,

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

See the difference?

He’s saying gird up the loins of your mind because you’re going to have to tough it out until the end, the end of the events that we’re talking about.

That’s when salvation is brought to you, at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

He’s not talking about the revelation of the mystery, the dispensation of grace, given to Paul, he’s talking about the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes again from heaven and brings salvation.

When Christ comes at that time, He’s got a bloody sword, bloody garments and there’s smoke coming out from cities on the earth. Is that our picture of salvation today? No, it’s not.

We might say, “Well that sounds kind of wicked.”

No! The world’s wicked. God’s righteous. He’s talking about the judgement of every corrupt system and person on earth and salvation and grace being brought to Israel and the bringing of the promised Kingdom on earth.

It’s a very different mindset than what we have today.

If we’re preaching grace today what’re we trying to do to our enemies? Get them saved! Preach the gospel to them! It’s a very different approach to enemies in what God’s doing today.

It really matters to rightly divide scripture.

Now look at 1^st Peter 4:12,

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

Same book, same apostle, same last times context.

Then in 1^st Peter 4 in verse 13,

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 

So, when Christ’s comes back in flaming fire and vengeance, Peter say that’s the day you can rejoice. That’s the day that Jesus said look up because your redemption is nigh.

When you see these signs, Christ returning, well, you’ll get redeemed.

Today, we’re not looking for signs of redemption we’ve already got it, and when the Lord comes back for the church, in the twinkling of an eye, we’ll be with Him forever and there’re no signs that herald that moment in time.

For the people Peter’s talking to, Israel, they’re looking for signs.

They see tribulation, and they shouldn’t worry about it and give up. They should stick it out through the fiery trial because when the Lord appears in glory, when He comes back and He’s revealed to the earth, then they get glorified.

Look down to verse 17,

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first (Israel), what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 

Paul preaches Grace and peace from God dispensed to the earth but Peter’s saying here the time has come for judgment.

The only way they can both be right is that they’re talking about different times, different dispensations or ages, a different group of people.

God changes from what He’s doing from today in the tribulation.

It’s like when we get a new government. The way things happen changes, a new dispensation begins. Our world changes.

Peter says in this verse that the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. Who’s the house of God? Israel!

In verse 18 of 1^st Peter chapter 4 Peter says,

Now “IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?

Romans 4:5 says that God justifies the ungodly by faith in his gospel.

The ungodly can be saved, but at that time of judgement, the tribulation, God’s pouring out fire from heaven and you want to be saved from that. And the “you” we’re talking about are those in the tribulation.

So, Peter says here if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Friends that’s not describing the gospel today.

Today it’s not our righteousness at all, it’s what Christ did, and ungodly people can be saved freely by God’s grace but there’ll be a time where God changes his operation and how He deals with ungodly people.

God says, “Yes, I was offering them salvation, but they rejected it! Now it’s time to judge them.” And we understand that a perfectly righteous God must judge unrighteousness.

Better to be saved now through His righteousness and His shed blood, by grace, while we still have the opportunity.

Let’s look at Romans 11:11,

I say then, have they (Israel) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 

What God is doing today is that salvation, which was once of the Jews, and is now being offered to Gentiles without Israel. The Gentiles salvation and the knowledge of God was always intended to come through Israel, the nation of priests.

Through Israel’s fall salvation has come to the Gentiles directly.

In verse 12 we see,

Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

Pauls saying that if salvation can be offered today to the people of the world without Israel, how much more will God bring salvation to this world when Israel rises again, when Israel’s restored, when Israel’s saved, when all the prophecies are fulfilled.

The world longs for this salvation of Israel, knowingly or unknowingly, because that’s finally when this present world turns into a righteous world and things will be run differently when Christ brings in His Kingdom.

A saved Israel will fulfill the prophecies in the Bible, making the high places low and bringing up the lowly things that this world mocks.

Those low things are Israel and the reason for the tribulation is to turn the world upside down and destroy the institutions of wicked, unjust, corrupt, and unrighteous Gentile rule and then, from the ashes, bring in a righteous and just Kingdom of salvation.

Last time we saw Jesus in heaven opening the seals of a scroll and we saw why there’s a scroll and why the seals, and why Christ is the only one that can open it.

When Christ starts opening those seals God’s focus is back on his covenant people. So, when that very first seal is opened God has changed the way he thinks about and deals with the world.

He was offering grace to a world of people who rejected Him but when that first seal is opened, He’s reclaiming His right on the earth through His chosen people Israel according to His covenant with them.

That first seal in Revelation 6 is where we have that white rider, the antichrist, coming in the image of the Messiah.

He conquers the world and tries to bring in peace just like the Messiah promised. He’s going to claim that he’s bringing in that new covenant God promised Israel and Israel’s going to believe him.

They deny Christ came in the flesh the first time and because of that they fall for this false Christ at this time.

The church, the Body of Christ is not even there.

There’s not a word about God operating through his ambassadors anymore, offering grace to the world.

Instead, He’s looking at the world differently now, changing the way He operates with a world that’s rejected His Gospel of Grace.

Gentile nations have ruled the world since Israel fell from their heights during the rules of Soloman and David. They fell because of their rejection of God’s laws and disobedience and became captive to Gentile nations.

Gentiles will reign over Israel until prophecy is fulfilled, and that Kingdom of heaven comes and then it’ll be the time for Israel to rise back up to power.

What’s that mean for the Gentile rule that’s been reigning ever since Israel’s captivity?

They’re going to fall, be knocked down and Israel saved.

Israel’s going to be restored out of this into their Kingdom where they’ll reign over the nations. That’s what prophecy talks about, when Christ will come back and make the high places low and the low places (Israel) high.

He’ll completely overturn and reorder things.

During this time of the Gentiles, He’s allowed them to rule in their wickedness until finally He’ll judge everything. Who’s righteous? Who’s wicked?

The wicked will get a sword and that’s when He comes in Revelation 19 fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy with a sword bathed in blood. That’s the righteous judgment on the wicked.

In Hosea chapter 12 God says a similar thing only this time instead of the Gentile nation’s, He talks about Judah.

Just because they’re circumcised Jews and of the nation of Israel through genealogy, doesn’t mean they don’t have a problem with God.

In Hosea 12:2 we read,

“The LORD also brings a charge against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him. 

See, the Lord will punish them according to their ways also.

Ezekiel 21:27,

Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him.” ‘ 

Give what? The land. Whose right is it? Christ’s, as it is Israel’s through the promises of old.

Christ will be the King over Israel whose right has come when He comes.

When we ask about salvation in the tribulation it’s the same as if we were asking how people got saved in Exodus.

Israel were slaves to Gentile powers, similar to the tribulation, under the rulership of Pharaoh, a pagan unbeliever, against the God of Israel.

God had made a promise 400 years earlier to these people, who were enslaved to the Gentiles, that He would deliver them out from the hand of their enemies.

Then God sent Moses a deliverer and what did Moses do?

He sent plagues upon the Egyptian powers and knocked those high powers down.

At the end of the story in Exodus, Israel walks on out of slavery to freedom. They’re singing praise to God, because they’ve been saved, delivered from Egypt.

How did that happen? By God’s power!

The picture of the plagues in Egypt is a shadow of what’s going to happen in the future in the tribulation.

Prophecy tells us that what happened before, God’ll do again. He parts waters back there, He’ll part waters over here. He turns the waters to blood over there He turns water to blood over here. Revelation is an echo, it’s a shadow of the past that’s going to happen again.

In Exodus, if you were an Egyptian how could you get saved?

You would need to go to Israel, to the Jews.

The last plague in Egypt, was a shadow of the cross of Christ. The innocent lamb dying with its blood painted on the lintels and the posts of the doors. What happened to those who didn’t apply that blood over the door?

They died!

It was a horrific time of trouble even for Israel. They’re in their houses trusting in that blood while the Angel of Death came. That’s the tribulation.

That’s the picture here.

Will there be salvation available? Yes.

Is it like the day of salvation we live in now? No!

God always makes a provision but it’s not going to be the day of free grace that He’s offering today.

It’s not God’s purpose in Revelation to send His ambassadors like He has today and evangelise the world. He’s going to overturn everything and make the wrongs right.

In spite of that and because of His mercy, salvation will be available.

Look at Revelation 6:9

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 

Next verse, Revelation 6:10,

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?”

These are those that turned their trust to Jesus Christ in this tribulation period and were killed by a wicked and corrupt people, from a wicked and corrupt system that’s rejected God.

Their souls are in heaven and they’re asking God how long must they wait for Him to judge these people. They’re saying get it over with and let’s bring in the kingdom.

At this fifth seal these martyred saints cry out in heaven for their blood to be avenged.

The next verse, verse 11,

Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. 

Does that sound like how God’s dealing with the world today, a world of sinners being offered grace and salvation?

You see God’s attitudes changed.

They’re crying out how long must we wait for judgement and vengeance and God tells them to wait a bit longer until more people of this corrupt world system die. Judgment has to occur.

It’s too late for the day of free salvation and grace as we have today.

Many of the people who turn to the Messiah are going to die at the hand of the people in the world.

Then in Revelation 6 verses 12 to 15,

I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 

And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 

The world’s kings, the rulers, the dictators, and every corrupt person in power on the earth, these people that were high and lifted up, are going to be knocked down and will run for their lives.

Verse 17 says,

For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

The kings of the earth, the rulers, are saying this. They’re terrified and their underground bunkers and their money isn’t going to save them from this terrible time.

In Revelation chapter 7 verse 1 to 8 we have 144,000 men of Israel who’re sealed with the seal of God on their foreheads. Apparently, they’re going to be there on the earth with God’s supernatural protection.

There are twelve thousand from each of the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel which at this time has a small remnant restored.

In verses 9 and 10 we read,

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 

Here we see the people who’re saved in the tribulation. How do we know?

John asked who these people are, and we get the answer in verse 14 when the angel says to John,

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

This isn’t the church on the earth crying out, it’s these people in heaven crying out thank God they’re saved!

What about these robes?

They are the righteousness of the saints. They’re wearing their righteousness.

They’re before the throne of God in verse 15.

People think that when they see some disaster on the earth today it’s a sign of the tribulation. Nothing like it. No person living today can compare any hardship or catastrophe they may be confronting or anything that’s ever happened before on the globe with this time of tribulation.

Revelation chapter 9 gives us an account of the absolute horror of this period, far beyond anything the earth has ever experienced or ever will again.

Wouldn’t you think that in the midst of this horrific judgment from God, the people would cry out for a salvation?

But look at Revelation 9:20 and 21,

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

People may say this is a reason not to believe because God kills all these people in the tribulation and they say, “I don’t want to serve a God Who does such things.”

Why is this God of love judging and killing all these people?

Well, the message of the cross, that Christ paid for our sins, and we can be saved through His shed blood is everywhere today and it’s also ignored everywhere.

There’s simply no other choice. Judgement must come because unrighteousness must be judged, and the free gift of salvation has been almost universally rejected.

In this present dispensation of grace, God’s holding back judgement, but He can’t and won’t hold it back forever.

Hebrews 2:3 says,

how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

People think a righteous God would just let them live on acting out whatever an evil heart can conceive.

They’ll not repent of their works. They’ll continue to worship devils, idols of gold silver, brass, and stone.

They’ll not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their fornication, their thefts, or anything else.

In Revelation chapter 11 verse 11, God resurrects two ancient witnesses who He gave power to be witnesses to Him.

They have miraculous abilities and they’re going to preach a gospel of fear of God and how people must repent, or turn. Also make no mistake that these witnesses will be somehow seen and heard all round the world.

Some will listen, the majority don’t. They don’t like the idea of God threatening them.

Well for 2,000 years now God’s love and grace has been preached and people didn’t like that either. They’ve largely rejected anything to do with God.

These two witnesses of Revelation 11 have power.

As we read down through the verses, we see it’s the same power that Moses had in Exodus to bring plagues on Egypt.

Why did God, through Moses, bring those plagues on Egypt?

To change Pharaoh’s mind. To show Pharaoh that this is the true God and to fear him. God said to Pharoah, “Let my people go,” but because of the hardness of his heart Pharaoh says, “No,” over and over again.

What do they say on the earth? “No, I won’t repent.”

Eventually they’ll be overcome just like Pharoah in Exodus. And like Moses was the messenger to Paharoah, the two Revelation 11 witnesses will be to the world in tribulation.

In Revelation 11:15 we read,

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of Christ.

When Christ comes back, He’s coming to take what’s His right, and He’ll take it by force.

In Revelation 14:6 and 7 we see an angel sent to the earth. John writes,

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” 

The gospel this angel preaches is not the gospel you and I preach today.

It’s a gospel of fear and judgment.

Here’s another opportunity for them to repent but, unfortunately, Revelation tells us that not many will.

We do see multitudes in heaven that do, but we also see that most on the earth don’t.

In Revelation 14:8 – 10 we read,

And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

You see, if any man worships the Beast, the antichrist and His image and receives his mark in his forehead or his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.

God marked 144,000 witnesses and the devil answers with his own mark. We know it as the mark of the beast.

There’s no need to be afraid of the mark of the beast today because none of these things are going to happen while God has His ambassadors on earth preaching grace.

But if you’re alive during that time simply don’t worship a false Christ. What if a person accidentally gets a chip in the hand? Do not worship the false Christ, it’s very simple.

If they do, they’ll drink of the wrath of God.

Some may say, “I don’t believe in a God like that, I believe in a loving God.”

Yes, we do As well. That’s what He’s doing now and that’s what He’s going to do in the future.

But He’s also a God of justice. Failing to recognise that side of God gives us a false picture of Who He really is.

Revelation 14:11 and 12,

And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 

The saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

It required of them to do Christ’s commandments, to do good things during this tribulation or else they’re going to be judged.

The patience of the saints is that if you’re alive and you’re saved on the earth during this time you have to hope for death or the end of the age to know if you’re saved.

We have salvation now! We don’t need to die to know it. We’re crucified with Christ and dead in Him. We’re not Israel and we’re not in their covenants or under their law.

Revelation 14:13 says,

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them.” 

That’s the patience of the Saints, to endure to the end and they shall be saved.

Works, Labor’s, patience. Salvation in that day relies on you waiting, enduring and being patient until the end.

That’s why the kings of the earth are trying to die, and they can’t.

Friends this is real horror and it’s all unnecessary in light of the free salvation that’s offered today by grace, salvation that we’re 100% certain of.

Hebrews 10 verses 36 to 39 says this, written to the remnant saints in that period,

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 

“FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY. 

NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.” 

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. 

You can fall away if you don’t endure.

Today, God’s given us grace and all spiritual blessings. You and I who believe have been freely guaranteed it by the cross of Christ and through the sealing of the Holy Spirit. We have a place in heaven guaranteed for us.

That’s the opportunity every person has today.

Take it while it’s still being offered.

We realised again that this is Jacob’s, Israel’s troubles. Jacob is Israel. His name was changed to Israel in Genesis 32:22-31 and confirmed in Genesis 35:9.

He’s the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. This period of time is Jacob’s, Israel’s trouble and it will save Israel as a nation.

We asked how does trouble do that?

We’ll see that soon, but we should look at what kind of things we’re talking about.

We’re talking here about things that have never happened before and they’re certainly not the things that are happening as we prepare this episode.

Look at Revelation chapter 6 and we must realise that if we don’t understand what the prophets have said in the rest of the Bible, the Book of Revelation is a very confusing book. We don’t really have any idea what’s going on here unless we’re aware of what’s been said by the prophets in the rest of the Bible.

The Bible is an integrated message, and the book of Revelation is just that, a revelation.

It reveals what God was talking about through the prophets of old.

If we don’t get the Book of Revelation, it’s because we’re not aware of all the other prophecies.

Prophecy is what Revelation is revealing and if we don’t know prophecy Revelation makes no sense.

But if we know what prophecy’s said, Revelation ties it all together. It reveals.

So, it’ll help our understanding if we go back and study the prophecies before the Book of Revelation.

So, Revelation chapter 6 is a popular chapter among prophecy students because here’s where it talks about the four horsemen and the seals.

But to avoid falling into confusion and error, we need to build some foundation first.

Revelation 6 begins with the Lamb (Jesus) opening the seals to a scroll. The King James Bible translates this word “Biblion” as a book.

Let’s ask a question that many people never really ask.

Why are there seals on this scroll and what’s in it?

Well, this scroll or book with these seals has to do with Israel. It’s a promise that God made with Israel that has to do with the land. It’s a land deed.

Jesus, Who in Revelation is the only One worthy to open the scroll, is bringing to reality what God promised Israel, which was this land, this Dominion on the earth, and that’s what happens when this scroll gets unscrolled.

If we can understand this, we can easily see that the church can’t be a part of this period. It’s all Israel. But we’ll get to that soon.

In Revelation chapter 6 we’re trying to figure out what kind of things we’re talking about in this time of trouble. Just how bad do things need to be before we can say this is the greatest catastrophe of all time?

Revelation 6:1 says,

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures (or beasts in the King James) saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”

Like thunder. The day of the Lord will be identified by thunders and lightnings and things in the skies, in the heavens.

Revelation 6:2 says,

And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. 

We’ll talk about this a bit later on. This is the Antichrist. He’s going to come conquering the world.

Verse 3,

When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”

Verse 4,

Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. 

These are things that John, the guy who’s writing the Book of Revelation, sees. These are representations of corresponding events happening on the earth.

The first thing is the white horse which will be the false Christ, the Antichrist. Verse 4 says there’ll be a Red Horse and power was given to him that sat on it to take peace from the earth, that people should kill one another and there was given him a great sword.

So, we’ve got the Antichrist, we’ve got lots of killing happening and then in verse 5,

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 

Verse 6,

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” 

The point here is inflation, hyperinflation, and not only economic trouble, but there’ll be also a problem just getting food.

Verse 7 and 8,

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”

So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. 

The fourth part of the earth! 25%! Currently there’s 8 billion people on earth. Two billion dead?

A quarter of the earth dies by war, hunger, disease, and wild beasts and that’s just some of what’s on the horizon!

No living soul who understands this would ever want to be here at this time.

Right now, is the day of salvation, not then. That’s the day of judgment. Those who get by in that day are really going against the odds.

We need to take the Lord’s offer of salvation now and not put it off thinking that this dispensation of Grace will just keep going on indefinitely.

We haven’t got to the parts yet where it talks about the oceans being poisoned or about beasts coming out and stinging and torturing to death, or about the Serpent’s, the worldwide lightning, the great earthquakes, the Devils. All this is happening in Revelation. Everything you can imagine the apocalypse being that’s what’s in Revelation here.

Look at Mark 16 verse 16. Now we should by now understand the division between prophecy or what was made known to man and the mystery that was kept hidden from man until Paul. It gives us a have a huge advantage because we know that Paul describes what God’s doing today, with the Church, and it’s very different to what Peter and the Twelve Apostles were commissioned to do for the coming kingdom.

When Christ taught the Apostles about the coming kingdom, he gave them power to get there.

Let’s, just for a moment, pretend that this mystery period, the dispensation of grace, did not occur, it’s not included at all in God’s great timeline.

When Christ was resurrected from the dead, he taught his 12 apostles for 40 days and told them to preach the kingdom come. But as we look at the kingdom coming, what comes before it? Tribulation and the apostles knew that. They knew prophecy.

Jesus told them, the Apostles, to prepare for it. He gives them power to cope with these things.

In Mark 16:17 we read,

And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall cast out demons.

These signs shall follow them that believe! These are the ones that believe and accept this message, this Gospel in the tribulation period.

Today we find a kid acting up and we think they have a demon but, in that day, there will be demons possessing people.

Revelation talks about the Devils and the warfare that’ll be going on at that time and these people who’re in this pre kingdom group in Israel will have the power to cast them out.

They’ll not have to fear the devil or demonic forces that’re trying to attack and destroy them. They’ll have the power and the authority to cast them out as Jesus did.

They shall speak with new tongues,

which, of course, is very helpful when they’re trying to communicate with each other from a wide variety of locations during the tribulation.

144,000 Jews are sealed with the sign of God on their forehead, and they’re told to go preach to the world in this tribulation. They’re able to speak in more than just Hebrew as many of these people being preached to at this time will speak many different tongues, or languages. That’s in Act’s 2 when Peter quoted Joel’s end time prophecy.

In verse 18,

they will take up serpents.

What’s going on here? Serpents?

The book of Revelation makes things clear as prophecies like Ezekiel 14 talking about wild beasts as part of the judgment and Revelation talks about these creatures that look like serpents and they’re part of the judgment.

Well, these signs will follow these people who believe the gospel and are baptized, and they’ll be able to take up serpents and not get hurt. They’ll be protected if they trust Christ. Of this group, it says,

and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;

Well, when a third of the waters are poisoned and you can’t drink unless you die it’s very helpful to be able to drink deadly things. You see, God gives powers to these people going through this time of trouble that the world’s never seen before.

By the way, these verses never say these people will be protected from persecution like people cutting their heads off. It does say they’ll lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, which again is helpful.

A lot of these people, these believers, will die and they go to heaven and John sees them there.

Revelation 7:13 and 14,

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 

And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So, he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

They died in and for their faith in Jesus Christ.

So, these powers are going to be helpful in saving Israel out of this tribulation. Huge numbers will die. It’s called a time of trouble friends.

This is not the church’s activity today it’s very different.

The question is when will these things be?

That’s the big question when it comes to prophecy, when!

People read about these things, and they know what the trampling of the wine vat is. They know bad things will happen in the tribulation before the kingdom comes, but when will it happen.

That’s exactly the question the Apostles asked Jesus in Matthew 24 verse 3 as he sat upon the Mount of Olives. We read,

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

The disciples came to him privately asking Him about the end of the world.

How do we know if we’re going to the kingdom and how are these things going to happen.

How do we know when the end is happening, I mean it’s pretty nice to know when you’re done with all this judgment so we can have a more positive view.

In verse 4 the first thing Jesus says is,

Take heed that no one deceives you.

There’s so much deception around the question of when Christ will return, and we’ve already covered some of those things like mixing prophecy with the mystery of the dispensation of grace.

Matthew 24:5 says,

For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

What was the first seal that was released that we just read about in Revelation 6?

There was a white horse, and many will believe the rider is Christ.

So, if you’re here in the tribulation and someone comes as the Christ, You’d know to say, “No, you’re not.”

How would you know those things? Because these many things have got to happen first. There’s prophecies that need to be fulfilled. We see in verse 6,

And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 

These things must come to pass but the end is not yet.

We talk about all the wars all the death and all the things that’re to happen, but Jesus says, “Don’t be troubled”. How can you not be troubled?

He says the end isn’t yet. That’s how you know the end is not yet.

So, the one thing that people say are signs of the end times, well that’s the one thing Jesus says that they’re not signs of.

Mattew 24:7 and 8,

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

What’s Jesus listing here?

Pestilences, earthquakes, famines. Just what we’ve seen Revelation 6.

People hungry, people dying, people sick. And what powers were given to the apostles and the remnant believing group of Israel at that time?

Heal the sick and to get their daily bread. All these things match together and God’s going to work with His people during that time but He’s going to judge the world.

In Matthew 24 verses 10 to 15 Jesus lists some things that will happen.

False prophets and false Christ’s will rise up and people will betray one another the love of many will grow cold. Verse 13 says he who endures to the end shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.

We today in this dispensation of grace don’t preach the gospel of the kingdom, we preach the gospel of the grace of God.

Look what Jesus says in verse 15 and 16,

“Therefore when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

There’s a specific event that happens here called the abomination of desolation that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet.

So, there’s got to be a Holy Place first, something that can be abominated. We are the temple today in this dispensation. Can we abominate ourselves, except for our bad behaviour of course.

Verse 15 talks about this abomination of desolation and Jesus gives us a reference. He says go back and read Daniel. Daniel speaks of something that needs to happen that will tell us when these end things are going to happen.

In Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24, another name’s given to this time period. Here it’s Daniels 70th week.

Daniel was in captivity. He was a faithful Israelite. Israel had received the judgment of God and had been taken out of their land which they’d been promised since Abraham, Issac and Jacob, and God gave a prophecy to Jeremiah before they were taken out.

He says, “I know the plans I have for you,” and it’s another popular verse people always take out of context. He was talking about Israel, and he says in 70 years you’ll return from captivity.

Well 70 years is over in Daniel 9 and Daniel prays to God and says, in effect, “God it’s been 70 years and I read this in Jeremiah 29:10,

‘For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.’ 

So, what are you going to do, Lord?”

When he prays this prayer, Daniel, being the faithful one that he is, God sends an angel to him.

The angel communicates to him what God’s going to do and in this communication is this prophecy in Daniel 9 verse 24.

It describes how long it will be until the Messiah comes and until the end of all things. Daniel prayed and God answered!

Daniel 9:24,

“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 

A lot of things have to happen you see, but the good thing is there’s a time reference. Seventy weeks.

As we read down through here, we understand a couple things.

One is that the week’s here are not actual weeks of days they are weeks of years. The word “week” simply means seven. We use it most often to mean seven days, one week, but it could mean any length of time and here it’s weeks of years. So, there’s seventy weeks or seventy sevens of years.

So, we have the calculation of 490 years.

W’re still in Daniel 9 and Daniel 9:25 – 26, says,

“Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 

“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 

This is one way the Jews could know that the time of the Messiah’s appearance was due.

The wise men from the east knew when the Messiah would come. The Jewish nation could read this also, in fact by and large they already knew this prophecy well.

They could read Isaiah and say yes that’s the right place, that’s the right time. Jesus in fact held them accountable to know the time.

So, we have seventy weeks here and it says in verse 25 that after 69 of those weeks the Messiah, the Prince will be cut off, killed.

This countdown of 70 weeks begins with what’s known as the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.

There were actually three decrees and the story behind them is fascinating in itself but the one that Daniel’s prophecy refers to would be the authority given to Ezra by Artaxerxes in the 7th year of his reign (457 B.C) and spoken of in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

This decree was for Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt, that had both been levelled by the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar.

During this devastating siege, the temple, which had been built by King Solomon, was torched, and the Judean leadership was exiled to Babylon.

The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublesome times refers to the rebuilding of the streets and the walls within 49 years, seven weeks of years, from this date but there were many troubles in and around this rebuilding.

Daniel 9 verses 25 and 26 tells us that there are 69 weeks from the decree to the Messiah.

Within the first 7 of those weeks of years, 49 years, the city, and the temple would be rebuilt. Then 62 weeks of years later, 434 years, the

Messiah would be cut off, killed, but not for himself, and the people of the prince who is to come, the people of the nationality of the Antichrist, the Romans, will come and destroy the city and the temple again.

Another prophecy in Daniel talks about how the Antichrist will come out of a revived Roman Empire.

So, we have a prophecy 483 years beforehand of the Messiah’s death. The Messiah that will come and will die.

This angel is telling Daniel in Daniel 9:24,

“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 

It would be seventy weeks of years until all things are finished.

So, looking back we see the cross of Christ after the 69th week but, what about the last week the 70th week?

Well, looking at verse 26, it says in the second half of the verse that the people of the prince shall come and destroy the city and the sanctuary and in 70 AD this is exactly what happened.

The Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and killed over one million inhabitants and destroyed the temple.  Then, like a flood the Roman army would overspread the land, and carry all before it turning into devastation anything that stands against them.

This antichrist who arises from this revived Roman empire will confirm the covenant with many for one week, seven years, the 70^th and last week of Daniel’s prophecy.

Daniel 9:27,

Then he (the antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week, He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” 

In the middle of this last week, 31/2 years in, he’ll cause the sacrifice and offerings to cease.

Here we have the temple, naturally rebuilt again, with sacrifices and offering being made as of old.

This prince, the antichrist, will make this sacrifice stop and destroy the sacrificial system.

We’ve got this Antichrist, this prince that shall come, who actually declares himself to be Christ, making a covenant confirmed with many people that he’ll break 31/2 years in, and then we’ve got an abomination of desolation happening.

The point here is not to go into all the details of Daniel 9 but to point out that the time of Jacob’s trouble aligns with Daniels 70th week, that prophecy in which all these things’ll be fulfilled. But before those things are fulfilled at the end of the seventy weeks you have this time of desolation this time of trouble, this Great Tribulation.

Now we know that something has happened between this 69th week and this 70th week. That’s this interlude to the prophetic timeline that was a mystery that was never revealed to man through prophecy. It was a mystery right up to the time it was revealed to Paul by Jesus Himself.

When Peter stood up at Pentecost, he said these are the last days and they absolutely were the last days according to Daniel’s prophecy. They were the last days according to what needed to happen. The next thing that was going to happen according to prophecy was this Great Tribulation, but instead Christ poured out and revealed a mystery to Paul. What He revealed interrupted prophecy, and that interruption has so far lasted 2000 years. We know we don’t live in the tribulation at the moment because we live in this time of the mystery, the dispensation of grace.

If we don’t live in this time, and there was no mystery revealed to Paul, and you’d need to rip out the most important books of the Bible that relate to us today to believe that, the tribulation would have been over 2,000 years ago. Some Christians even believe this is the case, that the 70th week happened 2,000 years ago.

Really? So, this world we’re in now has already gone through the tribulation and the 1000-year reign of Christ where sin was bound up and no unbelievers could exist?

And after the millennial reign of Christ the new Jerusalem must have come down from heaven and God must have wiped away the old heavens and earth and replaced them with new heavens and earth.

Come on! Look around! Is this the case? We couldn’t be further away from that picture!

The 70th week of Daniel concludes God’s work with Israel and included in it is the Great Tribulation.

What’s the point of all this judgment? Because of sin!

We already know that God made a promise to Israel to bring a kingdom on the earth.

He made a promise that he would bring that kingdom in righteousness, it wouldn’t come to sinners, so he’s going to judge the world. He’s going to come back and make the high places of the world low. He’s going to conquer the Gentile nations and set up his own Kingdom.

Daniel 2:44 says,

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 

He’s going to restore Israel and that was the question Peter asked Jesus before he ascended to heaven in Acts 1:6,

“Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Jesus tells him in Acts 1 verse 7,

It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 

Jesus doesn’t tell him the Kingdom wasn’t coming. In fact, He said it would come, Peter just wouldn’t know when.

Jesus knew something was going to interrupt the progression of prophecy and it wasn’t for Peter to know what it was, not at that time anyway. He would know before his death.

Isaiah 4 is an interesting chapter that talks about the salvation of Israel through and out of tribulation and how the purpose of the tribulation is to make the high places low and to make those low places, Israel, make them high.

Israel will be purged from all their sins to make them clean once again and God will save them. He’ll judge the world’s wickedness to end the time of the Gentiles so that God’s power can now be in Israel as that one nation above all the nations. That’s time of tribulation, the restitution, the refreshing of all things that Peter presents in Acts 3:19.

This time of restitution and refreshing is when all things are made right putting Israel in the right place and the Gentiles in their right place.

That’s the time of tribulation. That’s why it’s there and when we realise that purpose and that function, there should be no question in our mind as to whether the church is there, because we’re not.

That’s not our ministry it’s not what God’s doing today through us.

We’re not part of a nation.

God’s building a body today and we have a Ministry of the gospel of the grace of God not the rise of the Kingdom. That’s another kind of judgment and there’s no mention of the Church, this mystery Body of Christ in any of these prophetic passages we’ve read.

Neither is there any mention of the church as in the Body of Christ in the prophetic passages in Revelation. The churches Jesus refers to in Revelation 2 and 3 is not the Body of Christ of today’s dispensation of grace.

We must be careful not to associate every word in the Bible with just one meaning only. There are a number of churches spoken of in the Bible and you can do a search on and see the differences.

We’re not going derail this end times study here to fully explain this but just one clear indication that these are not the Body of Christ churches is Jesus’s constant reference to their works and how He’s displeased by them.

This is not how God relates to the church, the body of Christ today.

He graciously bestowed salvation and justification freely upon us through Jesus’s death on the cross and his resurrection and all of those bad works and sinful activity have been crucified on the cross.

Works and our lack of them is not the basis of our salvation today in the age of grace.

Ephesians 2:8 and 9,

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

We, the Body of Christ, are just not there friends.

So, until next time as we learn about these sobering times of judgment on sinners, which is well deserved, I pray that you have received the salvation freely offered by God through the completed work of Christ.

In this episode, we want to see how all this relates to this strange event that’s know today as the Rapture of the Church.

For those listening who are unfamiliar with doctrine as it’s preached in most churches today, the Gospels, along with what’s known as the Hebrew epistles and  the books of Hebrews, James, 1^st peter, 2^nd Peter, 1^st John, 2^nd  John, 3^rd John, Jude and including the Book of Revelation, are preached as if all that’s written in them is speaking to the church, the Body of Christ, today and the sayings are doctrines that the church must follow.

It’s assumed that Jesus’s words that He spoke during His earthly ministry were to the church today and so were the words of His disciples who followed Him at this time.

However, when we really look at these words, we find big differences to what’s preached in the epistles of Paul.

Why?

The key is context! Who is speaking, to whom are they speaking and what’s the age or dispensation that the writings refer to.

When we grasp this and look at scripture from this viewpoint, we clearly see that there’re no contradictions or disagreements, just different groups of people in different dispensations.

Is the scripture we’re studying speaking to the nation of Israel and where the context is the Old Testament law and the prophets or is it speaking to us, you and in the Body of Christ today. This is critical if we’re ever to understand the end ties and in fact the whole bible.

We know from our study in Matthew that Jesus said in Matthew 5:17,

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 

And then in Matthew 15:24, Jesus said,

“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

The more we read of Jesus during His ministry the more we see that His ministry was to Israel to fulfill prophecy and the law. He came to bring in the long-prophesied Kingdom of heaven.

We don’t see the church of today come on the scene until after the continued rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by Israel. The last rejection was at the stoning of Stephen, described in the Book of Acts in chapter 7.

Stephen was a disciple who went about preaching to the Jews about Christ and had great miracles and signs occurring to confirm that what he was saying was from God.

But again, the Jews rejected his message and stoned him to death just as they had rejected Jesus and put Him to death on the cross.

The stoning of Stephen was a sort of final statement by Israel after they’ve had numerous chances to receive the One who was sent to redeem them.

A person was at that stoning who would become one of the most important figures of the Bible.

His name was Saul who violently persecuted the young Church. Jesus Himself would intervene in the life of this man.

One day as he was on the road to Damascus to persecute the Church again, Jesus appeared to him, and he was converted and believed in Jesus as the Christ. His name would be changed to Paul, and he would preach the truth and reality of Christ like no other person then or since.

He would preach the Gospel of grace to Jew and Gentile alike, but his ministry was specifically to the gentiles. He would write 13 epistles, or letters, that are the foundational doctrine of the Church today, the Body of Christ.

Paul, unlike all the other New Testament writers, is preaching from the context of a new dispensation, revealed to him by Jesus, that became an interlude to God’s great prophetic timeline after Israel repeatedly rejected their Messiah. This interlude is known as the dispensation of Grace which has lasted now for 2000 years.

After the stoning of Stephen, God then turns from Israel and rejects them. But it’s critical to see that God hasn’t rejected them forever.

God’s timeline of great and wonderful promises to Israel was put on hold and salvation would now be offered in a different way, and to a different group. Salvation would be offered through grace by faith in the completed work by Christ in His death burial and resurrection, and this new group would be a new creature called the Body of Christ. One spiritual body, made up of individuals from every nation including individuals from Israel.

This was a hugely radical and massive change to the way God had dealt with mankind since Abraham, which was always through Israel and the law.

Salvation had always been through faith plus the keeping of the law. Now, in this new dispensation, Israel is completely bypassed, and salvation is by Grace alone, through faith, without the works of the law. This interlude to God’s prophetic timeline was never spoken of in prophecy. God had kept it secret from the foundation of the world but after Israel’s rejection and their resulting fall, it was revealed to this man Paul.

No wonder the Jews and their leadership persecuted Paul so persistently and so cruelly. It was something most Jews simply could never accept.

God’s set the nation of Israel aside because of rejection of the Messiah.

One day the Nation of Israel will come to the acceptance of Jesus as the Christ, their Messiah, but only a small remnant after an enormous amount of them will be slain during the horrific period known as the Great Tribulation.

So, what we see today is a lot of speculation and confusion relating to the end times and much of this comes from the mixing of scripture that relates to Israel and Israel’s program, such as Matthew chapter 24, with what God’s doing today in the Body of Christ.

So many things that Christians talk about today, especially about the end times, is the result of confusion due to the failure to divide the ages, the dispensations correctly and missing how God deals differently with mankind through those ages.

So, what do we mean when we say, “The End Times”?

Studying the last days, the end times is to study Christ’s return and that’s the major subject when it comes to end time events.

Christ came the first time. He was rejected by His people, He was crucified, buried, and rose again and ascended back to heaven, but before He did, He promised He would come again. Prophecy said He’d come back as well but the question is when.

The whole study of end time events revolves around Christ’s return and not just his return but his return to fulfill what God said he would in prophecy. That’s to bring in this glorious Kingdom on earth after putting down all sin and wicked dominion of nations by pouring out his wrath.

This is what separates Christianity from Judaism. Judaism completely rejects that Christ came the first time. Israel rejected Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah when he came the first time, and they still overwhelmingly reject Him today.

To them Jesus he was just another man, not the Messiah.

Christianity says Jesus was the Christ he was the Messiah. He left this earth after His resurrection, but he’s coming back one day, which we know from prophecy, infallible prophecy.

Amongst true Christians there’re different positions people take on when He’ll return but all Christians believe He will return.

If we don’t believe Christ will return it’d be hard to prove ourselves a Christian.

To know He’s going to return, that He’s coming back, is a foundation of Christianity.

But when will He return and fulfill these prophecies in Israel? When will he bring that Kingdom and will we as the Body of Christ be the focus of that Kingdom?

These questions cause so much speculation and confusion, but they shouldn’t because the Word of God’s very clear about these things.

We get into trouble when we deviate from that Word and we mean the whole counsel of God, into our own ideas or the ideas of others who speak their own ideas, instead of the Word.

This’s where we need to turn our attention back to the book of Acts and the Apostle Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost where he preached, as we showed last episode, from the prophet Joel.

We said when we started this episode that we’d look closer at this prophecy and also the “sister” prophecy of Micah 4, but before we do we need to focus for a bit on the book of Acts.

This book is usually seen as the beginning of the modern church and a recipe for the Church to follow but when we look closer at it, we find that’s not really the case.

Firstly, the book of Acts is a “descriptive” book, not a “prescriptive” book. This means that what it contains describes events that happened at that time, descriptive, but it’s not a prescription of the way the church is to operate today.

The book of Acts is really a book about a transition. It’s a transition between what should have happened after the resurrection and ascension of The Lord and what did happen after that event.

According to prophecy what should have happened was a period of God’s judgment and wrath against an unbelieving world after which time Christ would return and set up of the Kingdom.

But what was not spoken of in prophecy was a period of time that would slot in and delay that. This interlude which we’ve already talked about, was a direct result of Israel’s rejection of their Messiah. The interlude is what we know of from the last episodes as the mystery period or the dispensation of grace that’s so far lasted 2000 years. It’s called mystery because, as we said, it was kept secret by God up until Jesus personally revealed it to Paul.

Peter’s preaching from the prophet Joel’s day of the Lord prophecy in Joel chapter 2. In the first verse of this prophecy this is what the Lord says,

Joel 2:1

Blow the trumpet in Zion And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand.

Then in Joel 2:27 and 28 the Lord says,

Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. 

And it shall come to pass afterward (after what? After the day of the Lord!) That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 

According to Peter and according to prophecy, these events were upon them, but this just didn’t happen. The terrible events spoken about earlier in the prophecy didn’t happen and they haven’t happened yet.

Peter preached this message before Israel’s last and final chances to repent or turn from their unbelief and rejection of the Messiah. This was the intended next step, if you like, after Israel had accepted the Messiah, but Israel continued to reject Him.

This prophecy of Joel has nothing to do with the Body of Christ in the dispensation of grace that was revealed quite some time after the events surrounding Peter’s message on that day of Pentecost. This prophecy relates to the tribulation period which definitely will come as prophesied, just not when Peter preached. If that prophecy had been fulfilled, then the tribulation and the horrors that go with it would have been over seven years after that day of Pentecost happening.

Likewise, the Kingdom of Heaven would have been set up with Jesus’ return and He would have ruled over that Kingdom for 1000 years. So, in our time today, we’d be living in the regenerated earth where sin was completely eradicated and the New Jerusalem, this incredible city of God, would be already here. How different would everything be? Obviously, all this never happened.

Joel’s prophecy most definitely will come to pass and so will Micah 4 come to pass afterwards. Where Joel chapter 2 speaks of war and great destruction during the tribulation period, Micah 4 speaks of peace and of the days after the Kingdom is set up.

Jesus Himself knew that all this would be the outcome!

We see this in Luke 4:16 to 22 when Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah in the synagogue on the Sabath. Let’s read that passage,

So, He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 

And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place (which is Isaiah chapter 61 verses 1 and 2) where it was written: 

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” 

Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 

And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

So all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 

Now what’s so remarkable about this event and what shows us that Jesus knew what would happen after His resurrection and ascension was the place in this prophecy that He stopped reading. It’s what He didn’t read that’s important.

You see Isaiah 61:1 reads just as Jesus read it,

 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD but notice something vital. After that sentence, To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD there’s a comma. Not a full stop, a comma. Jesus didn’t finish the sentence! He stopped before it was finished. What does Isaiah 61 verse 2 say after the comma?

And the day of vengeance of our God;

See what Jesus is saying? He’s left out “The day of vengeance of our God”. He knew that the day of vengeance would not be fulfilled at that time, and it wasn’t.

Peter was preaching prophecy correctly, and He’s preaching it to Jews, who knew those prophecies. But He didn’t know what Jesus did and what the Lord would, later reveal to Peter also, that the comma in Isaiah 61:2 would last for 2000 years.

What would replace this gap, this interlude in the dispensation of the law? We see Peter and the other 11 Apostles continuing to preach the law to Israel through the book of Acts up until the Apostle Paul’s ministry to the gentiles starts in earnest.

Then, through a series of debates and discussion which are all in the Book of Acts, Paul’s ministry grows and reaches the whole known world, Peter’s ministry to Israel, which is the gospel of the coming Kingdom, diminishes.

In fact, in Peter’s own epistle, of 2^nd Peter in chapter 3 verses 14 to 16, just before his death, he wrote this,

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,  as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 

So, to put all this in a nutshell, we have the book of Acts transitioning from the dispensation of the law that Jesus was under when He walked on earth in His ministry as Israel’s Messiah and the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world, all of which was clearly stated in prophecy from the foundation of the world.

Acts transitions from there to the dispensation of grace that was not prophesied but that God had kept secret from the foundation of the world until He revealed it through the Apostle Paul.

Now we should be able to see the reason for this dispensation of grace butting into prophecy as it were.

God’s great plan was that the Gentile nations would come to know God and His salvation, but it would be through the nation of priests that Israel would be after the time of God’s wrath and judgement on the world.

They would be a righteous nation through the shed blood of Christ and a holy nation knowing God intimately having His laws written on their hearts and minds through the new Covenant that they would be under. This is a long way from the reality of Israel as a nation today.

Now, because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, salvation would come to the Gentiles and all individuals of the earth, including believing Jews, a different way as we’ve already pointed out.

All that would be required was to hear the Word of God, the Gospel of grace and respond to it by believing it. Nothing else would be required. No works of the law, no special signs, or rituals, no priests or organisations or acts of circumcision, nothing but simple and pure faith in the Word of God that shouts out to a world in turmoil that Jesus, Who was the Christ, God in the flesh came, was crucified, and buried and rose again the third day all according to scripture.

This incredible and wonderful dispensation of grace that we’re currently living in will end, and probably very soon.

How will it end?

Well, we know from prophecy that God’s original, prophesied timeline will begin again with the last stages of the dispensation of the law before the dispensation changes again to the millennial rule of Christ, The Kingdom.

The last stages of the dispensation of the law will be this dreadful period known as the last days, where God’s wrath and judgement will be rained down on this earth for seven years, the final week of Daniels seventy-week prophecy that has been on hold now for 2000 years.

We know that God could not start judging the world with His wrath while still offering grace. Grace is not judgement and judgment is not grace, so this dispensation must end first. God can’t bring judgement at the same time as grace. He’ll change His attitude. A rough example would be you and I trying to be angry and peaceful at the same instant. We can’t. We must stop being one in order to be the other.

The end of the dispensation of grace will be with the event popularly known as the Rapture of the Church. The Church, Christ’s Body on earth will be taken out so that the next phase, which is a completely different way of God dealing with mankind, can come into place.

And what’s so very important to understand about the ending of this dispensation of grace with the rapture is that there are no events that need to take place before this happens. Not one. It’s an imminent event. The word “imminent” refers to something that’s likely to occur very soon or a situation or event that’s about to happen, which means it could happen at any moment.

This makes the search for signs in the sky and in natural events a futile and even ridiculous pastime even though it’s incredibly popular today.

It’s only through this understanding of the difference between prophecy and mystery, as we call it, that we can clearly see all this unfolding. Without this division there’s a confusing mix of dispensations, a blending of what was prophesied for the nation of Israel and what was revealed through Paul about the Body of Christ, and chucking in judgement for good measure.

Let’s look closer at this mysterious event known as the Rapture, which you may or may not have heard about.

Christ will come back and take his church out of here before the time of trouble (the tribulation) that prophecy tells us will come on the earth as God judges the earth and pours out His wrath on unbelieving humanity before the kingdom comes, as we’ve seen this plainly from God’s Word.

The word rapture is not in our Bible unless we speak Latin and use the Latin Vulgate as our Bible.

Scripture calls it in 1st Thessalonians 4:17 the catching away or the snatching away.

In this passage, Paul’s trying to comfort the Thessalonian Christians, because they’re worried about their people, who were Christians, who’d died.

They’d died before this catching away had happened and they were concerned that this meant they wouldn’t be resurrected. You see Paul taught them about this catching away as part of their basic instructions as Christians. Many Bible scholars think that Paul himself probably thought, in the early stages of his ministry at least, that this catching away would happen in his lifetime.

Paul tells these people whose loved ones had died that their loved ones are with Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 18,

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words. 

See the phrase, “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together”. Caught up together is the phrase in the Bible that in the Latin translates to rapture.

So, the Bible clearly says there’ll be a catching away and we’re going to be caught up together with the Lord both those who have died in Christ and those still alive in Christ, where we’ll meet Him in the air and will be with him forever.

This event is impossible for anyone to believe except for us strange people who are absolutely convinced that God exists and is all powerful all knowing, omnipotent, and that He created all things from nothing but the power of His word. For those of us who believe that, this event, the catching away, as fantastic as it is, is very easy for such a One as our God.

Now meeting Christ in the air is important as it describes a completely different event than the many other passages in the Bible that talk about the Lord’s returning to the earth where he’s going to physically stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

For example, Zechariah 14:4 says this,

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

See, He’s coming back to the earth physically one day, whereas here, in this catching away, we’re getting caught up to the air.

Meeting Christ in the air is not the second coming. He doesn’t come physically to the earth in this great catching away. At His second coming He’ll actually set foot on the earth on the Mount of Olives from where he left 2000 years ago.

So, this catching away is obviously talking about a resurrection because it says the dead in Christ will rise. Well, that’s a resurrection from the dead but it’s not only a resurrection. What’s happening here is a vital and necessary change.

1 Corinthians 15:51 to 53 explains,

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (that’s die physically), but we shall all be changed—

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

There’s a lot of things in the Bible that you and I really don’t have to know to be saved. What we do need to know is Who Christ is and that He died for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose from the dead.

We need to know that Resurrection is real, that Christ rose from the dead and we will too.

It’s really not that hard to understand that God can change us even before we die.

Paul mentions this resurrection, this rapture, other times in his epistles.

Look at Colossians 3:1 to 4,

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

See, if we’re saved by God’s grace, we have God’s resurrection promised to us, and Paul’s saying that we need to set our minds on these things, not on the things of this earth.

This’ll help us deal with all the hysteria and confusion relating to end time events and the circumstances unfolding on this earth.

We have a hope, a sure and certain hope, that we’ll live forever.

It’s guaranteed to us who trust the gospel and are saved by God’s grace. That’s the powerful message of Christianity.

Whether he comes after we die or before we die, we’ll be changed and we’ll be with him in glory.

That’s the powerful message of Romans 8 verses 10 and 11,

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

And Romans 8 verse 18,

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We know that this present world is suffering and so if you haven’t faced suffering in this life good for you, I guess, but a lot of people have and are. This whole life, this whole existence is about suffering and that’s why we need Christ to give us the hope of glory and He’s promised it to us whether we live or die and we know it’s true because he rose from the dead and he’s sitting in glory right now. He’s alive and this is the truth and the great hope of Christianity.

In Colossians 3 verses 3 and 4 Paul says after exhorting us again to not set our minds on the things of this earth,

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Paul’s talking here about the coming of the Lord for the church, those who’re saved. When He comes, we’ll appear with him in glory.

Look at Titus 2:13,

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Our hope is not in a temporal existence, in earthly material goods or some sort of financial or social position, but an everlasting existence. This’s how we can view the trials and afflictions we have now in this life as light and short.

Look at 2 Corinthians 4:16 to 18,

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

You’re say you’re suffering? You say I’ve had this pain for years? Well, how many years will you not have it?

We understand by knowledge of the truth that life is short and the affliction we have in this life is light compared to the weight of glory and eternity.

Our hope is in Christ, in his return and Him taking us up and getting us out of here and as we’ve said already, it’s an imminent event, meaning it could happen at any moment. No prophecy or sign will indicate it’s coming, making the search for signs in the sky and in natural events futile.

We’re Christ’s ambassadors while we’re here in a place that’s not our home because ambassadors don’t live in their home country.  They live in a foreign land. They long to go home but they’re doing a job. We don’t belong here, and we long to be in our home with the Lord.

Are we, the Church, the Body of Christ going through the tribulation that period of God’s wrath and judgment on earth? Are we going to live in the Kingdom on the earth?

In Romans 5:8 and 9 these great verses say,

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

The only wrath that the Bible talks about as being in the future is the wrath that God will pour out on an unbelieving world and an unbelieving Israel during this period known as the tribulation.

That’s exactly the wrath from which we, in the Body of Christ, will be saved from.

That’s the gospel of grace.

We’re members of the body of Christ if we trust the gospel. He’s not going to put his body through Wrath again, He’s already done that when He died.

Jesus, as the perfect Lamb of God, took upon Himself the sins of humanity as Isaiah 53 verse 6 beautifully expresses it,

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

When Jesus died on that cross, God the Father placed the sins of the world on Him. Then he rose from the dead and we’re now each a member of his body and we’re not appointed to wrath, as 1st Thessalonians 5:9 tells us,

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

And as we’ve just seen in Romans 5 verse 9 which says we’re saved from wrath through Him.

In 1st Thessalonians 1 we see it again, where Paul’s talking to the Thessalonian Christians about their position and in verse 10, he says,

And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

How so? The wrath Paul spoke of hasn’t even come yet. That wrath, the time of trouble, the tribulation where the wrath of God will come on the earth is still future.

How has he delivered us from it?

Well, He’s made us a part of his body as Ephesians 5 verse 30 says,

For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

We’re members of His body of which He, Jesus Christ, is the head.

We’re his members down here. He’s going to bring His body up before he returns to conquer the earth and tread out that winepress as Isaiah 63:3 says,

“I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.

He’s going to bring his body up before this and in 1st Thessalonians 5: we’re told,

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another (Paul means by knowing these things), just as you also are doing.

Next time friends well look at the tribulation period and beyond and until then may the pace of God that passes all understanding be on you.