The Greatest Events in the History of the Universe

The first resurrection and the return of Jesus Christ

(Feast of Pentecost)

Fred R. Coulter—May 16, 2021

 - Video |  - PDF | Audio | [Up]

Greetings, everyone! Welcome to the Feast of Pentecost!

Let's turn to one of the most important chapters in the Bible, and yet, it doesn't seem like it, but it is! Why is Lev. 23 the most important chapter in the Bible? It doesn't tell you that it is right here, but this is the foundation of the greatest events ever! I want you to think on that!

We know what it is here, we know where we are, so let's just list them:

Sabbath:

How important is that? You cannot have contact with the true God unless you keep it! You cannot understand the Word of God unless you keep it! I want you to think about that!

For the weekly Sabbath—the special in which God puts His presence—for those who are gathered in the name of Jesus Christ and God the Father. Think about that! Contact with God! How important is that?

Passover

Look at what God has done on the Passover, beginning with Abraham, then the children of Israel (Exo. 12). Then coming all the way down to the day that Jesus Christ died. The most important day in understanding how we're going to get rid of our sins.

Feast of Unleavened Bread

First and last day, they're all important. The first day the children of Israel left Egypt, the last day they walked through the Red Sea.

With us the Feast of Unleavened Bread shows how we remain in contact with God and through His Spirit overcome sin and be converted and transformed in our mind and await the next great day, which is:

Pentecost

As we're going to see today, is a tremendous day!

Feast of Trumpets

That's so important that it's going to affect everyone in the world!

Day of Atonement

How great and important is that? Getting rid of and locking up, and eventually judging and getting rid of Satan the devil! Is that not huge?

Feast of Tabernacles

For a thousand years! Is that not important?

The Last Great Day—the 8th day

The second resurrection! Think about that! None of what I just said concerning these Holy Days is found in Lev. 23. But they're found in other places in the Bible, because Lev. 23 is the framework on which all that God does hangs!

We're going to see how important every word of God is.

Isaiah 14:24: "The LORD of hosts has sworn…"

When God swears by Himself, there can be nothing greater or nothing more powerful, nothing more assured that it's going to happen, because it's based on His existence!

"…saying, 'Surely as I have thought… [whatever God thinks He's going to carry it out] …so it shall come to pass…'" (v 24). I want you think about that in relationship to:

• the laws and commandments of God
• the Holy Days of God
• everything that's in the Bible

because what's in the Bible are the words of God:

• which He has thought
• which He has spoken
• which He has caused to be written down

Think on that! Now do you understand why the Christianity of this world can never understand what God is doing? The little bit that they have is partial knowledge, and that's about all.

"…and as I have purposed, so it shall stand" (v 24). Everything God has purposed:

• every prophecy
• everything in relationship to those of us who are converted

and constantly being converted, growing in grace and knowledge!

At that time it this happened with the Assyrian army, and it's going to happen again with the King of the North in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

Remember that none of these things are written in Lev. 23. A lot of people get fooled by that, because they think it's unimportant. That's like saying the foundation of the house is not necessary.

Try and build the house, what did Jesus say when the storm comes and the waters come and the winds blow? It's going to fall, because it wasn't founded on the Rock and wasn't built according to God's specifications!

What is God's specification for us? That we be converted! So, brethren, the truth of the matter is that God has called us to the most important thing that there can ever be in our physical life in this world!

Verse 25: "That I will break Assyria in My land, and upon My mountains, and trample him under foot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, and his burden shall be taken off their shoulders."

• God is a God of purpose!
• God is a God of meaning!
• God is a God of carrying out everything that He said He would do!

Verse 26: "This is the purpose that is purposed upon all the earth… [Doesn't all the end-time events affect everyone on earth in an unbelievable way?] …and this is the hand… [God's hand] …that is stretched out upon all the nations."

What did God say He's going to do in preaching the Gospel before Jesus Christ returns: And this Gospel of the Kingdom of God shall be preached as a witness to all nations, and then the end shall come (Matt. 24).

Verse 27: "For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who shall reverse it?…."

No one is going to change what God has said He's going to do, with the exception that IF there is repentance, He will delay the punishment! But it's still going to happen.

Any man who thinks he has power against God, any man who thinks he can tell God what to do, read this:

"…And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" (v 27). Nobody!

The truth is, the foundation for all that God is doing is right here in Lev. 23 with each one of the Holy Days right on down in sequence. But you can't see it here. You can't understand it unless you keep the commandments of God!

Let's get on with Pentecost, and I want you to always note this when you read in the Old Testament. You will understand that there are very few words that are from men to God. All the words are from God to men and women! And it comes this way:

Leviticus 23:9: And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, "When you have come into the land, which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring the premier sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD to be accepted for you…." (vs 9-11).

We know that this is Jesus Christ, and it applies from the things in the New Testament that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is accepted for you and me when we repent. But He had to die, be buried in the tomb for three days and three nights as He said, and resurrected and ascend to the Father. He is the perpetual sacrifice! Isn't that marvelous!

Then give all the things to give us the offerings, and many of those things picture the Church.

Verse 15: "And you shall count to you beginning with the next day after the Sabbath, beginning with the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths… [or seven weeks] …shall be complete"—ending in a Sabbath!

That is 49 days, 7 weeks, each week having seven days. You can't have partial weeks, and you can never have a Monday Pentecost. That was one of the gross errors of Worldwide Church of God. The day after the 7th week, which is the 50th day, and also it is the 8th day—counting the last 7+1—think on that!

When did Jesus ascend? On the 1st day of the crucifixion week, which then was the 8th day! Amazing how all of these things take place. So, 50 days, and then you bring a new offering, an offering made with leaven, because only during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is leaven pictured as sin!

We find in Matt. 13 that one of the parables was a woman took three measures of flour and put leaven in it until it was leavened. Jesus likened that to the Kingdom of God

• What is this?
• Is the Kingdom of God sinful?

NO! The Kingdom of God is righteous, righteousness!

This shows the good action of the Holy Spirit converting each one of us. Then when the bread has risen it is baked, and everything is permanently set in the bread. That's also a type of the resurrection!

We will be changed permanently! We will see that this is what this day pictures!

In the March letter, I wrote how that Jesus talked about the last day, and that last day was not the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, but the last day of the count to Pentecost, which is day #50! Amazing!

Fifty is a type of the Jubilee! Won't that be amazing? We'll be resurrected and be free of everything of the flesh, what a Jubilee that will be! It's a type of a Jubilee.

Brethren, I want you to think abut those things as you prepare to give an offering. That all of us have been called to the greatest thing possible, through the love, power and instruction of God, that we will be the firstfruits!

(pause for offering)

Brethren, thank you very much for the offering that you are sending in, and it will be put to good use because everything that all the brethren send in, that's all God's money. Just as you are a steward to tithe and give offerings, in which God holds you accountable for on an individual level, so everything that comes into the Christian Biblical Church of God we use:

• to serve the brethren
• to preach the Gospel
• to publish books
• to send out CDs & DVDs
• to maintain websites

We do it as frugally as we can, so that we can make the most use of those funds to increase all the brethren in grace, knowledge, truth and understanding.

We're going to spend all the rest of the time in the New Testament, with the exception of a couple of references to the Old Testament concerning Pentecost and all the events leading up to it. Here is an event on the Day of Pentecost that Christ Himself announced. So, we'll get there, but in the first part of Luke we have the temptation of Jesus Christ by Satan the devil. Christ past all of the tests!

Satan wants to disturb even Christ, but he couldn't do it. After He recovered, and it took a while to do that, this becomes a very interesting part:

Luke 4:16: "And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and according to His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day… [this day was the day of the Sabbaths—plural—the Day of Pentecost] …and stood up to read. And there was given Him the book of the prophet Isaiah; and when He had unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written… [referring to Himself]: …'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; for this reason…'" (vs 15-18).

Think about all the people in the synagogue listening to Him and what He had to say. There He was standing right in the middle for reading, and He says:

"…He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to proclaim pardon to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (vs 18-19).

He applied all of that to Himself! Apparently, they understood that this man was the Messiah because they said. 'Who is this!' They were going to get rid of Him, but escaped and got out of their hands. Was this not an important thing to happen on a Holy Day? Yes!

Acts 2—we go here quite often, but now is the time to go here because this is the day on which the events in this chapter of the New Testament happened. So, it appropriate that we read it.

We saw yesterday that the children of Israel wanted to hear a man give instructions to them instead of God. They said, 'Oh, if we hear the voice of God we're going to die! So, Moses, you speak to us and we'll hear.' Well Jesus Christ came and He:

• taught and spoke to the crowds
• healed them
• was crucified
• buried
• resurrected from the dead
• ascended to the Father
• came back and for 40 days and taught the apostles extra things they needed to know about the Word of God and opened their minds to it

Then ten days later on Pentecost, here they were in a special meeting room at the temple area.

Acts 2:1: "And when the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day, was being fulfilled… [an articular infinitive meaning it was taking place right then] …they were all with one accord in the same place. And suddenly there came from heaven… [from God] …a sound like the rushing of a powerful wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting" (vs 1-2).

What may have been happening outside? Remember, on Pentecost was the giving of the Law, and not only did they have the wind, they had the fire, smoke and all the demonstration of that, and the power of the voice of God. They couldn't take it. They didn't want God to talk to them.

• What was happening in the temple?
• What did they do on the Day of Pentecost at the temple? They blew a trumpet!

It was probably (speculation) at the time that this event occurred when they were there in the room.

"…a powerful wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and sat upon each one of them" (vs 2-3). What did they see on Pentecost at Mt. Sinai? Fire!

Verse 4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit; and they began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the words to proclaim."

So, here comes the Holy Spirit, VOOM! as a flame of fire direct from God! They started speaking in other languages; each one of the apostles was speaking in his own language, but it was coming out in all the different languages of all the Jews that were there at the temple.

You can imagine that the temple was filled with a lot of people because of all the events that happened leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here are all of these Jews coming from the Diaspora. They were coming to Jerusalem to find out what happened. Some might say:

I remember coming here two years ago, and I saw Him heal and they killed Him! We hear that they couldn't find the body. Could it be that He's resurrected?

Well, Peter and the apostles told them that:

• yes, this was from God
• yes, He rose from the dead
• yes, He was killed and resurrected
• yes, this is the Christ

It was a powerful message that they gave. They referred to other Scriptures in the Old Testament fulfilling of God's Word and so forth!

Verse 31: "He [God] foresaw this and spoke concerning the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in the grave, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses" (vs 31-32).

• we saw Him
• we handled Him
• we touched Him
• we spoke with Him
• He spoke with us

Verse 33: "Therefore, having been exalted by the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this that you are now seeing and hearing."

This was a spectacular major event! How many of the fulfillments that come during the Holy Days are a one-time event!

• a one-time event at Mt. Sinai
• a one-time event at the temple on this Pentecost
• a one-time event of the crucifixion of Christ

You wouldn't know that just by reading Lev. 23!

Verse 34: "For David has not ascended into the heavens, but he himself said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand until I have made Your enemies a footstool for Your feet"'" (vs 34-35).

They were familiar with a lot of these Scriptures, and they're standing there hearing all of this and all these languages. Notice what peter said to them:

Verse 36: "Therefore, let all the house of Israel… [today it is the whole world, because they were to preach the Gospel to the whole world] …know with full assurance… [without a doubt] …that God has made this same Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

They're standing there and they began to understand what an evil thing that they did.

How terrible! Oh my, we shouldn't have done it! Look at all the things that we thought about Him and all that we were told by the Pharisees what an evil man He was. But He wasn't an evil man. He was a righteous Man and was raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God. What do we do?

Verse 37: "Now, after hearing this, they were cut to the heart; and they said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you yourselves shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (vs 37-38).

An amazing thing! God has given that to us, as well. I want you to think about these things in a deep way. Not just today, but as you go on. Think about what God is doing in your life and my life and all those who have come before us, and all of those who will come after us.

God has purposed it! As He has thought, so shall it be! That's an amazing thing!

Verse 39: "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those… [including all the Gentiles yet to come] …who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God may call." That's why it's important!

How are we called? The Father draws us! If we answer the call, then we are chosen! If we're chosen then we're led to baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Then we become the faithful! Think about that! That's why we're here, and why we keep these days!

• How precious are these days?
• How good are these days?

Verse 40: "And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who joyfully received his message were baptized; and about three thousand souls were added that day" (vs 40-41).

You can read other parts of the book of Acts and see how the apostles literally turned everything upside down in Jerusalem and in Judea. We won't get into all of that.

Now we're going to spend the rest of this message in prophecy, and see how that is fulfilled as it comes to the Day of Pentecost and the resurrection of the saints.

I want you brethren to also understand what a great and marvelous thing it is that today we can understand some of these prophecies. Some we can understand very clearly; some of them we can 'see through a glass darkly.' Some of them we can surmise certain things that appear true, and we will do all those today.

Revelation 1:4: "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace and peace be to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come…"

Remember that God says, 'As I think and as I say, it shall stand!' So, Christ is going to return!

"…and from the seven spirits that are before His Throne" (v 4).

Those seven spirits are the seven eyes of God that goes into all the world looking for those who want to worship God in Spirit and in Truth! Keeping God informed about what goes on in the world because He knows everything that's going on.

Verse 5: "And from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood."

• For what purpose?
• Just so we can feel good about ourselves? No! God has a great purpose for us!

Verse 6: "And has made us kings and priests to God and His Father; to Him be the glory and the sovereignty into the ages of eternity. Amen."

Verse 7—We're going to see how this is going to be fulfilled in a tremendous way:

Verse 7: "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him… [no one is going to miss this; they won't be able to miss it; we'll see why] …and those who pierced Him…"

That takes place at the second resurrection for those who literally pierced Him with nails in the hands and feet and the spear in the side.

But since the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is applied to each one of us individually, that is spiritually true for us, so that includes us.

"…and all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen" (v 7).

(break)

The seven Churches equal the seven weeks of time from the Wave Sheaf Offering—the resurrected Christ going to the Father in heaven—until Pentecost. So, in Rev. 4 we find a type of the 50th Day, because John, in vision, sees the Throne of God! The only one who saw part of it before was Isaiah in vision. So, here in vision, John is going to see it again. Notice how it's introduced.

Revelation 4:1: "After these things I looked, and behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was as if a trumpet were speaking with me…"—a trumpet! What is blown on Pentecost? A trumpet!

Go back and read Num. 10, all the things when the trumpet is going to be blown. All of them will be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.

Speculation: ringing of the bell for anything I might say that is supposition based upon the facts of the Scripture.

"…saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place after these things.' And immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One was sitting on the Throne" (vs 1-2).

And John saw the four living creatures and the 24 elders and he heard the four living creatures say:

Verse 8: "…'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come.'" What an awesome thing to see!

Revelation 5:1: "And in the right hand of Him Who sits on the Throne I saw a book… [a scroll] …written within and on the back, which had been sealed with seven seals.

We find that Jesus Christ was the only One qualified to open the seven seals (Rev. 5), and that nothing on earth is going to be done concerning the Scriptures—that we're going to read now forward in the book of Revelation—are going to be enacted unless Jesus Christ opens the seals at the command of God the Father. He's the only One to open them, no one else can!

Sidebar: I was watching TBN—I keep up on that just once in a while—and here's someone saying that the fifth seal has already been opened. No, it hasn't! I might ask:

• Where is the King of the North?
• Where is the King of the South?

Now let's see what happens when this occurs (the opening of the 7 seals); let's see what a thing this is going to be. Remember that everything that takes place from here on out are going to be major events leading up to the resurrection of the saints and the return of Jesus Christ. Then the return of Christ with all the saints back to the earth.

Everything leads to that! There are some inset chapters that tell us how these things develop, but it flows one after the other beginning with the seven seals.

Verse 7: "And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him Who sits on the Throne. And when He took the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having harps and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they…" (vs 7-9)—the saints, not the 24 elders!

A lot of people get that mixed up and say that the 24 elders sing the song. NO! "…the saints. And they…"

"…sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the book, and to open its seals because You were slain, and did redeem us to God…" (v 9).

The 24 elders didn't need to be redeemed. The four living creatures didn't need to be redeemed. But we, the saints, do!

"…by Your own blood, out of every tribe and language and people and nation, and did make us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth'" (vs 9-10). That's not the 24 elders!

It's interesting how easily some people mis-read that.

Verse 11: "And I saw and I heard the voices of many angels around the Throne, and the voices of the living creatures and the elders, and thousands of thousands."

So, when these are opened up, there's going to be a lot of activity at the Throne of God!

Verse 12: "Saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing.'"

I don't know how v 13 is going to work, but it's going to be done just like He says:

Verse 13: "And every creature that is in heaven… [everything that God has made, all of the angels and whatever else is there] …and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are on the sea, and all the things in them…"

Think about that! I wonder how an elephant is going to do it on land, and how a whale is going to do it in the oceans?

"…I heard saying, 'To Him Who sits on the Throne… [God the Father] …and to the Lamb, be blessing, and honor, and glory, and sovereignty into the ages of eternity.' And the four living creatures said, 'Amen.' And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him Who lives into the ages of eternity" (vs 13-14). Quite a thing!

First Seal—One-world religion

There are many events taking place today. One of the major events that is taking place on a big scale is the events described in the first seal.

So, it's very likely that the first seal has already been opened. The mission of the first seal is going on, but it's taking place like a natural thing on earth. That is the bringing of all religions together.

Revelation 6:1: "And I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures say, like the sound of thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a white horse…" (vs 1-2)

This is the false christ, the false prophet! What does he do?

"…and the one who was sitting on it had a bow… [notice that it doesn't say arrows] …and a crown was given to him…" (v 2). Did you know that the pope has a crown?

"…and he went out conquering, and to conquer" (v 2).

Think about this: going out and bringing in all the religions in the world back to the suzerainty of the pope. The other vision of this is Rev. 17 where the woman sits on the beast! The woman and her daughters full of the names of blasphemy.

Not everything is contained in one place. Just like with Lev. 23, you would never guess just by reading that alone that the things that we are covering today are based on the foundation of those things in Lev. 23.

"…and he went out conquering, and to conquer" (v 2)—and it's happening!

Islam is now becoming 'Chrislam' that will become a world religion to even encompass those who don't believe in God.

Notice the key one that has not yet been opened. This one is opened at the midway point of the 70th week prophecy in Daniel. First there will come the King of the North, and there will be an agreement made with the Jews and the temple in Jerusalem. The first three and half years of the seven years is going to be a wonderful peace, because everything is going to be happy, lovely and just really great.

Then the King of South will push at the King of the North and he will come down into the Holy Land and into Egypt and Libya, and he will go into the Temple of God saying that he is God! They will build a temple!

Sidebar: some people who don't know the Bible have said that the third temple has already been built, which is the resurrected Christ, His body.

Not so!

The King of the North is going to hear things, and he's going to come down there against the King of the South, and when he comes into Jerusalem, then he's going to go into the temple, which the Jews will build! They've got a lot of things already done to do it.

When he goes in there—2-Thess. 2—he's going to declare himself to be 'God on earth,' and the pope will back him up on it. The pope will be doing great miracles. All nations will have submitted to the world government.

Here at the halfway point, it all falls apart! Now the events of the last three and a half years unfold in quite rapid fashion, especially the first two years of the last three and a half unfold in Rev. 6.

Second Seal—War!

Verse 3: "And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come and see.' And another horse went out that was red… [war] …and power was given to the one sitting on it to take peace from the earth… [there will be a time of peace when all these things take place] …and to cause them to kill one another; and a great sword was given to him" (vs 3-4). This was war, men against men with whatever weapons that they have!

Now he's got extra power! When that's given to him, the third seal is opened. Let's see how this takes place, right there midway through the last seven years.

What happens when there's war? There's death and destruction! There are dead people, wounded people, people deprived of everything, and refugees flooding out of the war zone, etc. Always happens!

Third Seal—Famine!

Verse 5: "And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a black horse; and the one sitting on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, 'A measure of wheat for a silver coin, and three measures of barley for a silver coin: and see that you do not damage the oil and the wine'" (vs 5-6)—because they're precious and we need those!

What happens when there is war? People cannot get food. Look at us today, how vulnerable we are with the stores. Everything there that we think we need, plus everything that we don't need to, as well. Most of the things that we get that we don't need, that generally ends up around the waist.

Now, the shooting may calm down a little bit, but look at what always follows the shooting when everything is destroyed. People are moved out of their homes and cities and countries, having to flee!

Fourth Seal—Death!

Verse 7: "And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a pale horse; and the name of the one sitting on it was Death, and the grave followed him; and authority was given to them… [all of the four horses] …over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and with famine and with death, and by the beasts of the earth"

Who are they going to blame? Got to have a scapegoat! The fifth seal doesn't happen until after the Great Tribulation begins. So, it couldn't have happened already, because the Great Tribulation hasn't arrived, yet.

Fifth Seal—Martyrdom of the saints!

Verse 9: "And 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 that they held; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, Holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' And white robes were given to each of them; and they were told that they should rest a short time, yet, until it be fulfilled that both their fellow servants and their brethren also would be killed, just as they had been" (vs 9-11).

A great event is going to happen, and we'll see the timeframe in just a bit. Remember when we said from Rev. 1 that Jesus is going to come with the clouds and every eye shall see Him! Remember that while all these events are occurring, the Earth is rotating on its axis and it's moving around in its orbit around the sun. that does not stop!

So we come to a time that something is going to happen; that every eye will see. At first they will say that this is the return of Christ, which will be true, but we will see that the return of Christ comes in two phases!

• the first phase is right here
• the second phase is Rev. 11 & 15

Then the finality of the second phase will be when Christ and the resurrected saints come to the earth.

Let's see what's going to happen; every eye is going to see this! They will not miss it!

Sixth Seal—Sign of the Son of man in heaven

Verse 12: "And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as the hair of sackcloth, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its untimely figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the heaven departed like a scroll that is being rolled up…" (vs 12-14).

The Earth is turning, still going in its orbit. What they see is that the heavens open up!

"…and every mountain and island was moved out of its place" (v 14). It's going to affect the whole world!

Not only are they going to see it, but they are going to feel it!

Verse 15: "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the powerful men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains"—trying to find some place of safety!

Verse 16: "And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of His wrath has come, and who has the power to stand?'" (vs 16-17). No one!

How long is a day in prophecy fulfillment? One year! We're going to see that this one year is going to be a 13 month year, meaning an extra 30 days.

Let's look at the next thing to happen, and then we'll look at the Old Testament to find out a timeframe as to exactly when this occurs.

Revelation 7:1: "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that the wind might not blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to damage the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not damage the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads'" (vs 1-3). This means repentance and conversion!

What do we have? Sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel! Here's where we get the timing of the timeframe when this will happen. But that's found in the book of Hosea. We will get an exact timeframe at this point and will help us understand the rest of the timing that we find up to the resurrection.

We will see what Hosea says, and we will see how it fits into prophecy. We know from other prophecies that the children of Israel are going to be in captivity. They're going to be in the north, the south, the east and the west, because they will all be conquered by the beast and be in captivity!

Here is the repentance of the 12 tribes of Israel; Hosea 5:13—God says: "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to the Assyrian and sent to King Contentious…. [the coming beast] …Yet, he could not heal you nor cure you of your wound, for I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a strong lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away. I will take away, and none shall rescue him" (vs 13-14).

So, they enter into their Tribulation and captivity!

Verse 15: "I will go; I will return to My place until they confess their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will seek Me earnestly."

That repentance is going to take place right there at Rev. 7—repentance and conversion!

Hosea 6:1 tells us what they will do: "Come and let us return to the LORD, for He has torn, and He will heal us; He has smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days…" (vs 1-2)—two years in fulfillment of prophecies; after two full years!

In the last three and a half years this will be after two of those years!

"…He will revive us… [the protection of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude (Rev. 7)] …in the third day… [beginning with the third year] …He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight" (v 2).

Take three and a half years and deduct two years, how many years do you have left? A year and a half! From that year and a half you deduct the time from Pentecost until Trumpets, which is about four and a half months.

Then the wrath of Christ is going to be from Trumpets to Trumpets against those on the earth. But for those who are saved, which is right here, this probably occurs on Pentecost. So, from Pentecost to Pentecost will be the time from those of the 144,000 until the resurrection of all the saints; one year for that.

Then you have the time in between that all the nations will then be able to recover from everything that takes place with the ripping of the heavens opened. Then we will come to Rev. 8, which will be the last year from Trumpets until Trumpets. So, you have two things going:

• from Pentecost to Pentecost—the resurrection

then you have space in between, the 144,000 sealed, the great innumerable multitude and people on the earth recovering and right here is where you have the resurrection.

• from Trumpets to Trumpets

We will find out what it's going to be like when the heavens are ripped open.

• What Jesus said about it?
• What are they going to see?
• What's going to happen with it?

Matt. 24:26—Jesus says, 'Don't go after any false alarms.'

Matthew 24:26: "Therefore, if they say to you, 'Come and see! He is in the wilderness'; do not go forth. 'Come and see! He is in the secret chambers'; do not believe it."

Now here is how every eye is going to see Him; v 27: "For as the light of day… [the sun] …which comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west… [it does it because the Earth is turning on its axis as well as moving in its orbit] …so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." Think about that!

Verse 29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days… [the two years against Israel and the great innumerable multitude] …. the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven… [Rev. 6] …and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven…" (vs 29-30).

It appears as another sun in the universe (v 27). Here they are, the heavens are rolled back and all of a sudden there's another sun that appears out there from the earth. It hasn't yet come to the earth, and everyone is terrified. They think that Jesus is coming. They are true in saying that, but He's not going to coming to the earth, yet.

Therefore, that gives Satan plenty of time to convince them that this is not the Christ, but invaders from outer space! That's why they're going to fight Christ!

Verse 29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (vs 29-30). That coming is at the end of that time!

Verse 31: "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet… [recall that, the last trumpet] …and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds… [What did the angels do? Hold back the winds (Rev. 7)] …from one end of heaven to the other."

So, we know that with the sealing of the 144,000, this probably takes place on a Pentecost, just like we have those who were converted at the temple with the Holy Spirit. These are converted on Pentecost, relieved of their captivity, still where they are but the captivity is lifted from them—144,000!

Rev. 8 talks about the seven trumps, each one blown in succession. These will occur beginning with the Feast of Trumpets—next to the last one—with the return of Christ coming at the end of that year with all the saints. So, let's see how this is going to work.

We have all the trumps that are blown, and that ends with the greatest battle of all right there in the Holy Land, between all the kings of the East and the power of the Beast Power. Those battles are going to take place (Rev. 8-9).

Rev. 10—we don't know what's going to happen with those, but it's going to be awful, because the angle told John, 'Don't write these things.'

Rev. 11 goes back to when the two witnesses started, and when do they start? Just before the Beast Power goes into the temple and says that he's 'God'! Their prophecy is 1,260 days. No one is going to be able to touch them. Two men in sackcloth against the whole world!

All the forces of the world can't come against them. If they try to kill them, fire will go out of their mouths and devour them. Finally when their mission has come to an end, God will let the beast that ascends out of the abyss to kill them. The world will go ecstatic and everyone will send gifts to one another!

Then what's going to happen? Just before the seventh trump—the last trump—that shall sound, the two witnesses will be raised from the dead! A voice will come out of heaven and say, 'Come up here!' The two witnesses shall rise and there will be a great earthquake and 7,000 men will die.

Then the seventh angel sounds and the seventh angel is the last trump. That's what Paul wrote:

We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and we shall be raised from the dead!

How is the resurrection going to work?

Revelation 11:15: "Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity.'"

When that happens, something else is going to take place. When that trumpet sounds and the resurrection starts, that second sun out here—the sign of the Son of man—is going to swoosh down here to the earth, and when it gets down to the clouds, it's going to all of a sudden turn into a gigantic Sea of Glass.

Every eye is going to see it! The world is going to be absolutely amazed! They're going to say, 'aliens from outer space are coming, and look at these people…'

I don't know what they're going think about seeing the dead being raised out of their graves and raised to meet Christ in the air on the Sea of Glass and with all the saints. That's going to be something! Now notice what the 24 elders say when the first resurrection occurs:

Verse 16: "And the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; for You have taken to Yourself Your great power, and have reigned. For the nations were angry, and Your wrath has come…" (vs 16-18)

The wrath of God is going to be the seven last plagues! That's to come, but here is the first resurrection on Pentecost, because the seventh trumpet and the last day of man's rule on the earth occur together. That's why Jesus said in John 6 that He will raise us up on the last day! That's the 50th day, Pentecost resurrection!

"…and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to all those who fear Your name, the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth" (v 18).

Every category of those who are going to be raised will be raised! Let's see how this is fulfilled. Next week I'm going to cover what we will be doing on the Sea of Glass. How about the seven last plagues that are poured out. We have the time from Pentecost to Trumpets that all of these other things are going to take place. We'll cover the rest of the story next week.

Revelation 14:14: "And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and one like the Son of man sitting on the cloud, having a golden crown on His head; and in His hand was a sharp sickle."

Remember, Matt. 13 shows the harvest of God as a harvest of grain.

Verse 15: "And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him Who was sitting on the cloud, 'Thrust in your sickle and reap, because the time has come for You to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' And He Who was sitting on the cloud thrust forth His sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped" (vs 15-16). That's the first resurrection!

• Rev. 14—destruction of the wicked when Christ and the saints return
• Rev. 15—the Sea of Glass and everything that's going to take place on the Sea of Glass and the seven angels with the seven last plagues

Revelation 15:1: "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and awesome: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is filled up."

Go clear back to Rev. 6:12, which talks about the year of the Lord, the wrath of God to come. That's going to come, but the resurrection and all the saints on the Sea of Glass come before those take place. So, all of the saints, all of the Prophets, all the patriarchs, all who are resurrected are all going to see the seven last plagues poured out!

That is after Pentecost up until Trumpets. So, there's still more to the rest of the story. But here's the Sea of Glass:

Verse 2: "And I saw a Sea of Glass mingled with fire…"

Where did we see the Sea of Glass? Exo. 24 when Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and 70 of the elders of Israel looked up and saw God walking on a Sea of Glass! Then when John was raised in vision to see the Throne of God, it was sitting on a Sea of Glass.

This is how we're going to meet Christ in the air, because the Sea of Glass will be in the air in the clouds right over the Holy Land! It will be a huge Sea of Glass. The world is going to be absolutely unable to understand what this is. So, they will label it as an invasion from outer space by aliens!

Sidebar: Is the world being prepared for that now? Yes, Satan is doing his work!

Let's read what going to happen on the Sea of Glass, and then next week I'll tell you what's going to happen. It's going to be very interesting, indeed!

Verse 2: "And I saw a Sea of Glass mingled with fire, and those who had gotten the victory over the beast…"

When did the beast first come? In the Garden of Eden, Satan the devil as a serpent!

"…and over his image… [all the idolatry of it] …and over his mark… [which comes at the end-time] …and over the number of his name, standing on the Sea of Glass…" (v 2).

Think about all that are numbered here in v 2! It doesn't number them, but it tells you that it's a great number!

Verse 3: "And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and awesome are Your works, Lord God Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the saints. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You only are Holy; and all the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been revealed'" (vs 3-4).

That's projecting on into the Millennium when there will be peace on the earth!

This brings us up to the fulfillment of one of the greatest events in the history of the universe, the resurrection of the saints from the dead! That's the meaning of Pentecost.

Scriptural References:

• Isaiah 14:24-27
• Leviticus 23:9-11, 15
• Luke 4:16-18
• Acts 2:1-4, 31-41
• Revelation 1:4-7
• Revelation 4:1-2, 8
• Revelation 5:1, 7-14
• Revelation 6:1-17
• Revelation 7:1-3
• Hosea 5:13-15
• Hosea 6:1-2
• Matthew 24:26-27, 29-30
• Revelation 11:15-18
• Revelation 14:14-16
• Revelation 15:1-4

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Exodus 12
• Matthew 13
• Numbers 10
• Revelation 17
• 2 Thessalonians 2
• Revelation 8-10
• John 6
• Exodus 24

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 4/18/21

Copyright 2021—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.