14 Things to Happen in Prophecy Before the End Comes

Fred R. Coulter—December 27, 2008

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This is the last Sabbath of 2008, and for all of those who are anxious for Christ to return, it's still going to be some time in the future.

The other night I was watching a special on the National Geographic Channel and they were talking about the return of Christ, the building of the temple, the rapture, and all of these things. I'll tell you one thing, the Protestants have it all mixed up. Let me just tell you right straight off the bat, there will be no rapture. It's not in the Bible. The word is not even in the Bible and the reason that the Protestants believe in a 'rapture' is because they've accepted so many false doctrines, which the 'rapture' itself is a false doctrine.

But they've accepted immortality of the soul. They have discarded the resurrection and what they read about that is actually talking about the resurrection, they think is the 'rapture.' And they don't understand the Scriptures relating to a place of safety and there will be a few go to a place of safety.

So everyone wants to know: Where are we in prophecy? What is going to happen? And we have a sermon that I cover every three or four years, and I gave this sermon four years ago on the next to the last Sabbath in 2004, which is 14 Things That are Yet to Happen in Prophecy, and where are we.

So what we want to do is look at these 14 things and put it on a scale 1-10, but this time, let's put # 5 as the tipping point. Just think of it like a 'T' and if you have it like a seesaw leaning down on one side and that is touching the ground, that is zero. If it rises up to the level, that is 5; if it's tipping the other way, that means it's going up to 10, so you're 6, 7, or 8. So we will grade all of these things as they're coming along.

Matthew 24:32 is the key. We'll cover various parts as they tell us very important information that we need to know and understand: "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branches have already become tender, and it puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. In like manner also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away" (vs 32-35).

So, what we have is this. We have an absolute guarantee from Christ that these things are going to happen, and the problem and difficulty in understanding them is, is when we want to hurry up and bring the Lord quicker than when He's determined to come. Many people violate the next verse, because we have even so-called two witnesses from the Church of God, a husband and wife, supposedly, and he just recently ordained his wife to be over everything in the church except him. That's a convenient arrangement.

So He says, v 36: "But concerning that day, and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Any time a man comes up and says, 'Oh, the 1,335 days have started.' Don't believe it! If he says, 'Jesus is going to return in this year.' Don't believe it! Because you have to have all the things set in place. So, unless they are all there, it can't happen. There are many things that happen in cycles, which you look at and you think, Oh boy, it's getting closer and closer and closer. The truth is we're always getting closer to the return of Christ. But what do you mean by closer? How close is close? How far is far? And where are we on these prophecies?

Now the disciples wanted to know, and as a matter of fact, just before Jesus ascended into heaven, they said, 'Are you going to restore the Kingdom to Israel at this time?' And He says, 'It's not for you to know the times and seasons that the Father has put under His own authority.'

This is the Mount of Olives sermon showing the things at the end-time. So let's just begin in v 1, and go through some of these cyclical things that have been going on.

Matthew 24:1: "And after going out, Jesus departed from the temple; and His disciples came to Him to point out the buildings of the temple." At that time it was really spectacular. Where the Valley of Kidron was, the wall going up to the very top part of the temple was 650 feet. So it was a mammoth thing. And with all the beautiful stone and everything they had, it was truly a magnificent place.

Verse 2: "But Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, there shall not be left here even a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.'" When we understand this, and then we look at what is called the Western Wailing Wall, we know that's not the temple area, because what is left out in most interpretations, and especially when I was watching this special, the different ministers said, 'Oh, won't that be nice; the rapture's coming. Yes, Jesus, come quick. As soon as the temple is built, Jesus is going to come.'
They have it right that there must be a temple that is built. But the problem is they look at where the Mosque of Omar is and they think that's where the temple has to be. But it's not going to be there. It's going to be down to the south of that. The Western Wailing Wall—which is an idol for the Jews, because they all come there—that is part of the wall that was left which was Roman property, because the Roman soldiers tore it down and they didn't tear down Fort Antonio, where the Western Wailing Wall is the beginning of it. So, it's not going to be up where the Mosque of Omar is. But all those stones were thrown down.

Verse 3: "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him alone, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the completion of the age?' Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Be on guard, so that no one deceives you'" (vs 3-4). And that is a flag for everyone, everywhere all the time, regardless of where you are, because there are more preaching in the name of Jesus than ever before.

There's a book being pushed by Oprah Winfrey, which talks about that everything is fine. There's no such thing as sin. God loves you and everything is just 'hunky-dory.'

Preaching in the name of Jesus, v 5: "For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ'; and they shall deceive many." That has been an ongoing thing forever and ever and ever. Remember this: everyone who professes to be a Christian is not a Christian indeed. That's why we have in Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days—Which? book: Who and What is a True Christian? How does the Bible define it? Because it's not just saying, 'Oh, I believe, I give my heart to the Lord,' and this sort of thing.

Verse 6: "And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.…" Just saw it on the news this morning. India and Pakistan are on the verge of war. We have the war in Iraq, we have the war in Afghanistan. You have the genocide in Darfur and threats of wars everywhere. So, that's an ongoing cyclical thing.

Then He says: "...See that you do not let these things disturb you. For it is necessary that all these things take place, but the end is not yet…. [Another thing we need to be on guard against. Prophecy is not speeding up and prophecy is not slowing down. It's right on time!] …For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places…. [We have those going on all the time, too, don't we? Yes!] …Now all these things are the beginning of sorrows…. [Now we come to a point that is being fulfilled in some cases, but not yet here in America.] …Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations for My name's sake." (vs 6-9). That's coming! We see it in the battle of getting God out of government, getting rid of the battle over Christmas. The hatred toward Christians is more and more and more.

Verse 10: "And then shall many be led into sin, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another…. [Many are being led into sin, lots of sin.] …And many false prophets shall arise..." (vs 10-11). And what happens because of this? God is looking on the basis of the world, the basis of nations, the basis of churches and the basis of individuals, because we're all affected by it.

Now here's what we're seeing taking place right now. We are right at a tipping point with this of lawlessness. They just barely beat back by 52-48% the Constitutional amendment here in California on same-sex marriage. If you want to look at that, this is not one of the 14, but you can put a tipping point on that—about 4-1/2. So if it moves up to 5-1/2 and goes the other way, it's coming. Wherever the socialists; i.e. Democrats are, those things happen. They now have it before the Supreme Court in California, which once before voted against having the law state that marriage is only between a man and woman. So, we'll see what happens. Then you have to think about what's going to happen with the incoming President. Will he be the wonder boy? What is going to happen? You have to stick around and see.

Verse 12: "And because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many shall grow cold.... [here's where we are right now, what we need to do]: ...But the one who endures to the end, that one shall be saved…. [Then it talks about something that is yet, although it's in the process of being fulfilled] (notice what it has to be): …And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world... [What we want to focus on at the end-time is that many of these things encompass the whole world, not just an isolated place here, or there, but the whole world.] ...for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come'" (vs 12-14).

Let's look at how God sees things in the way of the world. Romans, the first chapter, is how God looks at the world today. This also is a cyclical thing. This is why empires rise and fall, and they always fall at their height. There are many parallels you can draw between the rise and fall of Rome and America today. I'm saving all of the economic news for a sermon a little later, because it's going to cover an awful lot of things. I won't cover it, except just mentioning about the economic things in this sermon.

Here's at how God looks down and judges the world and what He does in response to how people react. Romans 1:18: "Indeed, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the Truth in unrighteousness." While the Truth is more available than ever before, there is the suppression of it.

Verse 19: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest among them, for God has manifested it to them... [Here's how He did it]: ...for the invisible things of Him are perceived from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that were made—both His eternal power and Godhead—so that they are without excuse" (vs 19-20).

I was watching another one on the National Geographic Channel and they were talking about the universe and how it's expanding and it appears to be going away from us. We don't know if it's expanding or going away from us because we don't know exactly where the earth is in relationship to our galaxy. And as we look out into the heavens, are they really going away, or is there a huge big orbit to the whole universe, and so as you look at it from where the earth is, it may look like it's going away, but it's actually coming in a huge gigantic circle, because everything in the universe spins, one way or the other. So, maybe it's not expanding in the way that they think.

Now here's what happens, v 21: "Because when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but they became vain in their own reasonings, and their foolish hearts were darkened…. [First step, cut off. Then when they're cut off, what do they do?] …While professing themselves to be the wise ones, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed creatures, and creeping things" (vs 21-23). God reacts in all of these things.

Verse 24: "For this cause, God also abandoned them to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to disgrace their own bodies between themselves." And you just watch, it's almost like a tipping point meter, which is in addition to the 14 that we're going to cover. Whenever a society reaches a point of sexually being so promiscuous, and it goes to the tipping point that the majority of people are promiscuous, then you know God's judgment is coming! And you can verify that by the account of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Here's what they have done, and this is what you see almost everywhere, v 25: "Who exchanged the Truth of God for the lie... [Isn't it interesting, you have thousands, ten thousands of ministers up in pulpits talking about God, having the Bible right there, and all they're doing is lying.] ...and they worshiped and served the created thing more than the one Who is Creator, Who is blessed into the ages. Amen.

Now notice a second cause. So, if there's no change, if there's no acknowledgement of God, we can apply this to the whole world, v 26: "For this cause, God abandoned them to disgraceful passions; for even their women changed the natural use of sex into that which is contrary to nature; And in the same manner also the men, having left the natural use of sex with the woman, were inflamed in their lustful passions toward one another—men with men shamelessly committing lewd acts, and receiving back within themselves a fitting penalty for their error…. [So then the next one comes]: …And in exact proportion as they did not consent to have God in their knowledge, God abandoned them to a reprobate mind..." (vs 26-28). Notice the progression here. You come from:

• foolish are darkened
• abandoned to the lust of their heart
• abandoned them to disgraceful passions
• now abandoned them to a reprobate mind

—that means a mind void of judgment!

"...to practice those things that are immoral…" (v 28). [Then it talks about all the fruits of this (v 29).] (I want to cover one): …Slanderers, God-haters..." (v 30). That's what we're dealing with—God-haters! Don't want anything about God, especially the Christian God.

Now let's look at it from the Church. God looks at the Church. Where do we find the prophecy concerning the Church? Rev. 2 & 3! And all seven attitudes of the Churches of God in Rev. 2 & 3 are here and alive and well among the people of God.

Let's look at it here concerning the nation, and we find the same thing. God looks at it as the nation, He judges us as a nation, and He makes it very clear as to why these things happen, how they come about. And again, it leads to people being cut off from God.

I'm going to read you your daily news. Hosea 4:1: "Hear the Word of the LORD, children of Israel... [you're not going to hear that in the news] ...for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land... [this is to Israel] ...'There is no Truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land…. [There we are.] …By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and the committing of adultery they break out; and blood touches blood…. [we hear of shooting and killings and anger and hatred] …Therefore, shall the land mourn... [because of drought, because of flood, because of snow, because of tornados, because of hurricanes; you name it] ...and everyone who dwells in it shall languish, with the beasts of the field and with the birds of the heavens. Yes, the fish of the sea shall also be taken away'" (vs 1-3). So much so that they didn't even have a fishing season in Oregon this year.

Verse 4: "Yet, let no man strive, nor reprove another, for your people are as those who strive with the priest. And you shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother…. [Why all of that?] …My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being as a priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children" (v 6). And the main cause of that is modern-day Protestantism.

Rick Warren got up there and said, 'The main thing for salvation is a relationship with God.' True statement! 'You don't need rules, you don't need regulations, you don't need laws, you don't need commandments.' WRONG! And he's one of the biggest destroyers of Protestantism. I covered some of that here the last couple of weeks.

Now notice what's going to happen. "…Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children" (v 6). Aren't children being destroyed in many ways? Yes, indeed, every way: mentally, physically, spiritually, being abandoned, left alone.

Verse 7: "As they were increased, so they sinned against Me. I will change their glory into shame." Are we at the tipping point for that? I think if we look at the tipping point of that, are we at about 5-1/2? Who knows!

The comment was made that two young boys, seven and ten, a man with a baseball bat walked into the park and these two kids were playing, two boys. He went up and bashed their heads and walked away. 'Oh, but the police caught him—isn't that wonderful.' What about the boys that are dead? True, "…I will also forget your children."

Verse 10: "For they shall eat and not have enough... [Isn't that true? We have foodless food.] ...They shall commit whoredom and not increase because they have stopped taking heed to the LORD…. [there it is on a national basis] …Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart" (vs 10-11). We'll add in there: heroin, cocaine, meth, ecstasy, marijuana, all of those things in addition to it. Not only just wine, you can add all the hard liquors—all of those things. Take away the heart. They don't have a heart, they don't feelings, and so forth.

Let's look at it on an individual basis which also affects the world. Let's come to 2-Timothy 3:1: "Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.... [On an individual basis here is the #1 reason]: ...For men will be lovers of self... [Don't care about anybody but themselves—narcissistic!] …lovers of money..." (vs 1-2). So lustful that they invented very sophisticated ways so when this economic trauma happened, they didn't know how bad it was or how deep it ran.

"...braggarts, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, despisers of those who are good, betrayers, reckless, egotistical, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (vs 2-4).

That is what happens when you have a society based on self-esteem. All of these things turn inward, and people become selfish. Then you throw in all of the technology that we have today, and they become remote. What do I mean by that? They have gadgets and things to occur their time, so therefore they have no time for anyone but themselves and what they're doing. It all fits in there.

We're going to look at the 14 things with this backdrop. This is the backdrop of the setting that is affecting the whole world. Let's look at two things that are going to take place. There has to come a time when it's going to look like all of the troubles of man have been solved by men.

1-Thessalonians 5:1: "Now then, concerning the times and the seasons... [They had an understanding of the times and seasons obviously through the Holy Days.] ...there is no need that I write to you; for you yourselves understand perfectly that the day of the Lord will come exactly as a thief comes by night…. [I covered that in a sermon here just recently.] (But the thing that I want to cover here is this): …For when they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail comes upon a woman who is with child; and they shall by no means escape" (vs 1-3).

Peace and security: we have not arrived at that point yet. That's what everyone is trying to do in all of these things, bring peace and security and love and understanding and all of these things, but they can't find it. Let's come back here to the book of Daniel. We will soon have a complete breakdown of the 70-week prophecy, but here's the part that I want everyone to understand.

Daniel 9:26: "And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself…. [that's talking the death and crucifixion of Christ.] ...And the people of the prince... [or the prince of the people] ...who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. But his end shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.... [here's how it's going to happen]: ...And he... [Not Christ, that is the false Christ, the false Messiah, the beast.] ...shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.…" (vs 26-27). A day being a year in prophecy, that's seven years. So, seven years at the end you're going to have peace and security or prosperity.

"'…And in the midst of the week..." This then becomes after three and a half years, then we have three and a half years left. And this begins the Tribulation. So we need to see, we have to come up to that time. And many of the 14 points will bring us to that.

"...And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate even until the consummation. And the fully determined end which is decreed shall be poured out upon the desolator" (v 27).

This is virtually a summary of the things that are going to take place in the book of Revelation referring to the beast and the false prophet. So in order for us to come to that 7-year period, here are the things that we need to look for. You've heard me say this over and over again.

Daniel 11:40: "'And at the time of the end, the king of the south shall push at him... [which is the king of the north] ...And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries and shall overflow and sweep through.'" This is the starting of the Tribulation, just prior to the Tribulation, this is just a little bit before the Tribulation begins. It's the lead-in to it.

King of the North

As I have mentioned, you have to have a king of the north. We've always understood that to be Europe. Now let's take a look at Europe. What is the condition of Europe? Right now it's in great financial disarray!Also political array! The Euro, they don't know if the Euro is going to collapse or not. The NATO troops over in Afghanistan do not fight. The German troops sit around and guard places and drink millions of gallons of beer a year. And they start at eight in the morning and they quit at five in the evening. Not very much like the Nazi's of WWII.

Where is the European army? What's another problem that they have? The Muslims are a real threat! What's another problem? The Europeans are not having children, not enough to even replace the white population. So, if Europe is going to rise, it's going to be quite awhile before that happens. And you can't have a king of the north arise until you have Europe get strong.

Where are we on a scale of ten? Probably two! That has to develop into a world leader as well, not just in Europe, but a world leader. So we could say two, maybe three.

King of the South

Let's look at the king of the south. Recently, French President Sarkozy proposed a Mediterranean economic union, which is very similar to what I gave in a sermon, perhaps a year ago. And also Turkey is rising to become the 11th biggest economy in the world. Look at the whole Middle East. There's war in the Middle East today. The Jews are bombing Gaza again. So what's new? How can they come to the point of having peace and security until they solve the Palestinian problem? And that's been festering for how long? Sixty years!

So, there's no king of the south on the horizon, so we can put maximum one, on a scale of one to ten. Now the Arabs have some plans for a Pan-Arab economic union, that is true. But it is not manifest yet.

World Trade

World trade was booming and emerging economies were prospering, China and India in particular. Then guess what happened? We had the financial downturn, and now they're all in trouble. So world trade has to pick up again. But if we look at world trade and all of the things involved in world trade, we can say on a scale of ten, what are we? Probably five or six! It's already affecting us economically. We'll talk about that a little bit when we come to Israel.

What they want now more than anything else is U.S. technology, especially U.S. nanotechnology.

Mark of the Beast

You've got world trade, now you have mark of the beast. That's down the road pretty far. They haven't implemented it yet. But remember the sermons that I gave during the Feast, The Singularity is Near. They're going to make a movie on that. And where they're talking about how they can enhance the human mind by hooking it up to be compatible with computers and they already have many different experiments that they have run. They always start out with something that looks really, really good.

For example: they put a chip in the skull of a paraplegic, who cannot talk, cannot use his hands or his legs, but they have taught him to sit there and think. With his thinking he can move a cursor or arrow on the screen of a computer, and do things just by thinking. So that's quite something.

They also have the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) going into everything. They even have this: they have a dust that they can sprinkle on people and they won't think anything about it, and yet they can track exactly where they are by global positioning satellites.

The mark of the beast is going to mean no one can buy or sell. You stop and think. Everything that you do is dependent upon buying and selling. Absolutely everything! So, when that comes down, I'm sure it's going to be, at first, voluntary. But the end result of it is going to be no free will.

When I bring the sermon on economics, we're going to see that the global solution with the G-20 is going to eventually give us a framework in which all of that is going to fit in. There's one problem they have yet to solve with the mark of the beast, either a chip in the right hand or in the forehead, which is this. The early ones that they put in, called the Digital Angel, remember they put them in the left upper arm. Because people said, 'Oh, if you put it in the right arm, that's the mark of the beast.' So they put it in the left upper arm. They found out this:

• it migrates
• it causes cancer

So they have to figure how to get the technology working so it won't do those two things. But they'll eventually get to it. So where we can say on a scale of ten that we are with the mark of the beast? Probably five or six! So that gives us something that we really need to be aware of. We're getting more and more to a cashless society. When you get to a cashless society, you are truly enslaved economically.

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The rise of the kings of the north and east

We find this in Daniel 11:44, because the king of the north is going to end up being the beast power. He will come down into the area, take care of the king of the south, and then go into the Holy Land, go into the temple and say that he is God. Once he gets there, Daniel 11:44: "But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall alarm him. Then he will go forth with great fury to destroy and to utterly annihilate many."

• Kings of the north: Russia, Tibet, Mongolia, Korea.
• Kings of the east: Japan, China, all of Southeast Asia, India.

We find they are going to develop into the greatest army that the world has ever seen.
I just recently read a report that the Chinese have 70-million surplus men without women to marry. So, you've got to keep them active in something. They've got a ready-made army growing up because the Chinese feel that boys are worth more than girls, and girls—because of the abortion law—you cannot have any more than one child. They still look to the boys to take care of the parents when they get old, so they keep the boys. Now they have 70-million surplus men.

So what are you going to do with them? Ready-made army! When we talk about the kings of the east, let's look at the final battle that's going to happen here. That's also going to include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan—all of the 'stans'—Afghanistan, Pakistan. Iran will be involved in it. Iraq will be involved in it. It's going to be 'humungous.'

Here it talks about the way of the kings of the east, Revelation 9:13: "And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet; and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God; and it said to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet, 'Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates.' Then the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were loosed, so that they might kill a third of men" (vs 13-15).

One of these times I'm going to have to go through Revelation and figure out where it talks about they kill a fourth of men. Here they kill a third of men. How many people are going to be left when the Kingdom starts? Who knows! But it appears that it's probably going to be about 10%. So, if there are 10-billion people on earth, that means there will be 1-billion left.

Verse 16: "And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand..." This is an army that will be strung from the River Euphrates all the way back to the Far East. Because you can't get that many people all in one place, all at once, in an army. This is going to come in waves. So the beast power knowing what a threat this is, and when he comes into the Holy Land to establish himself as the messiah of the world, then they're going to start arming. He's going to make a preemptive strike, as we find in the first part of chapter nine, where he has this secret weapon that will immobilize them for five months.

Then they start coming. Once they start coming, you're not going to stop them. This is what overwhelmed the GI's in Korea. When the Chinese got into the war, they just had wave after wave after wave. There was no end to them.

Rising of the kings of the north: look at economically. Russia. Now we're not talking about the current recession, but Russian has built up great economics. China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. They're all becoming powerhouses economically. And you need that to have an army. You need that so you can have enough money to support an army, keep the whole country going, etc. This is going to be a tremendous thing.

The rise of the kings of the north and the east, where we would put this on a scale of one to ten? between four and five? That might be fair to say, kind of a balancing act right now at five!

The comment was made with an army that big considering all the technology that we have today, it looks like we're going back to more of a conventional army. You still have to win wars with infantry, but when the heavens shake and the earth shakes, what's going to happen to global positioning of which modern technological armies are depended upon? So let's put that at about 5, the development of those countries—about half way there.

The fall of Israel

The fall of Israel is not talking about the Jews, it's talking about the descendants of the ten tribes of Israel. Let's see that it is unfolding right in front of our very eyes as we see the daily news transpire. Deut. 28—we've been here many times before. The reason that we've been here many times before is because it is so applicable as to what is happening now.

Deuteronomy 28:43: "The stranger welling among you shall get up above you very high..." That's happening, more and more and more. They just announced that San Jose is now the most diverse city in California with Indians, Pakistanis, South Vietnamese, Chinese, to say nothing of the Latinos. Most diverse! Many places you can go and not hear English anymore and sometimes even in the post office. It's happening! Then you think about the recent election and that has many manifestations of it, too.

"'...and you shall come down very low....'" (v 43). We are getting into this position right now. Now we have a President coming in—some will be mad at me, and some will like me for saying it, but nevertheless, I'll say it—who has promised that he's going to cut back on the military. He has promised that he's going to negotiate and not confront.

But I really believe they're going to confront him terribly. He wants to work on the domestic things to play out all the narcissism of the Americans today and spend all the money on themselves, supposedly for building roads and bridges and things like this. So, we'll have to see what happens. But remember the trillion dollars that he's going to use in deficit spending is going to come from our enemies, if they will buy the security notes. We are being brought down very low! It is a process.

The Russians are speculating that America will disintegrate into six countries. Who knows what'll happen with this economic downturn, because it's going to be the worst that we have ever seen or lived through in our lifetimes. Russia is already challenging us with Venezuela and Cuba, in the backyard. A Texan in our audience said the first country will be the Republic of Texas. He ought to know; he lives down there. We'll have to see about that, but the country is already divided—isn't it? Yes, indeed!

And remember, Mazatland? Do you know what Mazatland is? That's a movement by the Mexicans and Latinos to retake Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Texas by coming in and populating and expanding the population, using our money, using our welfare, taking from us, so they build themselves up. Then in a national emergency, if there's some kind of rebellion or something to take place, there will be a U.N.-mandated plebiscite. Then they will vote and divide the country up. Will that happen? Don't know. But what is the process? "...get up above you very high, and you shall come down very low" (v 43).

When it says you shall come down very low, if you want to understand what that really means, go back and read the book of Judges, and see how when Israel left God, those nations around them conquered them and made them slaves. With our economic situation and as much as we owe the rest of the world, what's it going to come to? Remember this: Do not minimize any of the prophecies! Like some people like to say, 'Well, a tabernacle would be just fine or a dedicated Holy place.' You think the Jews would settle for that? Never happen!

Or, 'Maybe it won't be as bad as the Bible says.' Or another man says, 'Well, the way you need to look at prophecy, is just look to those countries around the Mediterranean, because that's where prophecy is always centered.' When you read the book of Revelation, it's the whole world. When you read the book of Isaiah, it's the whole world. No! Look at maximizing, not minimizing, because it's going to be known to everyone.

Verse 44: "He shall loan to you, and you shall not loan to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.... [Now that's a complete reversal—isn't it? Yes, indeed!] ...And all these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever. Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things" (vs 44-47). Have we had the abundance of all things? As no other generation! The day of reckoning is coming, so where are we with the fall of Israel? I would say 5-1/2, maybe 6!

The false prophet

They're doing a lot to develop a world religion. As a matter of fact, Tony Blair, who was an Episcopalian during the time that he was prime minister of England converted to Catholicism and was baptized by the pope and is now a head of a foundation to bring all religions together. That's in addition to all of the other 'let's bring all religions together.' And all religions are 'let's have the golden rule and love each other and be good to each other and we don't need any other rules.' If that were the case, then we would have a one-page Bible.

How many times have I warned and preached against this? It's going to be under the aegis of the false prophet, who is mentioned three times in the book of Revelation, chapters 13, 16, and 19. Now, here's something to think about if it's going to be the pope, which it probably will be. All the 'religions' of the world are Babylonian. And the pope's office from the time immemorial, going clear back to Balaam, was the prophet from Pethor—and all you have to do is just realize that's just a different way of pronouncing Peter. And, of course, did you know that the pope sends out greeting to the Hindus when they have their holy days?

You've got also the Dalai Lama. Man wants to believe that he can solve his own problems and the way to overcome evil is not to admit that there is any evil, and don't have laws against any evil. Then there won't be any evil. That's how they do it.

Revelation 13:11: "And I saw another beast..." When I had the radio program, someone asked, 'Do you think that Obama is the antichrist?' I said, 'No, couldn't be.' Yet even some in the Church of God are preaching that Obama is the antichrist. I said when you read the description, he's going to say he's God, Obama hasn't done that. He's going to go stand in the temple in Jerusalem and say everyone is to worship him. He hasn't done that, yet. And he's going to have rule over all nations and kindreds and languages and tongues and he's only been voted to be president of the United States. So he is not the antichrist.

So let's read about the false prophet here. Verse 11: "And I saw another beast rising out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon." I've often wondered—two horns. A horn in prophecy equals a king or leader—correct? Does that mean the pope and the Dalai Lama? And what would that do for the religions of the world? Bring them together as one! And there are only two people who are called by the world 'your holiness.' And that is the pope and that is the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama in many places in the world, and even here in the United States, is probably more followed and loved than the pope. And besides, he brings in a spirituality of compassion, of love, of consideration.

Speaks like a dragon, because that's what Satan always says. 'Let's have love and consideration. You don't need rules, you don't need regulations.' What you're going to see is this: All religions start coming closer and closer together by de-emphasizing doctrine and emphasizing love, compassion, and relationships. And everyone's going to say, 'Oh, that's great.' Just stop and think today. If you just had a group of people from out of the world and you get up there and you read the Ten Commandments, hardly anybody is going to agree with you on it. They don't want them. So this is how it's going to come.

What about the last pope? They're already talking about a successor for Pope Benedict XVI, who is Heir Ratzinger, head of the office of inquisition—ooops!—doctrine. They changed the name, but not the tactics. And they're wondering, will it be a black pope? They're already starting to push an American cardinal, first black cardinal in America to be considered for replacing Benedict XVI.

Why should we believe the prophecies of the Catholics that say that there's only one more pope coming, after this one dies? What happens if another one comes and he dies and their prophecy has failed? What happens when men's prophecies fail and they're supposed to be believed by everyone? 'Oh, well, we have a new revelation.'

That's what the fellow said who was one of the two witnesses. 'Oh, the Tribulation was supposed to begin six months ago.' Never happened! Now he's got a new revelation concerning it, and people are still following like lemmings. What'll happen then in if that prophecy fails?

Scale of number seven—false prophet and combining all the religions, probably 4-1/2, getting closer.

There must be a temple of God built in Jerusalem at the right place

Now let's come here to Revelation 11, just the next page over. This also ties in with the two witnesses, which is #9. The temple of God must be built. Let's understand when did John write the book of Revelation? About 95A.D., 25 years after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. Here we have this vision given to him and it talks about the temple of God.

Revelation 11:1: "Then the angel gave me a measuring rod like a staff, saying, 'Arise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. But leave out the court that is within the temple area, and do not measure it because it has been given up to the Gentiles; and they shall trample upon the holy city for forty-two months" (vs 1-2).

Why measure the temple if it isn't there? Why do you have it say there in 2-Thess. 2, that the 'man of sin, the son of perdition goes into the temple of God,' which was standing when Paul wrote that in 53A.D., and yet, John writes this here that after the temple has been destroyed, he's again to measure it? How do we know a temple has to be built?

It won't be a Holy place, just out there dedicated, and you get some sprinkling water and little bit of dust from a red heifer or the ashes and you sprinkle it out there and you have a rabbi or a Cohen, who is a descendant of Aaron, designate this a Holy place. If you'll read in the appendices of the New Testament, I have where will the temple be built in Jerusalem. That will be south of where the Wailing Wall is. There is a spring there called the Spring of Gihon, which is now running clear water. It used to run very dirty, mucky water. When the temple is going to be built, I believe that the Spring of Gihon is going to flow with lots of water, which will be a sign to the Jews the place to build the temple is directly above that. Which will be south and away from the Mosque of Omar.

With 'religious' ecumenism, the Muslims could live with that, because the Mosque of Omar is not going to be touched or destroyed. Which if they tried to destroy the Mosque of Omar, you would immediately have all the Muslims in the world en masse come to the area of Jerusalem and destroy every Jew they could get their hands on. There would be no way to stop it. It wouldn't happen. The Jews thinking that that's where they are going to build the temple are dreaming, because that's not the place where the temple was.

But it has to be built, because notice here in Matthew 24, we've covered this before, but let's go back and review it again. This becomes very important to understand. Remember, when Jesus spoke these words right here, they were on the Mount of Olives looking across the Kidron Valley right at the temple. So when He says this, Matthew 24:15: "Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy place..." That has got to be the fulfillment of 2-Thess. 2, the man of sin, the son of perdition saying he is God.

Then we have this: A parenthetical statement that had to be inserted there by John who canonized the Old Testament along with Philip and Andrew. "...(the one who reads, let him understand)" (v 15). When Jesus was speaking this, He did not utter those words, because they weren't reading anything. He was speaking to them.

John had to put this in here for what reason? To let us know that he knew the second temple was destroyed and he was measuring the third temple in vision knowing that a temple would be built. But he didn't know when, because they also understood that in 70A.D. there was no man of sin that went into the temple as the abomination of desolation. Never happened! As a matter of fact, Titus didn't even get to see the city of Jerusalem until it fell and then he was astonished at all the things that had taken place. I've got that also in the appendices of the New Testament. So a temple has to be built.

Well figuring this. This will have a sudden fulfillment, but on a scale of 1-10, let's put it at about 4, because they have many of the garments for the priests and the Levites and the implements for sacrifices, the lots for the goat of Azazel, and so forth. They have all of those ready, so let's put that at 5

The two witnesses

When the two witnesses come on the scene that will probably take place—now you need to get the message The Two Witnesses and Elijah. They'll all be Jews. They won't come from the church. Anyone who thinks the two witnesses will come from the church doesn't understand Zechariah 3 and 4. The two witnesses will probably begin just a few months before the king of the north comes against the king of the south and then goes up into the temple and says that he is God.

God will intervene and deal with the Jews and the Levites at that time. So, you get the message on The Two Witnesses and Elijah? That one you can't put that on a scale of 1-10, because that's going to happen quickly. When it happens, there is going to be the temple. It'll be in operation and when that's built you can put the scale of where the two witnesses will come up probably at about 8 or 9 and then all of sudden they'll be there.

The Laodiceans

When I first gave this sermon back in 1969 we all thought we were all Philadelphians and the Laodiceans weren't even on the scene. But now the question is reversed. Nearly all the Church of God are Laodiceans and where are the Philadelphians? The ones who patiently keep the Word of God and love God and are zealous for God!

The Laodiceans are everywhere. So on a scale of 10, it is 10, without a doubt!

The Philadelphians

They are here someplace, but they are hard to detect because there are so many who are involved in the politics of Church of God 'religion,' rather than in serving God with a pure heart and mind.

Hating Christians

We covered part of that, but that is developing more and more and more. Jesus said right here in Matthew 24:9: "Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations..." Back at the time that Jesus gave this, and what happened to Jerusalem and the fall of it afterwards, all nations didn't hate the Christians. It was only around the Mediterranean area and probably up in Europe and over to Babylon where the Jews were. That's about the area where the Christians were.

But now today, it's spread clear around the world and the hatred for any form of Christianity is growing and growing and growing. Just look at all of the movies attacking any form of Christianity and especially Catholicism, which you could say really deserves it for all that they have done.

So what could we say on a scale of 10? We'd have to say we're about 6—you think? 6, pushing close to 7!

Proclaiming the Gospel to all the world

Now where are we on that? Now there are many semi-gospels that the Protestants preach. There are with the Churches of God a lot of the true Gospel that is preached, but how effectively are we reaching all the world? Through the websites we're reaching many, many more people than we could through radio and television years ago.

There are more and more Bibles being printed which contains the Gospel and that's going to the whole world more and more. As we've mentioned many times about the 800,000 a year Bibles being printed in Eastern China under the direction of the United Bible Societies out of England.

So, it's building! How is the Gospel being 'preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, then shall the end come'? Remember this, a witness is to that last generation. How long does that last? What is a witness? There are many ways you could bring that out. One witness is this: If you have a Bible in your house, it's a witness to you even though you never read it.

But when God says there's going to be a witness, I think it's going to be very powerful and then just when it looks like that witness is going to be snuffed out, the two witnesses are going to come on the scene and they are going to bring a witness of it—right? And nobody can stop them until they finish their three and a half years.

The comment was made: When the two witnesses come on the scene it's going to make people hate Christians even more and more and more.

Now what would that be on a scale of 1-10? Probably in America scale of about 3 or 4! Other places in the world all the way up to 10 in Muslim countries. It depends where you are. Being hated by all nations depends where you are. They'll kill you in Muslim countries. You can't even take a Bible into Saudi Arabia. There's some ecumenical movement there in Saudi Arabia, so we'll have to see what happens. But true Christians will be hated. We're even hated by those who profess to be Christians because we keep the commandments of God. So there are many different forms and variations of it.

No Truth, No Faith

Luke 18:8: "…Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He fight the true faith on the earth?" People really believe? No, people would rather have their lies! Right here in little old Hollister, just to give you an example. On Saturday evening after services, we went down to a restaurant to eat and, lo and behold, there was a traffic jam in Hollister at six o'clock at night. And we couldn't figure out how could this be.

We were driving down, just expecting to drive down to the restaurant and have a place to park, and so forth. No place to park. More cars coming; cars everywhere. So after we finally found a place to park, we were lucky enough to find a place to park, got out, and I asked someone. I said, 'What's going on?' Oh, it's the parade, the parade of lights for Christmas! I thought can you just imagine someone standing up and saying, 'All of you in Hollister are a bunch of sinners coming down here for the parade of lights for Christmas. You believe in a lie! It's not Christian!'

Oh, they would hate you, tear you apart, run you out of town. But the majority of those in Hollister have no Truth and have no faith. What's it like in the big cities? Even in the Church, do they really believe? or For Laodiceans, is church a convenience? or Are you really dedicated to the utmost of your life? That's what Jesus was talking about here.

Where are we on no Truth and no faith? Probably about 7-9. In the Church—probably 3-5, depending on the individuals.

Those are the 14 things we need to watch for. Prophecy will be fulfilled. Jesus said all His words will take place. Heaven and earth will pass, but not His words. So, it's a matter that we have to understand His words and understand what He is saying. So there's got to be:

• king of the north
• king of the south
• world trade, which is well developed now
• mark of the beast, which is well developed, coming along
• rise of the kings of the north and the east
• the fall of Israel
• false prophet
• the temple of God must be built
• the two witnesses
• the Laodiceans
• the Philadelphians
• hating Christians
• proclaiming the Gospel to the world
• no Truth, no faith

That's quite a thing. This will give us some guideposts to look at and to watch. Watch the news. Let's see what Jesus tells us to do.

Matthew 24:34: "Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away. But concerning that day, and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Now as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of man. For as in the days that were before the Flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark; and they were not aware until the Flood came and took them all away; so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of man" (vs 34-39). It's going to be something when that happens.

Verse 42: "Watch, therefore, because you do not know in what hour your Lord is coming." That can be two ways:

• the literal return
• God's final judgment on anyone of us

Because God can come upon us at any time, v 43:

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have been watching, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready. For the Son of man is coming at a time that you do not think'" (vs 43-44).

That's why we have these 14 things to look at. And how many false alarms have we already had of people who thought that His coming was imminent.

Scriptural References:

• Matthew 24:32-36, 1-14
• Romans 1:18-28, 30
• Hosea 4:1-7, 10-11
• 2-Timothy 3:1-4
• 1-Thessalonians 5:1-3
• Daniel 9:26-27
• Daniel 11:40, 44
• Revelation 9:13-16
• Deuteronomy 28:43-47
• Revelation 13:11
• Revelation 11:1-2
• Matthew 24:15, 9
• Luke 18:8
• Matthew 24:34-39, 42-44

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Romans 1:29
• Revelation 2, 3; 16; 19
• 2-Thessalonians 2
• Zechariah 3; 4

Also referenced:

Sermons:

• 14 Things That are Yet to Happen in Prophecy,
• The Two Witnesses and Elijah

Sermon Series: Singularity is Near

Book: Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days—Which?by Fred R. Coulter

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 12-21-11
Formatted: bo—12-22-11

Copyright 2011—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.