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Major Events of the last seven years culminating with the "Sun of Righteousness"
Fred R. Coulter—January 29, 2022
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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services!
Prophecy marches on. Who knows what's going to happen over in Europe and the Ukraine. The things we need to look to are the keys that God has told us to watch for. Dan. 11 is important for us to really understand and keep watching for, because these things will develop.
We don't know how quickly or how long. We know one things for sure, that the move toward bringing all the religions into working with one another is well along the way as we covered with Chrislam. What they're going to do is to agree to all work together, and yet, keep their religions separate.
Even in places as we saw that they're going to build that big building in Berlin, they're going to have a place for Christians, a place for Jews, a place for Muslims to worship, with a common meeting hall in the middle.
This is similar to what they're doing in Qatar with Chrislam. Why is this important? Because those who are involved in bringing on the one-world government are beginning to realize that they can't do it by force, and they can't do it by plague. There's too much resistance from the people. It would lead to them never being able to have control.
So, in order for the prophecies to be fulfilled, they're going to have to turn to the religious leaders so they can deal with the people to work it out peaceably. This means that it's not coming all of a sudden.
Dan. 11 is the key central starting point of the end-time leading directly into the Tribulation. As we have mentioned about the last seven years: the first three and a half is going to be peace, when it looks like—with the miracles of the false prophet and the magnetism and electrifying presence with the Beast Power—the problems of the world are going to be solved by human beings.
King of the North and King of the South
But it doesn't last, because in the middle of the week—3-1/2 years—something is going to happen. Maybe just prior to the three and a half years. Let's review this and look at it again:
Daniel 11:40: "And at the time of the end, the King of the South shall push at him…. [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."
All of this is a military movement, and that's also going to take some time even if you're transporting all of the troops and things by air. It just doesn't happen overnight. First of all, he will come down to Egypt and those areas.
Verse 41: "He shall also enter into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown. But these shall escape out of his hand: Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon."
Ammon is the area of the Jordan, and that's where Petra is. It's very probable that the place of safety will be in Petra. But don't look for comfort. It's going to be hard stone. There will be plenty of water, because there's water underneath in great quantities. So, if that's the place of safety then that will be it.
Verse 43: "But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver…"
In other words, the King of the North is going to be the one who is holding the key to the financial power of the world.
Watch what's going to happen in February, because in Davos, Switzerland, all the nations that are working for the one-world government are going to meet there. We'll see what kind of information they release to us.
But there will be an economic change and it will be controlled, undoubtedly, right out of Switzerland. Let's keep that in mind as we go forward.
Verse 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."
This is going to be the beginning of the Great Tribulation, right there. What we're looking at is there needs to be a King of the North and a King of the South. Then along with that, the next thing that has to happen is there has to be with the King of the South and the Jews and the Muslim countries a peace pact!
The Temple and the Beginning of the Great Tribulation
The Beast Power will probably guarantee to the Jews that he will give them protection militarily while they build their temple. They are going to build their temple! We know there has to be a temple built.
Let's review that again so that we keep it in mind how these events take place. There are going to be many, many false prophets bringing many ideas and saying that the 'time is at hand; Christ is coming right away.'
Matthew 24:14: "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come."
We don't know exactly how that's going to be. We don't know how much of that is left to the two witnesses. Then there's another factor involved, because this has to come just shortly before the Tribulation begins. There has to be a warning given. We don't know what's going to happen with the mark of the beast.
The Three Angels' Warning Message
This has to be at a time just prior to the Tribulation. I don't know how this fits into what we read in Matt. 24, that the Gospel being preached in all the world.
Revelation 14:6: "And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and language and people; saying with a loud voice…" (vs 6-7).
This is an angelic message! I don't know how this is going to be done. Is it going directly from the angel to all the nations as it goes around the world? I don't know!
"…'Fear God, and give glory to Him, because the hour of His judgment has come…'" (v 7).
So, it's right before the judgment of God. What is the judgment of God going to be? Starting with the Tribulation!
"…and worship Him Who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (v 7). So, that message has to go out!
Verse 8: "Then another angel followed, saying 'The great city Babylon is fallen, is fallen…'"
That's not just the city. The whole world is Babylon the Great (Rev. 17). This is just before the fall of Babylon. It's not going to come instantly; it's going to come in sequence.
"…because of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, which she has given all nations to drink'" (v 8).
Verse 9 has to do with the mark of the beast: "And a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives the mark in his forehead or in his hand, he shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath; and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone in the sight of the Holy angels, and of the Lamb'" (vs 9-10).
- What's going to happen at this point?
- Do you suppose something like this might occur?
Speculation: I don't know, but look at the reports that we have of how many people are freely receiving the chip in their hand and think it's a wonderful thing!
Could it be that when this warning message goes out that there will be people cutting that chip out of their hand? I don't know!
The warning message is going to be that 'you're going suffer torment.'
Verse 12: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven say to me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forward. Yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors; and their works follow them'" (vs 12-13).
This has to be right at the beginning of the Tribulation; maybe a little while into it. There has to be that warning given.
As we have seen with the opening of the seals, the first seal is opened and that leads to all of the religions getting together. That may be ready to be opened. I've thought a lot about that in the past. I've said in the past, because of all the movement by the pope toward the Muslims, that that may be a start of it. But there has to be background work up to the point to bring it all together.
Rev. 6:3 is when the Tribulation begins. We have that in Matt. 24.
Revelation 6:3: "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; and power was given to the one sitting on it to take peace from the earth, and to cause them to kill one another; and a great sword was given to him" (vs 3-4).
When we have war, what's the first thing? The next seal, the black horse: death, rationing of food (vs 5-6).
Verse 7: "And when He opened the fourth seal… [v 8]: … there was a pale horse…"
Then death really spreads in a tremendous wave over the whole earth.
Verse 9: "And when He opened the fifth seal…" Tie in Rev. 14—blessed are the dead who died in Christ!
"…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…[not time for the resurrection] …until it be fulfilled that both their fellow servants and their brethren also would be killed, just as they had been" (vs 9-11).
So, when it says in Rev. 14, 'blessed are those who die' that's where it is fulfilled. How far into the Tribulation period that is, we don't know!
Revelation 14:13: "And I heard a voice from heaven say to me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forward. Yes, says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labors; and their works follow them.'"
How does this tie in with all of the preaching of the Gospel? You know that when the Tribulation begins there will be hardly anyone who will be able to do a lot of preaching, and people being converted and baptized.
Matthew 24:15: "'Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy place.' (The one who reads, let him understand.)"
That's what we've been doing; we've been reading. Remember that John had to add this parenthetical statement as the New Testament was being canonized. Jesus didn't say those words.
As you're looking at Jerusalem and Judea, in order for the abomination of desolation to take place, there has to be a temple, a Holy Place, and the one who goes in there and proclaims himself to be 'God.' That kicks off the Tribulation.
Let's see what Paul wrote. This is interesting because Paul wrote both 1st & 2nd Thess. first. This is something! This will be the Beast Power—the leader, the man—and will not be the pope.
2-Thessalonians 2:3: "Do not let anyone deceive you by any means because that day will not come unless the apostasy shall come first…"
That's the whole rebellious system of the beast and the false prophet, and the whole world government and the whole world religion. That's the apostasy that it's talking about here!
"…and the man of sin shall be revealed—the son of perdition, the one who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God…" (vs 3-4).
Not many people realize it, but the Jews are not looking for God to come to the earth. They're certainly not looking for Jesus to return to the earth. In fact, when anyone asks a Jew about what the Messiah is going to be like. Will he be a man? or Will He be from heaven? They always say, 'A man!'
So, we will have to wait and see how that works out. All of those will be big signs, tremendous events that we can see.
- it's not going to be done in a closet
- it's not going to be done instantly
It will be done in God's timing!
Here's what He does. John knew that when he was writing the book of Revelation, and it was talking about the two witnesses and measuring the temple, he knew that there was no temple in Jerusalem, because it was destroyed in 70A.D. Just like Jesus said, not one stone was left upon another!
So, in order for this to be fulfilled, they've got to build the temple. Here is the desolation! This is the key signature moment that kicks off the last three and a half-year Tribulation.
Verse 4: "The one who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God…"
Think about that! Greater and more charismatic than Adolf Hitler, but with the same affect on people. If you have watched the historical accounts of Hitler and his speaking and everything, he's just wild-eyed and cheering and tears flowing and 'Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!' and all of that!
Just multiply that two, three or four times with the beast! There will be a lot of demons there. They will be thinking that this their chance to really take over the world.
They're going to stir up the people. What we're looking at are gigantic events that will affect the whole world. He "…exalts himself above all that is called God…"
If you think Hitler was arrogant, he was nothing compared to this.
"…or that is an object of worship…" (v 4).
- What are we told in Rev. 13?
- What is everyone supposed to do for the beast? Make an image for the beast!
You can just see how this will go! They will make images; put them on T-shirts, hats, it will be everywhere! He will be the 'savior of the world' for a very short time! I think of that every time I see them making these T-shirts, how quickly they can make them.
"…so that he comes into the Temple of God… [that temple will be called the Temple of God] …and sits down as God… [that is in the Holy of Holies] …proclaiming that he himself is God" (v 4).
Nothing has ever taken place like that, yet. But this is going to be a tremendous event. Then Paul says that he told them about it (v 5).
Verse 6: "And now you understand what is holding him back in order for him to be revealed in his own set time."
That was a long way off from when Paul wrote this. This was written before John wrote the book of Revelation. This is why you have to put them together.
Verse 7: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already working; only there is One Who is restraining at the present time until it arises out of the midst. And then the lawless one will be revealed…" (vs 7-8).
Notice what tells us what will be at the time of the end and the return of Christ:
"…(whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of His coming)" (v 8). Tie in Rev. 19!
We know that the beast and false prophet will thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Verse 9: "Even the one whose coming is according to the inner working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."
Remember how deceitful this is going to be, because if you see it, you believe it. The world is going to believe it. Whatever Christians are there, they're going to say, 'No! No! No! This is not of God.' They will come and get you and martyr you! It will be quite an event that will happen! "…according to the inner working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders."
This means that he's going to be doing many miraculous things! The beast and the false prophet will be partners. They will travel together so that these signs and wonders can be given as evidence that this is from God. That's what kicks off the Tribulation!
Matthew 24:21: "For then… [going back to v 15, the abomination of desolation] …shall there be Great Tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again."
If you think it's difficult now, and if you think there are problems we are looking at now that are overwhelming, we haven't seen anything, yet. This is why we need to really stay strong with God!
Notice how bad it's going to get. When this happens, then look at the rest of Revelation, chapters 6, 8, 9, 10. All of those things, great and horrible wars!
Verse 22: "And if those days were not limited…"
The King James says 'cut short'! Many preachers say that you better hurry up and get right with God, because He may cut the time short. No! it means that God has limited it! What is the limit? 3-1/2 years!
- we have the 7—3-1/2 a piece
- we have 3/1/2 with the last events
"…there would no flesh be saved… [which tells you want kind of destruction is going to take place] …but for the elect's sake those days shall be limited" (v 22). Then Jesus talks about false prophets and all of that!
- we have the King of the North and King of the South
- we have to have the temple of the Jews
- two witnesses have to come on the scene
Here's what I promised to bring some time ago:
The Third Elijah
There has to be a final Elijah who is yet to come! How is that? We know that John the Baptist was prophesied to come in the spirit and power of Elijah!
Isa. 40—this is what John the Baptist said he was, because the scribes and Pharisees came to him; remember he was the son of a priest. So, they came to John the Baptist when He was baptizing and they said, 'Who are you? Are you the Christ?" No, I'm not the Christ! 'Are you The Prophet?' That's another whole message in itself. John said No! 'who are you?' John quoted Isa. 40:3!
Isaiah 40:3: "A voice is calling out in the wilderness…"
Where did John the Baptist start his ministry? Across the Jordan River, where the wilderness began!
"…'Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God'" (v 3).
Look at what happens, because this didn't happen when John the Baptist was on the earth. Lot's of times you will see this, especially in Isaiah. It talks about a prophecy at this point, then immediately in the next verse it goes ahead to something way separated far apart from it.
This did happen when John was preparing the way for Jesus:
Verse 4: "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed…" (vs 4-5).
So, it goes from John the Baptist straight to the second coming of Christ, because prophecy is 'here a little, there a little, line upon line, precept upon precept.' You have to put it together.
"…and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (v 5).
Malachi 3:1: "'Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, Whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple… [we will see when He suddenly came to His Temple; that was quite an event] …even the Messenger of the covenant, in Whom you delight. Behold, He comes,' says the LORD of hosts."
Notice that immediately it goes into the second coming of Christ. Verse 1 refers to His first coming and John the Baptist.
Verse 2: "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness" (vs 2-3).
Here in Matt. 17 is where a lot of people think that this tells you that you go to heaven. But it's not!
Matthew 17:1: "And after six days, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and his brother John, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves."
Apart from anyone else. No one could look down on them, and they couldn't look up and see what went on. He was transfigured before them. Exactly what that means, I don't know.
Verse 2: "And He was transfigured before them and His face shined as the sun…"
- What does it say that our faces will be like, those who will be in the first resurrection? Jesus said that they shall shine like the sun!
- What does Jesus look like in Rev. 1? His face is like the sun in shining in its full power!
"…and His garments became white as the light. Then behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him" (vs 2-3). We'll see that this was a vision!
- Is the top of the mountain heaven? No!
- Did it say that they ascended to heaven? No!
Verse 4: "And Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You desire, let us make three tabernacles here: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'"
Isn't that the way that people are? They want to do something for God! When something happens, they want to make it their thing! This is what Peter was doing.
Verse 5: "While he was speaking, a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, 'This is My Son, the Beloved, in Whom I delight. Listen to Him!' And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces in extreme terror. But Jesus came and touched them, and said, 'Arise, and do not be terrified'" (vs 5-7).
Poof! The vision was gone!
Verse 8: "And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus alone. Now, as they were descending from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, 'Tell the vision to no one…'" (vs 8-9).
He didn't say, 'You were up in heaven for a little while. All the souls of everybody are there, and there is Moses and Elijah.'
It was a vision! Just for the express purpose of showing to Peter, James and John that He indeed was the Messiah of God! When you read Peter's Epistles, and you read John's Epistles, they talk about this very event!
Verse 10: "Then His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?' And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Elijah shall indeed come first and restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him; but they did to him whatever they desired. In like manner also, the Son of man is about to suffer from them'" (vs 10-12).
When Jesus said this, John the Baptist was already dead!
Verse 13: "Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist."
Why did Jesus say in v 11 that "…'Elijah shall indeed come first…'"
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This in Matt. 17 is quite important, because it looks like a contradiction:
Verse 10: "Then His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?' And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Elijah shall indeed come first and restore all things'" (vs 10-11)—this is future!
Verse 12: "'But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him; but they did to him whatever they desired. In like manner also, the Son of man is about to suffer from them.' Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist" (vs 12-13).
How do we know that there's another Elijah coming?
Malachi 4:1: "'For behold, the day is coming, burning like a consuming oven; and all the proud, and every doer of wickedness, shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and will leave them neither root nor branch.'"
Did Jesus do any of this with His first coming? No! He came to:
- reveal the Father
- show us how to keep the commandments of God
- show us what we need to do to receive eternal life
- prepare us for the resurrection
Verse 2: "But unto you who fear My name, the Sun…"
It's not Son, but we're told to not worship the sun, moon or stars. Why is it:
"'…the Sun of Righteousness shall arise… [we will answer that in a little bit] …and healing will be in His wings. And you shall go out and grow up like calves of the stall. And you shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I am preparing,' says the LORD of hosts" (vs 2-3).
When will that be? Don't know, but that will be after Christ returns! That will probably be after the Lake of Fire when all the wicked are burned up. Will they not be ashes?
Look how this covers so many different things in just a few verses.
Verse 4: "Remember the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the LORD" (vs 4-5).
Was Jesus' first coming "…the great and dreadful Day of the LORD"? No, it wasn't! So, when Jesus said that Elijah shall come first it's referring to the end-time, the third Elijah.
- the first Elijah—Old Testament
- the second Elijah—New Testament, John the Baptist
- the third Elijah is to come
It describes when it will be:
Verse 6: "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with utter destruction"
That's going to be quite a thing! What will this third Elijah do? It says first (Matt. 17). But when it says that he shall come first, the Elijah that was John the Baptist was already dead. That's why He said, 'Elijah has already come.' But they didn't know! But there's a third Elijah to come before "…the great and dreadful Day of the LORD." What will he do?
- Where are the two witnesses going to be preaching? In Jerusalem!
- What's going to happen when there are various Israelites in the area of Jerusalem and Judea?
That's where the two witnesses will be preaching!
- What are they going to do? They're going to preach the powerful second coming of Christ!
- Will there be a lot of Jews repenting? I'm sure there will be, because the two witnesses are going to stay in Jerusalem, and it's going to be something!
- What's near Jerusalem just down in the valley? The Jordan River!
- Where was John the Baptist preaching? The Jordan River!
He was called Elijah, came in the spirit and power of Elijah!So, here is another Elijah!
- What is he going to do? He's going to minister to those who repent!
We don't know exactly how all of this is going to be, but we come to Rev. 7 and what do we have? The 144,000 repenting and receiving the Spirit of God, and the great innumerable multitude! When will this take place?
The third Elijah is going to have to appear simultaneously with the two witnesses. Will he have anything to do with helping the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude? We don't know!
- When will Rev. 7 take place? The first ones saved are the descendants of the children of Israel!
- What is the principle that we found in the New Testament of preaching the Gospel? To the Jew first, or the Israelites, then to the Gentiles!
Hos. 5 is talking about the children of Israel and especially Ephraim. But because they have left God, here's what God says:
Hosea 5:15: "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." Let's see how this ties in with the 144,000, here's their answer:
Hosea 6:1: "Come and let us return to the LORD…"
Don't you suppose all of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude:
- heard the three angels?
- heard the message of the two witnesses?
Don't you know that they will understand that they are in captivity because of their sins against God? Yes!
"…for He has torn, and He will heal us; He has smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days…" (vs 1-2).
How long is a day in prophecy? A year! Two days is two years! Let's tie this to the two years! If you take away two years from the three and a half years, what do you have left? A year and a half! Let's see how this fits in:
"…He will revive us; in the third day…" (v 2)—which is the beginning of the third year! Then you have a whole year and a half left with the Great Tribulation.
"…He will raise us up… [setting aside the 144,000, though they may still be in the areas of their captivity] …and we shall live in His sight" (v 2).
What's going to happen? Apparently, then the forces in Rev. 8 & 9 will be busy fighting one another! They don't understand that they're actually preparing for the return of Christ. This perhaps will mean (speculation) that those who are saved of the 144,000, which will be all of them, because they will be sealed, meaning they have received the Holy Spirit. That will be what they say, right here:
"…in the third day He will raise us up and we shall live in His sight" (v 2).
That means that the guards in the captive sites will let them do whatever they want. Does that mean that there will be work for the third Elijah in helping the 144,000? I don't know! But it seems that would be a likely proposition (speculation).
Verse 3: "Then we shall understand, if we follow on to know the LORD…."
Don't you think that once they receive the Holy Spirit that they will "…follow on to know the LORD…"?
Remember that we read that after two years God will raise us up. But what is going to happen to make that occur so that they can be ostensibly released from their captivity? Probably not to go and travel anywhere, but at least released wherever they are!
- Could this in Rev. 6 be the signal for their oppressors to leave them alone? Something has to happen after two years!
- Does this happen on a Pentecost? Very possible!
If it happens on Pentecost at the return of Christ, you've got a year and half! That would be counting the innumerable multitude, the greatest harvest of all, which will be done unilaterally by God Himself!Think on that!
The Sun of Righteousness
Revelation 6:12: "And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake…"
Think about all the earthquakes that are going to take place. Remember where we started, Isa. 40: every mountain will be brought down and every valley will be exalted. Think about what that's going to do to the whole earth!
"…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…" (vs 12-14).
This is going to be something! The heavens roll back as a scroll! Never seen anything like this before! It's going to be startling!
"…that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place" (v 14).
- What will they see?
- What is the Sun of Righteousness? Referring to the return of Christ!
This ties right in with Rev. 6 and Hosea 6!
Matthew 24:29: But immediately after the tribulation of those days…"
The Tribulation against Israel lasts two years of the three and a half-year Tribulation. So, this is the two year period right here at this point.
"…the sun shall be darkened… [tie in Rev. 6] …and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken."
The return of Christ is going to be something awesome and powerful! Remember that He said, 'Behold, I will shake the heavens and the earth!
Verse 30: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven."
- What is the sign of the Son of man in heaven?
- What is the sign in heaven that they are going to see?
- Can you imagine what that's going to be like?
Malachi 4:1 "'For behold, the day is coming, burning like a consuming oven; and all the proud, and every doer of wickedness, shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and will leave them neither root nor branch.'"
That's going to happen when Christ returns to their armies!
Verse 2: But unto you who fear My name…"
What did they say in Hos. 6? Come! Let us return to the LORD!
"…the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be in His wings…." (v 2).
What is this talking about? Let's see what it is!
Matthew 24:30: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven… [let's see how He describes it] …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. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (vs 30-31).
That's the first resurrection! We're clear down to the last Pentecost at this point!
Verse 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. For as the light of day… [What is the light of day? The sun!] …which comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west… [Isn't that what the sun does every day? Yes, indeed!] …so also shall the coming of the Son of man be" (vs 26-27).
When the heavens roll back as a scroll, what are they going to see? The sign of the Son of man that looks like a second sun right up there in the heavens! You talk about all of those people that believe in ancient aliens and things like that. Right at first they will say that this is the return of Christ, but later they will change their mind. Why? When the heavens roll back as a scroll, as the light of day! It's going to be there.
Let's read their first reaction, which is they're not ready to fight Christ!
Revelation 6:14: "Then the heaven departed like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 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; 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'" (vs 14-16).
Why will they change their mind? Because that 'Sun' will undoubtedly stay out there for another year and a half! At least one more year from Pentecost to Pentecost.
Then that gives time for the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude to receive the Holy Spirit because they will have repented. That's going to be quite a thing when that takes place.
Verse 17: "Because the great day of His wrath has come, and who has the power to stand?'"
Then it talks about what's going to happen with the 144,000!
- What's going to happen after that? Well, they're going start fighting each other!
- Who is going to control the world? Satan is going to come and say:
No! That's not the return of Christ, that's just an anomaly that you see out there like a second sun! That's not Christ!
Why would Satan convince them to do that? So that when He does come, they will fight!
Rev. 8 & 9 we won't get into the details of that, but they will be fighting each other! This is going to be quite a time when this takes place!
Scriptural References:
- Daniel 11:40-41, 43-44
- Matthew 24:14
- Revelation 14:6-10, 12-13
- Revelation 6:3-4, 7-11
- Revelation 14:13
- Matthew 24:15
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 6-9
- Matthew 24:21-22
- Isaiah 40:3-5
- Malachi 3:1-3
- Matthew 17:1-13, 10-13
- Malachi 4:1-6
- Hosea 5:15
- Hosea 6:1-3
- Revelation 6:12-14
- Matthew 24:29
- Malachi 4:1-2
- Matthew 24:30-31, 26-27
- Revelation 6:14-17
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Revelation 17; 6:5-6
- 2 Thessalonians 2:5
- Revelation 19; 6-10; 7
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 2/2/22
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