SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Several years back when I was in my late 20's I read the book "The Late Great Planet Earth" by Hal Lindsey.  He did a study about the "end of the world".  Prophecies about the end of the world, the rapture, Jesus' second coming, etc. are scattered throughout the Bible in different books of the Bible, not just in Revelations.  Hal Lindsey published this very popular book about his findings.  Hal Lindsey himself will tell you that much of the revelations seen by the prophets are difficult to interpret.  For instance, they would have done their best to describe things they had never seen before like a helicopter (eyes like a fly) or bomb (fire, smoke & brimstone).  These were people who lived before cars were invented after all.  At the time I read this book I took some notes and did a summary about what he learned and I still have those notes today.  I find them interesting to go over from time to time so I am adding it to my 'bible study' topic.  The following is the notes as I recorded them some 20 or 30 years ago:

Signs of The Times

Some time in the future there will be a 7 year period climaxed by the visible return of Jesus Christ.  Most prophesies which have not yet been fulfilled concern events which will develop shortly before the beginning of and during this 7 year countdown.  

Three things to set the stage for this countdown period:

1.  The Jewish nation would be reborn in the land of Palestine.  (This had already happened:  May 14, 1948).

     Jesus said this would indicate He was "at the door" ready to return.  "Truly I say to you, this generation will

     not pass away until all these things take place"  Matt 24:34.

2.  The Jews would reposes Old Jerusalem and the sacred sites.

3.  The Jews would rebuild their ancient temple of worship on it's historic site.  (Obstacle:  2nd holiest place 

     of the Muslim faith-The Dome of the Rock).

(Dang, that had a lot of links to add.  I wonder if it's all going to be like that)?

• The "abomination of desecration" or desecration of the inner sanctum of the Temple occurs at the midway point of God's last 7 years of dealing with the Jews.
• Daniel indicates that a prince would rise up from among the people who destroyed the 2nd temple (The Romans in AD 70).  He'll "make a firm covenant" with the Jews guaranteeing the religious freedom to re institute the old "Sacrifices & oblations" of the laws of Moses.
• A definite international realignment of nations into four spheres of political power has to occur in the same era as the rebirth of Israel.

Spheres of Power:

for reference

1.  The "Northern Confederacy" ie: Russia & her allies.

     This includes:  Persia (modern Iran)

                           Cush (modern Ethiopia: black African nations)

                           Put (modern Lybia: Arabic African nations)

                           Gomer & all it's hordes (Iron Curtain countries.  Includes East Germany & Slovan

                                 countries).

                           Togarmah and all it's hordes (Southern Russia and the Cossacks)

   

2.  The "Southern Confederacy" ie: Egypt

                            The Arabic nations of countries of black Africa.

• The king of the South (Egypt) will be allied with the king of the North (Russia).  They will rise up against the restored state of Israel.

• Egypt will attack Israel (then under the control of the false prophet, probably a Jew, who works closely with the world dictator or anti christ who comes to power in Rome).

• This immediately  triggers another invasion of Israel by Russia but Egypt will not escape-because Russia double crosses her.  (Russia is later destroyed and Egypt falls into the "hand of a hard master & a merciless king (the anti Christ of Rome) will rule over them".

3.  The Kings of the East. (A vast oriental army) Japan & China

• The Euphrates River will be dried up (supernaturally by God) so that the barrier between the East & the West is dissolved triggering the last war of mankind.
• This "Asian horde" will wipe out 1/3 of the earth's population by "fire, smoke & brimstone" (thermo- nuclear war?)

4.  Rome

     Where does she come from?  Danielle gives the key.  He predicts the successive empires which shall

     "bear rule" over all the earth.

1. Babylon ("Head of gold") The ruling nation at the time of Daniel's prophecy.  World empire in 606 BC
2. The Media-Persia-("Like a bear.  Inferior to & earthward from you").  Conquered Babylon Empire about 530 BC
3. Greece ("Bronze") Under Alexander the Great who conquered the Persian empire in 331 BC.  The Greek empire disintegrated when the first king died prematurely.  Four generals took it over and it became divided into four parts.  They lasted until about 68 BC.
4. Rome-("Strong as Iron...It shall break & Crush all things").  Romans conquered the last part of the ancient Greek empire about 68 BC.

There are 2 phases of the 4th kingdom (Rome)

1. This kingdom gains worldly authority (as it did) & then disappears to emerge again just before Christ returns.
2. This kingdom will be in the form of a 10 nation confederacy.

            A leader (anti-christ) arises from them.  3 are subdued by him and 7 willingly submit to him.  He 

            makes wars with the saints & prevails until the return of Christ. 

The 10 nation confederacy forms because:

1. The threat of communism.
2. Economic threat of the US.
3. The Europeans sense the weakness of the US to aggressively fight communism in a real showdown.
4. According to prophecy the US will cease being the leader of the West.  She will probably become in some way a part of this New European sphere of power.  The leadership of West must shift to Rome in it's revived form.
5. The realization of the great potential of the United Europe.

Note:  It may be that the common market & the trend toward unification of Europe is the beginning of the 10

          nation confederacy.

Note:  We are not speaking of a revived Roman Empire in the physical, geographical sense, although some of

          these countries were part of the ancient Roman Empire, but we are speaking of those countries which

          are the depository of the people, the culture & the tradition of Rome.  The Roman influence upon the

          world is so extensive that it touches every part of Western civilization.  From epics like Ben Hur to the

          Roman candle we shoot on July 4th we are saturated with the glory that was Rome.

Heading the revived Roman Empire will be a man of such magnetism, power & influence he will be the greatest dictator the world has known.  He will be not a political, but a religious  leader:

The Anti Christ

"Beast" coming up out of the sea (chaos of the nations) having 10 horns (10 nation confederacy) and 7 heads (the seven leaders who form a coalition with him).

The beast was like:

• A leopard (quick like the Greek Empire)
• A Bear (strong like the Media-Persian Empire)
• A lion ( Regal like Babylon)

His conquer will be rapid.

He will be strong & powerful & have an air of self assurance & pride.

He is given his power by the dragan (Satan).

He will work miracles.

He will be given a throne (world government).

He will have a fatal head wound miraculously healed. (A satanic counterfeit of the resurrection).

He will have a statue made of himself that men will worship.

He will probably not be known as a great leader (or anti-christ) by christians until his revival from a fatal head 

     wound.

He will have a magnetic personality, be attractive & a powerful speaker.

He will promise peace.

He will eventually establish himself in the Temple of God (Mt. Moriah in Jersusalem).

     How can this happen while Christians are in the world?  Probably it can't.  The restraining power of the

    Spirit of God within believing Christians will hold back his rise.  Not until this restrainer is removed will  his

    power be exerted over the whole world.  We believe the rapture occurs before his rise of power.

He is given authority to act for 3 1/2 years with the power of Satan.

He will blaspheme God & His people who dwell in heaven.  Why would he bother with those who dwell in 

      heaven?  Because how is he going to explain a few million "religeous kooks" missing (Rapture).  He will    

      have to discredit their belief or "blaspheme" it & the believers.

He has power to make war with the "saints" and overcome them.

     The saints are the people who will come to believe in Christ during this period of conflict.  After the    

     Christians are gone God will reveal himself in a special way to 144,000 Jews who will believe in Christ

     with a vengeance.  The earth will never know a period of evangalism like this.  They will have the greatest 

     number of converts in all history.  So many they can't be numbered.  The anti-Christ will unleash total

     persecution on these people.

The anti-Christ will need a lot of help.  His staunchest ally will be:

The False Prophet

The second beast, a Jew, probably from the tribe of Dan.

A master of Satanic magic.

A devilish John the Baptist.

Will aide and glorify the Roman Dictator.

Will proclaim him savior of the world.

Will make people worship the anti-Christ as God.

How?

He will be given control over economics of the world system.  Everyone who doesn't worship the dictator will be put to death or cannot buy or sell or hold a job.  Everyone will be given a tattoo mark on his forehead or forehand only if he swears allegiance to the dictator.

The mark is: 666

6 is said to be the number of man in scripture

3 is said to be the number of God in scripture so:

when you triple 6 it is the symbol of man making himself God.

Babylon

A one world religious system (Babylon) will be established before the 7 year period of tribulation which will aid the anti-Christ in the world coming to his absolute authority.  For a time this religious system will have control of the dictator.  "I saw a woman (Babylon) sitting on a scarlet beast (dictator & the revised Rome)".

The empires the woman (or Babylon religion) has controlled:  "7 heads are 7 mountains on which the woman sits, and they are 7 kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come." (Rev. 17:9)

The five kingdoms over which the mystery religion Babylon has exerted authority at the time of John's vision are:

1. Chaldean
2. Egypt
3. Babylon
4. Media Persian Empire
5. Greek Empire

The sixth was present at the time John wrote this and was Rome.

The seventh refers to the revived Roman Empire.

Babylon (also called the harlot or prostitute) is a religious system that will seem good on the outside (clothed in purple & scarlet adorned with gold...pearls) but on the inside is corrupt ( cup full of abominations & unclean things).

The harlot in Revelation is also a city-Rome.  She "sits (or rules) on 7 mountains.  Rome is the city of 7 hills.

This religious system will reign here for a time in coalition with the political system.  But the political system and it's dictator will come to hate the religious system because of it's control  (which the dictator wants).

"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great"

1st fallen:  Destruction of the religious system by the dictator.  This takes place 3 1/2 years into the tribulation.

2nd fallen:  Sudden destruction of the City of Rome.

The Rapture

This occurs "at the last trumpet"  (Interesting:  When the Israelites  left Egypt, every morning 7 trumpets blew.  When the last trumpet sounded this meant "move out!"

First those who have "fallen asleep in Jesus" (died) will join the Lord.

Next, the living Christians are "caught up together with them in the clouds".

Reasons why we believe it comes before the 2nd coming of Christ & even before the tribulation:

1. The distinguishment between God's purpose for the nation of Israel and the church:

          The church is Jews & Gentiles alike.  We are in the church age and are responsible for evangelizing the

         world.

          During the tribulation the spot light is on the Jews & they (as before in history) are once again 

          responsible for evangelizing the church

    2. The 2nd coming is visible to the whole world,

         the rapture is visible to Christians only.

    3.  The 2nd coming happens at the height of a global war but not necessarily the rapture.

    4.  At the 2nd coming Christ will divide the believers from the non believers.  If the rapture came at the 

         same time how could this happen since believers are taken up instantly in a cloud?

    5.  The prophets say God will set up a kingdom on earth over which the Messiah rules.  There will be 

         mortal people in the kingdom.  If the rapture happens at the same time there would be no believers left.

A revelation about Revelation: 

 In the first 5 chapters the church is mentioned 30 times.

 In the beginning description of the tribulation there is not one mention of the churches.

World War III

Paul predicts the false hope the world will have in the anti-Christ:  "While they are saying 'Peace & safety' then destruction will come upon them suddenly".

When the Jews reestablished their nation in Palestine they displaced Arabs who had been there several centuries, causing great hostility between the Israelites & the Arabs.  The Middle East crises will continue to escalate until it threatens the peace of the world.  This is apparently the first problem (major) the dictator will solve.  He comes guaranteeing the Israelites safety & protection with a "strong covenant".  The Israelites will then be permitted to reinstate their sacrifice & offering laws of Moses.  This demands that the temple be rebuilt.  (PS:  The Arabs won't like this one bit).  It appears that the minute the Israelites & the Roman leader sign this pact, God begins his 7 year countdown.

Through this ingenious settlement & the promise of peace it brings the anti-Christ will rapidly bring all nations under his control.  He will bring great plans of economic prosperity even to the underdeveloped nations.  After 3 1/2 years of remarkable progress he will become worshiped.  The believers in Christ will oppose this & be exposed.  Publicly they will be unable to buy, sell, or hold a job & will be executed en masse as examples to those who hinder the "brotherhood of man"

Riding on this crest of worship the dictator will go to Jerusalem & in the Temple proclaim himself God.  This will be a great warning sign that Armageddon is about to begin.  Th residing believers in Israel will flee to the mountains and canyons of Petra.

Almost immediately after this, the 2nd of four horsemen is released which is war.

The Arab-African Confederacy, headed by Egypt launches an invasion of Israel.

Russia and her allies use this occasion to invade the Middle East.  (It is prophesied that Israel will be a very 

     wealthy nation at this time.  It is this and the strategic military importance of the land bridge here that is 

     probably the motivation factor of the invasion).

When the Russian's invade, "Tens of thousand shall fall" and they then double-cross the Egyptians and

    become ruler of Egypt, Libyans (African Arabs) & Ethiopians (African Blacks).

Russia then hears "rumors from the East (Orient) & from the North (Western Europeans) mobilizing for an

    attack.  The Russians retrace their steps from Egypt to consolidate in Israel for a counter attack.  (It's 

    possible  the East will be permitted to mobilize it's army by the Roman Empire.  But the Orientals will 

    eventually double cross him).

The Russian force will establish headquarters on Mt. Moriah or the Temple area in Jerusalem and as they

    prepare to meet the forces of the Roman Empire he seeks to destroy the Jews but, torrents of fire and 

    brimstone rain down on the Russians & "those who dwell securely in the coast lands on various continents 

    and there is a shaking of the land.

This cataclysmic event has a supernatural element to it that causes many to become believers in Christ.  Zachariah says that 1/3 of the living Jews will convert & be miraculously preserved.  2/3 will be cut off and perish.

The United States may be aligned with the Western forces headed by the 10 nation confederacy.  It is clear the US is not the leader.  It may also be that when fire & brimstone fall on "those in the coast lands" it means the US.

Now with the Egyptians neutralized by the Russians and the complete annihilation of the Russian forces only 2 spheres of power remain.  The combined forces of the Western Civilization united under the Roman dictator and the Orient.  There may be a short lapse of hostility while the forces mobilize.

The Euphrates River will dry up (this is the 6th angel's bowl).

The Chinese will use the chaos caused by the wars to march against the Roman dictator to challenge for world control.  

The 200 million man Oriental army marches to the Euphrates River's Eastern banks.

The Roman dictator prepares to meet for a show down in the Middle East.  (Such countries as the US, Western Europe, Canada, South America & Australia may be present).

Why man to man battles on land rather than bombs?

1. The Chinese believe that with their vast numbers they can absorb devastating losses and still win a war and they believe that all war is still determined on the ground by land forces.
2. 200 million soldiers could not be transported by China by air or sea as they do not possess that great a transportation system.
3. Around 1970's India revealed that 12,000 Chinese soldiers inside Pakistan held Kashmir were working to build a road that could give their troops in Tibet a short cut to the sub continent.  India called this a threat to peace in Asia.  This road would make possible rapid movements of millions of Chinese troops into the Middle East.

Back to the Battle;

This battle takes place at "Armageddon" which means Mt. Megiddo which has also been  given to the great plain of Jezreel which belts across the middle of the Holy Land from the Mediterranean to the Jordan.  Here the prophet Joel says the Messiah will destroy the armies of the world & establish His kingdom.

Now, the anti Christ and the rest of the world meet on rushing charge of the East in a battle line which will extend throughout Israel with the vortex centered at the Valley of Megiddo. Johns says that so many will be slaughtered that blood   will stand to the horses bridles for 200 miles north & south of Jerusalem.  

When these two great forces meet the greatest shock wave ever to hit the earth will occur.  How isn't clear but all cities of the nation will be destroyed.  John says the Eastern forces (Orients) alone wipe out 1/3 of the earths population.  Entire mountains & islands will be blown off the  map and "few men are left".     

At the climax of Armageddon Jesus returns & saves man from self-extinction.  His return will be:

• Visible, personal, and physical
• Suddenly and startlingly
• He will come with the saints in mortal bodies (church age believers)
• His coming will be with violent judgement.
• His feet will first touch the earth where he left the earth-on the mountain of Olives.
• The mountain will split apart with a great earthquake the instant his foot touches it.
• The giant crevice caused will run east and west.

Zachariah says the believing Jewish remnant will rush into the crack instead of running from it.  They will know this prophesy and see it as the great cavern opened to protect them from the coming devastation of all people.

His return will be to set up God's kingdom on earth.

For 1000 years Jesus will reign on earth from King David's throne and the Jews will possess the land bordered on the east by the Euphrates River and on the west by the Nile.

Jerusalem will be the spiritual center of the world and all people will come annually to worship Him.

The Jewish remnant will be the spiritual leaders & will teach all nations the ways of God.

There will be peace and universal spirituality even with the animals.

The meek and not the arrogant will inherit the earth.

This will last 1000 years and at the end of that time some of the children of believers who started in the kingdom will be unbelievers and start a rebellion.  Christ will bring swift judgement on them.  After this there will be no more human history with mortal men.  All unbelievers will be judged in the crushing of the last rebellion, lead by Satan who will have been bound for 1000 years but is released momentarily to reveal the rebellion beginning.

All who remain will be changed into immortality and the kingdom of God will change form and be reestablished in a new heaven and a new earth