· Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, and President of the Ten Nation WEU, is working to establish a peace agreement in the Mid-East. He is also the chief author of EU Recommendation 666, which lays the groundwork for his power base within the EU and for a peace process in the Mid-East.

· Political unrest and instability are rampant around the world.

· Crime reaches an all time high.

· World wide economic instability is increasing, as are fears of a worldwide recession.

· Natural disasters strike many parts of the world in increasing strength and numbers.

· Update, July 2012: If we thought things were bad in 2008, consider events in the Middle East today. Events in North Africa, Iran, Syria, Israel, the USA, Europe, Russia, China, in fact in the entire world are all signs and evidences that we are indeed in the last days before the Lord returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. These days are the prelude to the start of Daniel's last 7 years. Years of judgment and the wrath of God.

The world is in turmoil and it is getting worse daily. Human efforts to deal with this turmoil are proving inadequate at best. In many ways, human efforts are completely failing. Evil in the forms of war, famine, disease, crime, terrorism, and political unrest seems to be out of control. As a result, fear, anxiety, tension, hopelessness, and despair are gripping people in all parts of the world. In the midst of all this turmoil and evil, is there any message of hope?

If we look to man for this hope, we will be disappointed. Man’s efforts have in the past – as in the future – always come up short.

Where, then, do we look? The age-old answer is the same. We look to God who created the world, to the One who wrote the Epic Story of the world before it even existed. The God of the Bible – the Epic

Story – is the hope of mankind. Specifically, we look to the end of the story to see how it all comes out. And guess what? It all comes out fine! Even more than fine, as the end of the story is really the beginning of a glorious and wonderful future. It ends so wonderfully that we cannot fully grasp it.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV) But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

However, there is a problem with the end of the story. The problem is that it contains scenes of war, destruction, death, and judgment – scenes we do not like. The road to New Jerusalem goes through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

To add to that problem, differing interpretations cause confusion and doubt that the end of the story is even true at all. As a result, the story is often ignored or not told at all. If it is told, it is with a religious or denominational interpretation that is founded more on likes, dislikes, and tradition than on the Bible itself.

It is this author’s personal conviction that two primary reasons for the neglect, abuse, and confusion raised by the end of the story – what we call the Last Days – are fear and pride. Especially where the scriptures are read and understood from a Western worldview and way of thinking and not from a Judaic/Hebrew way. Pride and arrogance keep us from seeing the keys that unravel the mysteries of the Bible. This is because these keys are Jewish in nature, and Gentile pride keeps us from discovering these keys. Fear enters when the readers or hearers don’t really know the One True God and the Lord Jesus, Who reveals God to us. As a result, either they don’t know – or if they do know – they don’t believe or trust the promises of God’s Word to believers.

The Bible tells us not to be surprised, not to be fearful, and not to be ignorant of the events of the End of the Age. Instead, we are to be encouraged, motivated, and blessed by these scriptures. 1 Thessalonians 5:1 admonishes us to know the signs of the times (to know what God is doing in our age). We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 that we are to encourage one other with the words of prophecy. We are not to be surprised by what God is doing because we are to know and understand the prophecies of the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:4). We are not to be ignorant (1 Thessalonians 4:13); we are to be encouraged, motivated, and blessed by the prophetic word (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; Revelation 1:3); and we are to develop hope through the prophetic word (Romans 8:24; Titus 2:13). The end of God’s story, the story of the End of the Age, produces hope for those who know the Lord and believe the promises of the scriptures. The end of the story is our “hope of glory”!

If we, the true Church, are to be a source of hope and peace in the midst of the storms ahead of us, we must first have that peace and hope within us. To have these we must know, trust, and love Jesus. He will be our source of hope and peace in the midst of the storms ahead. Part of knowing Him is being familiar with the end of His story – how He is going to deal with all the evil, injustice, terror, and turmoil in the world. Knowing this, we can partner with Him in prayer and deed consistent with the story, not working against His plan.

The End of the Story

The end of God’s story is also called “The Day of the Lord”; “The Days of Awe”; “The Day of the Wrath of God”; Daniel’s last week of years; and more commonly, the Last Days, the End of the Age, and the Tribulation. It is a fearsome time of trial, trouble, war, natural disasters, demonic activity, and the wrath of God. How people deal with these times will all depend on whose they are and how they look at things. For natural man, it will be “the worst of times”.

Revelation 6:15-17 (NKJV) And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

Joel 1:15 (NKJV) Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.

Zephaniah 2:2-3 (NKJV) Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you!³ Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

For those who know the Lord, these will be difficult times and times of testing - yet times of opportunity, blessings, and joy; “the best of times”. In the end, they are the believer’s “hope of glory”.

Daniel 12:3 (NKJV) Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

This grace spoken of in 1 Peter includes all of the great promises given to those who believe in Jesus: eternal life, glory, new bodies, an eternal abode in Heaven called The New Jerusalem, and many other blessings too grand for our minds to even grasp.

Just a few of these promises are:

· We will eat of the fruit of the tree of life, in the Paradise of God (Revelation 2:7).

· We will not be injured by the second death (Revelation 2:11).

· We will eat of the manna that is hidden, and He will give us a new name (Revelation 2:17).

· He will give us authority and power over the nations; we shall rule them with a scepter of iron like that which Jesus himself received from the Father (Revelation 2:26-27).

· We shall be clad in white garments, and our names not erased from the Book of Life. Jesus will confess our names openly before His Father and His angels (Revelation 3:5).

· He will keep us safe from the hour of trial (testing) that is coming to try those who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10).

· He will make us a pillar in the sanctuary of His God (Revelation 3:12).

· He will write on us the name of His God, the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, which descends from His God out of Heaven, as well as His own new name (Revelation 3:12).

· He will grant us to sit beside Him on His throne, as He sat down beside the Father on His Throne (Revelation 3:21).

· We are to be His Bride! (Revelation 19:7-10).

Consider these great promises given to believers in Jesus. It is God’s purpose to give us the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). The Church is to sit with Him upon His throne, and to be invested with His authority (Revelation 3:21). The Church is to judge the world and angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). We are to share His Glory (John 17:22).

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 tells us that all things belong to the Church and are for her benefit. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things (the cosmos) are for the good of them that love God (the Church), who are called according to His purpose. All things serve and are for the Church. The Bride of Christ, the Church, ruling and reigning with Jesus in the Kingdom of God is the end product of all history and the purpose of existence (Revelation 19:6,9; 21:7,9,10; Acts 17:26).

The Church is to be a joint heir of all things (Romans 8:17). The Marriage of the Lamb is the beginning of God’s future and wonderful plan for all eternity. All history, the entire universe, was created, and is being manipulated and controlled by God for one purpose – to prepare and train the Bride. When the Church is on the Throne with the Lord Jesus, then begins a new and ultimate journey where the Church will rule and reign with the Lord upon the earth for a thousand years, and then rule with Him over the new Heavens and a New Earth for all eternity. This is a fresh adventure, the ultimate and supreme enterprise (Revelation 21:1). This is the joy found in the end of God’s story. It is the revelation of the true “Queen of Heaven”, the Bride of Christ.

We commonly call the end of the story the “Last Days”. The Bible calls it “The Day of the Lord”. The apostle and prophet John received this story around 70 A.D. on the Island of Patmos. The book of Revelation in the New Testament is this “end of the story” recorded.

This story was not new even for John’s day. The prophets of old told much of it as well. We must integrate their parts of the story, as well as their revelations, into the New Testament accounts to get the full picture.

Hypothesis and Approach

Numerous books and commentaries have been written, and movies made, dealing with this “Day of the Lord”, the end of God’s story, so why another? In this little book, I have attempted to look at this “end of God’s story” with a different approach. An approach based on the prophecies embedded in the Festivals of Israel.

The book that you are now holding is my attempt to tell the story of the Last Days as written in the book of the Revelation by adding into it the prophecies of the Old Testament, and to include the truths of the Feasts of Israel. Together they all create a road map, which we can use as we journey from today into the future on The Road to New Jerusalem.

This book is an attempt to rediscover some of the keys that unravel Biblical End Times mysteries, and to dispel fear caused by hearsay or partial understanding of End Times scriptures. The Biblical promises for believers will give us the hope and courage needed to deal with the future - the road that leads to New Jerusalem.

Laying the Foundations

Leviticus 23:2 (NKJV) “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The Feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My Feasts.”

Leviticus 23:4 (NKJV) These are the Feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.

These verses give us the key to understanding the comings of Jesus to earth. The Hebrew word translated feasts is mo'ed and literally means a set time or an appointed time. The Hebrew word translated convocations is mikrah and literally means a rehearsal or recital. The implication is that the Feasts of Israel are rehearsals of various aspects of the plans of God. They are prophecies that teach about the Messiah (Col. 2:16-17). We find that as early as the first century believers taught that the early or Spring Feasts (the Feasts of the former rain) were literally fulfilled by Jesus when He appeared the first time in Israel. They also believed that the Fall Feasts (the Feasts of the latter rain) dealt with Jesus’ Second Coming to earth.

Hosea 6:3 (NKJV) Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Joel 2:23 (NKJV) Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you – The former rain,

And the latter rain in the first month.

Note: The first month is either Aviv (Nisan), the month of Passover, or Tishri, the month of The Feast of Trumpets, depending on whether it is the beginning of the religious or the civil year.

Colossians 2:16-17 (NKJV)

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

In general, as believers we embrace the fact that the early Feasts of Passover – First Fruits, Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost – indeed teach about the first advent of Jesus to earth. However, what we have neglected to teach or learn is that the Fall Feasts teach about His return. Understanding the Spring Feasts, and how Jesus explicitly fulfilled them, will establish a pattern or precedent that allows us to understand how Jesus will fulfill the Fall Feasts.

What we find is that Jesus literally, specifically, and completely fulfilled the prophecies of the Spring Feasts. Therefore, it is reasonable, even necessary, to assume that He will fulfill the Fall Feasts in the same manner. Thus, the Fall Feasts of Israel become the road map, the guides if you will, to understanding both the Old Testament and the New Testament prophecies of His Second Coming.

We also discover that God has given us other things on earth that are patterns and shadows of Heavenly things. The earthly Tabernacle of God is one well-known example. Another is the Jewish Wedding tradition, which is key to understanding events of the Second Coming. We will look at these to confirm the story that the Feasts and prophets are telling us.

Our approach will be to first understand how Jesus fulfilled the Spring Feasts, and then examine the prophecies of the Second Coming in light of the Fall Feasts. We will use chapters 5 through 21 of the book of Revelation as our basic text. The Feasts of Israel will be our guides, and we will integrate the prophecies of Daniel, Joel, Isaiah, and the other Old Testament prophets.

•

Hypothesis and Approach

– The seven Holy Festivals of Israel are prophecies of Jesus coming to earth (Lev. 23:2, 4).

• The Spring Feasts, or the first four Festivals, are prophecies of Jesus’ first coming.

• The Fall Feasts, or the last three Festivals, are prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming (Hosea 6:3, Joel 2:23).

– The traditional Wedding Festival of the Jews is a prophecy, or foreshadowing, of Jesus’ Wedding in Heaven (Col. 2:16-17, Heb. 10:1, 1 Cor. 10:1-6, 11).

– The Bible is to be interrupted literally – recognizing allegories, parables, types, and symbols – and how the original writers and readers would have understood the words.

Figure 1 - Overview

Chapter 1 – The Feasts of Israel

From:

Chumney, Edward, “The Seven Festivals of the Messiah”, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. Shippensbury, PA.

Good, Joseph‚ Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come, Port Arthur, Texas: Hatikva Ministries, 1989.

The Spring Feasts of Israel

The Spring Feasts (Festivals) of Israel

• Prophecies of the First Coming of Jesus:

• The four Spring Festivals

• Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

• Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church age.

• The summer days - The Days of Mourning

• Tammuz 17 to Av 9

• Days of Mourning to remember the invasions of Israel, and the destruction of the Temples and Jerusalem.

The Days of Repentance – Teshuvah

Days of preparation for the Feast of Trumpets

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Figure 2 – The Spring Feast of Israel

The Spring Feasts or Festivals of Israel occur during the spring barley harvest and celebrate significant events in Israel’s past. Passover celebrates the slaying of the lamb in Egypt, the passing over of the angel of death, the exodus from Egypt, and the crossing of the Red Sea. Pentecost celebrates the receiving of the Torah, or law. As we look at these events of the past, we will see that they are prophecies, or rehearsals, of events that Jesus actually fulfilled in full at His first coming to earth.

Passover – Pesach (Exodus 12:1-7)

Passover begins on the 14^th of the first month of the Religious calendar. This is the month of Aviv (or Nisan). Aviv 1 is the first new moon of spring and is the beginning of the new Religious year. The 10th plague in Egypt occurred this same night. Passover is an eight-day celebration and includes the Feast of Hag haMatzah, or Unleavened Bread. It celebrates the salvation of the Jews from the “death” and slavery of Egypt (Ex. 3:1 - 4:17).

Passover was, and still is, celebrated from Aviv 15^th to the 22^nd. It celebrates the passing over of the angel of death, the securing of the body of Joseph, and the 3-day journey into the wilderness (Ex. 3:18; 5:3). Passover was first celebrated in Egypt, and began by bringing the sacrificial lamb into the house on Aviv 10^th, four days before it was to be slain. During this time, it was examined to ensure it was perfect, as all sacrificial lambs are to be. The lamb was then killed on Aviv 14 at 3:00 pm (in the “twain of the evening”, or between the minor evening prayers and the major evening prayers, Ex. 12:3-6). The families ate the Passover meal (called Hag haMatzah, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread) after sundown as Aviv 15^th began. With the blood of the lamb applied to their doorposts, God protected them and the angel of death passed over them (Ex. 12:23).

The Passover meal itself is full of rituals that have special prophetic meaning. One example is that during the meal, the middle piece of 3 pieces of matzah (or unleavened bread) is removed from a bag called the “unity bag”. That middle piece is then broken, and one-half is placed back into the unity bag. The other half is wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden (buried) somewhere in the house. The children search to find it and receive a nice gift when they do so. What a picture of Jesus, the middle piece of unleavened bread, being broken for us, of being “hidden” for us, the children, to find, and when we find it – Him – receiving eternal life as a gift.

All of this Festival, including the meal and its preparation, is but a prophecy – a picture of the work of Jesus that He would accomplish some 1500 years after God commanded the Hebrews to observe it. On the 10^th day of Aviv in the year 33 A.D., Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. This is the same day the families brought the sacrificial lamb into their homes. For four days, he taught and was questioned (examined) by the Rabbis, just as the Rabbis examined the lambs. During the night of Aviv 14, Jesus was arrested. At 9:00am on the first day of Passover (John 1:29), He was nailed to a tree (a rough wooden cross) on a hill called Golgotha. At the 9^th hour (i.e. at 3:00 pm) Jesus cried out, “It is finished” or literally, “Paid in full” (John 19:28-32; 1 Cor. 5:7). At exactly this same moment, a high priest over in the Temple slit the throat of the Passover lamb saying these very same words!

Jesus was buried just before nightfall on the 14^th of Aviv in the tomb of Joseph of Aramahthia (Ramah). Like the Matzah of the Passover meal, Jesus' body was broken, wrapped in linen cloths, and placed in the grave, thereby keeping the “set appointment” of the prophetic Feast (John 6:51; 19:36-42; 1 Cor. 5:7-8).

Jesus’ tomb was found empty on Sunday, Aviv 17, on the third day (3 nights) from his burial. Remember that the Hebrews during the exodus from Egypt first went to Sukkot to secure the body of Joseph, who was also known as Joseph of Ramah or Egypt (Ex 13:19-20). Retrieving Joseph’s bones occurred 3 days before the Hebrews found themselves trapped at the Red Sea and in need of a miracle (a resurrection) to escape from Pharaoh and the captivity of Egypt. After three days, Israel passed through the waters of the sea – out of certain death and into a new life with God. Jesus fulfilled this mikrah when He rose from the dead that Sunday morning in Jerusalem.

What is plain to see is that Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection fully and specifically fulfilled the prophecies of the Feast of Passover. If we would take the time to examine the details of the Passover celebration, we would find that every detail is nothing but a prophecy of the work of Jesus in His first coming to earth as our Passover Lamb!

The Feast of the Firstfruits (Lev 23:9-11)

During the week of Passover, on the first day after the weekly Sabbath (Saturday), or on the first Sunday after the 15^th of Aviv, the Feast of Firstfruits is celebrated. This Feast is related to the agricultural seasons, as it is held at the beginning of the barley harvest. The first grains of the barley harvest are made into a single loaf of barley bread, baked without leaven (leaven is a symbol of sin), and presented before God as a wave offering (Lev. 23:11-22). Historically, this was the day that the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea, basically being set free from the “death” of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 14:21-22, 29).

In this Feast we see the resurrection of Jesus, the sinless one – the firstfruits of many who will rise from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). Here, again, Jesus literally fulfilled the prophecy of the Feast of Firstfruits. After lying in the grave for three nights (Matt. 12:40), Jesus rose from that grave on the third day, the 17^th of Aviv, never to die again. During the specific year of 33 A.D., the 17th of Aviv fell on the first day of the week; therefore, the day of His resurrection was indeed on the Feast of Firstfruits. The single loaf of unleavened bread was a prophecy literally fulfilled in Jesus (the sinless one). On the day of His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples what He would fulfill at His next appointment (mo'ed) (Luke 24:44-49), Shavuot (also called Pentecost).

Luke 24:44-49 (NKJV) Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."
⁴⁵ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
⁴⁶ Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸ And you are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹ Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Pentecost – Shavuot, The Feast of Weeks

Fifty days after crossing the Red Sea, God gave the Torah (or law) to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex. 20:1-17). The Jews celebrate Shavuot (or Pentecost) in remembrance of the giving of the law (Ex. 19:15-19). This Feast occurs at the conclusion of the barley harvest and at the beginning of the wheat harvest.

The ceremonies of Shavuot include offering before the Lord two loaves of wheat bread baked with leaven, which is symbolic of sinful man, both Jew and Gentile. Shavuot is known as the time of the betrothal of Israel to God, as well as the Feast of the Blast of the First Trumpet. This Feast gives us a prophecy of the birth of Israel, the birth of the Church, the giving of the Holy Spirit, and the start of the wheat harvest or the ingathering of sinful man (the beginning of the gathering of the Bride of Christ). As 3000 souls were lost at Mount Sinai, 3000 souls were saved on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. As the law was given on Mount Sinai, the Spirit was given in Jerusalem. On Mount Sinai, the people of Israel committed themselves to be betrothed to God. They later failed to keep this commitment hence God divorced them.

In Jerusalem, on Pentecost, Jesus came as the Holy Spirit to seek a bride. He filled those who accepted His proposal with His Spirit. From that day to today, Jesus continues to come to us with a marriage contract, the New Covenant. The bride price that He offers is His own life. He offers of a cup of wine to drink (the communion), symbolic of the blood He shed to seal the New Covenant. If we accept the contract (the New Covenant), the bride price (the Lord’s life), and drink the wine (accept that He shed His blood for us), we become betrothed to the Lord. Thus the true Church, the Bride of Christ, was born on Pentecost. (The prophetic significance and of the ancient Jewish betrothal and wedding ceremonies are further discussed in detail in the next chapter.)

As the Spring Festivals were fulfilled literally to the day, as each taught important principles in the plan of God, and as they fell in a natural chronological progression compatible with the scriptural plan of God, so we can expect the Fall Feasts (Festivals) to do the same. So now, let us turn our attention to the times between the Spring Feasts and the Fall Feasts.

The Times of the Gentiles

The Days Between the Spring and the Fall Feasts

The Times of the Gentiles, or the Church Age, began on Pentecost 33 A.D. with outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Church Age will last “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

Romans 11:25 (ASV) For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

The Church Age, or the Times of the Gentiles, ends with the catching away of the Church to meet the Lord in the air. This event is commonly known as the Rapture.

1Thessalonians 4:16-17 (ASV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Colossians 15:51-52 (ASV) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed [emphasis added].

This period of time between Pentecost – which is the start of the wheat harvest – and the catching away of the Church – which is the end of the wheat harvest – is the Church Age, or the Times of the Gentiles. The harvesting of wheat is symbolic of the gathering of the Church, the Bride of Christ, through faith in the Lord Jesus.

During this age, two Jewish seasons have special significance relative to the events prophesied by the Fall Feasts. These two Feasts are The Days of Mourning and Teshuvah, also known as the Days of Repentance.

The Days of Mourning

The seventeenth day of Tammuz (about July) begins a three-week period of national mourning for Israel, which leads up to the fast of Tisha B’Av (the Ninth Day of Av). Three spiritually significant events have happened on the seventeenth day of Tammuz involving the breaking of a spiritual symbol of God's favor. When God’s favor is broken, He removes His blessings and protection, and thus bad things happen.

· Moses breaks the tablets of the Law (Exodus 19:18).

· The Babylonians broke through the walls of Jerusalem and caused the daily sacrifice to cease (the Korban Tamid; Jeremiah 39:1).

· The Roman army forces the cessation of the daily sacrifice (Josephus).

The Fast on the 17^th of Tammuz, which commemorates the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem before the First Temple was destroyed, begins a three-week period of increasing mourning. Tisha B'Av (the Ninth of Av) is the culmination of this time-period.

The Fast of Tisha B’Av begins on the 9^th day of Av. It is a fast of mourning (Zech. 7:5). This Fast of the Ninth of Av is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which coincidentally have occurred on the ninth of Av. Tisha B'Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the Ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.(or B.C.); the second by the Romans in 70 C.E. (or A.D.)). Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, the many other tragedies of the Jewish people are also remembered.

Israel has witnessed several great disasters on the 9^th day of Av.

· The twelve spies return with their report – Israel loses faith and is condemned to die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:1-10, 39).

· The destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians on the 9th of Av, 587 B.C. (The Jerusalem Talmud; Jeremiah 52:5-14; Lamentations 2:7; Zechariah 8:9).

· The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. (Josephus; Daniel 9:26; Luke 19:40-44).

· General Titus who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. became Prince Titus when his father, General Vespasian, become emperor is A.D. 69 (Daniel 9:26).

· The Romans plowed Jerusalem and the Temple in 71 A.D., one year after the destruction of the city (Micah 3:12).

· The destruction of Simon Bar Kochba's army who warred against the Romans from 134 to 135 A.D. This final shattering of the people of Israel in 135 A.D. occurred on the sixty-fifth anniversary of the burning of the Temple, on the ninth of Av.

· England expelled all Jews in 1290 A.D. on the 18th of July (the 9th of Av).

· Spain expelled all Jews in 1492 A.D. on the 2nd of August (the 9th of Av).

· On the ninth of Av, August 1, l914, as the Jews fasted and mourned, World War 1 was declared (Matthew 24:7)

These days have historically been days of trouble, sorrow, and turmoil for Israel, and are likely days for future similar events that are a part of God’s prophetic program for Israel. This author personally believes that Ezekiel’s wars and the events of Revelation 6 will begin during this season. Thus, Tisha B'Av becomes the starting point for the great story of the Last Days. The last leg of the road to the New Jerusalem begins here.

The Days of Repentance – Teshuvah

The season of the Fall Festivals begins with a 30-day period of repentance called Teshuvah. Teshuvah literally means to return or repent. After the 30 days that end on the Feast of Trumpets there are 10 more days of Teshuvah called the “High Holy Days.” During the first 30 days, Jews are required to restore relationships with both men and God. These first 30 days are a national call to repent before the Feast of Trumpets in order that each person’s name be written in the Book of Life (the Book of the Righteous), so that when this book is opened during the Feast of Trumpets, their names will be found and they will escape the seven fearsome “days” between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These days are called The Awesome Days (Joel 2:11). They are an unprecedented time of testing and trouble for Jews. During these days it is still possible to get one’s name written in the Book of Life, but it is taught that it will cost you your life. The Jewish greeting used during this period is "May you be sealed until the day of redemption.”

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur is a day of fearsome judgment and the Day of Redemption. Jewish tradition teaches that it will be on this day that the Messiah comes to redeem Israel and establish his kingdom.

Prophetically this season of Teshuvah speaks of a period of great repentance and turning to God at the very end of the Church Age, (the Times of the Gentiles), just before the trumpet of the Feast of Trumpets sounds. The last 10 days are directed to the Jew and promise a way of salvation even during the “Awesome Days” preceding Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

The Fall Feasts or Festivals

The Fall Festivals

• The Feast of Trumpets – The blast of the shofar starts Rosh Hashanah, also called: the Festival of the Last Trump, the Day of Concealment, the Day of the Awakening Blast, the Day of the Resurrection of the Dead, the Day of Judgment, the Day No One Knows, and the Day of the King (traditional day for the coronations and weddings of Jewish kings).

• The Day of Atonement – The day of redemption, confession, judgment, Jubilee years and the beginning of the Messianic age.

• Tabernacles – A great banquet (the Wedding Feast), called the “Season of our Joy”.

The following festivals are not part of the seven Holy Feasts of Israel but never the less key special seasons relative to Israel, both past and future.

• Hanukkah – Celebrates the recapture and cleansing of the sanctuary on the 24th of Cheisleu 165 BC by Judas Maccabbaeus.

• Purim – Celebrates the defeat of the enemies of the Jews by Mordeccai and Esther, a day when Haman had planned to destroy the Jews.

These festivals are mo’eds or rehearsals of various aspects of Jesus’ Second Coming to earth.

Figure 3 – The Fall Festivals

The Feast of Trumpets – Rosh HaShanah (Leviticus 23:24)

This Feast occurs on the first day of Tishrei, a new noon, the 7th month of the religious calendar but the first month of the civil calendar.

The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh HaShanah is also known in Judaism as:

· Yom Teruah or the Day of the Awakening Blast.

· The Day of the Blowing of the Last Trump (Pentecost is called the festival of the First Trump).

· Yom HaDin - The Day of Judgment.

· The Day of the Resurrection of the Dead.

· It is the first day of the Yamim Nora’im, The Days of Awe, the last 10 days of Teshuvah.

· Yom HaZikkaron - The Day of Rememberance.

· Yom HaKeseh - The Day of Concealment.

· Ha Melech – The Day of the King (the day of the coronation or wedding).

· Also known as “The Day That No One Knows,” "One Long Day," and “The Day of the Gathering of the Nobles”.

In Judaism, the gates of Heaven are opened during the first service of the Feast of Trumpets. Tradition also teaches that three books are open during this Feast. If one has repented and gotten right with their fellow man and God by accepting the righteousness of God, his name is found written in the Book of the Righteous (or the Book of Life). The one with his name in the Book is judged acceptable and will be concealed during the Awesome Days that precede Yom Kippur.

The Book of the Rashim, the wholly wicked, contains the names of those forever rejected of their own accord due to their rejection of God. The third book is the Book of the Intermediates or the Book of the Undecided. These are those that have not been judged righteous or wholly wicked. They are given seven more days to repent, the seven days between the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement). If they do repent and are found righteous, they are written into the Book of the Righteous, if not, into the Book of the Wicked. Their fate is sealed on Yom Kippur (Hosea 14:1-9; Tosefta Rosh haShanah 1:13; Rosh haShanah 16b-17a). The last service of Yom Kippur is called the “Closing of the Gates of Heaven.”

Prophetically, what is this Feast of the Last Trump all about? How will Jesus fulfill this Feast as He fulfilled the Spring Feasts? What about the Church, those accepting the righteousness of Christ Jesus, both Jew and Gentile (1 Thes. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-52)? Are not these the ones whose names have been written into the Book of Life? And what is this Gathering of the Nobles? Is this not the gathering of the saints to meet the Lord in the air, what we call the Rapture? It seems that the names and rituals of this festival certainly speak of the calling home of the true believers. It is at the ‘Blast of the Last Trump’ that the church is caught to meet the Lord in the air. It is at this Feast that the dead in Christ are awakened or resurrected. It is “the Day No One Knows” as it is called in the New Testament. It is the true church that is called to the Wedding of the King. It is the true church whose names are written in the ‘Lamb’s Book of Life’ that are taken to Heaven and protected (or concealed) during the coming days of the Judgment of God on those on earth (the Gathering of the Nobles). It is the beginning of the Days of Awe. It is this Festival that tells us that the catching up of the church is one of the events that initiates Daniel’s last 7 years, the Time of God’s Wrath (Daniel 9:24-27). On earth, this festival begins the Time of Judgment. In Heaven, it initiates the Wedding of the church and the Lord, King Jesus.

In summary then the Feast of Trumpets can be seen as the rehearsal of the beginning of The Day of The Lord. In it, we see the call for all to repent and return to the Lord. We see the resurrection of the dead and the calling home of all who have come to a condition of righteousness through faith in God and in His Messiah. We see the catching up of the Church to meet the Lord in the air (the Rapture). In heaven, it is the time of the Wedding of the King of Kings. It is also the time when all others, those whose names are not written in the Book of Life, enter into the Yamin Nora'im, the Days of Awe, a seven year time-period of judgment and the wrath of God on earth. At the same time, in Heaven, it is the time of the Chupah, the concealment of the Bride.

Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5, also teaches us that we should know the Season or Festival of these events. For “they” (the world) it will come upon then as a thief in the night. But for us it should not be so! He also implies that this Feast initiates the judgment or wrath of God and that we are to escape and be concealed during this coming Time of the Wrath of God, the Days or Awe, or the Awesome Days.

1 Cor 15:51-52 (ASV) - Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (ASV) - For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1Thessalonians 5:1-11 (ASV) - But concerning the times and the seasons (the festivals), brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.

Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement (Lev 23:27)

The holiest day of the Jewish year occurs on the 10^th day of Tishrei (about October). It is called Yom Kippur or The Day of Atonement. During the Temple periods, it was on this day that the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to seek atonement for Israel for the coming year. It is also called Yom HaPeduth, or the Day of Redemption.

It was on this day that the High Priest sprinkled the people to signify their cleansing. It was a prophetic act portraying the day that their Messiah will cleans them from their sins permanently (Isa. 52:13-15; 59:20-21; Zech. 14:1-15; Rev. 19:11-16). It will be on the final Day of Atonement when atonement is applied to national Israel to fulfill His unconditional promises or covenants with them. It will be fulfilled for the Jewish Nation when Jesus (Messiah) returns (Zech. 12:10; 13:1-6; Isa. 52:13-15; Rom. 11:26).

The Covenants

Let’s stop for a moment and take a look at these covenants. Basically, they are agreements between God and the Hebrews. There are five major covenants, four are unconditional and one is conditional (i.e. I will, if you will). These covenants are literal and eternal. The unconditional covenants depend upon God’s integrity and they are made with a covenant people, the Jews. It is important to note that gentiles are not a covenant people (Romans 9:4; Ephesians 2:11, 12). We as gentiles can partake in the covenant promises only by being adopted into God’s covenant people through Jesus.

The covenants are of great importance to us in this study because they are the basis of the eschatological (or last days) program of God. They guarantee Israel a permanent national existence, perpetual title to the land of promise, and material and spiritual blessing through the Messiah. Through the Messiah, the covenants guarantee gentiles a share in these blessings. The land promises, or blessings, are given in the Promised Land Covenant. The promises of a perpetual kingdom are given in the Davidic Covenant, and the redemptive and spiritual blessings are given in the New Covenant. Taken together, these constitute the Abrahamic Covenant.

The Mosaic Covenant is the one conditional covenant. Basically, it is the Law. If the house of Jacob and the sons of Israel would obey God's voice and keep the Law God gave to them through Moses, then God promises that Israel would be His special possession or treasure, a kingdom whose citizens were all priests with access to God, and a holy nation, separated from all other nations and devoted only to God (Exodus 19:5-6). The basic commandments are given in Exodus 20.

The New Covenant replaced the Mosaic covenant. The New Covenant is based on better promises, and on Christ's blood. It is no longer conditional on keeping the law, but only on accepting the atonement offered by Christ Jesus. The New Covenant is with the house of Judah and Israel, and includes writing His laws upon their minds and hearts and forgiving their sins (Hebrews 8:6-13; Jeremiah 31:31-40).

Jeremiah 31: 31-40 (NKJV) "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--
³² not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
³³ But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
³⁴ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
³⁵ Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name):
³⁶ "If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever."
³⁷ Thus says the Lord: "If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the Lord.
³⁸ "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the city shall be built for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
³⁹ The surveyor's line shall again extend straight forward over the hill Gareb; then it shall turn toward Goath.
⁴⁰ And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or thrown down anymore forever."

These covenants are completely accomplished on the Day of Atonement, also known as Yom haDin, the Day of Judgment. This solemn day is a prophecy of the day of Messiah’s (Christ’s) return. The last service of this Feast is the Ceremony of the Closing of the Gates of Heaven (Isa. 26:1-3; Ps. 24). In Jewish tradition, it is also the beginning of the Kingdom or Messianic Age (Zech. 14:9, 16-21).

On Yom Kippur, the Shofar haGadol (the Great Shofar) is blown to gather in the surviving believers from the Awesome Days (Ezek. 39:28; Isa. 27:13). This is consistent with the prophecies that tell us that Israel will first be gathered to Israel in unbelief, and then they will be gathered in belief when Messiah comes (Isa. 11:11-12; 27:12-13; 43:5-7; Jer. 3:18; 12:14-15; 16:14-15; 23:7-8; 24:5-6; 29:14; 30:3-10; 32:36-37; 46:27-28; Ezek. 11:15-19; 37:21; Zech. 8:7; 10-6-10).

This Day of Days, with the blowing of the Great Shofar, is the mo'ed of Jesus Christ’s (Yeshua haMashiach’s) triumphal return to earth. On this day, as the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem look upon Him whom they pierced, Israel recognizes Yeshua as their once crucified Messiah; He Who has come to reign. He, Messiah Jesus, sprinkles His people to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness (Zech. 12:10-11; 13:1). God fulfills His promises (covenants) to Israel, defeats the forces of the Beast and of the kings of the North, South, and East who have surrounded Jerusalem, and initiates His Kingdom rule on earth – the Millennial Kingdom. According to Zechariah, this great event will happen at evening time.

Zechariah 14:7 (NKJV) It shall be one day which is known to the Lord – Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light.

Zechariah 12:9-11 (NKJV) It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
¹⁰ "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
¹¹ In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zechariah 13:1-9 (NKJV) "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
² "It shall be in that day," says the Lord of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.
³ It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, 'You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.' And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
⁴ "And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.
⁵ But he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.'
⁶ And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'
⁷ "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the Lord of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
⁸ And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the Lord, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:
⁹ I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "

Sukkot – The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34)

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, occurs five days after Yom Kippur, the Feast of Atonement. It begins on the 15^th day of Tishri. Historically it is a celebration of the days that God provided shelter and food for the Israelites in the wilderness (Lev. 23:42-43), and that God lived with His people during that time. It is a weeklong festival (seven days) and Israel is to live in temporary shelters (booths) around the Temple during these seven days.

Sukkot is celebrated with great supers eaten in the shelters around the Temple. Traditionally the food was to be supplied by the priests. The entire area around the Temple was lit with great torches or lights. It was at the end of this festival that Jesus declared that He was the Light of the World (Isa. 60:19-20; John 9:5; Rev. 21:23-24; 22:5). As the priest carried out rituals concerning the “living water and wine,” symbolizing God's provisions for Israel, Jesus taught that about rivers of living water (Isa. 12:3; John 7:37-38).

In the Feast of Tabernacles we see the rehearsal, or prophecy, of the time in history when God, in the person of the resurrected Jesus, comes once again to live with His people, reign over as King of kings (Zech. 14:9), and totally provide for the people of the earth (Zech. 14:1-21). In it we see that the transgression (of the Jews) has been finished; that sin and iniquity has been atoned for; that everlasting righteousness has been brought in; and that the vision and prophecies have been sealed up or fulfilled with respect to the Jewish people and Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24-27). But for us, the church, this Festival is the rehearsal of our Wedding Supper (Rev. 19:7-17).

At the heart of God’s great, eternal story has always been a love story. God is a relational being. His very nature is one that desires close companionship. God is seeking an eternal companion. He is seeking someone of His own kind or order; able to become one with Him; able to rule and reign with Him; and able and willing to love Him as an act of free will. God is seeking intimate relationships; relationships like that of husband and wife in a perfected state. God is seeking a bride.

The Song of Solomon is a poetic discourse of this “divine love affair”. There are several references to “my sister, my bride” or spouse (Song of Solomon 4:8-12; 5:1). This, I believe, reflects our relationship with God as both His sons and daughters, and His bride or wife (spouse). So at the end of God’s great story we should see the climax of this love story – His wedding. And indeed, we do. We see His coming for His bride and taking her away to His Father’s house for the Wedding at the Feast of the Last Trump, the Feast of Trumpets. We see the time of the “honeymoon” as He conceals her during the Days of Awe on earth. We see Him bringing her out to the world at His coming at the Day of Atonement, and finally we see the most joyous festival of all, the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, at the Feast of Tabernacles.

Consistent with the traditional Hebrew weddings, the Wedding Supper is held after the seven days (days as time is defined on earth) of the “honeymoon”, as we will see when we look at the traditional Jewish Wedding Ceremony. It is indeed the "season of our joy” – the time when God governs, provides for, and dwells with His people, truly becoming in the physical our light, our water and wine, our food, and our King-Priest over the earth where He will rule for 1000 years until the time when He will make all things new (Rev. 20; 21:1-5).

The day following Sukkot is known as "Shemini Atzeret" (the Eighth Day). While Tabernacles give us a picture of life during the Millennial Reign of Christ, Shemini Atzeret, also called “the Day Beyond Time” gives us picture or glimpse of the “age to come”. This day initiates what is called “the season of our joy” and “rejoicing in the Torah”.

Hanukkah

On the 24th day of Chisleu (Nov-Dec), the Jews celebrate the Feast of Hanukkah, not one of the "appointed Feasts," but one that commemorates the cleansing and rededication of the Second Temple in l65 B.C. We see this Festival as a prophesy of the final “cleansing of the sanctuary”, the anointing of the most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies) spoken of by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:24. It occurs 75 days after the Feast of Atonement (the 1335^th day from the mid-point of the 7 years of tribulation).

Daniel 9:24 (ESV) "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

Daniel 12:11-12 (ESV) “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days”.

The key historical events relative to Hanukkah deal with the desecration and then the cleansing of the Tempe. The first event was the abolition of the Temple Sacrifice by Antiochus IV in 168 B.C. The last true daily sacrifice took place on the 24 of Chisleu. Pagan sacrifices began the next day on the 25^th day of the ninth month, Chisleu (1 Maccabees 4:54).

The second event was the recapture of the Temple and the cleansing of the sanctuary on the 24th of Chisleu l65 B.C. by Judas Maccabaeus, exactly three years to the day after Antiochus IV forced the ending of the Daily Sacrifice. The Talmud says that a one-days supply of the sacred oil used to light the lamp lasted for the full eight days of the celebration, until new oil could be made. Today, the Feast of Dedication is commemorated by the Hanukkah celebration of the "Feast of Lights" for eight days, commencing on the 25^th day of Chisleu. Jesus celebrated this Feast (John 10:22-23). The events of 168 B.C. were shadows or prophecies of the final events involving the desecration and then the cleansing of the Temple. Antiochus IV was a type or prophecy of the Beast, the Antichrist who will desecrate the Temple in the last days.

Purim

Purim is a season to celebrate the salvation of the Jews from evil Haman in the days of Esther the Queen of Persia. Satan attempted to destroy all Jews using Haman, a high official in the court of Xerxes (Ahasuerus), the King of Persia 486-465 B.C. Because of Esther’s courage and heart, not only are the Jews saved, but Haman ends up being hung on the gallous that he constructed to hang Ester’s uncle, Mordecai.

Esther 7:1-10 (NKJV) So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther.² And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!"
³ Then Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
⁴ For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss."
⁵ So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?"
⁶ And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!" So Haman was terrified before the king and queen.
⁷ Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king.
⁸ When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?" As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
⁹ Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, "Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf, is standing at the house of Haman." Then the king said, "Hang him on it!"
¹⁰ So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided.

Prophetically Purim speaks of the Church (Esther) going before God (the King) as intercessors for the Jews. As a result of her efforts, the evil plans of Haman (the devil) are thwarted, the Jews are saved, and Haman (the devil) is “hung” on his own gallous (evil plan).

The festival is important to us because we will find that Satan has not given up on destroying the Jews on Purim. As we will discover later, according to the prophet Daniel, he will end up desecrating the newly rebuilt sanctuary on this day sometime in the future.

Daniel 12:11-12 (NKJV) “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Purim falls 1290 days before the Day of Atonement, the conclusion of the Days of Wrath.

Chapter 2 - Jewish Wedding Customs

A Wedding on Earth and a Wedding in Heaven

From: Perkins, Polly: Christ the Bridegroom and Jewish Wedding Customs, Jewish Christian Ministries, l989.

Within the ancient and traditional Hebrew religious and civil ceremonies are prophecies revealing God to the world (Eph. 5:32). Because the Day of the Lord involves the Wedding of the King, the traditional Hebrew Wedding Ceremony is important to us and reveals much about Jesus’ Wedding.

The Engagement

As the traditional Jewish weddings were arranged marriages, so our marriage to Jesus was arranged before the earth began (Rom. 8:29).

The arranger or father of the prospective groom and the prospective groom go to the girl’s home with a dowry, a contract, and a skin of wine. If the father of the girl, and the girl herself, approve of the arrangements, the groom pours a glass of wine. As the girl drinks the wine, she is officially accepting the proposal. From this moment on she is considered officially married to the groom. At this point, the groom announces, “I go now to prepare a place for you.” It is interesting to note that in Jewish tradition, Shavuot (Pentecost, or the Feast of the First Trump) is associated with the betrothal between Israel and God. The First Trump announced the betrothal.

In this we see the picture of God the Father and Jesus coming to us with a contract, the New Covenant, a dowry, Jesus own life, and a skin of wine, His blood symbolized in the wine of communion. If we accept the proposal, we are accepting the conditions of the New Covenant and the Bride Price (Jesus’ life). As we drink the wine symbolized by the communion cup, we become married to the Lord Jesus. From this moment on, we are the Bride of Christ. We the Church are legally betrothed to the Lord now, yet all creation waits for the perfection and revealing of the Bride (Rom. 8:19-23).

During this period the girl is called a ‘virgin bride’ because, although she is legally married, the marriage has not been consummated. Likewise, we the church are legally married in this Church Age, we have the ‘down payment’ of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, but the consummation of our marriage, our fully becoming one with Him, awaits His Second Coming and the Wedding in Heaven.

The Preparation Time

After the girl drinks the wine, the groom would say, "I go to my father's house and prepare a place for you” (the Chadar). Jesus tells us that He has gone to His Father's house to prepare a place for us (John 14:2-3; 1 Cor. 6:29; Luke 22:17-18; Mark 14:23-25; Matt. 26:27-29).

After this, the girl spent all of her time preparing herself to live as a wife and mother, and learning how to please her husband. The Church is being prepared to live as the Lord's Bride, and is learning how to please our Lord, to be like Him, in preparation for His coming for us at the Last Trump (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:52). It is the Holy Spirit’s job to prepare the bride. This is what is Church Age is all about. It is the time of the gathering and preparation of the church, the bride of Christ.

After the bride drank the wine, the bridegroom returned to his father's home to prepare the Chadar (the Bridal Chamber). This is the place where they will retire for one week following the Wedding Ceremony to consummate the marriage. It is after this 7-day period that the Wedding Feast occurs. Jesus is now in Heaven at the Father's right hand preparing our "Chadar" and interceding for us (praying for us). While on earth, the Holy Spirit is empowering us, teaching us, and changing us into the likeness of Jesus. If the prospective groom was asked during this period when the day of his wedding would be, he would reply, “No man knows except my father.” It was the responsibility of the groom’s father to give the groom permission to go and get his bride after all the preparations had been made to his satisfaction. Remember how Jesus responded when He was asked this question? He replied, "No man knows except my father" (Mark 13:32). A Jew in Jesus’ day knew that He was talking about a wedding.

The Wedding

In the traditional Jewish wedding, the wedding ceremony would be held at a time not known to the townspeople, but prearranged with the bride. The bridegroom and his friends go at night in a torchlight procession to the gates of the girl's village. With a shout and with a blast of a shofar, he calls her to come out and go with him. She is ready, all packed, and with her friends (attendants) she goes out at his shout. As she goes out to meet him, he enters into the center of the village, meeting her there.

This is a prophecy of Jesus coming “in the air” and we, the Bride going out (rising in the air) to meet Him there. She then returns with him to his father's house for the Marriage Ceremony. We don't know the exact hour of the Lord's coming for us (if evening, midnight, or morning, Mark 13:33-35). But, as to the times or season, we are not in the dark (1 Thes. 5:1-10). He will come for us with a shout (1 Thes. 4:16), at the blast of the Last Trump (Rosh HaShanah, the Feast of the Last Trump), and we will be taken to the Father’s house for the Wedding and a 7-year ‘honeymoon’. Earth’s time is not Heaven’s time. Even in scripture, a “seven” can mean 7 hours, days, years, etc. The meaning is determined by the context of the use of the Hebrew word for seven.

Two close friends are assigned to assist the groom throughout this process. They are known as “the friends of the groom”. They function as the two witnesses required for a Jewish Wedding. One assists the bride in her preparations, and also assists in leading her to the ceremony. It is not hard to see that this ‘groomsman’ who prepares the Bride for the Wedding is none other than the Holy Spirit.

The other ‘friend’ assists the groom. He has the duty to stand at the door of the Chadar until the bridegroom announces the consummation of the marriage. The friend then makes this known to the wedding guests, and great rejoicing breaks forth in a weeklong celebration. John the Baptizer claimed to be the "groomsman" who stands by and listens, and rejoices greatly on account of the Bridegroom's voice (John 3:29). The marriage between Christ and His Church is consummated (completed), and then the friends of Christ begin a 7-day (or on earth, 7 years) celebration. The Bride is hidden in the bridal chamber, or Chadar, for 7 days (years by earth’s time).

The bride and groom stay in the Chadar for 7 days (the week of the celebration). At the end of the week, they emerge from the Chadar (or chupah – honeymoon bed or chamber) to begin the actual Wedding Feast. This is a mo’ed or rehearsal of the Church being hidden for one seven (7 years) during the great tribulation on earth. At the end of the week, Jesus the Bridegroom brings His Bride out of the chamber, presents her to His friends, and begins the Wedding Feast (Joel 2:15-16; Luke 12:35-37). This ‘honeymon’ pictures the 7 years between Messiah's Wedding and His Second Coming to earth with His Bride, the Church.

Jesus and the Church come out of the Chupah in Heaven at the blowing of the Great Shofar, the Shofar haGadol (Joel 2:15-16). This Shofar is blown during the last ceremony of Yom Kippur known as "Neilah," the “Closing of the Gate.” At this time the elect of God (the believing remnant of Israel) are gathered from one end of the universe to the other to participate in the fulfillment of the last Holy Feast, Sukkot, where the Wedding Feast is a central theme (Joel 2:15-17, 23; Isa. 27:13; Zech. 14:16; Rev. 11:15). Angels gather the scattered believers to Jerusalem to participate in the Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, begins the time when God once again lives among and provides for His people on earth. "The marriage of the Lamb is come” (has happened) (Rev. 19:6-9; 11; 16-18). "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" (believers coming out of the tribulation period). "Blessed are those servants waiting when the Lord returns from the wedding" (Luke 12:35-37), those saved during the tribulation (Matt. 22:1-14).

Summary

It does not take much imagination to see the prophetic significance of the Hebrew Wedding Ceremony. This beautiful ceremony is nothing less than another rehearsal, or mo'ed, of the Great Wedding of the King, King Jesus. Ephesians chapter 5 tells us clearly who the Bride is; it is His Church, His body on earth. Like the Hebrew Wedding, our Wedding has been arranged for us. Our Groom, Jesus, has brought a dowry and a contract. We who are Christians have accepted His proposal with the drinking of the Wine, and now we are legally betrothed. Our Lord has gone to prepare a place for us, and we are now preparing ourselves to be His spouse with the help of the Holy Spirit who Jesus has sent to be our helper. We are presently waiting expectantly for His shout, the blast of the Last Trump, with which He will call us out to join Him in the air that we might go with Him to the Father's House to the place He has prepared for us. There we will exchange gifts with Him, and in the Holiest sense we will consummate the marriage. We will be hidden away with Him for 7 heaven-days, and then we will be revealed to the world as the Bride of Christ. Then, with the blast of the Great Shofar, Christ and His Bride return to the earth for the final defeat of the enemies of the Lord. The Wedding Feast will begin, which initiates God's physical rule on earth through Jesus the King, where for 1000 years Christ will rule and dwell with His people on earth. This time reestablishes the relationship between God and man, as it was in the Garden of Eden.

Chapter 3 - Revelation

Now we are ready to apply the road map of the Fall Feasts of Israel and the ancient Jewish Wedding Ceremony to the story of the days just before the Lord returns to earth, the Day of the Lord. We will begin with a brief look at Revelation 4 and 5 where we find that the heavenly Sanhedrin – a ruling council of elders – has been called into the Throne Room of Heaven for a monumental event.

Revelation 4:1-11 (NKJV) After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."
² Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
³ And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
⁴ Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
⁵ And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
⁶ Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
⁸ The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"
⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

The angels, the 24 elders, the four living creatures and all of heaven watch as Jesus, the Lamb that was slain, is given a 7-sealed scroll to open. Scripture does not say what the scroll is, but the events that follow clearly show us that it contains the final events of earth that lead up to the Lord returning to earth and taking His seat as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over all the earth. We could say that the scroll is the title deed to the earth.

Revelation 5:5-9 (NKJV) But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."
⁶ And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
⁷ Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
⁸ Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
⁹ And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Like any ancient Jewish scroll, especially a title deed, the seals are place down the outer edge of the scroll. Each seal represents a condition that must be met before the scroll can be opened and executed. In Revelation chapter 6, Jesus begins to break the seals. All seven seals will have to be broken before the scroll can be opened and the deed legally executed. The seventh seal is broken in Revelation 8 where we are going to first see fire from the altar (judgment or the wrath of God) in heaven thrown to the earth. Before this occurs, the events of the first six seals of Revelation 6 and the events of Revelation 7 must take place. The last chapter of God’s great story begins as Jesus breaks open the first seal.

The Prelude – Breaking the Seals of the Scroll

Figure 4 - Prelude

The First Seal

As we open Revelation chapter 6, we see the Lord in Heaven breaking open the First Seal on the scroll. As He does, one of the four living creatures shouts, “Come!” and a rider on a white horse is release on earth. He is sent out with weapons to conquer many peoples and nations. At this point we are not told his identity, but by the nature of the events that follow his release it becomes plain to see that he is none other than the world leader prophesied by Daniel who is to lead the final world empire on earth.

Rev 6:1-2 (NKJV) Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see."
² And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Daniel 7:7-10 (NKJV) After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸ I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. ⁹ "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; ¹⁰ A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.

Daniel 7:19-27 Then I wished to know the truth about the forth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet;

and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.

And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Daniel 8:23-25 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

Daniel 7:11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

The Beast from the Sea – The Antichrist

Let’s stop for a moment and look at what the scriptures tell us about this final world leader; the person who is called The Beast, the one commonly called the Antichrist.

(Ezekiel 28:1-10; Daniel 7:7-8, 20-26; 8:23-25; 9:26-27; 11:36-45; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; Revelation 13:1-10; 17:8-14)

· He will appear in the "latter times" of Israel's history (Daniel 8:23).

· He will not appear until the Day of the Lord has begun (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

· The ‘Restrainer’ is now hindering him (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7).

· He will be preceded by a departure or falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).

· He arises from the sea (generally symbolic of the nations of the earth in contrast to "the land" which often symbolizes Israel or Israel; Revelation 13:1) and

· He may be a Jew or have Jewish ancestry as indicated in Daniel 11:37-38 and Ezekiel 21:25-27.

· He may be from the tribe of Dan as indicated in Genesis 49:1-17.

· He rises from the Roman Empire, since he is a ruler of the people who destroyed Jerusalem (Daniel 9:26).

· He is the head of the last form of Gentile world dominion. He is like a leopard, a bear, and a lion (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 7:7-8, 20, 24; Revelation 17:9-11). He is a political leader. The seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 13:1; 17:12) are federated under his authority.

· He rules over all nations (Revelation 13:8). This influence comes through the alliance that he makes with other nations (Daniel 8:24; Revelation 17:12).

· He overcomes three rulers in his rise to power (Daniel 7:8; 24). One of the heads of the beast seems to have a deadly wound (by a small sword) but is healed (Revelation 13:3, 12, 14).

· His rise comes through his peace program (Daniel 8:25).

· He is intelligent, persuasive (Daniel 7:8, 20; 8:23), subtle and crafty (Ezekiel 28:6). He rules over others by their own consent (Revelation 17:13).

· He rules with absolute authority (Daniel 11:36), and he changes laws and customs (probably Jewish ones, Daniel 7:25).

· His motivation and chief interest is in might and power (Daniel 11:38).

· He makes a seven-year covenant with Israel that he breaks after three and one-half years (Daniel 9:27).

· He introduces idolatrous worship in which he sets himself up as god (Daniel 9:27; 11:36-37; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:5).

· He is a blasphemer because of the assumption of deity (Ezekiel 28:2; Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:1, 5-6).

· He is energized by and receives his authority from Satan, and is controlled by the pride of the devil (Ezekiel 28:9-12; Revelation 13:4; Ezekiel 28:2; Daniel 8:25).

· He is the head of Satan's lawless system (2 Thessalonians 2:3), and proves his authority by signs wrought through satanic power (2 Thessalonians 2:9-19).

· He is received as god and as ruler because of the blindness of the people (2 Thessalonians 2:11).

· He becomes the great adversary of Israel (Daniel 7:21, 25; 8:24; Revelation 13:7).

· There will come an alliance against him that will contest his authority (Ezekiel 28:7; Daniel 11:40, 42).

· He will gain control over Israel and adjacent territory (Daniel 11:42), and will make his headquarters in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:45).

· He rises to power with the help of a corrupt religious system called the harlot, which consequently seeks to dominate him (Revelation 17:3).

· The ruler destroys this system, the harlot, so that he may rule unhindered (Revelation 17:16-17).

· He becomes the special adversary of the Prince of Princes, Jesus, (Daniel 8:25), His program (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 17:14), and His people (Daniel 7:21, 25; 8:24; Revelation 13:7).

· He continues in power for 7 years (Daniel 9:27), but his overt satanic activity is confined to the last half (3 ½ years) of the tribulation period (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 11:36; Revelation 13:5).

· His rule will be terminated by a direct judgment from God (Ezekiel 28:6; Daniel 7:22, 26; 8:25; 9:27; 11:45; Revelation 19:19-20). This judgment will take place in a military campaign in and around Israel (Ezekiel 28:8-9; Revelation 19:19), and he will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20; Ezekiel 28:10).

· This judgment will take place at the second advent of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Daniel 7:22) and will constitute a manifestation of Christ's Messianic authority (Revelation 11:15).

· The kingdom of the beast will pass to the authority of the Messiah and will become the Kingdom of the Saints (Daniel 7:27).

The Second Seal

Revelation 6:3-4 (NLT) When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, "Come!" [4] And another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to remove peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.

With the breaking of the Second Seal comes war. The Beast takes peace from the earth. As to the war, we need to look to see what great wars prophesied in the scripture have yet to occur. The most significant are the wars of the very Last Days, the wars of Armageddon and Ezekiel’s wars as prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Isaiah wrote about a war in which Damascus would be destroyed forever, something that has yet to happen. Also, Jeremiah prophesied about the destruction of Amman, Jordan. This is a prophesy that some believe has yet to be fully completed. Taking these altogether and observing the present day events taking place in the Mid-East, it does not take much imagination to see that the war of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38) is just around the corner.

This war basically involves the Islamic nations surrounding Israel coming together to attack Israel with the intent of destroying her. These nations are supplied arms and supported by a nation to the north that many believe to be Russia. Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 are scriptures that deal with these latter day events also. Today we watch Iran, Syria, and the Islamic terrorist organizations they support prepare to attack Israel. Russia is supplying them arms and giving them much support. Each day that passes draws us closer to the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s war.

Ezekiel 38:1-9 (NKJV) Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
² "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
³ and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

Gog, the chief Prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:2-3) is probably a demonic prince – a principality – working through human leaders of land to the far north. This would be consistent with the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece mentioned in the book of Daniel. It may be Satan himself.

⁴ I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.
⁵ Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
⁶ Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops--many people are with you.
⁷ "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.
⁸ After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.
⁹ You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you."

The nations listed here are basically the Islamic nations surrounding Israel today.

Ezekiel 38:18-19 (NKJV) "And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord God, "that My fury will show in My face. ¹⁹ For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel,

This earthquake is probably the earthquake of the Sixth Seal
(Rev. 6:12).

Psalm 83:1-8 (NKJV)

¹ A song. A Psalm of Asaph. Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God!
² For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
³ They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
⁴ They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more."
⁵ For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:
⁶ The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;
⁷ Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
⁸ Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. Selah

The peoples named here are the forefathers of the Islamic peoples surrounding Israel today that are currently planning to destroy her.

Isaiah 17:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap.
² The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

As Syria and Iran (ancient Persia) collect and develop weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons and nuclear capabilities, they are setting themselves up for an attack that will wipe out Damascus forever.

Jeremiah 49:1-6 (NKJV) Against the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord: "Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad, And his people dwell in its cities?
² Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah ( Amman Jordan today) of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance," says the Lord.³ "Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah, Gird yourselves with sackcloth! Lament and run to and fro by the walls; For Milcom shall go into captivity With his priests and his princes together.
⁴ Why do you boast in the valleys, Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? Who trusted in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?'
⁵ Behold, I will bring fear upon you," Says the Lord God of hosts, "From all those who are around you; You shall be driven out, everyone headlong, And no one will gather those who wander off.
⁶ But afterward I will bring back The captives of the people of Ammon," says the Lord.

Amman Jordan and surrounding villages will apparently be burned as a result of weapons of war.

Now remembering the road map, the prophecies of the seasons and Feast of Israel, we can speculate that these events will in all probability begin during the Days of Mourning, the days of “being in the straits” for Israel. So one of these years, in about July, from Tamuz 17 to Av 9, we could expect the wars of the Second Seal to break out. Most probably it will begin on Tisha B’Av.

The Third, Forth, and Fifth Seals

The Third Seal reveals that with the wars and turmoil of the Second Seal comes famine. With the breaking of the Fourth Seal comes Death and Hades (the abode of the dead). These two, death and Hades, are given authority over a fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and plague. The phrase “a fourth part of the earth” might be a reference to the earth or the world of John’s day, essentially the area around Israel and the Roman Empire. Or it could literally mean that about a fourth part in number of the current world population will be killed.

The scene changes back to Heaven as the Fifth Seal is broken. We see, surrounding the foot of the altar in Heaven, the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for adhering to the Word of God and for their testimony. As they cry out to the Lord, they are told to rest a little while longer until the rest of those who would die as martyrs for their Lord should join them. What we can surmise here is that these are days of severe persecution for believers and many will give their lives – as have many in the past – for their Lord. It is also logical to assume that persecution, trouble, and great lawlessness will also cause many to fall away from the faith. This would explain the falling away of 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NKJV) 3Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Matthew 24:4 -14 (NKJV) 4And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

It is interesting to note that many believe that the Church must “preach the gospel of the kingdom in all the world” before the end will come. However, if we stay consistent with the story as revealed by the Feasts and by the Word, the last to be God’s witnesses and to “preach the gospel” are the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. After the 144K, two special witnesses preach in Jerusalem, and then, finally, angels preach the gospel to all nations from Mid-Heaven.

Revelation 14:6 (NKJV) Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people –

Other scriptures describe these days as days of unrest, anxiety, distress, fear, false doctrines, terrible moral conditions, lawlessness, and full of scoffers (2 Thes. 2:3-9; 2 Tim.3:1-8; 4:1-4; 2 Pet. 2; 3:1-4; Matt. 24:4-31; Luke 21:1-28). These are indeed days of great evil and hardship on earth.

We can also speculate that these same days will be days when many in hopelessness and desperation will turn to the Lord. As the Holy Spirit, working through the Church brings conviction; many will repent and seek the Lord. These will be days of great revival and ingathering, the very last of the “wheat harvest”. They will also be days of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel.

Joel 2:23 (NKJV) Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-- The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.

Joel 2:28-32 (NKJV) "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.³⁰ "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
³¹ The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
³² And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Peter understood this when, after the Holy Spirit came to those in a upper room in Jerusalem after the Lord had left them, Peter told the crowd that this was what the Prophet Joel had spoken about (Acts 2:14-21). However, this was only the beginning, a foretaste, of the great latter rain outpouring that was to occur during the last days. As the first outpouring of the Spirit occurred in Israel, I suspect so also the last great latter rain outpouring will also begin in Israel. This will occur as the scripture says, “in the first month,” which would be either Aviv (Nisan), the time of Passover, or Tishri, about the time of the Feast of Trumpets. As the spring or former rain came in the spring at Pentecost, I suspect that the latter rain will begin in the fall at the first month of the civil calendar. This would be the season of the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

These days of the first 5 Seals and of great tribulation and great ingathering are the Days of Teshuvah, the days leading up to the fulfillment of the first Fall Feast, The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of Tishrei, about September or October of our calendar.

The Sixth Seal

The breaking of the Sixth Seal is unique. As this seal is broken there is a very great earthquake with worldwide effects. The sun and moon are darkened, the stars blotted out, and entire islands and mountains are dislodged from their places (Joel 2:10,11, 31; Isa. 2:10, 19-21, 34:4; Hos. 8:10; Mal. 3:2).

Revelation 6:12-17 (NLT) I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. [13] Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from trees shaken by mighty winds. [14] And the sky was rolled up like a scroll and taken away. And all of the mountains and all of the islands disappeared. [15] Then the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy people, the people with great power, and every slave and every free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. [16] And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. [17] For the great day of their wrath has come, and who will be able to survive?"

With this earthquake and the Sixth Seal, we see the people of earth crying out in fear and desperation, “The great Day of the Wrath of the Lamb has come and who is able to stand before it?” It seems that with the natural disaster and consequent devastation of this great earthquake comes the realization that there is a God, and He is not happy with what is going on in the earth.

As we now come to this time of the Wrath of God, let’s look at some of the key events that scripture identifies with this period of time known as “the Great Day of the Wrath of God” or “the Day of the Lord”.

The Day of the Lord

Daniel 9:24-27 (NKJV) ²⁴ "Seventy weeks (weeks of years or 490 years) are determined for your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.
²⁵ "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.
²⁶ "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
²⁷ Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week (of years or 7 years); But in the middle of the week (after 3 ½ years or 1260 days) He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.

These scriptures take us through the years up until the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection (i.e. 69 weeks of years). Consistent with the Old Testament prophets, the period of the Times of the Gentiles is omitted and we see a gap in time until the last or 70^th week of years (7 years).

As this gap comes to an end, the Times of the Gentiles comes to an end as God once again turns his attention back to the Jew and his covenant promises to them.

Romans 11:25-27 (NKJV) For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,

And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

For this is My covenant with them,

When I take away their sins.”

The last world leader, the Beast or Antichrist, makes a covenant of peace with many. This marks the start of this 70^th ‘week’. The covenant is for one week of years, or 7 years. But in the midst of this week, the Antichrist will break the treaty, cause the sacrificial system to cease, and set up the abomination of desolation in the Temple (Dan. 9:27).

Daniel 12:1-13 (NKJV) ¹ "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
³ Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
⁴ "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank.
⁶ And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"
⁷ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time (1260 days); and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
⁸ Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
⁹ And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
¹⁰ Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
¹¹ And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.
¹² Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
¹³ But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."

It is clear from these scriptures that with this peace treaty, the Beast enables the Jews to begin their sacrificial system once again. It is also clear that after 3 ½ years, he causes the sacrifices to cease and subsequently desecrates the Temple. This implies that the Temple exists at this time; therefore, it will have been rebuilt.

Daniel tells us that it will be 1260 days from the time the peace treaty is broken until all this tribulation will be finished. Daniel also tells us that there will be 1290 days between the time that the sacrifices are caused to cease and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, until all is finished. Further, Daniel tells us the one that waits to the 1335^th day will be blessed. Earlier. Daniel told us that there would be 2300 evenings and mornings (days) between the time the offerings or sacrificial system was started until the sanctuary will be cleansed.

Daniel 8:13-14 (NKJV) Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?"
¹⁴ And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."

These various periods of time have been a point of confusion for many. However, we are going to discover that they are specific prophecies of significant events when understood in light of the Feasts of Israel. For now, we need to know that during the period between the 6^th and 7^th Seals, the Beast (Antichrist) makes a seven-year peace treaty with many. If the wars of the first 5 Seals are indeed the wars of Gog and Magog against Israel, the it would appear that this world leader brokers a peace treaty between Israel and her Islamic neighbors that enables the Jews to begin rebuilding their Temple in Jerusalem and to re-institute their sacrificial system. The religious Jews will do this as soon as they can build an altar of sacrifice (Ezra 3).

Even though it is God who destroys Gog’s armies and protects Israel, in the natural it is this world leader we call the Antichrist who takes the credit and negotiates a peace treaty. It would be easy to see that the Jews will see this leader as a “savior” figure and declare him to be their long awaited Messiah. Even today, we see the devil manipulating Jewish and world thinking with false doctrines and political rhetoric setting them up to receive the Beast or Antichrist as the Jewish Messiah.

All of this now leads us to Revelation chapter 7 and the beginning of Daniel’s last week of years – the Time of God’s Wrath. We have come through the first 30 days of repentance (Teshuvah) which are days of repentance, revival, and harvest – a great outpouring of the Spirit upon the Church (the latter rain) – and at the same time, times of great trouble, distress and war. But if the Times of the Gentiles are coming to and end with the start of Daniel’s last 7 years, and the wrath of God is about to be poured out, what has happened to the Church? There are many promises to the Church that she will be hidden in the time of God’s wrath; that God’s wrath is not destined for the Church.

God promises that He will keep us safe from the hour of trial (testing) that is coming to try those who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10). The scriptures promise us that He has not appointed His Church to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Revelation 3:10 (NKJV) Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NKJV) For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Old Testament promises of protection in the Day of Trouble or Wrath include: Psalms 27:5; 91:8; Noah’s example found in Genesis 6; Zephaniah 2:3; Isaiah 26:20; and Lot’s example found in Genesis 19:15-16.

Psalms 27:5 (NKJV) For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock,

Zephaniah 2:3 (NKJV) Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord's anger.

Isaiah 26:20-21 (NKJV) Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.
²¹ For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain,.

So we’re not meant for wrath. The question then is, “How and when is the Lord going to do this?”

The Days of Wrath and the Feast of Trumpets

Figure 5 - The Feast of Trumpets

This leads us to The Feast of Trumpets, the first Fall Feast of Israel. A couple of very significant events take place in Revelation chapter 7, before the Seventh Seal is broken and God’s wrath, symbolized as fire from the altar of God in Heaven, is cast down upon the earth (in chapter 8).

As we learned when we studied the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast begins with a blast of the shofar. Not just any blast, but the blast of the Last Trump. This Feast is the prophecy concerning the catching away of the Church to be protected (concealed) during the days to follow, the Days of Wrath. It is the “Day of the Awakening Blast” and the “Resurrection of the Dead in Christ,” for the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we who are alive will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:16-17). It is also the “Day of the Wedding of the King.” Consistent with the prophecy of the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony, with the blast of a shofar King Jesus comes in the air to the “gates of earth” to call his Bride to her wedding.

As we open Revelation 7, we find four angels who have the authority and power to injure the earth and sea. They are restraining destruction until another angel comes with the Seal of God to mark the “bond servants” of God. We are told that those to be marked are 144,000 sons of Israel – Jews consisting of 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

After this, we see a vast host gathered out of every nation. They are dressed in white robes and have palm branches in their hands. They are crying out praises to God and to the Lamb saying, “to Them we owe our deliverance”. Then all the angels, the four living creatures, the elders, and all of heaven began praising and blessing God in a great celebration because they have all appeared. An angel then tells us that these people have just come out of a period of great trouble and persecution (the events of Revelation 6 and the first six seals), and that they have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. These people comprise the Body of Christ, the Church, who have been taken to Heaven to be with the Lord before the throne of God. There He will protect and shelter them with His presence. The wedding of the Lamb is about to begin! (Revelation 7:9-17) The Times of the Gentiles on earth has ended (Rom. 11:25-26).

The Feast of Trumpets occurs on the 1^st and 2^nd of Tishri. There is a week (a seven – 7 days or 7 years) between Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) on the 10^th of Tishri. Yom Kippur (also called Yom haDin) is a Day of Judgment for Israel. Traditionally, Daniel’s last 7 years, the Days of the Wrath of God and the beginning of the Days of Messiah (what we know as the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth) both begin on this day. It is during the 7 days between Trumpets and Yom Kippur that the Antichrist completes the negotiations of the peace treaty and a pseudo peace is established. The treaty will be signed on Yom Kippur, initiating The Days of Awe (the Days of Judgment), Daniel’s last week of 7 years. It will be 7 more years before the final prophecy of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement will be fully fulfilled with the return of Jesus.

What Revelation chapter 7 tells us is that God is turning His attention back to the Jew. The Church, who has had the responsibility to represent God on earth during the Church Age, has been taken to Heaven. Therefore, this responsibility has now been returned to the Jew – where it started in the first place. These 144,000 Jews who represent the Lord on the earth for 1260 days are protected from the tribulation of these days by God (Rev. 9:4). We know that they are on earth for only 1260 days (or the first half of the 7 years of the Days of Awe) because in Revelation 12:6 and 14 we read that they are “taken to the retreat” where they are kept safe for the last 1260 days, or 3 ½ years, of the 7 years of wrath (trouble or tribulation). The next time they are mentioned in the text, they are with the Lord (Rev. 14:1). Their being “taken to the retreat” (or catching away) occurs at the midpoint of the 7 years, 1260 days after the angel seals them. They are called the Firstfruits (of the sons of Israel) for God and the Lamb (Rev. 14:4). What has apparently happened is another catching away or “rapture” of God’s people.

The Seventh Seal

It is only after the marking of the 144,000 Jews and the catching away of the Church in chapter 7 that the Lamb (Jesus) breaks open the Seventh and last Seal of the great scroll. With the breaking of this Seal, the scroll is opened and there is a great and awesome silence in heaven. All Heaven stands in awe as God prepares to bring judgment and wrath to the earth. Then an angel takes a censor, fills it with fire from the altar of God, and casts it upon the earth. The wrath (fire) of God now comes to the earth. Thunder and noise, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake mark this great event. Then seven angels are given seven trumpets and prepare to sound them (Revelation 8:1-6).

Rev 8:1-5 (NKJV) When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. ³ Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that was before the throne. ⁴ And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.
⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

The First 3 ½ Years of the Awesome Days of Wrath

Figure 6 - The First 31/2 Years

The Days of the Trumpets

In Heaven, the King’s wedding has occurred and the 7 (years) of the Chadar (or honeymoon) begin. Jesus’ wedding in Heaven has fulfilled the mo’ed or rehearsal of the Jewish wedding ceremony on earth, as well as the prophecy of the Feast of Trumpets. The Bride of Christ, the Church, is now hidden away in the Father’s house where gifts are exchanged (1 Cor. 3:14-15).

As the Trumpets begin to sound, judgments against the earth begin. The First Trumpet is one of storm and fire against the trees and grass. The Second Trumpet is against the seas as something like a great meteor crashes into it. The Third Trumpet is a star that falls from Heaven (again a meteor or comet) called Wormwood. It pollutes the rivers and springs so that many people die from using the water. The Fourth Trumpet causes a third of the sun, moon, and stars to be darkened so that a third of the light of the day and of the night is kept from shining. Radioactive and poisonous dust, as well as pollution from meteors and/or comets and earthquakes, would easily explain these effects on the earth (Rev. 8:7-13).

After the fourth trumpet blast there is a cry from mid-heaven, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth because of the last three Trumpet blasts”. The Fifth Trumpet is the First Woe and demons are released to torment men for 5 months. But, they are not permitted to attack the 144,000 Jews with the Seal of God on their foreheads (Rev. 9:1-4).

The Second Woe, which is the Sixth Trumpet, comes shortly after the release of demons of the First Woe. Four demons that have been bound at the Euphrates River are released to destroy a third of mankind. The demons (or demonized troops) number 200,000,000. The description of these troops (Rev. 9:17-19) reminds us of troops from the Far East, and they kill with fire, smoke and sulphur (weapons of war). What we are probably seeing is a very large oriental (Asian) army attacking from the east over the Euphrates. This attack is probably directed at the Antichrist and the strongholds he has created in Israel and the surrounding nations of the mid-east through his peace treaty and his military might. His drive to dominate and control the whole earth has apparently stirred up a great deal of resentment and resistance in the Far East.

The next event that is revealed to us is an announcement that the holy city, Jerusalem, is to be trampled underfoot for the next 42 months or 1260 days (Rev. 11:1-2). During this same 1260 days, God tells us that He is going to place two witnesses in Jerusalem to be His representatives on earth during the last 3½ years of the days of wrath. It is apparent that we have now come to the midpoint of the 7 years of wrath (or tribulation).

Revelation 11 tells us much about these two new “witnesses”. They are given the power of prophecy and they are supernaturally protected from harm and attack. If anyone attempts to harm them, such a one is doomed to be slain in the same manor. They have the power to control rain, to turn water into blood, and to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they choose. We are also told that after the 1260 days, or at the very end of the 7 years of tribulation and wrath, Satan will be allowed to kill them. Their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days and men from all over the world will look upon them (internet; satellite TV?). But, after 3 ½ days, God will resurrect them in the sight of all men, and a great dread and terror will fall on the people of earth. Then, before the eyes of mankind, they will ascend into Heaven in a cloud (Rev. 11:3-12).

If we look for a moment at Revelation 12:6 and 14, we see that the 144,000 Jewish witnesses are taken to the “retreat” where they are kept safe and protected for these next 1260 days. What we see happening is that they are caught up and taken to heaven as the two witnesses are sent to replace them as God’s witnesses on earth.

Once again, the “baton” of proclaiming the Gospel is passed on. It is interesting to note that the privilege of being God’s messenger, His witness of the Gospel of the Kingdom, was first given to angels as they proclaimed Jesus’ birth. This privilege was then passed on to Anna and Simon (two witnesses) as they declared Jesus to be the Messiah when Joseph and Mary brought baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated. Next in line were the 12 Jewish disciples, then at Pentecost, the Church. The baton will then be passed back to Jewish disciples (12 tribes x 12,000 people, or the 144,000 Jews) at the Feast of Trumpets, then to the two witnesses at the mid-point of the Days of Awe. And finally, back to the angels just before the Lord’s triumphal return to earth.

Revelation 14:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
⁷ saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."

The Mid-point of Daniel’s 7 Years of Wrath and Tribulation

As the Second Woe, the attack of the 200,000,000-man army, passes, the seventh angel blows his Trumpet. It would appear that the Beast and his armies repulse this Far East army, at least temporarily. Because of this, we see the people of Israel again praising and worshipping the Beast (Rev 13:4, 8). At the blast of the Seventh Trumpet, voices are heard in Heaven declaring that the final stages of establishing the kingdom of the Lord and of the Messiah are initiated and the Third Woe begins.

Revelation 11:16-19 (NKJV) And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
¹⁷ saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
¹⁸ The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth."
¹⁹ Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

With this earthquake the events of the midpoint of the Days of Wrath (or tribulation) begin. It is here that war breaks out in Heaven and the devil and his demons are defeated and forced out and down to the earth (Rev. 12:7-9). Revelation 12:12 tells us that the devil has come down to earth with great wrath because he knows that he has only a short time left. The devil tries to attack the Jewish remnant (true Israel, the 144,000), but they are carried off to the “retreat” where they are protected for 1260 days. The devil is furious and he goes to attack the descendants of the 144,000 who obey God’s commandments and who have the testimony of Jesus and bear witness to Him (Rev 12:13-17). These are the people that come to the Lord after the catching up of the Church as a result of the evangelistic efforts of the 144,000.

On earth, the new Jewish Temple is completed. The paint has not even dried before the Antichrist or Beast, the false “Messiah” of natural Israel, shows his true colors. He stands in the Holy of Holies and declares himself to be God. With this act he fulfills Daniel’s prophecies of the abomination that makes desolate (Dan. 9:27; 12:11) and causes the sacrifices to cease. Daniel reveals to us that Antichrist does this on the Feast of Purim, 30 days before Passover (Passover marks the mid-point of Daniel’s 7 years of tribulation or wrath) and 1290 days before the Feast of Atonement when Jesus returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Daniel 9:27 (NKJV) ²⁷ Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."
Daniel 12:6-7 (NKJV) And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"⁷ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

Daniel 12:11-12 (NKJV) And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. ¹² Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

There are some key things we should take notice of from these scriptures. First, there are 1260 days (3 ½ years) from the mid-point of Daniel’s 7 years of tribulation and the breaking of the peace treaty to the end of the wrath or judgments. Then there will be 1290 days from the day the sacrifices are caused to cease and the finish of these things. Also, note that there is a special blessing after 1335 days (75 days after Atonement).

These days can be confusing unless we relate them to the Feasts and seasons of Israel. From the day of Passover to the Day of Atonement there are exactly 1260 days. The day of Passover marks the mid-point of the 7 years of wrath. Thirty days before Passover is Purim, the day Haman intended to kill off the Jews. From Purim to Atonement is 1290 days. Therefore, we know that the sacrifices are cause to cease on Purim, 30 days before Passover. On Passover, the treaty is broken and the Beast, the Antichrist, turns on Israel, 1260 days before Jesus returns to end or finish all these things. But what is the special blessing 75 days after the Lord’s return or after Atonement? Seventy-five days after Atonement is Hanukkah, the prophecy of the cleansing of the sanctuary. On this day the “sanctuary” – the Temple – will be cleansed or sanctified. What Daniel has done for us is to give us a timetable for the events of the second half of the Days of Wrath.

Figure 7 - The Passover Deception

Looking on into Revelation 13, we find a revelation of Daniel’s 10-horned/crowned Beast, the Antichrist, coming up out of the sea. The phrase “out of the sea” is a Hebraism for “out of the gentile nations”. Remember that this Beast, the Antichrist, is of the people of the Roman general that destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD (Dan. 9:26). This tells us that the Antichrist (or Beast from the sea) is of Greco-Roman ancestry, or at least out of the ancient Greco-Roman Empire. Remember that the precursor or prophecy of this Beast was Antiochus IV, a Syrian king (the forth generation from a Grecian general).

Daniel 9:26-27 (NKJV) "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
²⁷ Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."

This Beast carries Satan’s authority, might and power. What is unusual is that one of the heads seems to have a deadly wound, but the wound is healed. The people of earth are amazed and worship this Beast, the Antichrist. God then gives this Beast authority to exercise his will on earth for the next 42 months or 1260 days. This Beast wages war on God’s holy people and overcomes them. The people of earth will worship this Beast, all except those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev 13:1-8).

Summarizing

On Purim, the Antichrist marches into the recently completed Temple and the Holy of Holies and declares himself to be God thus desecrating the Temple and causing the sacrifices to cease. Thirty days later, on the day of Passover, he breaks his 7-year peace treaty with Israel and someone kills him with a dagger (small sword) with a blow to the head (Rev. 13:14). It is probably one of the Jewish leaders or Priests who now know that they have been deceived and are furious. It is highly likely that 3 days later, on the Feast of First fruits (the day Jesus rose from the dead), when Satan is thrown down out of heaven, he (Satan) indwells the body of the man (Antichrist) and creates a counterfeit resurrection. The Antichrist (a totally demonized man) has truly now become The Beast, Satan incarnate in the body of a man.

Revelation 13:14 (NKJV) And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

Revelation 12:7-12 (NKJV) And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸ but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

What we see is that Satan is trying to fully take the place of God. To do this he must fulfill the prophecies of the Feasts. He wants to be God, he wants to be the Christ, the Messiah, and he wants to be the Holy Spirit. The Passover deception is now in full swing.

Satan’s problem is that he needs a counterfeit Holy Spirit. He solves this be raising up another beast; one that “has two horns like a lamb”, i.e. a religious figure. This beast is “out of the land”, a Hebraism for the Holy Land or Israel. This leads us to speculate that this man is a powerful religious leader from the mid-east, probably from Israel. This beast is commonly called the False Prophet. He exerts the power and control of the Antichrist while in his presence. He causes the people of the earth to worship the Beast (Antichrist) and he performs great signs and wonders. He commands that a statue of the Beast be erected and makes the statue to talk so that those who do not worship the statue, which is the image of the Beast or Antichrist, must die.

This second beast, the one we call the False Prophet, also compels all men to take a mark of the Beast upon their right hand or forehead. This requires that people pledge allegiance to and worship the Beast. Without the mark they can neither buy nor sell. This mark of the Beast is the number of a certain man and his number is 666 (Rev. 13:11-18).

The False Prophet – The beast from the Land

Here is a summary of what we know about the person and ministry of the False Prophet (Revelation 13:11-17; 19:20; 20:10):

· He arises out of the earth, or literally the land (Israel?) (13:11).

· He is influential in religious affairs (13:11).

· He is motivated and empowered by Satan as the first Beast is (13:11).

· He has a delegated authority (13:12).

· He promotes the worship of the first Beast and compels the earth to worship the first Beast as god (13:12).

· Signs and miracles authenticate his ministry, evidently to prove that he is “Elijah that was to come” (13:13-14).

· He is successful in deceiving the unbelieving world (13:14).

· The worship promoted is an idolatrous worship (13:14-15).

· He has the power of death to compel men to worship the Beast (13:15).

· He has authority in the economic realm to control all commerce (13:16-17).

· He has a mark that will establish his identity for those who live in that day (13:18).

· He compels all people to be marked with the name of the Beast or the number of his name on their right hands or on their foreheads in order to be able to buy or sell (13:16-17).

These passages present us with the false or satanic trinity: the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13). Satan assumes the place occupied by God in His program, the place of Christ is assumed by the first Beast, and the False Prophet discharges the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

During the 42 months (or 1260 days) of the Beast and the False Prophet, it is possible to overcome them. They are overcome by, the blood of the Lamb, by the word of testimony, and by martyrdom for the Lord Jesus (Revelation 12:11).

The Final Judgments – The last 3½ years

As we begin the second half of Daniel’s 7 years of tribulation, some prophetic announcements are given to us through angels. The first angel cries out for us to worship God for the hour of His judgment has arrived (Rev 14:6-7). Then another angel prophesies the fall of Babylon the great. This Babylon is said to have made all of mankind drink the wine of idolatry (Rev. 14:8). A third angel tells us that anyone that worships the Beast, the image of the Beast or takes the mark of the Beast will “drink of the wine of God’s wrath and will be lost forever (Rev 14:9-11). Then a voice from heaven announces, “Blessed are the dead from now on who die in the Lord that they may rest from their labors”. These are the martyrs of the Days of Awe, those that are saved during the Days of wrath by giving their lives for their Lord. This is consistent with Jewish tradition that holds that it is possible to get ones name written in the Book of Life during the 7 of the Days of Awe, but that it will cost you your life.

Revelation 20:4 (NKJV) Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

What follows is the release of Jesus, the Son of Man, to reap the world of the tares (weeds). Those taken in this reaping are cast into the huge winepress of God’s indignation and wrath.

Revelation 14:14-20 (NKJV) Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe."
¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
²⁰ And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

This is the announcement and prophecy of the events of the next 1260 days. They are to be the final days of the wrath of God, and the judgments are now directed at mankind. These days are called “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” in Jeremiah 30:7.

It is interesting to note Revelation14: 20. Basically, it tells us that outside of “the city”, Jerusalem, there would be something like blood to a depth of about 4 or 5 feet for a distance of about 200 miles. Interestingly, it is about 200 miles from the Sea of Galilee to the Gulf of Eliot. One explanation is that the earthquakes cause a rift from the Jordan Valley to the Mediterranean Sea that allows water from the sea to flood the Jordan Valley to a depth of 4 or 5 feet. Then the deadly battles of these 7 years cause the water to be stained with blood so that it appears red like blood. This has happened before, when the Romans destroyed Israel in about 70 A.D. The Blood from the battles around the Sea of Galilee so stained the waters that it was called “The Sea of Blood”.

Now seven new angels appear in Heaven. These angels are to bring Seven Plagues. These Plagues are the last of whatever is written in the scroll Jesus has opened, for with them God’s wrath is completely expressed. At this time, the sanctuary is Heaven is opened and the seven new angels come out of the sanctuary. One of the four living creatures gives them Seven Bowls full of the wrath and indignation of God. Then the sanctuary is filled with smoke from the glory of God. From now on no one is able to go into the sanctuary until the Plagues of the Seven Angels are ended (Rev. 15:1-8).

Figure 8 - The Final Judgments

As the first angel pours out his Bowl of wrath, malignant sores appear on the people who have the mark of the Beast. This would be a common result of radiation burns and the use of nuclear weapons. With the Bowl of the second angel, the “sea” becomes like blood and every living thing in the sea perishes. Apparently, at least the Sea of Galilee once again becomes polluted with blood along with the Jordan River Valley, killing the living things in the sea. The destruction may be much more widespread though. With the Bowl of the third angel, the rivers and springs also become polluted. The Fourth Bowl of wrath causes men to be burned by the sun and people are severely burned by its heat. Apparently the atmosphere that normally protects us from the sun’s radiation is so damaged that people are severely burned by the sun. Yet amazingly they do not repent and refuse to amend their ways and to honor God (Rev 16:1-9).

As the fifth angel empties his bowl upon the earth, the earth is thrown into darkness. Now the smoke and pollution from the wars and natural disasters is so heavy that the earth, at least the area of the mid-east, is darkened even during the daylight hours. The people of earth blaspheme God yet again do not repent.

When the sixth angel pours out his Bowl, the river Euphrates is dried up and the Kings of the East are seen crossing the area as they once again attack the Beast and his armies in and around Israel. Then three terrible spirits, demons, are release by Satan performing many signs and wonders. They are sent out to the leaders all over the world to gather their armies for the war on the great day of God the Almighty. Thus we have arrived at the end of Daniel’s 7 years of wrath and tribulation.

As the seventh angel pours out his Bowl into the air, a mighty voice is heard crying out, “It is done: It is all accomplished, it has come!” Then there is lightning, peals of thunder, and a tremendous earthquake. So severe and far-reaching is this earthquake, nothing like it has ever occurred since men dwelt on the earth. Because of it, Jerusalem is broken into three parts and the cities of the nations fall. God is bringing judgment to mighty “Babylon” (Satan’s earthly kingdom), making her drink of the cup of His wrath (Rev. 16:10-21).

Revelation 17 gives details of the destruction of Babylon, the great harlot who is seated on many waters (in many nations). Babylon here represents all false religions, idolatry, and perversion in all of their forms. She is called the mother of prostitutes, filth. and abominations of the earth. She is seen symbolically seated on a scarlet beast that has seven heads and ten horns. This beast represents Satan’s kingdoms on earth through the ages, especially the last kingdom of ten nations that have received power and authority for just a single hour, i.e. the last 7 years, the Days of Awe.

Interestingly, it is the Beast and the leaders of his ten-nation last day’s empire that do away with this mystery Babylon (Rev. 17:16-17). This is because the Beast now declares himself to be God and outlaws all forms of worship and government except his rulership and the worship of him. This explains why the nations of the Far East, the far North, the South, and others are not happy with the Beast, and therefore attack him in the very last days of the 7 years of tribulation (Dan. 11:40-45).

Revelation 18 continues with the description of the destruction of mystery Babylon, but the focus here is on the political, commercial, and humanistic aspects of Satan’s kingdoms on earth. We are told that the vast wealth of the nations is wiped out in one single hour. This destruction will come by pestilence, anguish, sorrow, famine, and fire (Rev. 18:8, 10, 17, 19). We read that the ships’ captains and all who live by seafaring will stand off and see the great cities burning. Massive nuclear attacks on the great seaside commercial centers of the world could fulfill this prophecy.

The Final Days

Jesus Comes to Rule and Reign on Earth for 1000 Years

We are now near the end of Daniel’s 7 Years of Tribulation. There is a gathering of the great armies of the world for a series of battles. These battles are focused in the Mid-East, in and around Israel. However, all the earth is now involved as the commercial centers of the world are destroyed and there is destruction occurring all over the world.

The Campaign of Armageddon

There are several battles in the mid-east occurring during the last 3½ years of the 7 years of wrath. These battles take place in several locations. These locations include: the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2) or the "valley of the passengers", an extended area east of Jerusalem; Edom or Idumea, south of Jerusalem (Isaiah 34, 63); and Jerusalem itself at the center of conflict (Zechariah 12:2-11; 14:2). These campaigns cover the entire land of Israel from the plains of Esdraelon on the north, down through Jerusalem, extending out to the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, and to Edom on the south. The invaders will "cover the land".

The culmination of these battles or campaigns (polemos) is a battle (mache) called Armageddon that takes place in the Jezreel valley, also known as the Valley of Armageddon (Rev. 19:16). This battle is named after one location, the hill of Megiddo, located west of the Jordan River in north central Israel, some 10 miles south of Nazareth and 15 miles inland from the Mediterranean seacoast in the Plain of Esdraelon. This battle of the Great Day of God Almighty (Rev. 16:14) is the time that God deals in judgment with the nations because of their persecution of Israel (Joel 3:2), because of their sinfulness (Rev. 19:15), and because of their godlessness (Rev. 16:9).

There are five distinct participants involved in this final campaign: 1) the ten federated nations under the Beast; 2) the northern federation, Russia and her allies; 3) the Kings of the East, the Asiatic peoples from beyond the Euphrates; 4) the King of the South, a North African power or powers; and 5) the Lord and His armies from Heaven.

Zechariah 13:8-9 (NKJV) ⁸ And it shall come to pass in all the land (Israel)," Says the Lord, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: ⁹ I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "

In the land of Israel, only 1/3 of the people will survive. Those who survive are the ones who will say, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord”. They will cry out, “The Lord Jesus is my God”.

Zech 14:1-21 (NKJV)¹ Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. ² For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. ³ Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. ⁴ And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
⁵ Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You. ⁶ It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish. (Notice that in this day the earth will be darkened.)⁷ It shall be one day which is known to the Lord-- Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.
Dan 11:35-45 (NKJV) ³⁵ And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. ³⁶ "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. ³⁷ He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. ³⁸ But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. ³⁹ Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. ⁴⁰ "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. ⁴¹ He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. ⁴² He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³ He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. ⁴⁴ But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

The picture painted here is this: the King of the North (Russia and her allies) and the King of the South (Egypt and the northern African nations) invade Israel (Daniel 11:40). In Isaiah 30:31-33, 31:8-9, and Micah 5:5, this invader from the north is called "the Assyrian." Assyria was previously a “rod in the hand of the Lord”, used to punish Israel. Apparently she is taken up here again for the same purpose. The King of the South and the King of the North move against the Beast in a coordinated campaign. Together they attack the Beast over land and sea (Dan.11:40). The armies of the Beast move into Israel (Dan. 11:41-42) then attack the King of the South. While the Beast is attacking the King of the South, an alarming report of the approach of the Kings of the East (Rev. 16:12) is brought to the Beast (Dan. 11:44). The Beast withdraws into the land of Israel (Dan. 11:45) where he makes his headquarters, and there his destruction will come.

It is important to know that Jerusalem is devastated during these battles (Zechariah 12:2; 13:8; 14:2; Rev. 16:17-21).

It is interesting to note that in Revelation 6, at the Second Seal, we see the Islamic hordes and Russia (the King of the North) attacking Israel (Ezek. 38, 39). God defeats them, but the Antichrist takes credit for stopping the war and repulsing the invasion of Israel. Apparently what happens is that the King of the North retreats to fight another day. That “day” occurs here at the end of the Days of Tribulation when they once again invade the mid-east, this time coming against the Beast and his armies. It may be that Ezekiel 38 is dealing primarily with the first attack, and Ezekiel 39 with the second. There is an indication of this in Ezekiel 39 where we are told:

Ezekiel 39:6 (NKJV) And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.

This implies a worldwide conflict consistent with the wars at the end of the Days of Wrath as opposed to Ezekiel 38 that seems to be localized to the mid-east (i.e. the mountains of Israel).

In like manner, we saw the 200,000,000-man army from the east attacking the mid-east just before the mid-point of the 7 years. Apparently, the Beast and his forces repulse them. This is another reason that the people of Israel believe that this world leader is their “Messiah”, their savior. But here at the end of the 7 years we once again see this “army from the rising of the sun”, this Far-East army, attacking as a part of the final battles.

The final battle occurs when the Beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together in battle in Israel and in Jerusalem. This battle will take an unusual turn as the Lord and His army attacks from the sky to make an end of all of the fighting (Revelation 19:19). The picture of these closing battles is given in Zechariah 13:8-9,14:1-7; and Revelation 16:14; 17:14 and 19:11-21. The Lord destroys these armies at His coming (Revelation 19:21).

The Return of the King

Finally we come to the triumphant return of Jesus, the King of Kings! In Revelation 19 we hear all Heaven breaking out in praise. Then Heaven is opened and a white horse appears. Upon the horse is The Word of God - Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The troops of heaven are following Him clothed in dazzling white linen and also riding white horses. He leads His troops into the battles on earth, suddenly bringing these battles to an end. The Beast and the False Prophet are seized and both thrown into the fiery lake of fire, which is called the second death. And all the rest were killed with the sword that comes from the mouth of His who is mounted on the horse. (Rev 19 1-21)

In fulfillment of The Day of Atonement, Yom Kipper, Jesus appears on Zion and many who look upon Him recognize Him as their Messiah and He will cleanse them from sin (Zech 12; 13:1-9). This is the festival of the blast of the Great Shofar that gathers all Israel (Joel 2:15-16) and fulfills God’s promises and covenant with them (Rom 11:25-31).

Zechariah 12:9-10 (NKJV) It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
¹⁰ "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Zechariah 13:1-9 (NKJV) "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
² "It shall be in that day," says the Lord of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.
³ It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, 'You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord.' And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
⁴ "And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.
⁵ But he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.'
⁶ And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'
⁷ "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the Lord of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
⁸ And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the Lord, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:
⁹ I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "

Isaiah 27:12-13 (NKJV) And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.
¹³ So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Revelation 19:1-21 (NKJV) ¹ After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
² For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her."
³ Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"
⁴ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"
⁵ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!"
⁶ And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
⁸ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
⁹ Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
¹⁰ And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,
¹⁸ that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."
¹⁹ And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
²⁰ Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
²¹ And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Figure 9 - The Final Days

The Feast of Tabernacles – The Wedding Supper of the Lamb

The prophecy of the Feast of Tabernacles is then fulfilled at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:6-9); Luke 12:35-37; Matt 8:11, 22:1-14).

Rev 19:6-9 (NKJV) ⁶ And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
⁸ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
⁹ Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

Five days after Christ’s return, there is going to be a party. The grandest party even held. As the Jews say, indeed will be “the season of our joy” and the most jubilant festival of all time. It will be the marriage supper of the Lamb!

(Matt 22:1-14)

Hanukkah - The Cleansing of the sanctuary

The final prophecy to be fulfilled is the anointing of the holy of holies (Dan 9:24), the cleansing and restoring of the sanctuary (Dan 8:13-14). This occurs after 1335 days or 75 days after the final Atonement. At his point Jesus has reclaimed the whole earth. He is The King and the whole earth and all that is in it has been reclaimed. But it is a mess. The wars and destruction of the past 7 years have left devastation. What we could be seeing is that between Atonement and Hanukkah, the Lord once again speaks words of creation and He restores “all things”. By Hanukkah the earth could be completely restored, it is once again, The Garden of Eden.

Isaiah 65:18-25 (NKJV) ¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.
²⁰ "No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
²¹ They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²² They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
²³ They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them.
²⁴ "It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain," Says the Lord.

However there is a literal fulfillment of “the cleansing of the Temple” or Hanukkah. If we take the prophecies of Ezek. 40-48 literally, there will be a literal Temple in Jerusalem and there will be a sacrificial system being practiced during the millennial reign of Christ. We have seen Ezekiel’s prophecies literally fulfilled through chapter 37 and we are seeing chapters 38 and 39 in the early stages of fulfillment. There is no reason therefore to suspect the chapters 40-48 will not be fulfilled literally also.

A sacrificial system makes sense because the days of salvation by faith have passed. Jesus is now The King reigning from Jerusalem with a rod of iron. The Levitical Law is the law and will be enforced during this 1000-year period. Sin and death exist and there will be a need for a system for the forgiveness of sin. At the end of His 1000-year reign, people are judged by their works or deeds.

Isaiah 65:20 (NLT) "No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young!

Revelation 20:11-12 (NKJV) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The priests, judges, ambassadors, and administrators on earth are faithful Jews (Ezekiel 44). These chapters of Ezekiel also tell us that there will be a human prince, who has sons, ruling in Jerusalem and who is instrumental in the sacrificial system. The Church - the Bride of Christ – is sitting beside her Lord, ruling and reigning with Him from the Throne.

So then the fulfillment of Hanukkah is a literal cleansing and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem 75 days after Christ’s return on the Day of Atonement.

Chapter 4 - The New Heavens and the New Earth

The end of the road: The New Jerusalem

At the return of Christ the King, the devil himself (Satan) is bound in the Abyss (the bottomless pit). After the 1000 years we are told that he will be set free for a short time (Rev 20:1-3). At this time he, Satan will be allow to raise another revolt against the Lord and muster an army to war against the King. They will swarm up over the pain of the earth and encircle the fortress of God’s people and Jerusalem but fire will descend from heaven and consume them. Satan is then hurled into the fiery lake of fire where the beast and False Prophet are also.

Now, at the end of the 1000-year reign of Christ on a great white throne is set up for the judgment of the living and the dead. Books are opened and the dead are judged according to what they had done according to what was written in the books. Then Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, the second death. If anyone’s name is not found recorded in the Book of Life, he is thrown into the lake of fire also.

Revelation 20:1-15 (NKJV) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
² He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
³ and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. ¹ Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
² He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
³ and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
⁵ But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
⁷ Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison
⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
⁹ They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

After this, all things are made new. There is a new sky and a new earth. And the holy city, the New Jerusalem descends out of Heaven from God. It is clothed in God’s glory. It is massive, a pyramid, 1500 miles on a side and 1500 miles high with a massive wall around it. It is built upon 12 foundation stones named after the twelve apostles of the Lamb. It has 12 gates, each named after the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. The radiance of God’s glory provides the light for the city and the nations of the new earth walk by the light of the city. It is the abode of the Bride of Christ. Only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life can ever enter the city.

The New Jerusalem - Revelation 21:1-27 (NKJV)

¹ Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
⁶ And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
⁹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
¹¹ having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
¹² Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
¹³ three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
¹⁴ Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
¹⁵ And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
¹⁶ The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
¹⁷ Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
¹⁸ The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
¹⁹ The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
²² But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
²³ The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
²⁴ And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
²⁵ Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
²⁶ And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
²⁷ But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

So we have arrived at New Jerusalem, the end God’s story. All of the prophecies have now been fulfilled. We have walked the road through the valley of the shadow of death and reached the other side.

Psalms 23:1-6 (NKJV) A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

We the Church, the true believers in the Lord Jesus, the Bride of Christ, and the Queen of Heaven are now seated with Christ upon His Throne, ruling and reigning with Him for all eternity. Our hope of glory is realized.

The Lord’s Final Words - Revelation 22:6-21 (NKJV)

⁶ Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
⁷ "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
⁸ Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
⁹ Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
¹⁰ And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
¹¹ He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
¹² "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
¹⁴ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
¹⁵ But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
¹⁶ "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."
¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
¹⁸ For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Bibliography

1) Chumney, Edward “The Seven Festivals of the Messiah”, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. Shippensbury, PA.

2) Good, Joseph‚ Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come, Port Arthur, Texas: Hatikva Ministries, 1989.

3) Hitchcock’s Topical Bible and Cruden’s Concordance, Baker Book House, 1972.

4) Jeffrey, Grant R: Armageddon, Appointment With Destiny, Frontier Research Publications, l988.

5) Lindsey, Hal: The Road to Holocaust, Bantam Books, 1989.

6) Pentecost, Dwight J., “Things to Come”, Zondervan Publishing House, 1958.

7) Perkins, Polly: Christ the Bridegroom and Jewish Wedding Customs, Jewish Christian Ministries, l989.

8) Rosen, Moishe: Christ in the Passover, Moody Press, l978.

9) Strong, James: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance with Greek and Hebrew Dictionary, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.

14) Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

15) Billheimer, Paul E, Destined For The Throne, Bethany House Publishers, 1975.

16) Jastrow, Marcus: Dictionary of the Targumim, Talmud Babli, Yerushalmi, and Midrashic Literature. New York: The Judaica Press, Inc., l985.16.

Eagle's Wings Ministries Colorado

Dwayne and Nancy Weary

719-579-6603

dpweary@comcast.net

Friday, July 20, 2012

Chapter 1 – The Feasts of Israel

The Times of the Gentiles

The New Jerusalem - Revelation 21:1-27 (NKJV)

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