Article 20
Outlines
GOD’S PLAN OF THE AGES – ETERNITY
1. The original creation, Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:18.
2. Satan’s first rebellion, Gen. 1:2a-(the earth became waste and void); Isa. 14:12-16; Ezek. 28:11-19.
3. The earth restored and blessed, Gen. 1:2-2:25.
4. Satan’s entrance into the Garden of Eden and the consequences, Gen. 3.
5. The human race dealt with as a whole, Gen. 4:1-11:30.
6. The nation of Israel called out and blessed, Gen. 11:31-Mal. 4:6.
7. The first advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ-Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (the Kingdom rejected and the King crucified).
8. The Kingdom again offered to Israel: The Acts of the Apostles and the early epistles of Paul, Acts 2:37, 38; Acts 3:19, 20 (signs, wonders and miracles of Heb. 2:3, 4); the offer of the Kingdom rejected.
9. The Kingdom held in abeyance; mystery of church revealed and consummated (later epistles of Paul).
10. Second advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Rev. 4-19 (the Day of the Lord); Isa. 2:11-17; Joel 2; Matt. 24-25; Luke 21.
11. The nation of Israel restored and becoming a blessing to all nations, Rom. 11:11-36; Acts 15:16; Jer. 30-31; Isa. 61-62; Zech. 12-14.
12. The human race again dealt with as a whole, Joel 3:2; Matt. 25:31-46; Rom. 15:8-12; Acts 15:17.
13. Satan bound and the consequences, Rev. 20:1-3.
14. The earth restored and blessed, Rev. 20:4-6; Isa. 35 (the millennial reign of Christ).
15. Satan’s final rebellion, Rev. 20:7-10.
16. The new heavens and the new earth, Rev. 21-22 (The Day of God).
THE SEVENTY SEVENS DANIEL’S SEVENTIETH WEEK
1. Seventy-Sevens means years-the context determines this.
2. Decreed means divided or severed off from the whole.
3. Upon thy people and thy holy city-this period of time is cut out of the times of the Gentiles and applies only to Daniel’s people, Israel, and Daniel’s city, Jerusalem.
4. That which remains to be done
a. To shut up the transgression so that it no longer works or spreads. This speaks of Israel’s separation from God.
b. To seal up sins. Sealing means to shut up or restrain, and this means the restraint of sin.
c. To cover iniquity means to make reconciliation or atonement by sacrifice. This applies to the Jews and will not take place until the end of the age (Zech. 13:1).
d. To bring in everlasting righteousness. This is done by the introduction of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33-40).
e. To seal up the vision and prophecy. Sins being sealed up and everlasting righteousness brought in, there is no longer a need for vision and prophecy.
f. To anoint a Holy of Holies. This Holy of Holies evidently refers to the innermost shrine of the temple described by Ezekiel. It would seem from the above statements that the close of the seventy sevens must coincide with the end of the present order of things and the beginning of the coming age.
DANIEL’S 70th WEEK
Read carefully Daniel 9:20-27. One of the more important time periods in prophecy is commonly referred to by students of prophecy as “Daniel’s 70th Week.” We encounter the expressions “42 months,” “1,260 days,” “a time, times and half a time”-all of which constitute 3-1/2 years, which is one-half of the 7 years of Daniel’s 70th week.
The King James translation simply says, “70 weeks.” The literal translation is “70-7’s.” Since in Daniel 9:1, 2, we find Daniel concerned with 70 years, this context requires “70-7’s” to be 70-7’s of years, which is 490 years.
Gabriel here is making known to Daniel that with the 70 years of captivity completed, God still shall deal with Israel for a period of 490 years. The 490 years, in our Scripture passage for this study, are divided into three periods:
First: 7-7’s (49 years), in which time the city of Jerusalem shall be reconstructed (Nehemiah 2), which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, who is typified in the prophecy of Daniel as the gold part of the image and as the lion coming up out of the sea. The books of Nehemiah and Ezra tell of this period of time.
Second: After this comes a period of 62-7’s (434 years), which is from the restoration of the city unto the cutting off of the Messiah. This takes place after the 49 years, which makes a total of 483 years. With the cutting off of the Messiah (crucifixion), God sets Israel aside and begins to call out of the Gentiles a people for His Name. This leaves:
Third: 1-7 (7 years), which is still future. God still has 7 years of dealing with the children of Israel as a nation back in their land, the temple rebuilt, the priesthood and services reinaugurated, with the law of Moses in force. This comes after the fulness of the Gentiles is come in, after the rapture, and with the restoration of Israel and the beginning of the Tribulation period (7 years).
This last 7 -year period is divided equally, called’ ‘midst of the week.” The first half of this week (3-1/2 years) is a false millennium under Satan. It is a time of unparalleled peace and prosperity. . . with the covenant made with Israel restoring their full rights and privileges in their homeland Israel. When Satan is cast out of heaven (midst of the week), the Great Tribulation begins. This period of time is described as 42 months; 1,260 days; time, times and half a time.
A close study and good understanding of this time period are absolutely essential to the understanding of prophecy.
SOME OF THE DAYS OF SCRIPTURE
I. MAN’S DAY -I Cor. 4:3. The expression “man’s judgment” literally is “man’s day.” From the fall of man in the Garden of Eden until the rapture of the saints is the time known as Man’s Day. Notice four things that characterize Man’s Day: A. It is the time when the natural chokes out the supernatural-Matt. 13:22; II Tim. 3:1-17. (Demos is a Scriptural illustration-II Tim. 4:10.)
B. It is a time when man, in darkness, puts reason and sentiment ahead of the Word of God-I Cor. 2:6-16. (Naaman is a good illustration when he said, “I thought. . .”)
C. It is a time when man is blinded and bound by Satan lest he believe-II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-2.
D. It is a time when evil is in the ascendancy and good in the minority-Gal. 1:4; I Tim. 4:1-3.
II. THE DAY OF CHRIST. This begins with the rapture when He comes for His own and ends when He comes to the earth with His own.
A. The Day of Christ is the day of the believer’s complete redemption. He is freed from the humility of his sins and failures-Rom. 8:18-25.
B. The Day of Christ is the day of Glory when all of His promises to His own will be in the process of realization-John 14:1-3.
C. The Day of Christ will be the day of judgment and rewards for Christians-II Cor. 5:9-11; Phil. 1:8-11.
D. The Day of Christ reveals His faithfulness to His own-Phil. 1:6.
E. The Day of Christ is the day of Christ and His Bride.
III. THE DAY OF THE LORD begins in part at the rapture; has its complete fulfilment when the Lord returns to the earth-in particular when His foot touches the Mt. of Olives-and continues through the millennium-I Thess. 5:2; II Thess. 2:2, 3; II Pet. 3:10; Rev. 1:10. (Also see Zech. 14 and Joel 2 for description.)
A. It is a day of God’s judgment on those who have refused Him.
B. It is a day designated by Scripture as the “time of Jacob’s trouble”- Jer. 30:7.
C. It is a day of the pouring out of the wrath of God on all who obeyed not the gospel of Christ-II Thess. 1:5-10.
D. It is the day of physical disturbances and changes both on the earth Iand in the heavens:
(1) The Dead Sea shall be healed (Ezek. 47).
(2) The land about Jerusalem shall be elevated (Zech. 14:10, 11).
(3) Disturbances in the earth and the heavens (II Pet. 3:10-14).
IV. THE DAY OF GOD begins when every enemy of the Lord shall have I been put under His feet and He will have delivered all things to the Father, that God may be all in all. The Day of God continues on throughout eternity-I Cor. 15:20-28.
A POSSIBLE ORDER OF LAST THINGS
World-wide war-Matt. 24:7; first birth pang.
Famines, pestilences, earthquakes-Matt. 24:7.
World-wide persecution of Jews-many killed-all hated by Gentiles-Matt. 24:9.
Israel becomes a nation again-Matt. 24:32ff.
Days like unto those of Noah-Matt. 24:37-39.
Days like unto those of Lot-Luke 17:23-29.
Evil servants ignore doctrine of His return-Matt. 24:44-51.
Days like unto parable of ten virgins-Matt. 25:1-13.
Days like unto parable of talents-Matt. 25:14-30; like unto parable of pounds-Luke 19:11-27.
Rapture and judgment seat of Christ, marriage of Lamb, wedding feast, etc. (in heaven).
Sealing of 144,000 Jewish evangelists-Rev. 7:1-8 (on the earth).
Invasion of Palestine by Russia-Ezek. 38, 39 (whether immediately before or immediately after the rapture, Scripture is not clear to me).
Rome becomes a world power again-Dan. 7:7, 23.
Divides into ten kingdoms-Dan. 7:24; Rev. 13:1; 17:12.
Antichrist appears-Rev. 6:1, 2; Dan 7:8, 24-26; 11:36.
Peace and prosperity-covenant with Israel-Dan. 9:27.
World evangelism-Rev. 7:1-17; result of ministry of 144,000.
Satan cast out of heaven-Rev. 12:9-12-middle of week-beginning of
THE GREAT TRIBULATION
Great convulsions of nature-Seals, Trumpets, Vials of Wrath-Rev. 6:3-18:24.
RETURN TO THE EARTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST-Rev. 19:11ff. Binding of Satan-Rev. 20:1-3. Conversion and resurrection of Israel-Rev. 1:7; Zech. 12:10; 13:6; Isa. 66:8; Dan. 12:1, 2.
Taking of a people out of the Gentiles (present age of grace); after which He returns, builds again tabernacle of David, regathers Israel-resurrection and conversion; gathers Gentiles-Acts 15:14-17. Gathering of armies of world-Rev. 16:12-16; Zech. 14:1-3; Judgment of the nations-Gentiles-Matt. 25:31-46.
Armageddon-valley of Jehoshaphat-winepress of wrath of God-casting Beast and False Prophet into lake of fire-Zech. 14:4, 5; Joel 3:9-16; Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 14:14ff.
Lifting of the curse-Isa. 11:6-9; Zech. 14:21.
Renovation of the earth-Ezek. 40-48.
Building of the temple-Ezek. 40-48.
Establishment of throne and kingdom-Ezek. 40-48; thousand-year reign-Rev. 20:1-6.
Satan loosed for a season-Rev. 20:7-9; after three and a half years, then Satan is cast into the lake of fire-Rev. 20:10.
Great white throne judgment-Rev. 20:11-15.
Annihilation of present heavens and earth-Rev. 20:11.
New heavens and earth-Rev. 21-22.
THE RAPTURE
I. Specific and direct word in the Greek is Harpazo which occurs in: A. Acts 8:39.
B. II Cor. 12:2-4.
C. I Thess. 4:16,17.
D. Jude 23.
E. Rev. 12:5.
II. Order of Events-Hebrews 11.
A. The Cross-Heb. 11:4.
B. The Rapture-Heb. 11:5,6.
C. The Great Tribulation – Heb. 11:7.
III. Chronology of Revelation 19.
A. Marriage of Lamb-Rev. 19:7-8
(after Judgment Seat of Christ). B. Wedding Reception-Rev. 19:9.
C. Christ’s Return to Earth-Rev. 19:11ff
(end of Tribulation and Armageddon). IV. Rapture taught in Types:
A. Enoch-Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5,6 (Enoch typifies saints raptured before judgment).
B. Noah-Gen. 7:1-4 (Noah, safe in the ark from the flood, typifies Israel’s remnant safe during Tribulation).
C. Lot-Gen. 19:14-16; Luke 17:28-30 (Lot, his wife and two single daughters led by force out of city before judgment typify rapture of saints by force before Tribulation).
D. Bride of Isaac-Gen. 24 (Abraham sent Eliezer into the far country to obtain a bride for Isaac, as God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit into the far country to obtain a Bride for Jesus).
E. Joseph and his bride Asenath-Psalms 81:5 (Joseph mentioned as a witness, or type).
(1) Joseph rejected by his brethren in a faraway country marries a Gentile bride at a time when he is elevated to a position at the right hand of Pharaoh, typifying Christ in a faraway country rejected by His brethren, taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name while He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. (2) Joseph’s wife had no part in his dealings with his brethren, typifying the fact that Christ’s Bride will have no part in His dealings with Israel, His brethren.
F. Moses-Ex. 2:21. (1) Moses, rejected by his brethren in a faraway country marries Zipporah, a Gentile. (2) Zipporah is left behind when Moses returns the second time to deal with his brethren. She has no part in his dealings with Israel. (All of this is typical of Christ as already suggested by Joseph.)
By direct statement, by parable, by type and by symbol, the Word of God teaches unequivocally that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation.
SOME SIGNS OF THE LORD’S RETURN
1. Recovery of truth of Blessed Hope, Matt. 25:6.
2. Many shall run to and fro-world-wide travel by air, land and sea, Dan. 12:4.
3. Knowledge, secular and spiritual, shall be increased, Dan. 12:4.
4. Scoffers arising, ridiculing the second coming, II Pet. 3:3.
5. Six days of man’s history (6,000 years) nearing completion, II Peter 3:5-8.
6. World-wide war, Matt. 24:7.
7. Famines, pestilences, earthquakes-intensity never before reached, Matt. 24:7.
8. World-wide persecution of Jews, Matt. 24:9.
9. Israel made a nation again, Matt. 24:32.
10. Land of Israel partitioned, Joel 3:2.
11. Jerusalem a cup of trembling, Zech. 12:2, 3.
12. Emergence of Russia as world power, Ezek. 38.
13. Concentration of horses in Russia, Ezek. 38:4.
14. Pacts with Germany, Iran, etc., Ezek. 38:5, 6.
15. Modern airplanes, Ezek. 38:9.
16. Development of internal combustion, Nahum 2:3,4.
17. Great apostasy, II Thess. 2:3.
18. False prophets and miracles, Matt. 24:24.
19. Days of Noah, Luke 17:26.
20. Days of Lot, Luke 17:28.
21. Signs in heavens (flying saucers?), Luke 21:11.
22. Concentration of wealth in hands of few, James 5:1-3.
23. Revolt of labor against capital, James 5:4.
24. Rise of papal Rome to world power, Rev. 17.
25. Rise of world-wide anti-God power (Communism) in conflict with papal Rome, Rev. 17.