Profeetallista ~

Chapter 6

A Theology of Suffering

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:16-23).

Because of corruption, God has subjected His creation to futility. But that is not the end of His plan. Out of futility comes redemption and transformation. The process is likened to a birthing. It was mentioned that a baby, given a choice, would probably not opt for the birthing process, even though that is the only path that leads to life. Pressure, discomfort, and being kicked out of a warm and comfortable place are initiations into this transformation/birthing process.

It is no accident that Jesus likened the events at the end of this age to birth pains. Wars, famines, and plagues are not our idea of transforming processes, but they are servants in God’s plan to restore His fallen creation to glory. And if the wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes of Matthew 24:8 are merely the beginning of birth pangs, will not the delivering to tribulation and the killing of the disciples described immediately following in Matthew 24:9 be more advanced labor pains? And will not the object of all of these labor pains be a birth?

"Shall I bring to the point of birth, and not give delivery?" says the LORD. "Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?" says your God (Isaiah 66:9).

And will not that birth be the birth of the sons of God for which all of creation eagerly awaits while groaning in the pains of childbirth?

The Redemptive Nature of Suffering

The above Scriptures indicate that God has set things up so that the suffering of His creation is redemptive. The whole creation is said to be groaning as in the pains of childbirth, straining toward the purposes for which God has designed it. It is not just the elect/chosen of creation who suffer redemptively; the whole creation suffers redemptively. The judgments of God are clearly redemptive up to and including the outpouring of the sixth bowl of Revelation 16:15.

How can the terrifying judgments and wrath of the trumpets and bowls be redemptive judgments from the hand of a loving God? Because at the sixth trumpet, the fourth bowl, and the fifth bowl are found the words, "and they did not repent." God’s judgments even up until the seventh bowl are therefore clearly redemptive, for God has continued to leave open the door of repentance up until the last minute. God has answered the prayer of Habakkuk.

LORD, I have heard the report about Thee and I fear. O LORD, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy (Habakkuk 3:2).

All judgments of God up to the last bowl of wrath are redemptive, for He is long-suffering and not willing that any should perish. In wrath, He has remembered mercy.

. . . for when the earth experiences Thy judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9).

However, God will not contend with man forever. There is a terrible and final day of judgment awaiting those who do not repent. Sodom and Gomorrah are witnesses of that. And even the final judgment is redemptive in that creation is at last purged of unredeemable evil.

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1:7).

I believe Scripture indicates the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah matches the final judgment of the seventh bowl. Up until that point, God’s wrath is tempered and mixed with mercy. Up until that point, there continues to be an offer of salvation through repentance. Beyond that point, there is no longer an offer of repentance. Every last soul to be saved has been wrung from the earth, and the remnant is doomed to fiery destruction, having turned away from His final offer of salvation.

The staggering description of the severity of God’s judgments up until the seventh bowl, still redemptive in nature, should give us some inkling of the horror and reality of what is reserved for those who choose to turn away from the living God. Indeed, it would have been better for these if they had never been born. The terrors of the trumpet and bowl judgments are merely the kindness of God relative to the horror which awaits those who do not repent.

Behold then the kindness and severity of God . . . (Romans 11:22).

Perhaps with this sobering perspective, we can now begin to understand that the sufferings of creation, up until the time of final judgment, are redemptive. There will be wrath without mercy for those who ultimately choose not to repent, but the clear intent of the seals, trumpets, and bowls is to lead men to repentance. We have been too quick to prescribe wrath without mercy to the seals, trumpets, and bowl judgments. Consequently, we tend to remove the Church from amidst them, for we know that the Church is not appointed to wrath. But she is appointed to judgment and tribulation.

Tribulation or Wrath?

It is a huge mistake to confuse wrath and tribulation and to mistakenly ascribe one to the other. For instance, if we ascribe wrath to the final seven years of the age and then find ourselves amidst it, our faith will be shaken. We need to correctly distinguish between wrath and tribulation so that we do not find ourselves entering tribulation thinking it is wrath.

The problem lies in our lack of understanding of the differences in purpose between tribulation and wrath and evidences our lack of understanding of the way of the cross to which we are called. Jesus said that on earth we would have tribulation, but that we are not appointed to wrath. Tribulation and wrath are mutually exclusive in nature and of vastly different intents.

Scripture indicates that God uses Satan’s fury toward mankind both in tribulation and in wrath. The degree of Satan’s fury that God allows to be released in tribulation of the saints is much less than that He allows to be released in wrath against the unrepentant world. I read somewhere that Satan is like an angry dog tethered on a rope. He is only allowed as much rope as God gives him. The story of Job comes to mind. Satan is not in charge. He is God’s devil!

Tribulation is God’s loving and disciplinary provision to form us into the image of His Son. Wrath is His judgment on an unbelieving and unrepentant world. This is clearly pointed out by Paul to the Thessalonians when he said that although they have been destined for affliction (1 Thessalonians 3:3), they are not destined for wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). He explained that the very purpose of persecution and affliction was to make them worthy for the Kingdom of God (2 Thessalonians 1:5). That’s about as clear as it can get.

Persecutions and Afflictions Make Us Worthy . . .

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering (2 Thessalonians 1:2-5).

Have we ever considered that our persecutions and afflictions make us worthy of the Kingdom of God? That’s what the Bible says. They are literally then more precious than gold.

I confess that I write this better than I live it. May the Lord establish it in my heart as well as my head. May He do the same for you.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10).

If persecution and affliction are designed to make us worthy for the Kingdom of God, we need to eagerly take that medicine, even though the initial taste may be bitter. Teachings that the final seven years of the age are God’s wrath are setting the Church up for a shaking when the Church realizes that she has entered the final seven years of the age unraptured. How encouraging will be the explanation that this is a time of refining and testing to make one worthy of the Kingdom of God.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God (1 Peter 4:17)?

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation (1 Peter 4:12-13).

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you (1 Peter 5:10).

. . . so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4).

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps . . . (1 Peter 2:19-21).

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:17).

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose . . . (1 Peter 4:1).

Purged, Purified and Refined

God disciplines those He loves. The purpose of our tribulations is to make us worthy of the Kingdom of God.

And some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time (Daniel 11:35).

And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand" (Daniel 12:9-10).

And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds (Revelation 2:21-23).

A solemn message to each of us is contained here. There is a destiny undeniably referred to as "great tribulation" into which it is possible to be cast. And by observation, all the Churches will know during this time of great tribulation that Jesus gives to each one according to one’s deeds.

This is a sobering thought which implies that the Churches will be on earth during this time of testing. The nature of our deeds, our unrepented and perhaps even unaware individual sins, determine what we will receive during this time. This sounds much like the Scriptures of Daniel in which many will be purged, purified and refined for the purposes of making them pure. Isn’t this the purity that Jesus is seeking in His bride?

. . . that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:27).

Peter had to stumble so that he could be purged, purified and refined. He was the one who would never deny Jesus, even though the others might. But Peter did not know his own heart even as we do not know our own hearts. Sober reflection on the process that Peter had to be taken through should prepare us for whatever it takes to refine us into the Bride of Christ. Notice that Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail, but He did not pray that Peter would not stumble. For Peter had to stumble in order to be purged, purified and refined. And it was only then that Jesus could say to him, "Feed my sheep."

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." And he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the cock will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me" (Luke 22:31-34).

We know how this happened, and how when the cock crowed Peter went out and "wept bitterly." Peter experienced the cross. To the extent we have not yet experienced the cross in the details of our lives, so will we find ourselves eventually in situations of stumbling and bitter weeping. The cross must be applied to all the details of our lives for how else will we be purified? We can take our medicine now or we can take it later. God will not be mocked. We will receive as we have sown. And all the Churches will know that our individual hearts and minds are searched and that we are given according to our deeds.

Notice that Satan demanded permission, as if he had a right to sift Peter. And indeed he did, for sin in our lives allows Satan’s access, but not without redemptive purposes. Jesus will have His glorious Church in spite of our kicking and squealing. We need to grow up and embrace this birthing process instead of fighting against it. Pray that we might gain insight and vision in order to not fall away.

And They Overcame Him

And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20).

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death" (Revelation 12:10-11).

Here we see the purposes for the suffering of the Church. It is the price we agree to pay in order to overcome Satan. Did we think that Jesus already paid the price so that we wouldn’t have to suffer? No, Jesus paid the price so that the Church could suffer in His power and authority, and thus overcome Satan thereby demonstrating God’s wisdom through her to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This is the purpose for the suffering of the Church. Are we willing to pay the price that Paul paid?

. . . he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake (Acts 9:15-16).

Were Paul’s sufferings redemptive? Our own salvation may well attest to it. The salvation of others may one day attest to our willingness as well to suffer so as to fill up the sufferings lacking in the Body of Christ.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions (Colossians 1:24).

If Paul had a share of suffering to fulfill, we all have a share to fulfill. With a greater call to suffering comes a greater grace to endure. So it will be at the end of the age when the extent of suffering will be exceeded only by the grace to endure. When Jesus said, "It is finished," He had accomplished everything that He had come to do. He had gained the victory over Satan. The provision of gaining this victory is that He has the legal authority to delegate to His Church on earth whatever yet remains to be done in the eternal purpose of God to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church. It is His choice. If He has decided that additional worldly suffering is needed to fill up what He considers lacking in His affliction, so be it. There is nothing the Church has to offer in this but her consent. We can be at best empty and cleansed vessels through which He can demonstrate His life and His death.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake . . .

We glorify God by rejoicing in our sufferings.

So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41).

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).

The mystery of the wisdom of the cross will be demonstrated by a Church who lives the beatitudes rather than just recites them. God will be glorified and Satan will be crushed underfoot.

Stephen as a Model of the Last-day Saint ... A Call to Martyrdom ...

and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit . . . (Acts 6:5).

Stephen was chosen to wait on tables. Perhaps we would expect and prefer to be at podiums in front of thousands, but Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, was chosen to wait on tables. He was in obedience and position to fulfill that perfect work which God had chosen for him before time began.

We have seen how Stephen’s martyrdom follows the prophetic pattern Jesus taught His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Stephen was falsely accused and brought before the council where he was given utterance and wisdom which none of his opponents could refute. It was not Stephen speaking; it was the Holy Spirit. It was the opportunity for his testimony. He was hated on account of Jesus’ name and he was put to death. And yet not a hair of his head perished. This is exactly what Jesus said His disciples should expect. This should be our expectation of the typical rather than the unusual.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him (John 12:24-26).

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death (Revelation 12:11).

Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ "(Revelation 14:12-13).

Our heels will be bruised, but we will bruise the serpent’s head. We will overcome spiritually by allowing ourselves to be overcome physically. Satan will make the same fatal mistake of killing the saints that he made by putting Jesus on the cross.

Laying down our lives is for a redemptive purpose. A seed brings forth a hundred-fold as it falls to the ground and dies. We are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, as sheep to be slaughtered. For precious in God’s sight is the death of His saints. Clinging to our lives will cause us to lose them; laying our lives down will allow us to gain them. In this manner the Church will crush Satan underfoot. We must begin absorbing these truths of God, rather than the things of men, and begin moving toward this glorious destiny.

Jews and Gentiles and Redemptive Suffering

The seeming paradox of the wisdom of the cross advises us to voluntarily lay down our lives for the sake of others. There is also an involuntary loss of one’s life for God’s higher purposes which is clearly redemptive. In the curious history of the Jew and the Gentile, we have seen some of each. At the end of the age, we will witness the ultimate demonstration of redemptive suffering as Jew and Gentile alike will be privileged to lay down their lives for the sake of each other. We have not yet seen the final holocaust, either Jewish or Christian.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" And He said, "Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; keep on looking, but do not understand.’ Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed." Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate, the LORD has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land" (Isaiah 6:8-12).

It may be tempting to consider that this until has been historically accomplished. But has Israel returned to their God? The answer is no. Israel will remain partially blinded by the Hand of God until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day" (Romans 11:7-8).

I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be (Romans 11:11-12)!

For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:30-32).

Israel as Suffering Servant

JUST AS many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men (Isaiah 52:14).

Just as indicates a commonality between the nation as suffering servant and Jesus as the suffering servant of Isaiah Chapter 53. Debates have gone on for millennia between Jew and Gentile as to whether Isaiah 53 refers to Jesus the Messiah or Israel the nation. The plain wording of Scripture indicates that both considerations are in view.

Paul develops the foundational nature of Israel in Romans 11 and calls Gentile believers not to be arrogant toward Jews who were as branches broken off for unbelief for the very purpose that the fullness of Gentiles could come in.

Do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you (Romans 11:18).

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in . . . (Romans 11:25).

What is the extent of the debt of gratitude Gentiles owe their Jewish brethren for the price they have paid in history to see the fullness of the Gentiles come in?

Do we fully understand that one people has been blinded in part so that another people could see? A review of Jewish history reveals the price of suffering that this people has paid so that the Gentiles could receive God’s mercy. Neither the Church nor Israel has been able to adequately grasp understanding of this, because it involves such considerations as the holocaust. Our minds are not able to associate such calamity with a loving God Who would allow His own chosen people to go through such distress, to some extent for the sake of the Gentiles.

We must remember that God is first of all judging Israel for their sin. That judgment stands by itself without Gentile consideration. But God works all things according to His purposes and uses the judgment of Israel for the benefit of the Gentiles. He is both kind and severe. Can we receive that Scripture says He has bound all over to disobedience so that He can have mercy on all?

. . . in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7).

As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful (James 5:10-11).

Would we consider Job, sitting in the ashes scraping his head-to-foot sores with a piece of broken pottery, having lost all family and possessions except his nagging wife, an object of God’s mercy and compassion? If this happened to us, would we lose ourselves in the misery of it all and consider that God had forsaken us? Have we really processed the story of Job? Job’s condition in the ashes was part of the plan of God to demonstrate His compassion and mercy to Job, not just for the rest of his earthly life, but for eternity. We have a tendency to get caught up in the interim details, because we can’t see the overall picture. God’s compassion and mercy toward each of us is no less than toward Job. In the interim, however, God wants to demonstrate His wisdom through us to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. And this is going to require some suffering, redemptive though it may be.

Our inability to theologically process the past holocaust certainly renders us unable to theologically process the prophesied future holocausts. We are stumbling around in the dark when it comes to understanding the ways of our God. His thoughts are above our thoughts. His ways are above our ways. We are caught up with the significance of this world and our lives in it, and we are unable to evaluate the relative insignificance of our present earthly lives in light of the eternal glory that is promised to those who endure.

God’s Love Amidst Slaughter?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

The book of Revelation has been described as a love letter to the Church, because it is a book about overcoming sin and of being conformed to the likeness of Jesus. Many saints do not see it that way. Much of the book is so offensive to the natural mind that the Church is written out of it. Most might have difficulty in ascribing the events of the fourth and fifth seals to God’s love. The pale rider of the fourth seal and his companion are given authority over one-fourth of the earth’s population to kill as they choose. The description of the martyrs of the fifth seal, who have lost their lives because of the word of God and their testimony, suggests that this one-fourth of the world may be largely Christians. And yet they are told to wait a little longer until the full number of their brethren and fellow servants are likewise killed. Apparently one-fourth of the earth is not yet sufficient. Can this be the love of God?

Was the cross of Christ the love of God? You won’t be able to answer the first question unless you can answer this one. Jesus endured the agony and death of the cross for the joy set before Him. Is our call any different from His? The lives of those who choose to follow Jesus closely will most closely parallel His life.

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, "A slave is not greater than his master." If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also . . . These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father, or Me. But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them . . . These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 15:18-20, 16:1-4, 33).

We must see all that comes into our lives as God’s dealings with each of us with the intent of conforming each of us to the likeness of His Son. If we do not, we will be unable to endure that which we are called to endure. We must understand that the end of the age will be a birthing process, not painless, resulting in our ultimate births as the sons of God. We must understand that NOTHING will touch us except by the loving hand of our Father with this focused intent. If we do not see this, our faith will be shaken in the times of trouble ahead, and we will be tempted to fall away, not trusting and understanding a God Who would bring such things to bear on His children. It will indeed be God’s love, although perhaps not our short-term sentimental view of it.

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 11:37-12:3).

A Christian Holocaust?

Can we theologically appropriate a Christian holocaust when we have not yet appropriated a Jewish one? Have we appropriated the holocaust of Jesus? We don’t know as we ought to know. There is ample scriptural evidence, though we may not eagerly embrace it, that the end of this age will be a time of virtual slaughter of Christians who refuse to bow down to the antichrist system. This will not be a mindless waste of life any more than Jesus’ death was a mindless waste of life. We are as sheep to be slaughtered, seed to be sown, and drink offerings to be poured out. That "they loved not their lives unto death" is one of the acts of witness that overcome Satan at the end of this age by those who believe in Jesus. Precious in the eyes of God is the death of His saints. Redemptive is the death of His saints in demonstrating His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Any unrest regarding this destiny should fade as the eternal realities of future glory overwhelm the transient realities of our earthly lives. We must see the joy set before us. We must develop eternal perspectives. This world and our physical lives need to fade away in terms of importance and the sense of eternity needs to become our focus. We must see our treasures in heaven rather than on earth. If we don’t change our world-views to heavenly views, how will we endure and overcome what lies ahead? Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. Will we have any likelihood of enduring if we do not see the joy set before us? Pray that God would give us heavenly and eternal perspectives. Pray that we will indeed stand during these times. Pray that by the grace of God we will be brought to full stature as sons of God through these times of testing which are our destiny.

God has said that His Church is not appointed to His wrath. God is trustworthy. But it is clear from Scripture that the Church will be subject to Satan’s fury for the ultimate purposes of crushing him underfoot and shaping us into the likeness of Jesus. God isn’t going to miss any assignments in this process. He’s not going to give to you what should have gone to me. God’s touch in each of our lives will be perfect, as it has been perfect up to this point. We need to get it settled in our minds and hearts and spirits that whatever comes to us in this life comes from the hand of God. Satan may sometimes be used as the postman, but God decides what is to be delivered. His deliveries are always perfect and precisely on time. Have you gotten to the point in your Christian walk where you have offered yourself as a living sacrifice, content and at rest as a chick under the wings of a mother hen?

We can grumble as the Israelites did in the desert, or we can settle the issue once and for all. We can decide to totally abandon ourselves to a Father Who has never failed to be trustworthy or deal perfectly for even a micro-second in the lives of one of His children. We need to reread Psalm 91. Let’s resolve to give God the trust He so eagerly longs for and so fully deserves. Let us seek to please Him and glorify Him by our trust.

The Mind-set of Job

God delights in the trust of His saints. The displeasing behavior of the Israelites in the desert is recorded for us so that we do not repeat their mistakes of unbelief. And yet I find myself wavering and often absent of the joy of full trust and rest. And I have yet to go one day in the desert without water. God will find that in each of our lives which requires testing in order to reveal our hearts. Our testings will be individually tailored to bring out the worst to allow opportunity to repent and get rid of it and bring in the best. Have any of us been tested as Job was? And yet it was Job who uttered the standard of trust,

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him . . . (Job 13:15 KJV).

So must we trust in God as we come to the end of this age. The explicit destiny of many of us in the Church is martyrdom. We must resolve beforehand the issue of whether God is or is not worthy of our trust. Although our resolve may not always be reflected by our daily performance, His record of trustworthiness, nevertheless, in every second of life of each one of His saints, is perfect. With this testimony of trustworthiness and with His word that He will never leave or forsake us, can we settle once and for all the issue of trusting implicitly in our loving heavenly Father, no matter what lies ahead for us and our loved ones? Can we agree to praise Him no matter what, knowing that everything coming from His loving hand is destined to aid in transforming us into the likeness of His perfect Son for eternity?

"Father, I pray for the grace to glorify You with the trust of Job. May we not displease You by shrinking back in times of testing."

Job is an end-time message to the Church. God elected to demonstrate His wisdom through Job to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, even as He will demonstrate His wisdom through the Church at the end of the age. The Church needs to come to grips with the fact that God’s wisdom was not primarily demonstrated during the abundant times of Job’s life, but during times of testing. The response of Job amidst that testing needs be our response, for we have even more insight into the faithfulness of God. And it was God Who started it. He said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?" God desired to demonstrate His wisdom to Satan through Job, and He desires to demonstrate His wisdom to Satan through the Church.

Do you think that in eternity Job will look back on his time of testing and consider that it was not the love of God? Do you think Job will question whether or not God had his best interests in mind? Do you think Job would go back, if he could, and change one thing? Or do you think Job will acknowledge rather the perfect dealings of a Loving Father Who dispenses perfectly in timing and degree?

I confess there is too much lag time between when a trial comes into my life and when I finally acknowledge it to be worth more than gold. My flesh would much rather be pampered than tested by adversity. But the road of transformation is a road necessarily mined with perfect adversities chosen individually by our Loving Father to put the flesh to death and to transform us into the likeness of Jesus.

"Thank You Father for the testimony of Job. May we all be found with the faith of Job when we stand before You."

Beauty for Ashes

God establishes perfection to His glory out of the very substance of our weakness and failure. God chooses to bring life forth out of death. Out of the seemingly unrecoverable God-forsaken ruins of the literal ashes of the Jewish holocaust will arise a resurrected people. Those chosen since before time began to be redeemed by the Blood of His Son will rise from their graves to once again live and play and grow old in the streets of Jerusalem. God’s purposes are never thwarted. His promises and callings are never overruled or revoked. His original purposes for His chosen nation of Israel to be the source of sons for the world were not thwarted by their apostasy. Even their disobedience is redeemable. It was part of His plan from the beginning.

As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth, she writhes and cries out in her labor pains, thus were we before Thee, O LORD. We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, we gave birth, as it were, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth nor were inhabitants of the world born (Isaiah 26:17-18).

This is Israel speaking. It is God Who now begins speaking through the prophet:

Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. (Isaiah 26:19)

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. And I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it, declares the LORD’ " (Ezekiel 37:12-14).

Israel will be resurrected and she will see the fruits of her labor . . .

Then you will say in your heart, "Who has begotten these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am barren, an exile and a wanderer? And who has reared these? Behold, I was left alone; from where did these come?" (Isaiah 49:21).

Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child; break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; for the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman," says the LORD (Isaiah 54:1).

Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, or has your counselor perished, that agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth? Writhe and labor to give birth, Daughter of Zion, like a woman in childbirth . . . (Micah 4:9-10).

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore, He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. And this One will be our peace (Micah 5:2-5).

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning. And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will designate. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; but you will be called, "My delight is in her," and your land, "Married"; for the LORD delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you. On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:1-7).

All nations will then know that He is God and that He has done this thing. The question of, "How could a loving God allow Auschwitz?" will be forever silenced. Valleys of dry bones and ash heaps will spring to life in the twinkling of an eye. His justice and righteousness will be a banner for all nations. All nations will stand in awe at the majesty and power of the Living God. How His heart must yearn for that day when the price His Son paid will be reimbursed and the Lamb will have gained His reward.

"Hallelujah!! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Blessed is the One Who comes in the name of the Lord."

Let us choose to please Him now with our trust and praise and thanksgiving for the glory He is about to bring upon the earth.

Chapter 7

Restoring the Stolen Vision

Astonishing Parallels

I began sensing some years ago that the Church’s walk on earth during the last three and one-half years of this age would mirror Jesus’ public ministry of three and one-half years. I remember studying Revelation and all the references to the last three and one-half years of the age, and I remember how my spirit leaped as I was walking along one day listening to a cassette tape and heard mention of Jesus’ public ministry of three and one-half years. It was as if the Holy Spirit welded the two periods together in my mind, never again to be separated. It was one of those moments when you know God has spoken.

As we consider the public ministry of Jesus and compare it to the prophetic destiny of the Church outlined by Scripture for the last three and one-half years of the age, astonishing parallels emerge. We have seen that Ephesians 3:8-12 states that God created all things in order to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The wisdom of God is defined as the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24). We could then say that God will demonstrate the wisdom of the cross of Christ through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The wisdom of the cross that God demonstrated through His Son will again be demonstrated through His Son’s corporate body, the Church.

We have seen in Revelation 13:7 that Satan is allowed to war against the saints for three and one-half years and is granted authority to overcome them. It is no coincidence that both Jesus’ time of public ministry and this particular period of time in which the saints are overcome/overcomers are both periods of three and one-half years. It is no coincidence that both Jesus and these saints are physically overcome at the end of these respective periods of three and one-half years and yet emerge victorious. That is the wisdom of the cross that God has chosen to demonstrate through His Son in both His individual and corporate form.

Revelation 12:9-10 describes a series of events that seem to occur simultaneously at the beginning of the final three and one-half years. Satan is thrown out of heaven to earth, and concurrently come the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of God, and the authority of Christ. Where will these things come other than to the saints alive on the earth at that time? This would seem to explain the source of the holiness and power of the saints of Daniel 12:7. It is coincident with the giving of authority to the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

The timing of this power and authority coming to the saints coincides with the revealing of the ultimate evil of antichrist and the granting of his temporary power and authority. Notice how great darkness and great light are established and revealed on earth at the same time. The players are on stage for the great final battle between good and evil. The outcome of the entire war hinges on this final battle. God has created all things in preparation for the outcome of this battle which will demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the devil and his angels.

Notice the unmistakable parallels between Jesus' time of public ministry and the walk of these saints. Both take place during a three and one-half year time frame. Both are initiated by the coming of the Holy Spirit in great power, anointing, authority; and both bring the Kingdom of God. Both take place amidst a time of intense Satanic government and religious persecution which ends in both parties physically overcome by Satan yet ultimately victorious. Both result in Satan’s defeat.

It is crucial that we understand that Jesus died to overcome Satan, and yet He is authorizing and empowering His Church to also die to overcome Satan at the end of the age. (They overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and that they did not love their lives unto death.) Why is God allowing this seeming repetition? Didn’t Jesus thoroughly overcome Satan on the cross two thousand years ago? Yes, He did. But the eternal plan of God in Christ Jesus is that through the Church God said He would demonstrate His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

God is going to use fallen mankind that Satan deceived to overcome Satan through the redemptive process enabled by His Son. That redemptive process is legally possible because Jesus came as a man, and as a man He legally overcame Satan on the cross. He specifically and purposely emptied Himself (Philippians 2:7) and came as a man to live and die as a perfect man in order to gain authority over Satan which He could then delegate to His Church, a corporate body of redeemed men.

The Church is called by faith to overcome Satan in the power and authority that Jesus has delegated. The death of the Church is obviously redemptive in God’s plan, or the death of Jesus would have been the end of it. Scripture indicates that the primary purpose for Jesus’ coming was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The Church does not yet realize that He accomplished that legally on the cross as a man in order to direct and authorize His Church to carry the sentence out on earth, ultimately by laying down their lives even as He laid down His life. This is the wisdom of the cross that God desires to demonstrate to Satan through redeemed man.

I have given You Power

God has seemingly chosen to use the Church, in the last three and one-half years of this age, to reflect the last three and one-half years of Christ’s life and purpose for ministry on this earth. In fact, Jesus delegated everything that He came to do, short of the redemption of His Church, to His Church for accomplishment. He came to set the captives free, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to reconcile Israel back to their God, to be a light of salvation to the Gentiles, to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, and to destroy the works of the devil. These are ongoing processes which have yet to be fully accomplished and have been delegated to the Church for completion. Ultimately it is Jesus Who does all these things, but all things short of the redemption of His Church are completed through the body of His Church. He gave us the power and authority to do these things and then said to go and do them in the power of His Spirit. He came to enable us to do all the things that the Bible says He came to do.

The specifics of the parallels between Jesus’ time of public ministry and the ministry of the saints at the end of the age are intriguing and yet to be fully explored. These will surely be those days in which Jesus said His disciples would do even greater things than He did. I believe this is the Church on earth in its final and finest hour. This fully empowered and anointed Church will be the target of Satan’s final and ultimate fury in the form of his champion, the antichrist. God has scheduled events so that His fully empowered Church and the evil of Satan in the form of the antichrist will appear on the earth at the exact same time.

God’s power will be demonstrated through the meekness of His Church, for Scripture clearly indicates that Satan is granted power sufficient to physically overcome the Church. God will demonstrate His wisdom by allowing this portion of the Church to be physically overcome, even as He allowed His Son to be physically overcome on the cross.

The wisdom of God in the form of the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24) demonstrated by Jesus as an individual will again be demonstrated at the end of this age by Jesus as His corporate body. It is this staggering restatement of God’s wisdom in Jesus Christ as demonstrated through His Church that will fulfill the Ephesians 3:10 intent to demonstrate God’s wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This is the glorious destiny the Church is called to. We have the privilege of walking as Jesus walked so as to have God's wisdom demonstrated through us.

That demonstration must incorporate all of Church history; however, the ultimate demonstration would seem to be the battle fought at the end of this age between the fully empowered Church and the darkest evil of antichrist. No wonder a great cloud of witnesses is watching and waiting for the Church to fulfill a destiny without which they cannot be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40-12:1). And no wonder Satan is so eager to keep the Church from fulfilling this destiny.

A calling awaits the Church at the end of this age which has all creation standing by until it is accomplished. It is something so staggering that prior saints cannot be made perfect without it.

We are called to run this race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus as an example during this race and to consider that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him so that we, in turn, do not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).

How vastly this scenario differs from teachings that assure us that we will be raptured away before the tribulation starts. Jesus will bring to completion His purposes through His corporate body. Therefore, it would be equally as illogical to say that the saints should be raptured out before the last three and one-half years of their ministry at the end of the age as to say that Jesus should have been raptured out before the last three and one-half years of His public ministry. God’s purposes are that both parties should demonstrate the wisdom of the cross in seemingly the same manner.

The last-days persecution of the saints will not entirely be between believers and non-believers, but to a large extent between those of a perverted religious structure and those who follow Jesus. Even as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day persecuted Him and delivered Him up to be killed, so will a corrupt Babylonian religious system serve the saints up to be killed by a one-world government antichrist system.

Jesus foretold of a time when His disciples would be delivered up to be killed by those who would think they were doing God a service (John 16:2). Mystery Babylon is drunk with the blood of the saints and the witnesses of Jesus (Revelation 17:6).

Much of what we consider today as good is nothing more than religious structure. It is a man-conceived and upheld structure with a form of godliness but denying the power of the true gospel. If we are not walking with Jesus and being led moment by moment by His Spirit, then we are walking with and being led by another spirit, the spirit of the antichrist. I shudder to think where the dividing line may be in this confrontation. Jesus said family members would betray one another and brother would betray brother.

Are Other Reasons for Jesus’ Death Applicable to the Church?

Obviously the Church could not die to save itself. It would not have been an adequate sacrifice. There is only one perfect Lamb of God. But now that Jesus has gained the victory and delegated His power and authority to His Church, what other purposes which Jesus established by His death might also be parallel purposes for the death of His Church?

The purified and glorious Church during the last three and one-half years of the age will be Jesus’ body. This won’t be about us. It will be about Jesus living and dying through us. We can aspire to be nothing greater than cleansed vessels to be used for noble purposes. But to what noble purposes? To what extent might the death of that perfected body be considered redemptive in the restoration of the creation groaning for redemption? For example, to what extent might the death of that perfected body be considered redemptive in the restoration of Israel as a nation? What life will spring forth from the seed of the Church laying down her life? What multitude of sins might be covered by this love, a love which can prove no greater demonstration of its existence than by the laying down of earthly life? What redemptive purposes might God have awaiting this demonstration of love from potentially millions if not billions of His saints?

This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13).

The Return of a Favor?

In the previous chapter on redemptive suffering, we explored Scriptures that indicate that the nation of Israel has in part been turned over to disobedience in order that Gentiles could partake of the salvation offered through the Jews. How intriguing is the thought that even as Jesus died for the sins of His nation, so His corporate body, which will be largely Gentile, might fill up what is lacking in His suffering for the redemption of that nation.

And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, in order that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength) . . . (Isaiah 49:5).

We have seen that the Church is called to die to overcome Satan even as Jesus died for the same purpose. We see also that Jesus came to die in order to restore Israel back to their God. If the reasons for Jesus coming to die apply as well to His Church, and I believe Scripture is clear that they do, then the death of the Church will also be redemptive in that restoration as she assists in filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ (Colossians 1:24).

We are seeing staggering parallels between the life of Jesus and the walk of His Church at the end of the age, both in timing and function. As Jesus came to His nation but was rejected two thousand years ago, will He come again through His corporate body to again lay His life down? Will God again use the sufferings of His Son in the form of His Church as redemptive seed for the nation of Israel? When this happens, the eyes of Israel will be opened.

The Church as Suffering Servant

I believe that in this context the suffering of the Church is a possible third application for the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, who dies specifically for the sins of the nation of Israel.

I believe the willingness of the Church to lay down her life for the nation of Israel at the end of the age will perhaps be the demonstration of the cross through the corporate body of His Son that God is seeking before He turns again to His chosen people and pours out His mercy to restore that nation. Perhaps it will be this demonstration of love by their Christian brothers that will drive them at long last to jealousy. Perhaps it will be this that will prompt Israel to cry out, "Blessed is the One Who comes in the name of the Lord!"

The purposes for which Jesus came, which have yet to be fully worked out, will be fully worked out at the end of the age when His corporate body fills up what is yet lacking in His suffering. Satan does not want the Church to understand this. He wants her to be deceived, and if possible, fall away before her glorious destiny can be fulfilled, because his trip to the lake of fire is tied in with that destiny. Once again, I believe that much of his effort to deceive up to this point has been in the form of teachings which insist that the Church has no reason to be on earth during the upcoming period of great tribulation at the end of this age. It is the Church’s demonstration of the wisdom of the cross during that great tribulation that is the very reason for which God created all things.

There is nothing of virtue that man has to offer in this process. We are at best empty and cleansed vessels through which Jesus can flow unhindered. This is not about anything the Church originates or brings to pass. This is about Jesus. When He gave up His life and said, "It is finished," He gained total victory over Satan.

Nevertheless, He has chosen to involve His Church in the victory over evil. It’s His choice because He paid the price and gained the victory. Who are we to question His motives? We can only say, "Yes, Lord," to His plan. His plan happens to involve the Church, not of her own goodness, but of His goodness which He has chosen to demonstrate through her. Everything that the Church will demonstrate at the end of the age that is life-giving and of value will be of Jesus. He will relive and complete His purposes through His corporate body. We must individually decrease so that He can increase. We must die to ourselves so that He can live and die again through us.

A Light of the Nations

He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6).

The vision of the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 grows to embrace all nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).

Technically this Scripture would seem to apply to Israel, but the Holy Spirit has quickened this in application to the Church as well at the end of the age. In the sequence of events, light will come first from the Church before it comes forth from Israel. It will be the light of Christ through His Church that will illuminate darkened Israel from their centuries of sleep.

Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you (Ephesians 5:14).

We must develop and embrace a theology that allows for the systematic slaughter of potentially several billion Christians at the end of the age, and we must understand that it is an outworking of God’s love for the restoration of His creation. In light of eternity, it is a trivial price to pay, but it requires faith to see things in eternal perspective. That is a challenge that few if any theologians have met. I presently have difficulty embracing minor obstacles that the Lord puts in my path and call them God’s love. The potential slaughter of several billion of our brothers and sisters, ourselves included, is the theology which we must rise to embrace.

We must learn to live only for Him now, or we shall not live for Him then. We must die to ourselves before that day, or we shall not be able to die for Him on that day. The journey is too great. Grace is our only hope. Without God’s grace poured on us at the end of the age, we will never endure and rise to this call. Our best laid beliefs and doctrines will not support us at the chopping blocks. Only the grace of God will get us through. He must be our victory or we will have no victory.

Will it be Jesus or the Church?

The astonishing parallels between Jesus’ time of public ministry and the walk of the Church during the last three and one-half years of the age make it hard to distinguish between who is Jesus and who is His Church. But Jesus is His Church! When we hesitate to ascribe this glorious walk to the Church because we feel it diminishes from what Jesus has already accomplished, we miss the point. This will be Jesus walking at the end of the age, but through His corporate body.

When pride and selfishness are totally burned out of us, we will not presume to see this as stealing His glory, but rather as glorifying Him. Of Him and through Him and to Him are all things. This will be the walk of a selfless devoted body of believers who seek nothing for themselves and everything for His glory. Only then and in that state will they be considered as worthy vessels for the power and authority that He intends to demonstrate through them. They will seek only to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, and as He walks so they will walk. He is calling us to lay down our lives for the same purposes that He laid down His life. Those who seek to follow the Lamb will be expectantly and joyfully prepared to do so.

We will Live the Vision

As we meditate on this Biblical vision for the Church, it will turn our gaze toward Him, for surely the journey is too great for any of us. Without Him we can do nothing, but in Christ all things are possible. We will increasingly be conformed to the soldiers that Jesus would have us be at the end of the age. We will increasingly become like Jesus. We will set our faces like flint toward the destiny before us, seeing the eternal joy that awaits at the end of our endurance.

We will not be able to speak a message of hope and joy to a world writhing in the agony of birth pains unless we live that message, not just in the words that we speak but more importantly in the demonstration of our very lives. Anything less is a false witness. If we do not portray Jesus by our lives, we betray Him by speaking of Him. We cannot be the good news if we are the bad news. The Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power.

If we cannot bring bread to the hungry and healing to the sick, we are not walking the walk that Jesus walked, and we are not allowing His life to flow through us to the degree that He insists upon.

If we cannot portray to the lost masses the Bread of Life, then we are limiting Him. Our failure will not be that we are lifeless; it will be that we obstructed the flowing of His life through us. Perhaps we thought it was about something that we had to offer, when all along it was only of Him. We cannot of ourselves be loving. We cannot of ourselves be anything good, as He is everything that is good. It is only as we partake of Him and allow His life to flow through us that love or anything else of value can be demonstrated. Only what’s done by Christ will last. The rest is but wood, hay, and stubble . . . the works of the flesh done on a foundation of sand..

Restoring the Stolen Vision

I believe we have now recovered a portion of the vision for the Church which has been stolen by Satan. The vision is clearly outlined in Scripture. The heart of God for His Church is to demonstrate His wisdom through His Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places by overcoming the devil while conforming us to the likeness of Jesus. All of creation will be restored in the process. Everything that happens in our lives is a means to that end. The path that Jesus walked is the path for us to walk. It involves a choice and leads to the cross. The wisdom of God is the cross of Christ, and as we embrace the cross the vision will be realized. There are no shortcuts or alternate paths. The path is narrow and not without obstacle. Satan will scratch and claw and fight us every step of the way. It is a fight to the finish, a fight for survival, and even if we don’t realize it, he does. He pulls no punches, fights dirty, and has a contract out on each of our lives. He wants us to fall away and not realize the vision and fulfill our calling. He does not want creation restored and God to be glorified, and he does not want to be crushed underfoot and thrown into the lake of fire. But he will be. Praise the Lord!!

The Final Act

This will be our last opportunity for worship this side of eternity. It will be the last opportunity to lay down our lives in obedience and love before we are swept up in the glory to come, beyond which we have no inkling of what God has prepared for us. The laying down of our lives may well be seed that sweeps many into the Kingdom with us. What more glorious destiny on this earth could there be? Embrace the cross, Saints, for the glory of our Lord and our eternal joy in His presence!

"This is all about You, Jesus. It’s all about You."

Chapter 8

Follow Me!

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" (John 21:17-22).

Peter was told by Jesus, at last, after all of his questions, "What is that to you? You follow Me!" Isn’t that what we are all told? We have at best a dim sense of even our own individual destinies. Some of us will remain until He comes; some of us will go to Him sooner and glorify God with our physical deaths. In between now and then, the details are the Lord’s details.

It is sufficient to know that we are to follow Jesus. He will lead us along the unique and perfect path that He chose for us before time began. And along that path He will never leave us or forsake us, even though there may be moments in lesser Gethsemanes and lesser Calvarys. There will be moments when the flesh is weak, even though the spirit wills. There will be moments of stumbling, but in order to purify and refine. But there will never be a moment when He leaves or forsakes us. Our trust of that even in the midst of discipline and the absence of all objective evidence of His presence is the measure of our trust in Him. It is this trust, it seems, that pleases Him most. It is the trust of Job sitting in the ashes. It is the trust of Abraham with the knife raised.

There will never be a moment during our lesser Calvary when we will need to cry out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" We will never have to die that kind of death, because He died that death for us. He died with the sins of the world on Him. We will not. He became sin for us. The deaths that we are called to will be like that of Stephen, when he looked into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. There was no sense of being forsaken when Stephen was martyred. It is questionable that he even felt the stones. And then he fell asleep. Such will be the grace of God for those of us who will glorify Him with our deaths. When we stand in front of governors and kings of the antichrist system, we are told to not worry about what we will say because it will be given us. There will never be a moment when what comes to us is not from His hand for our ultimate good. All things work to the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. There will consequently never be a moment unworthy of rejoicing in and trusting in and thanking and praising Him, Who has promised to bring to completion in each of us that good work which He began.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Whether we are chosen to glorify God with our deaths, or chosen to glorify Him by remaining until He comes, let us settle once and for all that we will follow Him. Where else will we go? He has the words of life.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

To Follow Him, Keep Your Eyes on Him

It is so easy to take our eyes off what is essential and focus them on things of lesser importance. Our works and our ministries vie for our attention. The statement suggests the problem. It must not be our works and our ministries, but His. How often our business is not associated with His chosen works for us. The danger of focusing on anything other than our Savior is that we will find ourselves sinking beneath the waves.

That is the danger of the times ahead. Peter was doing fine until he took his eyes off Jesus and became concerned with the weather. We will do fine as we keep our attention focused on Jesus, whether we are in or out of the boat. There are many things in the days ahead that will scream for our attention, yet only one thing is important. Mary had it and so must we. Business in the kitchens of life is never as important as the thing which is primary, and that is to keep our focus on Jesus, to listen to what He says and to do it. The only business in the kitchen we should be doing is that business He tells us to do. The clamor of the world’s voices will always try to divert our attention from that voice which is primary. And it was Jesus that Martha was serving. It is the business of the ministry that will be the most subtle in diverting our eyes from that which is primary.

Peter had to learn that Jesus could be trusted, but Peter could not be. He had to be taken through painful experiences until he realized this. But it was the key to his freedom and the beginning of ministry in the power and authority of Jesus. He finally took his eyes off himself and focused on Jesus. He realized there was nothing good in Peter except Jesus Who lived in Him by faith.

Important but Secondary Issues

We have talked much about restoration of the vision of the Church and the call of the Church, but these are secondary issues. They are issues of doctrine and ministry. They are often issues of being busy in the kitchen. Giving up our lives will never be possible if we take our eyes off Jesus. Stephen gazed into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Therefore, he could receive the stones. We must be gazing into heaven when our stones come. We must be gazing into heaven when the edict comes to take the mark of the beast or forfeit our lives and the lives of our families. We must have our eyes on Jesus or we will be seduced by the false security the world offers when our times of testing come. The many who will fall away and those whose love will grow cold will fail to endure because their eyes were not on Jesus.

Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come (Hebrews 13:13-14).

The timing and nature of end-time events are secondary issues. They are important, however, in that they have the potential to cause us to stumble and take our eyes off Jesus. But that makes them very important. Therefore, it is necessary that we understand as much about them as God would have us understand. The study of these events must not be an end in itself, but a means of revealing stumbling blocks that could cause us to lose sight of the larger issue at hand. And that issue is that these events are birth pains preceding our births into the likeness of Jesus.

These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling . . . But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them (John 16:1,4).

Jesus is saying that the very reason we have been given these prophetic details of what lies ahead for the Church is so that we will not stumble when these things come. Otherwise we would have no need to know. There are many things we don’t know. The voices of the seven thunders are concealed. But Jesus has told us what we need to know so that we will not stumble.

Stumbling Blocks at the End of the Age

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16-17).

A time is coming at the end of the age during the great tribulation when those who die in the Lord and rest from their labors will be considered blessed. These are times that Christians alive at the end of the age will experience. There is no option in dealing with the mark of the beast; the only correct choice is to refuse it.

Those who follow the course of monetary transactions and the trend toward a cashless society can see that the course is being charted by evil. The criminal element is dictating the precautions and safeguards and the inevitable march to a debit card that cannot be lost or stolen, even though it is all coming as an angel of light. National news magazines are forecasting a time when micro-chips presently being used on "smart cards" will be implanted under the skin. The mark of the beast is the inevitable destination for the course of monetary transaction. All universal product code markings on purchase items are now bordered left and right and divided in the middle by two narrow vertical lines which are the coded six. The number of the beast is already on almost all marketable products, including Christian books. Take a look at the next Christian book that you buy --- maybe this book. On the back is coded a six-six-six in the universal product code. That is how subtle and unnoticed and yet pervasive this thing is. Automated check out lines at grocery stores using the bar code system are in the news. Ring it up and pay it automatically with your debit card. But what if someone steals your card? Hey, just implant the data chip under your skin. It makes perfect sense. It’s going to be logical and convenient and safe . . . and eventually mandatory upon threat of death.

Refusal of the mark of the beast will mean the end of buying and selling for those without it. Without the mark, it will no longer be possible to go to a store and buy food and clothing. Public transportation, gasoline, medical care, utilities, and the basic essentials that we routinely purchase and take for granted may no longer be available. I’m looking forward to those days. Hey, let’s get it on! Our Lord is coming back!

To refuse the mark will require the trust of the Hebrew children as they entered the fiery furnace and Daniel as he entered the lion’s den. It will require the trust of Moses as he took the nation of Israel into the desert without food or water.

These need not and must not be times of anxiety. It is written that we are to cast all of our anxiety on Him. Our Heavenly Father is trustworthy. He has already demonstrated that He knows how to preserve a nation in the midst of a barren desert by raining manna from heaven and issuing water from a rock. He has demonstrated that the container of oil and of flour need not fail. He has demonstrated that He can shelter His people from plague and famine and wild beasts and fiery furnaces. These evidences of God’s faithfulness are provided for the benefit of us upon whom the end of the age has come. He has never failed anyone who put their trust in Him.

If the Israelites had praised God in the desert instead of grumbling, their passage to the promised land would have been much quicker. If we should find ourselves three days in the desert without water, let’s choose to praise God rather than grumble. Pray that we would all have the grace of strength to stand before Him and not deny Him.

Will I find Faith on Earth?

Many will fall away. These are not unbelievers, for unbelievers cannot fall away. These are believers who have fallen away from their trust, their faith, and their hope. The love of most will grow cold. Jesus questioned whether He would find faith on the earth when He returns. We have not concerned ourselves with what the end of this age is going to be like for those remaining on earth. We are going to have to live in the peace and rest of His presence when a thousand fall on one side of us and ten thousand fall on the other.

There are reasons why Scripture includes the passage that thousands will fall at our left and right but the plague will not touch us. The fourth seal and the sixth trumpet provide for the death of one-half of the earth’s population during a time when the majority of the Church of Jesus Christ alive at the end of the age will be living on earth (as opposed to having been raptured to heaven).

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:1-3).

We are not promised escape from the midst of destruction, but we are promised protection through it. We must mature in our understanding of what God is going to do at the end of this age and how it relates to His Church. This can be the time of our greatest witness, or it can be the time of our love growing cold and of our falling away.

These are basic theological issues between the Creator and His created that have nothing to do with religion but have everything to do with relationship. It will be necessary that our holy fear of God be greater than our fear of man. The reality of His faithfulness must be greater to us than the reality of their guns and guillotines. Man can only kill the body but God can destroy both body and soul. These are times we will not survive without an ultimate abandonment to God that reserves nothing for self and its provision. The birthing described at the end of this age is the birthing of Jesus within those who have allowed the flesh and all things of self to be put to death in favor of His life.

A Brief Y2K Testimony

Being an engineer, my natural mind was whirring and ready to get well prepared for great tribulation or Y2K, whichever came first. I carried a can of Dinty Moore beef stew around in my van for almost ten years and it didn’t spoil, so I thought, "Ahaa! I have found the great tribulation staple." I began saving two-liter plastic soda bottles and was about to begin stockpiling rice, etc. But one morning while reading the reassuring promises in the Psalms, I felt led to ask the Lord if it would please Him if I did nothing. I immediately felt His presence and pleasure. So I did nothing. I didn’t fill my tank up with gas. I purposely did not lift a finger or set aside one teaspoon of provision. And nothing happened as we all know.

I shared what I sensed the Lord was telling me with a few people, but I was never sure what to tell anyone else to do. I know the Lord told me to do nothing. But I couldn’t say if that applied to anyone else. I couldn’t say whether Y2K was going to be a non-problem or whether it was going to result in a global meltdown. I didn’t know. But I know that He told me to do nothing. And I had peace and rest. When January First rolled around, I was as surprised as anyone that nothing happened. Okay, so what’s the moral of the story? The moral of the story is, "Who cares what’s going to happen --- Jesus is Lord!" And if you seek Him, He will tell you what to do. Maybe for the great tribulation He will tell you to store food. Maybe He will tell you to do nothing. Do whatever He says! The greatest provision we have is Jesus! And He talks to us if we talk to Him! Who cares if the planet is going to melt down. Jesus is Lord! Read the Psalms. He says He’s going to take care of us! Ask Him what He wants you to do and then do it in the full rest and peace of being in His will. Praise the Lord! Follow Him!

These are Times to Exercise Faith

These are the times to exercise faith for the days ahead. It is perhaps a time for discarding things rather than storing up. He alone is our gold and silver and our sustenance. Perhaps we should seek God about beginning to eliminate some of those things from our lives that we have always considered essential. If God is our protector, do we need life and health insurance? Do we need fire and theft and flood and hurricane insurance for our houses if angels are guarding the four corners of the property? Do we need our savings accounts, our retirement plans, our stocks and bonds, and our safety deposit boxes filled with gold coins? Do we need stored food? Saints, we had better not need them, for many of these things will be useless in the day of testing. If we cannot get along without these things now, will we be able to get along without them then? All of these things in which we presently put our trust will be of no use when the time of testing comes. For the time of testing is designed to remove all props which we count on for support. Only Jesus is worthy of our trust and support, and He alone must be our foundation in that day, for all other foundations will crumble. The more props we remove now, the easier it will be to stand in faith when all props are removed.

Anything that we consider essential or a support other than the faithfulness of God is an idol and will be stripped in the day of testing. Otherwise it would not really be a day of testing. The day of testing will reveal where we put our trust. That will be the point of the test. Ridding oneself of idols now will be easier than ridding oneself of idols then. It may even preclude the necessity of going through that time of testing. There is provision for avoiding the final crucible if the purifying fires of prior lesser crucibles have been embraced and allowed to do their work.

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10).

Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength [be accounted worthy, KJV] to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36).

The better translation of strength is "to be accounted worthy." But whether it is strength or worthiness, it will be His strength and worthiness in us, vessels of clay trusting in the hand of the Heavenly Potter to do His perfect work in His perfect time. The absence of worries of life implies total trust. Those who are anxious and worried evidence unbelief which if not burned away by the fires of purification. will preclude entry into the Holy City and result in burning by that other fire.

But for the cowardly and unbelieving . . . their part will be in the lake that burns with fire . . . (Revelation 21:8).

Hoarding is Death

These must not be times of hoarding what little we might have left. It was only as the widow gave up her last oil and flour that it was multiplied and found sufficient until the days of famine were over. It was only as the lad gave up his few fish and loaves that they could be multiplied by Jesus to feed the multitudes.

We must give it all up before it will be multiplied. Whether we should be stocking our shelves or not, I do not know. But I do know that we must be prepared to give it all up when the needy knock at our door. It was the two small copper coins given by the widow at the temple that received the commendation of Jesus, for she had given it all, not just that which was surplus.

Hoarding is death. The lesson I have learned from hoarding is that the thing hoarded will never be adequate. It will spoil or be taken from the one hoarding so that no benefit will result from trying to hold onto it. That which you try to keep you will lose. It is a Kingdom principle. Secondly, the one with whom you would have shared it will not benefit from your provision, and you will have lost your reward. And thirdly, God will not be glorified in the process. This, for me, has been one of the hardest lessons to learn. I have not learned it well yet.

"Father, I confess my unbelief and my lack of trust in this area. I ask that You would cleanse me of this unrighteousness and give me the spirit of the poor widow who parted joyfully with her last copper coins."

Little children, guard yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21).

The Meek will Inherit

I have recently been attending meetings of those who have chosen to take an assertive stance in resisting the coming New World Order. Survival supplies, weaponry, self-sufficient communities, etc., are discussed. All of this is done in the assurance of being in the will of the Lord. I question whether the spirit of this is in the meek spirit of Jesus. It seems more often to be the assertive and self-reliant spirit of man. Are these the meek that will inherit the earth? Dare we take on the spirit of the lion while we are still called to walk in the spirit of the Lamb? How literal must we take the proverb to lean not on our own understanding? How literal must we take the following Scriptures?

If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints (Revelation 13:10).

Jesus therefore said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).

When they came to arrest Jesus, Jesus restored the ear that Peter impulsively cut off. I have heard saints state in public teaching that if someone came to their front door and threatened their family, they would defend their family with an assault rifle. Is that what Jesus would do? We’ve got to respond in the Spirit at those times rather than in the flesh.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all on account of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives (Luke 21:14-19).

"So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves." This is in the context of verbal defense, but might it be general in application? No one could touch Jesus until it was His time. It wasn’t that He was a master of self-defense; it was that His Heavenly Father was His defense. So it will be with each of us. If we try to influence that time in our own strength, we will have missed the point of total trust in our Heavenly Father Who only brings to our doorsteps what ultimately is good for us. I’m not preaching against assault rifles and storing up food, for I don’t know what the Holy Spirit may tell you to do. I am preaching against doing anything without the leading of the Holy Spirit. May these words be a trumpet in your spirit that causes you to seek Him more aggressively, not necessarily to plan to defend yourselves more aggressively. I will not presume to know what He may tell you to do. Jesus demonstrated activism in the temple by turning over the tables and pacifism in Gethsemane by going meekly. If we are not listening obediently to the Holy Spirit, we will confuse the times. We must not rely on what we think or feel. Total abandonment and trust and obedience to the Holy Spirit is the only right course of action in all situations. There is coming a time when many of us will be asked to lay down our lives in the Spirit of the Lamb. If we respond in the wrong spirit, we will have missed the calling of God.

There will be a time for vengeance, but that vengeance is God’s. When Jesus returns as the Lion of Judah, the winepress of God’s wrath will be trampled. Until that time, we are counseled to walk this earth as lambs . . . wise as serpents, but gentle as doves. That counsel has never been revoked. It is no longer an eye for an eye. We are in a new covenant defined by the beatitudes. It is the wisdom of the cross that will overcome Satan, not our militancy.

Daniel in Babylon ... an End-times Message to the Church

There was no better testimony in Babylon to the glory of God than that of Daniel and his three friends. We are also called to be a testimony in Babylon at the end of the age. Jesus says to us, "Come out of her, My people." I suggest that no one ever came more out of Babylon than did Daniel and his three friends, even though they lived most of their lives in her midst. Our physical location does not determine whether or not we have "come out of Babylon." Our unswerving devotion to our God and His Kingdom principles and the integrity with which we live our daily lives will determine whether or not we have come out of Babylon. These things will also determine whether our testimony in the midst of Babylon is of any value.

Jesus did not raise His voice in the streets or picket Rome and Caesar. His weapons were not carnal. He let His light shine forth in the midst of Caesar’s Rome which released the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives from the inside out. Morality cannot be legislated. We should know that by now. Men’s ways will not gain the victory. Jesus changed people by the wisdom of the cross. And when the knock on our door comes and we are told to worship our golden statue in the form of the image of the beast, we must refuse just like Daniel and his friends refused. There is a line not to cross. And we will trust God to rescue us from the fiery furnace or the lion’s den or to allow us to lay down our lives for His redemptive purposes. It shouldn’t matter to us one way or the other. Surrender to Babylon and live. Or let them kill you because they see the testimony of Jesus in you, not because you met them at the door with a sword, or bombed their headquarters, or holed up in the mountains in defiance.

The two witnesses who walk this earth representing the Church in peak power and authority during the last three and one-half years of this age do not respond to their enemies with rifle fire but with holy fire from out of their mouths. Did Peter do any differently when Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead? Our strength will not be found in our arsenals, but in God’s authority and power. There are no details on how the two witnesses die other than they are overcome at the end of their ministry. Their time had come to glorify the Father by their deaths. It was their cup to drink. It may have initially been bitter, but three and one-half days later it became very sweet. May it be the same for us at the end of our times of ministry.

"May we so glorify You, Father, with our lives and with our deaths."

Chapter 9

The Timing and Sequence of Key Events

To the Church about the Church

The book of Revelation is written to the Church, for the Church, and about the Church. Most of the book deals with the key role the Church will play during the last three and one-half years of the age in God’s eternal plan to demonstrate His wisdom through her to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Identifying key players and properly ordering the timing and sequence of events is crucial to understanding the role and destiny of a Church brought to full power and authority to walk as Jesus walked in corporate world-wide demonstration of the true gospel.

Confusing key players and events blurs understanding of this role and destiny. Once again, Satan’s clear intent is to confuse the Church about her role on earth during this period of time by convincing her that she won’t be around, having no reason and purpose to remain on earth.

It is important to understand that Scripture says that not until the final three and one-half years of the age will the true gospel be preached world-wide. That is not to say that previous efforts have been fruitless, because it is obvious the Holy Spirit is working today and has been working throughout the age to convert sinners. There has always been a remnant on earth who have walked in the footsteps of Jesus. The work of the Holy Spirit today seems to be expanding exponentially world-wide. Perhaps we are very near to or even in the initial outflow of the prophesied great outpouring of the Spirit that will usher in the last and greatest harvest of the age. However, the true gospel of the Kingdom, not in words but in power, is not yet being preached world-wide the way Peter and Paul preached it. The Church will be largely unable to preach the gospel in this fullness of power before that time, because Scripture indicates that the Spirit will not be poured out in fullness until that time. This degree of power and authority does not come until the midpoint of the final seven years, concurrently with Satan being thrown out of heaven to earth. It is this outpouring of the Spirit that launches the ministry of the two witnesses and empowers the saints left on earth to overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and by loving not their lives unto death.

We think of effectively preaching the gospel in terms of stadiums filled with thousands. At the end of the age, however, when Christians will be persecuted and hated as criminals, spreading the gospel in any such manner will be forbidden. The account of the end of the age in the gospel of Mark implies that it will be as we stand under arrest before governing officials that the message of the gospel will go forth to the whole world. Our response during these times of persecution will be our witness of the true gospel. God will empower the saints to live sanctified, peaceful, and abandoned lives in the midst of furious persecution. This will be of greater witness to the unsaved than our words. The gospel will be demonstrated by how we live and die more than by what we say. The witness of today is often feeble, because we do not live what we say. Our lives are often a direct contradiction of the power of the gospel. Perhaps that is partly due to the lack of persecution which has always seemed to be the nutrient that causes the Church to flourish. But those times are changing.

More space is devoted to the last three and one-half years of the church age in the book of Revelation than to all other periods of church history combined. This period of time reveals the calling and destiny of the Church and identifies the standards of a Church brought to maturity in Jesus Christ. It defines the finish line of the race we are called to run. It establishes the vision without which we will perish. God has seemingly concentrated much of His plan to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places into the last three and one-half years of this age. During this short period of time, the ultimate destiny of the Church on earth, and the reasons for which she was created, will be fulfilled and demonstrated.

That is not to say that we can sleep until the start of the final three and one-half years. These are, at the very least, days of preparation. The time lines of these events seem somewhat blurred, as if the initial stages of judgment and glory are already at hand. The oceans and freshwater are already on the way to being polluted and unable to support life in many areas as if the judgment trumpets affecting these waters can be heard tuning up in the background. The prophesied great outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the midpoint of the final seven years seems to be gushing forth from cracks in the dam presently holding it back. The messengers of the end of the age are upon us. Regardless of the literalness or blurring of these time lines, the final three and one-half years of the age, as described in the book of Revelation, are the focal point of the vision of the Church at the end of the age. Regardless of the absolute timing of these events, these events establish the nature of that with which we must be concerned. I believe these time lines are absolute in the sense of the fullness of these prophesied events; however, I believe God in His mercy is also allowing a buildup of the preliminaries and initial stages of these events so that people wake up and repent. His judgments, ultimately, are redemptive. It is His will that none should perish.

The timing and sequence of events relative to the Church during this final three and one-half years of the age are the subject of our investigation. Teachings which remove the Church from the prophetic Scriptures involving the last three and one-half years of the age destroy all vision of the race we are called to run and finish. We have seen that God created all things in order to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, and this demonstration will be largely fulfilled during the last three and one-half years of the age.

Removing the Church from this most crucial period of her destiny is to render null and void the eternal plan of God for His Church through which He will be glorified by all creation for eternity. Removing the Church from these times is one of the most grievous doctrinal errors that could ever be taught, and plays directly into the hands of the enemy of our souls. The vision of the Church must be restored!

"Father, would You release revelation in this area. Would You wake us up and give us a vision of eternal things and of the destiny of Your Church at the end of the age through which You will demonstrate Your wisdom and be glorified for eternity. Would You give us a passionate love for Your glory such that we might become noble vessels through which You can demonstrate Your wisdom and glory to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places at the end of this age. Father, we pray to derail every effort of Satan to keep Your Church deceived about these things."

Benchmarks

I worked for the Forest Service one summer in Oregon doing survey work for logging roads. At the beginning and periodically along every survey route (usually miles in length), we would establish benchmarks which were solid reference points (usually big nails driven into exposed roots or stumps). We could never make too big an error if we routinely referenced short sections of the surveyed route back to the benchmarks. These were the foundation reference points for the entire survey and kept us from losing a lot of time should an error creep into our work.

After we established our first benchmark at the start of the survey, we would then measure and sight out with a long tape measure and a survey scope to a distant survey point along the route, which would have been previously laid out with survey ribbons. When that point was established, we would record it and sight and measure out to a second point. After so many points, we would establish a second benchmark. Then we would sight back to the first benchmark and check to see that the loop would close. Then we would go on from the second benchmark to a third and so on until the route was completed. Perhaps it was symbolic that this was being done in the wilderness. The route had been walked out before and marked with orange ribbons where it should generally go, but we had to work out the details.

My own attempts to understand the prophetic Scriptures have proceeded in much the same way. Initially a few things seemed obvious, and I established these things as benchmarks and started from there. I thought that this might be one way to approach a study of the destiny of the Church during the last three and one-half years of the age. These are some of the benchmarks and survey points that I hacked out along my way. I hope this will be helpful to you. It is not in any way intended to be a comprehensive study of end-time events, but it does represent the foundation points that I believe the Lord has revealed in my own study relative to this message of restoring the vision of the Church. It would be helpful if the reader were already familiar with such concepts as Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, the parallel of Jesus’ warnings in Matthew 24 to the seven seals of Revelation, and had already struggled to understand the book of Revelation. I don’t have space to fully develop the background for all of these areas. Any good prophecy book will discuss these things. Although most of the material on the shelves is pre-tribulation in nature, it is still useful to gain a background for what is discussed here.

Benchmark #1: The Great Tribulation is Over by the Sixth Seal

For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short (Matthew 24:21-22).

But immediately after the tribulation [the great tribulation of Matthew 24:21] of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken . . . (Matthew 24:29).

These events involving the sun, moon, and stars match exactly the events of the sixth seal as described in Revelation 6:12-14. This can only mean that the seals prior to the sixth seal have been, in part, describing that great tribulation. This conclusion is supported in that the great multitude who show up in heaven in Revelation 7:14 after the sixth seal is opened, but before the opening of the seventh seal, are said to have come out of the great tribulation. The great tribulation would seem to be cut short by the startling events of the sixth seal.

This is a very important benchmark, because it establishes the entire framework of the timing of events of the book of Revelation. Jesus defined the great tribulation as that tribulation taking place after the abomination of desolation is revealed (Matthew 24:15). From Daniel 9:27 and 11:31, we understand that the abomination of desolation is revealed at the midpoint of the final seven years of the age, or three and one-half years before the end of the age. So by the sixth seal, conditions are already well into the last half of the final seven years of the age, because by the sixth seal, according to the words of Jesus, the great tribulation at the hands of antichrist is over.

Point 1: The spin-off from this is that most probably the breaking of the fourth seal and the persecution which results is revealing the reign of the antichrist and his false prophet, which begins at the midpoint of the final seven years. The fifth seal martyrs are then a direct result of that persecution.

Benchmark #2: The Trumpets Occur Late in the Last Three and One-Half Years of the Age

If the sixth seal takes place well into the last three and one-half years of the age, this automatically places the trumpet judgments (which follow the seals) even later in the last three and one-half years of the age. The plain wording of Scripture indicates that the trumpet judgments follow the seals. Perhaps the best indication of this is that the martyrs at the fifth seal are told to wait a little longer before God’s judging and avenging begins. God’s judging and avenging have, therefore, not yet begun at the fifth seal. The martyrs of the antichrist persecution are crying out to God from under the altar, "When will You avenge our blood?" The makeup of the sixth and seventh seals indicate that the beginning of the judging and avenging of God is in the form of the trumpet judgments and does not begin until the first trumpet is sounded.

Point 1: Since the sixth trumpet defines the end of the witness period of 1260 days of the two witnesses of Chapter 11, it follows that this 1260-day witness period of the two witnesses takes place during the last three and one-half years of the age. That is supported by the fact that their period of witness ends just before the blowing of the seventh trumpet, which by its very nature suggests the end of the age. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that the 1260-day witness period of the two witnesses coincides with the last three and one-half years of the age.

Point 2: The seventh trumpet which sounds at, or very near, the end of the last three and one-half years of the age is almost assuredly the last trump that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15:52 as the trumpet sounding the harvest (rapture). This can be concluded because the harvest described at the end of Revelation Chapter 14 follows the three and one-half years of warfare between the antichrist and the saints. The events following the blowing of the seventh trumpet describe the rewarding of the saints and the destruction of the ungodly. These events match the makeup of the events of the Day of the Lord which are consistent with other passages describing the harvesting or gathering of the saints.

Benchmark #3: The Little Book of Daniel is the Little Book of Revelation

As mentioned previously, during a particularly strong visitation of the Holy Spirit one evening, I received a distinct impression that the little book of Daniel Chapter 12 was the same little book opened by the angel in Revelation Chapter 10. We must test all things with Scripture, however, and discard anything which does not match. In this case, Scripture matches with the impression, as the content of the little book of Daniel, which deals specifically with the last three and one-half years of the age, matches the content of Scripture immediately following in Revelation Chapter 10, which also deals with the last three and one-half years of the age. This would support the three and one-half year witness period of the two witnesses as being the last three and one-half years of the age.

Benchmark #4: Everything after Revelation Chapter 10 Deals with the Last Three and One-Half Years of the Age and Beyond

Much of what is presented in the later chapters of the book of Revelation is actually a zoom-in description in greater detail of what has been briefly covered in the earlier chapters. As we have seen, the great multitude of Chapter 7 are said to have come out of the great tribulation, so the events of the great tribulation must be associated with some of the five seals prior to the sixth seal. However, Chapters 13 and 14 describe in much greater detail the events of the great tribulation. Much of the book, therefore, has to be flashback and overlay. Understanding the book of Revelation becomes very confusing if the sequence of events is assumed to be laid out in a single series even as the chapters are laid out. The age has already come essentially to a close by Revelation 10:7.

. . . but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets (Revelation 10:7).

Things seem to progress sequentially through the seals and trumpets up until the end of the age in Chapter 10. Then everything stops and the last three and one-half years are explored over and over again in more detail from different viewpoints as the details of the little book of Daniel are presented. The layout of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse in the gospels is the same way. Jesus lays out sequentially the course of events up to the very end of the age at Matthew 24:14, and then stops and goes back over the last three and one-half years in more detail. When the angels tell John in Revelation 10:11 that he is to prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings, that is indication of the start of the flashback. What follows is the last three and one-half years being described again and again from different perspectives.

Benchmark #5: Chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14 Repeatedly Cover the Last Three and One-Half Years of the Age

The witness period of the two witnesses of Chapter 11 is concluded to be the last three and one-half years of the age, as it ends just before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The three and one-half year period the woman of Revelation 12 spends in the wilderness is then also concluded to be the last three and one-half years of the age. It begins with attempted persecution by the antichrist as he is revealed at the midpoint of the final seven years. The three and one-half year period of persecution of the saints of Chapters 13-14 is also concluded to be the last three and one-half years of the age. It also begins with the revealing of the antichrist and ends at the seventh trumpet just before the bowls of wrath are poured out. All periods of time identified in the book of Revelation as 1260 days, 42 months, or three and one-half years, are identified as the same period of time and as the last three and one-half years of the age. They are all revelations from the little book of Daniel 12, which deals specifically with the last three and one-half years of the age.

• Chapter 11:1-14 deals with the 1260-day witness period of the two witnesses. It is the first vision given after the little book of Daniel is opened.

• Chapter 12:1-14 deals with the simultaneous venture of the woman into the wilderness for three and one-half years.

• Chapter 13:1-18 deals with the antichrist and the simultaneous forty-two months of authority he is given over the saints.

• Chapter 14 deals simultaneously with at least a portion of the last three and one- half years from the time at which the 144,000 first fruits are seen in heaven until the harvest at the end of the age.

Benchmark #6: Revelation Chapter 14 Contains the Trumpet Judgments

Close inspection of Revelation 14 reveals that six trumpet judgments are described and are listed as taking place before the harvest at Revelation 14:14.

And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice; "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters" (Revelation 14:6-7).

The heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water are the subject of the first four trumpet judgments, though not in that exact order. Since these four things are mentioned in conjunction with the coming of God’s hour of judgment, the logical conclusion is that these are indeed the first four trumpet judgments. The fifth trumpet judgment is torment of those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads, and it correlates with the torment of those who accept the mark of the beast in Revelation 14:9-11. The sixth trumpet judgment of the two hundred million man army from the east matches Revelation 14:8 which is the destruction of Babylon the Great described also in Revelation 17:16-18 and the whole of Revelation 18. Two hundred million soldiers marching from the east resulting in the death of one-third of the earth’s population involves issues larger than the relatively small population of Israel. The economic and power structure of the entire planet is in turmoil. Although the order is shuffled, the identification of six distinct judgments identified with the coming of God’s hour of judgment --- which just happen to match the makeup of the first six trumpet judgments --- cannot be just coincidence. These must indeed be the trumpet judgments. This conclusion is supported by the outpouring of the bowls which immediately follows in Chapter 15.

Point 1: And yet, amidst these apparent trumpet judgments and after the great tribulation has ended, there are saints who remain and are called to persevere unto death.

Point 2: The great multitude from all tribes, tongues, nations and peoples of Revelation Chapter 7 cannot have shown up in heaven before Revelation 14:6, because they must have already had the gospel preached to them (and this must have been world-wide) in order to be saved. But they must have shown up by the start of the trumpet judgments of Revelation 14:7. So the sixth seal logically must fall between Revelation 14:6 and 14:7. The 144,000 first fruits who show up in heaven at Revelation 14:1 must have then arrived there sometime before the opening of the sixth seal.

Point 3: By the time of the harvest of Revelation 14:15, six trumpet judgments have taken place. The harvest is consistent with the events that take place at the blowing of the seventh trumpet. What remains of God’s judging and avenging are the bowl judgments, which immediately follow. Those who show up in heaven before the harvest at Revelation 14:15 are either first fruits, or martyrs, or those who have died by natural causes.

Benchmark #7: The Great Multitude at the Sixth Seal are Martyrs, not Raptured Saints !

This is a major point of concern, as many believe that the great multitude at the sixth seal is the raptured Church. There is danger in teaching the timing of the rapture too early in the sequence of end-time events. If the great multitude are martyrs rather than raptured saints, then those who find themselves not raptured before the beginning of the trumpet judgments may be shaken to learn that they must continue to endure. I believe there is sufficient Scriptural evidence to conclude that these sixth seal saints are martyred rather than raptured saints.

And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also (Revelation 6:9-11).

Point 1: God’s judging and avenging of the martyrs’ blood has not yet begun at the fifth seal. This supports, as previously mentioned, the conclusion that the trumpets and seals do not overlap, for God’s judging and avenging of their blood does not seem to begin any earlier than at the first trumpet judgment. The sixth seal is stated in Revelation 6:17 as the indicator of the beginning of the day of God’s wrath, and that wrath only begins when the seventh seal is broken and the trumpet judgments begin.

Point 2: The fifth seal martyrs are told that between the time when they are being addressed and when God’s judging and avenging would begin, more of their fellow believers are to be killed. The next group to show up in heaven before that judging and avenging begins would then logically be those additional who are to be killed. The great multitude that shows up in heaven before the seventh seal is broken and the trumpet judgments begin fits exactly that description.

Point 3: The verses stating that they shall hunger and thirst no more, and that neither the sun nor heat shall adversely affect them anymore, and that every tear shall be wiped from their eyes, suggests that they have endured these things in the great tribulation. It is a solemn note to understand that these things will be necessary in order to conform these saints, who perhaps will be many of us, to the worthiness required to enter the Kingdom of God. This may be the most applicable prophecy for the majority of the Church alive at the end of the age. We may be reading of ourselves in these very Scriptures.

And one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?" And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:13-17).

Point 4: Another reason why I do not believe these are raptured saints is that Scripture indicates that the main harvest does not take place until the time of the seventh trumpet. Once again we need to be reminded that Jesus said that those who endure to the end, that end being the harvest, will be saved. Since we have already concluded that the seals and trumpets are sequential, those who show up in heaven following the sixth seal and before the seventh seal cannot be the same as those harvested at the seventh trumpet. The plain sense of Scripture is that the trumpets are held in check until the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel are sealed and the great multitude that no one could count from the great tribulation appears in heaven. It is the killing of this required number of additional saints that brings on the time when God begins His judging and avenging of their blood by the trumpet judgments, the beginning of His wrath. The first-fruits group at Revelation 14:1 are only listed as 144,000, whereas the multitude of the sixth seal is a great multitude which no one can count. This multitude without number is not the first fruits, nor is it the general harvest. Therefore the multitude is concluded to be Christian martyrs who are the fulfillment of the prophecy of Revelation 6:11. And these are apparently not the last of the Christian martyrs, for there are more to be killed between the time of the sixth seal and the seventh trumpet harvest.

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them." And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe" (Revelation 14:13-15).

And the seventh angel sounded [the seventh trumpet]; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:15-18).

We have seen that the 1260-day witness period of the two witnesses does not end until the events of the sixth trumpet are finished, and that this witness period matches the last three and one-half years of the age during which time the antichrist is given authority over the saints. The end of that period of time coincides with the blowing of the seventh trumpet. Those harvested at the end of Chapter 14 are seen immediately in heaven in Revelation 15:2 having emerged victoriously over the beast and the great tribulation. After this, the seven plagues are poured out. The content of the seventh and last trumpet matches with the events of the last trumpet that Paul refers to in conjunction with the rapture.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52).

This certainly sounds like the time of reward of the bondservants the prophets, the saints, and the small and the great. Some will argue that Paul couldn’t know about the trumpets since the book of Revelation hadn’t been written yet, but Paul didn’t need to wait for this revelation until the book of Revelation was written. Paul received revelation directly from the Lord.

Benchmark #8: There are Two Phases of God’s Wrath

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished (Revelation 15:1).

If the bowls are the finish of God’s wrath, then the wrath of God must have started prior to the bowls. Phase 1 is the beginning of God’s wrath in the form of the trumpet judgments. Many of God’s elect will still be on earth during the trumpet judgments but will remain untouched by God’s wrath, even as the Israelites were untouched by the plagues which went on around them in Egypt. This phase ends with the harvest at the seventh trumpet of Revelation 14:15. Phase 2 begins right after that with the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. There are still those remaining on earth who will repent and be saved during Phase 2, and they would correspond to the gleanings harvested at the sixth bowl.

Point 1: I believe Scripture suggests the trumpet judgments may be centered in the Middle East in order to directly influence Israel. Scripture says judgment is first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. The one-third of the earth affected by the seven trumpet judgments seems chosen so as to impact Israel most directly. The sixth trumpet judgment appears to be an army from the east marching towards Jerusalem. This would explain why the 144,000 bondservants from the tribes of Israel are sealed just before the start of the trumpet judgments so as to pass through them unharmed.

Benchmark #9: Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, Seven Years

There is indication that the events of the seven seals detail the last seven years of the age. I was walking one day asking the Lord about the timing of these things, and I heard these words come out of my mouth, "seven seals, seven trumpets, seven years . . . " Once again, that would not constitute reason for establishing doctrine, but it seems to correlate with Scripture.

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, [one week of years or seven years] but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate (Daniel 9:27).

If this is the antichrist, then he will appear as a covenant maker at the beginning of the final seven years, and this matches the makeup of the first seal. A rider shows up on a white horse, but it definitely isn’t Jesus. This isn’t THE RIDER on the white horse of Revelation 19. This an impostor. He is a peacemaker but He is not the Prince of Peace, therefore his peace will be a temporary and false peace. The confusion often associated with identifying the rider on the white horse of the first seal is representative of the actual confusion that will result when he is revealed in the flesh. Many will mistakenly think he is the Christ. He will come as an angel of light. The first warning Jesus gave to His disciples in Matthew 24 was to beware of false Christs. The additional warnings He gave line up with the seals in the book of Revelation, and it is very likely, therefore, that His first warning lines up with the first seal. The rider of the first seal is revealed for what he really is at the three and one-half year point, and this would agree closely with the revealing of Death and Hades at the fourth seal if the seals were laid out year for year. If the seven seals represent seven years, then the seventh seal would be the last of the seven years, a year of God’s increasing trumpet judgments upon the earth. The fifth trumpet is five months in length, so the trumpet judgments are boxed in to being more than five months but significantly less than three and one-half years in duration.

For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion (Isaiah 34:8).

Will the day of the Lord’s vengeance, which seems to begin at the sixth seal and lasts through the seventh bowl, be one year in length?

Point 1: Many believe that Daniel 9:27 is referring to Jesus, and that He is the one making or confirming the covenant. This split-week approach holds that the first three and one-half years of the final seven years elapsed during Jesus’ time of public ministry, and the remaining three and one-half years take place at the end of this age. There is some logical basis for this if only Daniel 9:27 is considered. But there are other Scriptures that shed additional light on the matter of who the he of Daniel 9:27 is.

And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days (Daniel 12:11).

If we back up from this verse in the text to Daniel 11:31, there we will find the description of the regular sacrifice being abolished and the abomination of desolation being set up. I drew a line and an arrow in my Bible at Daniel 11:31 noting that from this point on, there will be 1290 days. What is in view here is obviously the last three and one-half years of the age.

And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11:31).

The him who does this is not Jesus. You can clearly see that by reading about him and what he does in the verses immediately preceding Daniel 11:31. If this him is not Jesus but the antichrist, and this him sets up the abomination of desolation and stops the sacrifice three and one-half years before the end of the age, then who is logically the he of Daniel 9:27 who is described as doing the very same thing in the middle of the final seven years? Do Jesus and the antichrist both stop the sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation at the midpoint of the final seven years? Does the midpoint of the final seven years occur twice, once two thousand years ago and again at the end of the age? I don’t think that is a logical conclusion based on the information given in Scripture. Therefore I believe the final week of the seventy weeks of Daniel will be played out at the end of the age in one seven year chunk of time, the last seven years of the age.

Point 2: It is after the sixty-two weeks that the Messiah is cut off, not after sixty-two and one-half weeks, which would be the case if Jesus’ public ministry were considered the first three and one-half years of the last week of Daniel’s seventy weeks.

Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined (Daniel 9:26).

Point 3: I believe Scripture further indicates in Daniel Chapter 8 that the 70th week of Daniel is the final seven years of the age.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?" And he said to me, "For 2300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored." . . . "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end." . . . "And he said, "Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end." . . . And in the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their course, a king will arise insolent and skilled in intrigue. And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; he will destroy mighty men and the holy people . . . He will even oppose he Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human agency. And the vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but keep the vision secret, for it pertains to many days in the future (Daniel 8:13-14, 17, 19, 23-26).

This is clearly referring to the antichrist. And these 2300 days, which are 220 days short of seven years, discuss the abomination of desolation being set up in the holy place during the final period of the indignation. There is only one final period of the indignation, and that’s the period of the indignation at the end of the age beginning at the midpoint of the final seven years of the age. The reason the vision is for 2300 days and not 1290 days is because it includes the time of the regular sacrifice as well as the time from when the abomination of desolation is set up until the holy place is restored. I believe this could be indicating that restored temple sacrifices may start 220 days after the beginning of the final seven years of the age. Evenings and mornings locks in the 2300 as days and not years, as it is an Old Testament term for the "evening and morning" sacrifices. If the antichrist comes as a peacemaker and a covenant maker seven years before the end, it is logical to consider that part of that covenant agreement might allow the long-awaited rebuilding of a new Jewish temple and the resumption of regular temple sacrifices.

Conclusions

We need to understand from these Scriptures that the main harvest, or the rapture, is presented consistently as coming very near the end of the last three and one-half years of the age --- at the end of the age to which Jesus said we must endure. It would seem to come at the seventh trumpet just before the bowls of wrath are poured out. It appears that most of the Church is going to remain on earth during the trumpet judgments, because the seventh trumpet lines up with the end of the age and seems to describe the rewarding of the saints. This is still consistent with "not being appointed to wrath," because when God’s wrath fell on Egypt, His chosen people were "not appointed to wrath." It went on around them but did not harm them. That was the point of the blood on the doorposts.

If it doesn’t work out this way and the rapture comes sooner, that will be just fine. But we shouldn’t count on it coming any sooner. If we settle in our hearts that it’s going to come just before the pouring out of the bowls of wrath just like Revelation Chapters 14 and 15 suggest, we will be in the best state of mind to endure to the true end of the age. However, let’s not get so caught up in the details of the timing and sequence of all of these events that we take our eyes off Jesus. Let’s not let our doctrines become stumbling blocks if things don’t work out the way we expected. Ultimately, Jesus said that He would come at an hour that we did not expect, so we are all going to be surprised one way or another when He comes.

If we keep our eyes on Jesus, keep the vision of the Church in mind, and keep filled to overflowing with the oil of the Holy Spirit, rapture timing will take care of itself and no timing of event will cause us to stumble. Remember, the end of this age is going to be a time of our light shining forth in the midst of great darkness. We should expect to walk with great anointing through the midst of this, crushing Satan underfoot in the process. There are those spoken of in Daniel who will lead many to righteousness during these times and will shine like stars forever.

Let’s get from this a freshening of hope, a strengthening of our faith and trust, and a fresh revelation of God’s all-consuming love for His Church. I had a dream many years ago, even before I was saved, of Jesus returning in the sky. In my dream, I was longing for a change, because I was tired of the world as it was. What if it were all true and He was actually coming back? I looked up into the sky as if my eyes were being drawn to a spot . . . almost as if I was creating it in my dream because I wanted it so badly. All of a sudden, there He was, a small burst of light but getting bigger quickly. I can’t express the emotion I felt even in the dream. It was like a floodgate broke open and everything was suddenly beautiful. My spirit surged in an explosion of joy! All troubles and wars and distress were forever done with and replaced with a feeling of total satisfaction and joy. I woke up.

Now that is worth waiting for! And it’s really going to happen. I think it may have been a vision as well as a dream. I can remember the joy and expectation I used to have as a child during the Christmas holidays, childish though it may have been. That joy and expectation fizzled as the years and the world took over. But the real reason for that childish Christmas joy is nearly upon us! We will all be as joyous children on the day He returns. There is reason for our faith and hope and trust!

"Come quickly, Lord Jesus!" The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"

Chapter 10

Logic Trains of Rapture Timing

Timing is Important . . . but Secondary

I initially accepted the pre-tribulation rapture teaching as a new believer because the popular Christian books on prophecy and end-times that I read at that time were all of that doctrine. And I must say that those books blessed and instructed me and helped me to grow in the Lord. And in those times, the Lord spoke to me and taught me and revealed His unconditional love. Obviously the Holy Spirit was not totally grieved about this doctrinal matter and was developing more important foundational issues. It was only later, as I became more familiar with the Scriptures, that I became uneasy with the content of Matthew 24 and the parts of Daniel and Revelation that discuss the saints being warred against and overcome. I could not reconcile these passages with a pre-tribulation rapture, and there was something unsettling about how these passages were being so casually excused from being applicable to the Church.

As the years passed and the Lord seemed to be revealing a vision for the Church, a pre-tribulation rapture became more and more inconsistent with that vision. The primary issue for the Church at the end of the age is still not rapture timing, but how she will glorify God. However, as the end of the age draws nearer, the issue of timing takes on greater importance in the context of that primary consideration. God’s plan for His Church dictates rapture timing, not vice versa. Any teaching that obscures the vision of the saints and is contrary to God’s plan is a serious problem and will become more serious as the end of the age approaches.

Most popular end-times teaching deals with rapture timing as an end in itself rather than as a supporting role in God’s plan to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. When God’s purpose and plan become foundational in the study of end-time events, the Church’s presence on earth at the end of the age will be seen as mandatory. Any theology which removes the Church from the earth during the last seven years of the age fails to incorporate the primacy of God’s reason for creating the Church, which is to overcome Satan in the power of Jesus Christ, thereby demonstrating His wisdom.

Paul said not to be deceived in any way regarding the timing of the day of the Lord. The timing of the day of the Lord, as we will see, dictates the timing of the rapture. If the Church misunderstands rapture timing, she will misunderstand her role on earth at the end of the age. Mistaken teachings about the timing of the rapture lead to mistaken understanding of God’s plan for the Church. If we subscribe to teachings which obscure God’s plan for His Church at the end of the age, we will have no vision and may be in danger of stumbling and even falling away as the events of the end of the age overtake us.

The thesis of this book is that the Church has a glorious destiny while on earth which will be only fully played out during the last three and one-half years of this age. In the following examples of Scriptures which deal with rapture timing, we will see that the Church is consistently and clearly portrayed as being on earth until the harvest at the end of the age.

Logic Trains of Rapture Timing

I want to present several different logic trains, as Scripture reveals, regarding the timing of the rapture. I call them logic trains because they are logical progressions of Scripture that follow tracks of thinking that end up at the same conclusion. They are composed of direct passages from Scripture which deal with the timing of the rapture. Although rapture timing is not the central issue of this book, it impacts the basic thesis because if the Church is not here during the last three and one-half years of this age, the thesis falls apart. Although the term rapture is not found in Scripture, the description of rising in the air to meet Jesus as described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is commonly called the rapture. Some will argue that such a thing as the rapture does not exist and is not taught in the Bible, but the Bible describes the dead and living being caught up in the air to meet Jesus. That’s the event referred to interchangeably as the rapture, or the harvest, or the gathering of the saints in all that follows.

To repeat once again, it is Satan’s intent to keep the Church unaware, unprepared, and deceived about her role on earth at the end of the age. He seems to know the Bible, and he must be aware of Romans 16:20 which says the Church will crush him underfoot. He must know that we win and he loses. But it will be a fight to the finish and he will drag as many into the lake of fire with him as he can. He will not fight fair, and he will most often come as a deceiving angel of light. Please study these Scriptures carefully, asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Do not believe anything written in this book without the witness of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to be your teacher and guide into all truth. The point of the following "logic trains" is that they all say the same thing. They all locate the timing of the rapture at the same general time, namely, at the harvest at a time known as the day of the Lord, late in or near the end of the last three and one-half years of the age.

Train #1: What did Jesus Say?

One short logic train can be composed of three sections (boxcars) of Scripture: Matthew 24:13, Matthew 13:39, and Revelation 14:14-16.

1. In Matthew 24:13, Jesus says, speaking to His disciples: "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved." Remember that He is answering the questions of His disciples in Matthew 24:3 regarding the end of the age, so that when He refers to the "end," He is referring to the end of the age.

2. Matthew 13:39 defines the harvest as the end of the age: . . . and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

3. Revelation 14:14-16 describes that harvest. Notice that it comes at the end of three and one-half years (forty-two months) of persecution of the saints:

And there was given to him [the beast] a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints (Revelation 13:5-10).

And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them." And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." And He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth; and the earth was reaped (Revelation 14:9-16).

Jesus told His disciples that the one who endures to the end of the age will be the one who is saved. He also defined the end of the age as the harvest. These are His words, plain and simple, regarding His disciples’ questions about the end of the age. That harvest, which He describes in Revelation 14:14-16, comes after a specific time period of three and one-half years during which the saints are given over to the antichrist to be warred against and overcome. During this time they are counseled to persevere, to keep the commandments of God, to keep their faith in Jesus, and specifically NOT to take the mark of the beast.

This is the primary teaching in the Bible on the timing of the rapture for the Church-at-large, because Jesus gave it to His disciples throughout the age without qualification. There is no higher authority in any Christian bookstore. These words of our Lord are directed to us. Do we have ears to hear?

Train #2: Therefore When YOU SEE the Abomination of Desolation

Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15-16).

1. Jesus’ disciples who would be alive at the end of the age are told in this passage that they will see the abomination of desolation. That suggests something about rapture timing. The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel is not revealed until three and one-half years before the end of the age. Jesus was therefore clearly indicating that the rapture does not come until sometime after this, because He said that His disciples alive at that time of the end would see the abomination of desolation. Jesus therefore places the timing of the rapture sometime during the last three and one-half years of the age. This is the same point that Paul stresses in his letters to the Thessalonians. The fact that those in Judea are specifically addressed does not mean that only those in Judea are addressed. As mentioned before, the disciples addressed here are His disciples throughout the age and are the same individuals who are told to go into the world and make disciples of all nations.

Train #3: 1 and 2 Thessalonians and the Day of the Lord

The content of Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonians is specific regarding the timing of the gathering (rapture) of the saints. These Scriptures reveal that the rapture will occur at a time known as the day of the Lord. That day of the Lord will not come until the apostasy and the revealing of the man of lawlessness (the antichrist) have taken place. This again automatically places the rapture sometime in the last three and one-half years of the age, because Scripture is clear that the antichrist will not be revealed until the midpoint of the final "week" of Daniel at three and one-half years before the end of the age.

It is essential that we understand that Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians establish two main points. First, that the gathering of the saints will occur at a time called the day of the Lord. Second, that this day of the Lord will occur sometime during the last three and one-half years of the age. These are among the clearest and most specific Scriptures in the Bible defining the timing of the rapture. I am saddened to read books that use these same Scriptures to support the pre-tribulation position, because these Scriptures are most clear in answering simply and plainly the where and what of the rapture question. They locate the rapture sometime during the last three and one-half years of the age on the day of the Lord.

1. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:9 settle the fact that the Church is not destined for God’s wrath. But 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2:14, 3:3-4, and 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 clearly state that we are destined for tribulation and affliction. If we are confused about the difference between tribulation and wrath, it follows that we will be confused as to the timing of the rapture.

. . . and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews (1 Thessalonians 2:14).

. . . so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4).

. . . therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus . . . when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day (2 Thessalonians 1:4-8, 10).

We are destined for tribulation but not for wrath. We will be delivered from tribulation and rescued from wrath on a day known as the day of the Lord.

But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will (Matthew 24:29-31, 42-44).

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 4:15- 5:3).

2. Consider the context of the sentence, "Now as to the times and epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you." The times and epochs of what? What has Paul just been talking about? He’s been talking about the rapture! What he is referring back to regarding "times and epochs" is the rapture and can only be the rapture, otherwise the sentence structure makes no sense at all. And then he goes on to say, "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night." This is a crucial point. He has just identified the "day of the Lord" as the time of the rapture. Paul confirms it in his second letter:

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5)?

Paul has just answered the question regarding the timing of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him (i.e., the rapture) by saying that the day of the Lord has not yet come, and that it will not come until the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. He has placed the timing of the rapture sometime during the last three and one-half years of the age at a time known as the day of the Lord.

Unfortunately, expositors conclude anything they want from these Scriptures. They have been used to prove both pre and post-tribulation rapture timing. What does the Holy Spirit say in these Scriptures to you? Go over and over and over them again until you gain the witness of the truth as given by the Holy Spirit. We must set aside any pre-conceived doctrines and let the Holy Spirit reveal the intent of these Scriptures to us or we shall surely be deceived, for the enemy would have us be deceived if at all possible.

Train #4: 1 Corinthians and the Day of the Lord

I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:4-8).

1. We are to eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ Who will confirm us blameless to the end, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the consistency with the previous logic trains. The end is the harvest and is the day of the Lord.

Train #5: 2 Peter and the Day of the Lord

But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God; on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat (2 Peter 3:7-12)!

1. Notice the consistency of Scripture which again states that the relief of the saints will come on the day of the Lord, which is also called here the day of God. We are to look forward to the day of the Lord (i.e., the rapture) because our relief from tribulation and our rescue from wrath will occur at that time.

Train #6: The Days of Lot and Noah and the Day of the Lord

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:36-39).

Look at the specific timing revealed in the following passage:

. . . but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:29-30).

1. Notice that on the same day that the Lord is revealed, God’s wrath in the form of fire and brimstone will fall. Remember what we just looked at in 2 Peter 3? We are to look forward to that day, for it will also be the time of our rescue. The same day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone. It will be the very same on the day that the Lord is revealed!

Train #7: The Seventh Trumpet and the Harvest

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

And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other (Matthew 24:31).

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The things that take place at the seventh trumpet in the book of Revelation match the things that other Scriptures say take place at the harvest, or gathering of the saints, announced by trumpet blast. Let’s look again at the description of the happenings at the time of the seventh trumpet:

. . . but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets . . . And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ . . . We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou has taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm (Revelation 10:7, 11:15, 17-19).

The seventh and last trumpet is the dividing line between what seems to be Phase 1 and Phase 2 of God’s wrath. This is the time of the main harvest at the end of Chapter 14, after which we read in the beginning of Chapter 15 about those victorious over the beast in heaven just prior to the pouring out of the final bowls of wrath. The purification of great tribulation has been successful. Those who have endured have been purified and refined into the likeness of Jesus, and they are without spot or wrinkle, ready for the appearance of their Lord.

A Three-phase Harvest?

Jesus said we must endure to the end, to the harvest. The crop harvest in Israel consisted of three natural phases: the first fruits, the main harvest, and the gleanings. The Bible suggests that the Lord will also harvest His crop in the three-phase manner of the historical natural harvests of Israel. This is perhaps the reason why we read about the Lord’s appearing in curiously different ways, sometimes like a "thief in the night," and in other places as "every eye shall see Him coming on the clouds." As we focus in closer and closer to the event of the harvest as described in Scripture, we begin to see a broadening of the meaning of the day of the Lord. Day in "the day of the Lord" has two meanings: it can mean a specific twenty-four hour day, and it can also mean a longer general period of time. I believe we are seeing both meanings in the Scriptures we are considering.

These seemingly separate events can be reconciled if we consider the harvest of the elect as a three-phase harvest of three separate events, both in terms of time and the nature of those harvested. The Bible describes a first-fruits harvest at the beginning of Chapter 14 and a main harvest at the end of Chapter 14. A gleanings harvest is not so readily apparent. However, there is a curious parenthetical statement at the sixth bowl, "Behold, I am coming like a thief. . ." I believe this statement identifies the harvest of the gleanings.

The rewarded Church also seems to be described as a three-some. These are the bondservants the prophets, the saints, and those who fear His name.

And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).

Bondservants in general may correspond to those taken at the harvest of the first fruits. The saints may correspond to those taken in the main harvest. Those who fear Thy name may correspond to those taken at the harvest of the gleanings. In no way do I hold to these things absolutely. I am only suggesting a model which seems to explain some of these things. We must hold loosely the things which the Lord has not revealed absolutely.

Tentative Benchmark #10: The Main Harvest is Associated with "Coming on the Clouds" and Every Eye Seeing Him

. . . and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other (Matthew 24:30-31).

BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen (Revelation 1:7).

And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and SITTING ON A CLOUD WAS ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN, having a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." And He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth; and the earth was reaped (Revelation 14:14-16).

These passages seem consistent in identifying the "coming in the clouds" with the main harvest taking place at the seventh and last trumpet.

Tentative Benchmark #11: The Gleaning Harvest is Associated with "Coming Like a Thief"

After the harvest of the wheat comes the harvest of the grapes. Yet there are apparently still a few stalks of wheat left in the harvest fields who will have witnessed the main harvest and be converted as they continue to witness and experience the terror of the events immediately following in the form of the world-wide bowl judgments. Those who see these things are told to fear God and give Him glory. I believe those who do are saved. Many will disagree. But I believe the redemptive heart of God is not willing that any should perish. He will provide the offer of salvation up until the literal twenty-four hour day of the Lord which corresponds to Lot coming out of Sodom on the day that fire and brimstone fell. Lot was deemed a righteous man, but he escaped on the very last day, at the very last moment.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. And another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe." And the angel swung his sickle to the earth, and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles (Revelation 14:17-20).

If the main harvest of wheat takes place at the seventh trumpet, then gleanings by definition must take place afterwards. But all that remains after the seventh trumpet are the bowls of wrath. If the harvest model is applicable, then we should find evidence of a gleaning harvest somewhere mixed in with the bowl judgments.

Just before the outpouring of the seventh and final bowl comes the curious parenthetical statement of Revelation 16:15, "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame." Is this a reference back to an earlier event, or does it mean that Jesus is coming like a thief right here between the sixth and seventh bowls? The plain sense of Scripture is that a separation takes place at this point which results in some being taken to the place called Har-Magedon.

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.") And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air; and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done" (Revelation 16:13-17).

I believe this reference to "coming like a thief" includes the harvesting of the gleanings on the same twenty-four hour day that the final wrath of God will fall. Let’s consider once again these familiar passages:

But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Now learn the parable from the fig tree; when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door (Matthew 24:29-33).

Even so you, too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. And one of these things which we will see is Jesus in the clouds sending His angels to harvest the wheat. Every eye will see Him. These Scriptures seem to say that when that happens, He is still at the door. If He is still at the door, when does He come back? He seems to come back in Revelation 19:11, which I believe is a more detailed description of the grape harvest. The treading of the grapes does not take place until Jesus returns to the earth, for it is on earth that the treading will take place! Jesus does not have to come to earth to harvest His wheat. That harvesting is done by angels that He sends as He watches from His seat in the clouds, right at the door! Then, on the specific twenty-four hour day of the Lord, the day of His return, the day of the harvest of the gleanings, the very day on which the earth and all things on it will be destroyed, He is revealed and He comes! In between the main harvest and the harvest of the gleanings is an uncertain length of time, perhaps thirty days. During this time the wedding supper of the Lamb in heaven, the mourning of remnant Israel on earth, and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath may take place. This would seem to be the point at which Jesus returns to rescue Israel from the nations who have gathered against Jerusalem.

And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11-16).

. . . but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed . . . I tell you, on that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken, and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken, and the other will be left. (Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.) And answering they said to Him, "Where, Lord?" And He said to them, "Where the body is, there also will the vultures be gathered" (Luke 17:29-30, 34-37).

A Possible Scenario of the Last Days and the Return of the Lord

Remember, this is a possible scenario, not an absolute one. I don’t claim to know these absolute details. I only know what I believe Scripture says, and I am trying to piece together a possible and feasible scenario given existing Scripture. Please do not be turned off by disagreement with these details. Please do not throw the rest of the book away because you do not agree with these details. No two of us on the planet agree with all these details. We all see through a glass with various shades of darkness. But I’m going to plod ahead as far as I can. I don’t want to present mere speculation here, but at the same time I want to share with you what seems sensible to me. I think we all have a little piece of the puzzle --- what the Lord has given each of us. If we can put all our pieces together, maybe we can see a bit further than if we keep it all to ourselves. No one is going to figure this out to the day or the hour, for Scripture says we will all be surprised when He comes back. But have we pushed it yet to the point beyond which we cannot know? God will be pleased if we push it right up to that point, for the seeking out of these things pleases Him. I received a prophetic word one day that God was pleased with the study I was doing. The man who gave it had no idea that I was seeking these things out. It was a great joy to realize that God is pleased when we struggle to understand these things.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter (Proverbs 25:2).

We are all kings, and we have been given specific times to ponder. We are told that the sixth trumpet ends at about the 1260-day point. We are told in the book of Daniel that there will be 1290 days and blessed is the one who waits until the 1335th day. It would seem that the seventh trumpet, the harvest of the saints, all of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, and the return of our Lord will all be concentrated in these final seventy-five days. We know the redeemed nation of Israel will mourn for the One they have pierced, and the traditional period of mourning in the Bible was thirty days. Also, the sequence of the Feast of Tabernacles undoubtedly fits in here somewhere.

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives . . . For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light . . . And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one . . . Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Zechariah 14:4, 7, 9, 16).

As I read through Zechariah Chapters 12-14, I get the distinct impression that the celebration of the Feast of Booths (or Feast of Tabernacles) that the Lord orders for all nations may commemorate His return. The Feast of Booths begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Let’s consider for a moment that it could line up with the 1335th day that we are told to wait for in the book of Daniel. "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days!" We know that the 1260-day point is the end of the sixth trumpet. The one big event that must fall between the 1260-day point and the 1335-day point would then be the harvest at the seventh trumpet. Will that be on the 1290th day? "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days."

The end that Daniel is being told about involves the rescuing of his people and the resurrection of the dead which we know takes place at the main harvest when the living and dead join Jesus in the clouds. Scripture indicates that the nation of Israel will see Him return for the harvest, but they will mourn for the One they have pierced and for having missed the harvest.

Harvest is past, summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me (Jeremiah 8:20-21).

"And it will come about in that day," declares the Lord GOD, "that I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight . . . And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and the end of it will be like a bitter day" (Amos 8:9-10).

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen (Revelation 1:7).

And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born (Zechariah 12:10).

If that period of mourning following the harvest at the 1290-day point should be the historical thirty days, that would bring us to the 1320-day point. There would then be fifteen days for the Feast of Ingathering to be fulfilled, which takes place after the main harvest and the crops have been gathered in. On the first day of the Feast of Ingathering is the blowing of trumpets to call the people. God supernaturally delivered His people out of Egypt. Scripture is clear that He will supernaturally deliver the remnant of Israel out of the nations and regather them to Jerusalem.

It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown; and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).

On the tenth day of the Feast of Ingathering is the day of atonement. The Bible indicates that God will remove the sins of Israel in one day.

"For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold I will engrave an inscription on it," declares the LORD of hosts, "and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day," declares the Lord of hosts, "every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree" (Zechariah 3:9-10).

On the fifteenth day begins the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. If this should coincide with the physical return of the Lord to Jerusalem, it would fit with all nations being ordered to ever after commemorate the Feast of Tabernacles by going up to Jerusalem. Traditionally the last day of this feast is a time of great rejoicing and gaiety in Jewish households world-wide. What greater reason for joy and rejoicing could there be than the return of their long-awaited Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

And Yet . . . No One Knows

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for YOU DO NOT KNOW WHICH DAY YOUR LORD IS COMING (Matthew 24:37-42).

But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for THE SON OF MAN IS COMING AT AN HOUR WHEN YOU DO NOT THINK HE WILL (Matthew 24:43-44).

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Matthew 24:36).

But the Point Is . . .

I don’t want to spend any more time on these uncertain details because that is not the purpose of this book. The one thing we do know with certainty, and the main point this chapter is trying to make, is that the main harvest of the Church is consistently portrayed as near or at the end of the final seven years of the age, somewhere between day 1260 and day 1335. God’s people are seen to be protected through the first stages of His wrath, and removed from the earth before His final wrath is poured out. The exact details are not given. We can know generally but not specifically. We can know what we need to know. We are called to endure to the harvest at the end of the age, and that is consistently taught by the numerous scriptural examples we have studied.

We must at this point reaffirm the primary call of the Church at the end of the age, initially presented in the book of Daniel and expanded upon in the book of Revelation, as a call to endurance to the harvest at the end of the age or to martyrdom. This is such a difficult cup to consider that little teaching exists along this line. We have seen that the great multitude that no one could count at the sixth seal is most likely not a great multitude of raptured saints as we might have wished, but rather a great multitude of martyred saints, who underscore by their numbers the primacy of the call of martyrdom for the Church at the end of the age. Those who will be raptured are referred to as "those of us who are alive and remain", as if these will be a minority rather than a majority.

The physical overcoming of the saints as initially revealed in the book of Daniel and upheld throughout the book of Revelation is a primary means by which Satan is overcome and ultimately defeated by a Church created for that very purpose. The purpose of God to demonstrate His wisdom through the Church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places rests on the foundation of that wisdom being the cross of Jesus Christ. It was initially demonstrated through His Son and will again be demonstrated at the end of the age through the corporate body of His Son. No higher call is possible; no greater destiny lies before us than the laying down of earthly life for the accomplishment of this primary purpose for His Church. Let us rise to embrace this call. We must grow in our love for God’s glory.

For those mothers who are fearful for their sons or daughters, be comforted in that the Father’s call for your sons and daughters is of infinite eternal love. This love is most represented in His children by the laying down of their lives for others. Greater love has no one than this. I expect you will want your children ultimately to rise to embrace that level of love and testimony if so called. For the eternal joy set beyond for you and your children, be comforted and be at rest in your Father’s arms. Our lives upon this earth are only a passing shadow. Be comforted in anticipation of the joy that awaits us for all eternity.

"Father, we no longer want to seek our own glory. Give us a holy love for Your glory. Change our hearts to conform with the issues of Your Heart. Father, give us grace to embrace Your plan for Your Church at the end of the age. We cry out to be shaped and fired as vessels to be used for noble purposes. Please don’t let us fall short! Do whatever it takes to keep us on the right path. Choose our footsteps, Father, and keep us from falling away. We desperately need Your grace to stand in these times ahead! Father, hear the cries of our hearts! We want to glorify You with our lives and with our deaths! Help us, Father, to finish our races well! We must stand before You to hear, ‘Well done, good and faithful servants.’ No lesser evaluation is acceptable! Help us! Help us, Father! Pour out Your grace upon Your Church in order that we may be vessels found noble to demonstrate Your wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places at the end of this age! Amen."

Chapter 11

Who are the Two Witnesses?

Are these two really Moses and Elijah, or are they a corporate body of the Church? The intent of this chapter is to define their witness as the ultimate witness of the Church at the end of the age, and also to excite the Church about praying for the possibility of being included as part of this witness company. But regardless of who they are and how many there are, there is much to be learned from their ministry that impacts the vision and calling of the entire Church at the end of the age.

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth (Revelation 11:3-4).

Standing before the Lord of the earth identifies them as the Lord’s witnesses, and the voice saying "I will grant authority to my two witnesses" must then be the voice of the Lord. They are the Lord’s witnesses and therefore a part of His Church, regardless of who they are. Their witness is a demonstration of the Church at the end of the age operating in the full power and authority of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, they are physically overcome by the power of Satan. But, as we have seen, that is the primary call of the saints at the end of the age. The ultimate demonstration of power and authority at the end of the age will be evidenced by the wisdom of the cross of Jesus Christ which crushes Satan underfoot.

Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses when they had received power from the Holy Spirit. Their ministry was then to begin in Jerusalem and extend to all of Judea, to Samaria, and then to the remotest parts of the world. We are in the days of witnessing to the remotest parts of the world. We can only be His witnesses when we receive power from the Holy Spirit, and to the extent we have not received that power, we cannot be His witnesses. At the three and one-half year point of the final seven years of the age, in Revelation Chapter 12:10, there is indication of a great outpouring of power from the Holy Spirit. It is this outpouring of the Spirit that will empower the final thrust of world evangelism and trigger the beginning of the witness period of 1260 days of the two witnesses.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come (Matthew 24:14).

And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people . . . (Revelation 14:6).

I believe Scripture indicates there will be another day of first fruits/Pentecost much like the first day in Acts 2. And I believe as a result, the last three and one-half years of this age are going to be much like Acts 2 only more so. The prophecies of Joel are yet to be fully realized. The evidence of the new day of Pentecost will be the gathering of the first fruits of Revelation 14:4 and the falling of the Holy Spirit in great power and authority as described in Revelation 12:10. The male child is caught up to heaven and the remainder of the wheat harvest, left on earth to ripen until Revelation 14:14, is anointed with great power and authority in order to overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and by loving not their lives unto death. Here, at the three and one-half year point before the end of the age, is the start of the period of witness of the two witnesses in power and authority in demonstration of the Spirit poured out without measure.

I believe that once again all nations, tribes, tongues and peoples may hear the gospel preached in their native tongues without the benefit of translators. The messengers of Revelation 14:6, having the eternal gospel to preach to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, will be speaking in tongues that all peoples can understand. The shadows of the saints will once again heal the sick. But once again, Ananiases and Sapphiras will drop dead from words out of the mouths of the witnesses of Jesus. Along with great power will come great requirement.

The 1260-day witness period of the two witnesses in power and authority ends with their death at the hands of the beast from the abyss, followed by their resurrection from the dead three and one-half days later. This is the first revelation from the little book of Daniel reopened in the hands of the angel in Revelation 10:2.

"But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase." Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river. And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?" And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time [1260 days or three and one-half years]; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?" And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time" (Daniel 12:4-9).

We see in Revelation 11:7 the shattering of the power of at least two holy people at the end of a specific time period of 1260 days. Who are these two ultimate witnesses? Are the holy people of Daniel 12:7 represented here by only two individuals, or are they a corporate group of prophetic saints?

And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:6-8).

This prophecy of Jesus is not applicable to only two individuals, but to the entire body of Christ. We are all to be His witnesses. But are we to be these witnesses?

Moses and Elijah?

There is much interpretation that the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are Moses and Elijah or some other combination of Old Testament saints. But Ephesians 3:9-10 says that it is through the Church of Jesus Christ that God will demonstrate His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Why would the ultimate witness at the end of the age not be the living corporate Church? I am uneasy with the Moses and Elijah interpretation because it establishes a not us but them mentality, when it was to His Church that Jesus said, "You will be My witnesses."

The Lampstands are the Churches

. . . and the seven lampstands are the seven churches (Revelation 1:20).

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth (Revelation 11:4).

The term lampstand, which also identifies each of the seven churches in Revelation 1:20, is a strong indicator that these two witnesses represent at least some of the Church. They are warred against and physically overcome by the beast during the last three and one-half years of the age, even as the saints are warred against and overcome by the beast during the last three and one-half years of the age. And even as the saints emerge victorious after being overcome, so do these two witnesses emerge victorious from being overcome as they are resurrected to heaven after lying dead for three and one-half days. They serve as a precise fulfillment of the prophecies in Daniel in which the holy and powerful people will be warred against, physically overcome, and yet emerge victorious as recipients of the Kingdom.

Individual or Corporate?

How many olives does an olive tree bear? Olive trees and lampstands suggest more than two individuals. There is also a hint of corporateness in that they are warred against. War is usually fought against more that two individuals.

There is also a suggestion of corporateness in Revelation 11:8-9 which identifies their dead bodies as lying in the street of "the great city" and that "those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies . . ."

Bodies or Images of Bodies?

Modern technology allows a ready interpretation of this viewing of their bodies, but the text does not say that peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at images of their bodies, as one might expect if they were on world-wide telecast. The term image is used elsewhere in the book regarding the false prophet (who creates an image of the beast), so the use of image here would be appropriate if it were applicable. Could the reason that peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations look upon their bodies, and not upon images of their bodies, be because their bodies are everywhere to be looked upon while lying in the streets of the great cities of Babylon? The margin notes of my study Bible indicate that in some manuscripts, it is their body rather that their bodies that lie in the streets. That opens up the possibility of a body of believers. In the following passage, the woman, the great city of Babylon, is drunk with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

. . . and upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered greatly. And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns . . . And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 17:5-7, 18).

Great City or Holy City?

Jerusalem is referred to as the holy city in Revelation 11:2. The term great city is used consistently throughout the book of Revelation as a reference to the unholy city of Babylon. A simultaneous world-wide killing of Jesus’ witnesses is conceivable because Scripture indicates that multiple images of the beast will have been set up seemingly world-wide that must be worshiped in order to avoid death. The technology to kill vast numbers of people through computer and satellite technology is at hand. However, Satan may not need to rely on the technology of man to accomplish his work. He will not be restricted in his use of power at the end of the age by what man has engineered. Nor will the witnesses of Jesus.

And their dead bodies [body] will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies [body] for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb (Revelation 11:8-9).

Why doesn’t Scripture just come right out and say that their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem if Jerusalem is where they will lie? I think this terminology opens up the possibility that these streets are other that the streets of Jerusalem. In a spiritual sense, I believe the following Scripture indicates the Blood of Jesus is also found in the great city of Babylon, even though He was crucified in Jerusalem, although technically outside of the city gates.

And in her [the great city of Babylon] was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of ALL who have been slain on the earth (Revelation 18:24).

A Glimpse of the Church having Arrived!

Regardless of who they are and where they will lie, this is a snapshot of the Church operating in the full power and authority of Jesus Christ. These two witnesses are described as doing even greater things than Jesus did, as He said those who believed in Him would do. As difficult as it may be to positively relate these two witnesses to two larger corporate bodies, there are many prophecies to the Church fulfilled by these two --- be they two individuals or corporate. If there are only two individuals who gain this stature, then let each of us who desires the greater gift of prophecy and such a ministry seek to be one of them. If there are more than two, our prayers will still be valid.

What greater prophetic calling exists than to be one of these two witnesses at the end of the age? Should our response be any different whether there are two or two million of them? This is a description of the ultimate destiny of the Church on earth: to walk in the fullness of the power and authority of Jesus Christ, and to lay down our lives as testimony. It is by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and by loving not our lives unto death that we are destined to overcome Satan.

A Corporate One New Man of Jew and Gentile?

The mystery of the overcoming Church, as revealed by Paul in Ephesians Chapters 2 and 3, is that it will be made up of two groups --- Jew and Gentile --- reconciled into one by the cross of Jesus Christ. It is this Church and only this Church that will allow the demonstration of God’s wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). A divided Church or a Church that is not composed of a unity of Jew and Gentile will not allow it.

Therefore, He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel (Micah 5:3).

Whatever this means, it matches the she who bears a child in Revelation Chapter 12 at the three and one-half year point before the end of the age. Perhaps it is at this time that the remainder of His brethren return to the sons of Israel and the two become one new man. Perhaps it is at this time that the two physical witnesses --- Jew and Gentile --- can represent the spiritual one-new-man Church that will allow the demonstration of the wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities during the last three and one-half years of the age. They are physically two, but spiritually one new man.

Two Olive Trees and Two Lampstands

We cannot avoid concluding that the two witnesses represent at least a portion of the Church operating in the full power and authority of Jesus Christ. Israel is referred to in Scripture as a cultivated olive tree, while Gentiles are referred to as a wild olive tree. Together they are reconciled in one body, out of a common root, to God through the cross (Ephesians 2:16). Could this be the model for the two witnesses? Together they stand as two physical olive trees and two lampstands before the Lord demonstrating God’s wisdom through a spiritually united Church to the rulers and authorities during the last three and one-half years of the age.

For if you [Gentiles] were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree [Jew], how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? (Romans 11:24).

Whether they are two or two million, they represent the finest wine of the end-time Church. As powerful as they are, however, they are not as physically powerful as Satan. Victory at the end of the age will not be decided on the basis of physical power. The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, but to God. And His wisdom is the wisdom of the cross. As we choose to embrace the cross in absolute weakness, His wisdom will be demonstrated through us and Satan will be crushed underfoot.

Elijah Who is to Come

I believe these two witnesses do indeed represent Elijah who is to come. They are not a resurrected Elijah, but a corporate body in the spirit and power of Elijah. These are among those upon whom the Lord has poured out His Spirit without measure as described in Revelation 12:10. These are, at least in part, those who will overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and by loving not their lives unto death. These are, at least in part, the last-days Church operating in the fullness of Jesus’ power and authority. This has to be a description of the finest wine and the greater glory of the latter house. These are the recipients of the deluge of the latter rain that will walk this earth as the greatest witness for Jesus Christ the world has ever seen or ever will see. This is Acts 2 but even more so. These are those that all creation has been waiting to see revealed on earth. This is the fullness of the representation of Jesus Christ living in and through His people.

Them or Us?

I want to move these two witnesses from being them to the realm of possibility of being us. They are the Lord’s witnesses and therefore members of His Church. I don’t believe it will be part of the plan to bring specific Old Testament personalities into the end-times picture. Scripture states that it is through the Church, a corporate body of Jew and Gentile, that God will demonstrate His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places at the end of the age. It is upon the rock of the revelation of Jesus Christ that the Church is built. Nor are they the whole Church, because not everyone in the Church is going to be a bondservant and a prophet. There are at least three sub-groupings in the Church separately identified as bondservants, saints, and those who fear God’s name. These are a portion of the Church called to a specific prophetic role, and I suggest they may be more than two unique individuals. I want to leave you with a desire to be one of them, for we are all told to eagerly seek the gift of prophecy.

If there are only two of them, so be it. In any case, they are the definers of the vision for the rest of the Church and establish the nature of the race we are called to run. This is the direction our prayers should take and these are the greater deeds that we should pray to be doing at the end of the age, for the anointing of the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh according to Scripture. When all is said and done, if we have not, it will have been because we asked not.

The Holy Spirit indicated during a hot and heavy sense of His presence one day, that the anointing available was to the extent of Su Koros, which translates from the Greek to thy measure. Truly the measure available to each of us is thy measure. Let our measures be without measure even as was Jesus’ measure of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Let us not have not because we asked not. Won’t it be interesting if we find that the number of these witnesses operating in this extent of power and authority was up to us? These are people of choice, as they have been given power and authority to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire. What do we desire?

Lue lisÃ¤Ã¤

Uusimmat kommentit

11.05 | 10:40

Thanks!!!

11.05 | 08:35

Where can I contact Hollie L Moody. How can I read your content in English?

28.08 | 18:20

Näin ilmestyksen lokakuussa 2016maanjäristys joka alkaa salpausselällä kun mannerlaatat alkaa liikua ja sanomaan lisäksi sana 250 000 kuolonuhria

13.07 | 21:28

Kiitos Mikko . Terveiset Australiasta .

Uusimmat kommentit

Jaa tämä sivu