Study – Grow – Know

What is the Coming Tribulation All About? Part 4

July 14, 2014 at 8:45 AM 1 comment

In our second part of this series, we reinforced the idea that the coming Tribulation will begin with one specific event that is outlined for us in Daniel 9:27. When Antichrist steps up onto the world’s stage and essentially does what no one else has ever successfully done – somehow managing to broker peace with Israel and the surrounding Arab nations – it will be time for worldwide celebrations. Please stop to consider the ramifications of just this one event.

In the third part of this series, we discussed a number of things, including whether or not the Tribulation period is a time of God’s wrath and I believe the entirety of the seven years to come is just that.

Please understand that the one event mentioned in the first paragraph is also the event that reveals the Antichrist to the world according to Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2. Paul goes onto explain that eventually, this same Antichrist will take his seat in the Holy Place of the (rebuilt) Temple and will demand to be worshiped. In doing so, he will of course defile the Jewish Temple and according to Matthew 24 (the Olivet Discourse), the Jews will flee and Antichrist will turn his attention to Christians. This happens at the midpoint of the Tribulation period, which is seven-years in length (also according to Daniel 9:27.

Revelation 12 also depicts (in brief) the entirety of God’s plan of salvation. Note in verse 7 and following, the devil, who had tried to kill the Messiah (in the previous verses) but was unsuccessful, must fight against Michael the Archangel, but Satan is kicked out of heaven and thrown down to the earth. From this point on, it appears as though Satan is now bound to the earth, instead of being able to use the air to travel.

In verse 13 to the end of chapter 12, Satan tries to persecute the “woman” (Israel), but is blocked from doing so and we learn that in verse 17, Satan turns his attention to the “children” of the “woman.” The “children” refers to Christians here, who have salvation because of the nation of Israel through which the Messiah was born into this world, lived a life of sinless perfection, offered Himself as our substitute, died a sinner’s death (though no sin was ever found in Him), and rose again on the third day.

The Covenant & First Seal most likely happen together.

We left off (in our last part) with the First Seal of the Tribulation period, which is the rider on the white horse. He comes as though he is pursuing peace. He has a bow with no arrows (Revelation 6:2). This would likely signify that he is not interested in creating physical war and using that to conquer people and nations. Instead, he uses diplomacy and politics to accomplish his goals. This is reminiscent of what occurred during the so-called Cold War.

Notice on the chart I’ve provided that the signing of the covenant between Israel and the Arab nations surrounding her are accomplished by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27). This begins the seven-year Tribulation period. What is actually labeled “Seal 1” on the chart is likely tied in with what he accomplishes over time, but begins “conquering” with the signing of the covenant. Ultimately, Antichrist is setting Israel up.

He needs them to be at peace with her neighbors. He needs Israel to come to believe that he is behind them and supports them. Ultimately, the Antichrist without question needs the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt because of how he will defile it at the midway point of the Tribulation period (three and a half years in), which causes the sacrifices to cease as we are also told in Daniel 9:27.

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, 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.

Antichrist makes the covenant because of his ulterior motives. Halfway through the Tribulation period, he will completely defile the Jewish Temple (as Antiochus Epiphanes did in 168 BC; cf. Matthew 24), making it completely unsuitable for worship (as was the case following Antiochus’ defilement). Antichrist will do what Paul tells his Thessalonian readers (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), “the man of lawlessness…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.”

I find it fascinating that God Himself has revealed these things to us and still people respond with, “Oh, that’s not what God meant!” Yes, that’s exactly what God meant and it is very plain. God has not made understanding His Word purposefully difficult. That defeats His purposes. These things will come to pass whether people believe them or not.

By the time Antichrist comes onto the scene, the world – which is moving toward a one-world government (with accompanying religious system) now – will be fully united. In fact, the world will have already been made one in “community” or government and will also have been divided into ten sections. Revelation 17:12 tells us “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.” This is future tense. Ten kings to rule over the entire world.

From these ten rulers comes an eleventh (Daniel 7:8): “…behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it…”

He is the 11th horn because he rises to power from among the ten, though he is not one of them. Once he starts his rise to power, he kills three of the ten kings (pulled out by the roots). The remaining seven kings swear loyalty to him, who is now the 8th.

In Revelation 17:11, we learn more about this “horn” or “king.” “The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.”

He is the 8th because in Revelation he is compared to the seven heads. He is the 11th because in Daniel he is compared to the ten horns (kings).

The First Seal shows us that Antichrist’s mission is to conquer through political means, even resorting to killing anyone who opposes him, rather than gathering armies and taking up arms against known enemies. There will be a time for that – Armageddon – when he will attempt to rally all the earth’s troops in order to keep Jesus from physically returning to this earth. It is an absolutely absurd situation that Antichrist will believe sheer numbers (and his own supernatural ability gained from his alliance with Satan) will be enough to thwart Jesus. Absurd indeed. Again though, that comes at the end of the Tribulation.

The Second Seal represents a different rider on a different horse: a red horse meaning war. This is the first war of the Tribulation period. We learn this in Revelation 6:3-4:

When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

We don’t know why this war occurs except that it stems from the fact that it is the Lamb who opens the Seals. The action occurs in the throne room of God. It is a few short verses that tells us that in spite of Antichrist’s brokering peace in the Middle East, wars and bloodshed either starts anew or continues in other places.

Notice the above text says that this red horse went out with its rider and the rider was given permission to take peace from the earth. Men would rise up and kill one another and the fact that a “great” sword was given to this rider tells us that much war and resultant death will occur. The red of the horse most likely signifies blood.

We’ll be back next time with more of God’s judgments that occur in the first part of the Tribulation period. We’ll pick it up with the 3rd Seal from Revelation 6:5-6. Join me then!

Entry filed under: Demonic, Dr. Fred, israel, Political Correctness, Politically Correct, Politics, Religious - Christian - End Times, Religious - Christian - Prophecy, Religious - Christian - Theology.