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Facing Two Tomorrows

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Dear Mr. Wilson:

Do you still think the Great Tribulation will begin in 2011? More and more, I feel uneasy about the world conditions and my fear of the future has changed my way of life. My wife also believes the end is near, but she wants to hurry up and do everything that she has always wanted to do before she can’t. Other than dealing with our monthly obligations and focusing on matters that are short term, how do I look ahead and make plans for the future when I believe the end is imminent?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Hello Jeff:

Thank you for your email. You asked if I still believe the Great Tribulation will begin in 2011. To be accurate, I must restate your question. I do believe the Great Tribulation could begin any time now, including 2011. I do not know when the censer will be cast down. Please consider two facts: First, there is a big difference between time study and time setting and second, a date of interest does not necessarily mean it will become the date of importance.

The books of Daniel and Revelation produce an interesting dilemma. Together, they contain eighteen prophetic time periods and every student of apocalyptic prophecy is forced to put them somewhere on a time line. Putting each time period in its rightful place constitutes time study. As you know, many Christians avoid the books of Daniel and Revelation. They say, “Bible prophecy is a mystery and solving the mystery is not essential for salvation.  All that matters is having a relationship with Jesus.” Of course, a relationship with Jesus is important, but how can a person have a great relationship with someone he or she does not know?

The book of Revelation is a tell-all book about Jesus. The book of Revelation reveals many things about Jesus that are both shocking and wonderful. When the Great Tribulation begins, the imaginary Jesus (the mental image that worship due to their religious mindset) will disappear and the real Jesus will appear. This abrupt transition will cause millions of Christians to become bitter. The four gospels do not give us a complete picture of Jesus. There is far more to Jesus Christ than His ministry on Earth. For example, study the words of Jesus to the seven churches (Revelation 2 and 3). If He were on Earth today, He would not fit in very well with any Christian church. Consider the description of the seven trumpets and seven bowls in the book of Revelation. Very few people realize that Jesus destroyed the world in Noah’s day and these same Jesus will soon destroy the whole world again. If we are going to have a relationship with the real Jesus, we need to understand that Jesus has been given sovereign power, and at this time, He rules on the throne as Almighty God! (Revelation 11:17; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)  Christians desperately need, as the late Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story,” and there is no other place to get the rest of the story about Jesus than in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

Dates of Interest

Through the years, I have openly discussed dates of interest. Am I discouraged because the Great Tribulation has not begun? Not at all. Have I thought the Great Tribulation would begin before now? Yes! Like Peter, John, James, and Paul, I thought Jesus would be here long before now.  Should I be discouraged and angry with God because dates of interest came and went without becoming dates of importance? Not at all. Like Thomas Edison, who conducted more than 10,000 failed experiments to create the light bulb, we cannot give up or give in to discouragement. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” (Hebrews 11:1, 2)

I think there are several “signs” indicating the end of the world is near. These signs are not date specific, but they are time related. First, nuclear proliferation and massive military armament by dozens of nations are ticking time bombs. (Pun intended) Second, Earth itself cannot sustain a population of seven billion people. Inevitably, war will break out because there are insufficient amounts of food and water. Third, the nations of Earth are bankrupt (both morally and financially). On small nation in financial despair (like Greece) can threaten the whole economy of Europe, and if the European Union falls, the world’s economy will also implode. It is interesting how one significant domino can fall and cause a chain reaction of a whole string of larger dominos to follow.

Even though these three matters are very serious, they do not necessarily indicate that the Second Coming is near. However, when 2,600 years of fulfilled apocalyptic prophecy is combined with these ominous signs, students of Daniel and Revelation see harmony rising from all the parts. World problems are rapidly expanding, and soon, all of the elasticity will be used up. This old balloon called Earth will burst and at the very moment, the whole world will need a Savior and just at the right moment, the censer will be cast down. Seven trumpets will sound because Jesus is on His way!

The essential difference between time study and time setting is caution. Consider this: Our faith in Jesus and the Word of God is not based on some date for our Lord’s return. Our confidence in bible prophecy does not hang on a future date. Actually, it’s the other way around. Our confidence in Bible prophecy is built upon many fulfilled prophecies that have occurred over the last twenty-six centuries. Because we live in the twenty-first century, we have the joy to examine the Bible and observe the steady march of time toward the return of Jesus. Even though Christians have been watching and waiting for the Second Coming for 2,000 years, there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus will return very soon. When He will return is a question that is worthy of investigation. (See 1 Peter 1:10-12.)

Our investigation into the timing of Christ’s return must involve prophetic truth, as well as prophetic faith.  There is an important distinction between prophetic truth and prophetic faith. Prophetic truth is solid. Prophetic truth is a proven fact. When an element of prophetic is fulfilled, that element becomes a fact. On the other hand, prophetic faith is “cautiously solid” if our conclusions are built upon valid rules of interpretation.   Since no one prove something true that has not happened, prophetic faith must be built upon self-evident rules of interpretation that consistently explains the past, the present, and the future. Every Christian should stand in awe at the prophetic truths contained in the books of Daniel and Revelation. Looking backward, we see God’s Word validated. Looking forward, there is good reason to anticipate the soon arrival of “the day of the Lord.”

Noah and the Censer

Long ago, the Father set future dates by His own authority. (Acts 1:7) For example, the Father set a date for the commencement of the Great Tribulation, but no one knows the date. Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:36,37, italics and insertion mine) Many people think this text concerns the date of the Second Coming, but this is not the case. Jesus is talking about “the day of the Lord.”

Look at this verse: “Now, brother, about the times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you brothers are not in darkness so this day should surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, italics mine)

The phrase, “the day of the Lord,” does not point to some day of the week such as Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. This phrase is used nineteen times in the Bible and it refers to a span of time that concludes with a physical appearing of Jesus. This span of time has several different names. For example, it is called “a time of wrath, distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds, and blackness.”  (Daniel 8:19, Zephaniah 1:15; Ezekiel 30:3)  It is also called “the appointed time of the end” (Daniel 8:19; 11:35) and we are told it will come unexpectedly like a thief. (2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Luke 12:39; Matthew 24:42) A time is coming when the awesome authority of Jesus Christ will be clearly seen and everyone will feel His anger with man’s decadent and degenerate behavior.

In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus drew a parallel between the commencement of “the day of the Lord” in Noah’s day and in our day. Why the parallel? In both cases God’s wrath suddenly begins. Clouds gathered and the rain fell in Noah’s day. The rain caught the distracted antediluvians by complete surprise! In our day, the censer being cast down will catch even the ten virgins by complete surprise! (Matthew 25:1-12) Remember this; the day of the Lord will come as a surprise – even for those who anticipate His return!

The Second Coming Will Not Surprise Anyone

While the day of the Lord will come as a surprise, the Second Coming will NOT come as a surprise to anyone – even the wicked! Here is why:

When the censer is cast down (Revelation 8:5), the righteous will count down the days until the Second Coming because Daniel indicates the Lord will appear on the 1,335th day! (Daniel 12: 11, 12) Gabriel even told Daniel that he would be resurrected at the end of the 1,335 days!  “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the [1,335] days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (Daniel 12:13, insertion mine)

The date of the Second Coming will not catch the wicked by surprise because the devil will tell his followers the date of Christ’s appearing. About twenty days before the 1,335th day, the sixth bowl will be poured out. (Revelation 16:12) Demons will be sent throughout Earth to rally all the kings along with their armies to make war on the soon appearing Jesus.  John wrote, “Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon [the devil*], out of the mouth of the beast [the devil] and out of the mouth of the false prophet [the devil]. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty…. Then I saw the beast [the devil] and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.” (Revelation 16:13, 14; 19:19) The wicked will be armed and ready to make war against Jesus! There is no surprise for anyone, and certainly no ambush.

*Note: The great red dragon (revelation 12:9), the lamblike beast (Revelation 13:11) and the false prophet (Revelation 19:20, Revelation 13:14) are the same entity.  John refers to Lucifer as three distinct entities because the devil is given three different caricatures in the book of Revelation.  The devil’s activities are divided into thirds so that mankind might better grasp an enormous picture – the devil’s sophisticated efforts to lead the world astray.)

 

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