THIS DELAY WON'T LAST MUCH LONGER

“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” (Revelation 7:3)

Many of you may recall why I believe the Bible teaches that God’s patience with Earth expired in the Spring of 1994. I believe the seven angels who stand before God (Revelation 8:2) were given seven trumpets at the end of the “Great Week.” * After receiving the trumpets, four of the seven came to Earth to release God’s wrath because God’s patience with Earth had expired. As the four angels were about to hurt this planet, they were told to wait until the 144,000 were sealed. (See text above.) I can think of two reasons for the delay: (a) God is merciful. When His wrath commences, it is usually overdue, and (b) with God, timing is everything. God has delayed the Great Tribulation until “the fullness of time” arrives.

*Note: The “Great Week” consists of seven Jubilee days and each great day is ten Jubilee cycles in length. (7 x 490) Seven great days of 490 years equals 3,430 years (1437 B.C. – 1994).

There is evidence in the Bible indicating the duration of sin is 7,000 years. If so, the total duration for sin could be called a “Grand Week.”* Both David and Peter indicate that a day with the Lord is like “a thousand years.” (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8) The idea of a Grand Week is further enhanced by adding the historical record of the Bible to the 1,000 years of Revelation 20. The total number of years for sin adds up to 7,000 years! Will the Second Coming occur at the end of six thousand years? Will the seventh millennium be a sabbatical millennium? I Think there is compelling evidence to support these conclusions.

The Bible also indicates the Great Tribulation will be 1,335 days in length. (Daniel 12:11,12) Lets suppose the 6,000^th year allotted for sin ends on April 5, 2008and the exodus of the saints (the Second Coming) occurs on Sunday, April 6, 2008. If this were the case, the Great Tribulation would begin 1,335 days earlier, on August 10, 2004. I am not saying these dated are accurate (at this time, no one knows the date of the Second coming); rather, I am presenting a model of “What if.” Scientist’s use “what if” models every day to study the unknown. Intricate computer programs are created to examine a range of possibilities in every science. This is not time setting. This is time study and the Holy Spirit encourages it! (1 Peter 1:10-12) Consider the chart on the following page and keep it in your Bible for further study.

If “the four winds” of God’s judgments (Revelation 7: 1,2) have been delayed since 1994, we are living in a short delay. The phrase, “the four winds” is a word-picture of destruction and upheaval. The release of the four winds in Revelation 7 implies a potent, but unseen force that will chaotically scatter and sweep away everything in its path. When God’s wrath commences, every survivor will fear God.

When the right day arrives, Jesus will have sealed 144,000 people and He will make a thunderous declaration. “…There will be no more delay!” (Revelation 10:6) Because of space, the solemnity and importance of this verse cannot be examined, but a quick summary might be helpful. When Jesus declares there will be no more delay, the sealing of the 144,000 will be completed, the censer in Revelation 8:5 will be cast down, the judgment of the living will commence, the fourth seal will be broken and the four deadly judgments of God’s wrath (four winds) will be released. These events will happen in rapid succession and the whole world will be overwhelmed with the wrath, strength, authority and power of the Lamb. Think about these things. They are close.

This chart aligns the first three prophecies in Revelation with respect to time.

Prophecy # 1 Revelation 4:1-6:17, The worthiness of Jesus and the six seals

1^st  seal = Salvation through faith in Jesus alone

2^nd seal = Translation and distribution of the Bible

3^rd seal = The judgment bar of Christ begins – dead judged

4^th seal = The Great Tribulation begins – twenty-five percent of Earth killed – judgment of living begins

5^th seal = martyrdom of the 144,000 prophets and saints

6^th seal = Second Coming

Prophecy # 2 Revelation 7:1-8:1, The 144,000, the numberless multitude, the seventh seal

A = Four angels from God’s throne prepared to harm Earth

Waiting = For the sealing of the 144,000

B = Numberless multitude standing around the throne after the Second Coming

C = Seventh seal broken at the end of the one thousand years

Prophecy # 3 Revelation 8:2-9:21, The six trumpets

D = Seven angels given seven trumpets

E = Censer thrown down, global earthquake, peals of thunder, sheets of lightening, mysterious voices

1^st trumpet = Fiery hailstorms

2^nd trumpet = Asteroid impact on an ocean

3^rd trumpet = Asteroid impacts on a continent

4^th trumpet = Ring of fire erupts – volcano ejecta causes darkness 

5^th trumpet = Lucifer appears masquerading as God

6^th trumpet = Lucifer’s four angels kill one-third of mankind

May the Holy Spirit grant you wisdom as you study these deep mysteries of the near future.

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