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What's Next?

Last week we talked about the biblical grid you need to use if you want to interpret Bible prophecy correctly. That biblical grid is found in the Book of Daniel. We looked at the statue in Nebuchadnezzar' dream in Daniel 2 and then moved to Chapter 7. That chapter is without a doubt the most informative passage on Bible prophecy in the entire Bible because all of the other prophecies in both the Old and New Testament seem to follow its order of events. For example, if you read Jesus' remarks in Matthew 24-25 or John's vision in the Book of Revelation, you'll notice they follow the details and general pattern of events in Daniel 7.

The Four Empires of Daniel 7

The first seven verses in Chapter 7 describe four consecutive empires in world history: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Ten rulers are to emerge out of the fourth empire (Rome), and form a union. Until now, no ten nation confederation has ever existed or emerged from the territory of the old Roman Empire, so we have to conclude that union is still in the future. We know that's true because they will be in existence in the days just prior to Christ's return.

The Little Horn (7:8)

Verse 8 tells us about yet another ruler. He will emerge out of that union of 10 nations. He will start out as an ordinary politician, but in a short time, he will become a great, powerful world class leader. He will blaspheme God and do miraculous signs, making a large number of the Jews think he is their Messiah. His objective will be to lead as many people away from the true Messiah as possible.

Christ's Imminent Coming

Now before we go on, let's go down a few related side roads to help us understand our present day relationship to those future events. They won't happen in the next few days. I don't think we will turn on the TV some morning and see the Antichrist. In fact, we probably won't see the him at all, because something has to happen to the church first. It's my personal conviction that we will already be with the Lord when he comes on the scene. Let me explain why.

If you take the time to read the prophecies of Daniel, as well as Jesus' comments in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, you'll find they all have a distinctly Jewish character about them. The events that take place during, what we call, the tribulation period, will clearly affect the Gentile world, but they primarily have to do with the nation of Israel.

The Time of the Gentiles

Daniel's prophecies explain the period of time that the Gentile powers will have free reign over the affairs of the Jewish nation. Jesus referred to it as the “time of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). Jesus' disciples were asking what would happen to them and when this era would finally end. Daniel 9 tells us that “the time of the Gentiles” will reach its climax during a final seven year period. A false Messiah will arise with the objective of misleading as many Jews as possible.

There is much confusion in Christian circles today. In the 1970's film classic, Thief in the Night, which takes place in the United States, people who were left behind after the Rapture finally get serious about following Jesus, but as a result, they are chased and rounded up by evil men in United Nations vans and imprisoned. Those things could actually happen, but it is important to remember that the main stage where these events are played out is in Palestine. In fact, the seven year tribulation period is referred in Jeremiah 30:7 as “a time of trouble for Jacob.” There's no mention of the church.

Why a Tribulation?

The primary purpose of the tribulation is to purify the nation of Israel. At the end of those seven years, a greatly diminished Jewish nation will embrace Jesus Christ as their Messiah and live on to experience the glory of His earthly Kingdom. That helps us understand Paul's statement in Romans 11, that all Israel (now very small in number) will be saved and God's program for the Jews will finally be complete.

The Absent Church

Scripture gives us at least two important indications that the church will be absent when this horrible time of Jacob's trouble arrives. First, if the church was supposed to go through this horrible chapter of world history, you would think that the Scriptures would encourage us to prepare for it. That isn't the case. Instead, the message is to be ready for Jesus to come at any moment.

The Doctrine of Imminency

Theologians call this the Doctrine of Imminency. It simply means that nothing else has to happen before He comes. He could come today or in the next two minutes. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24:42: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Titus 2:13 encourages us to “look for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior.” James 5:7-9 warns us that “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” There is a sense of urgency. In fact, I found numerous other passages that indicate that He could come at any time.

The Rapture of the Church

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is perhaps the most familiar. Paul seeks to dispel the fears of the believers in Thessalonica. They have wrongly assumed that their loved ones will miss out on the promise of the coming kingdom because they have already died. Paul says that both the dead and living believers will be caught up together when Christ returns in the clouds (He doesn't come to earth yet). The dead in Christ will rise first, and then those who are alive will join them in the clouds and “so will we be with the Lord forever.”

That particular event could happen at any time. We don't need any special signs. We don't have to see the Antichrist before the Rapture takes place. We are told to be ready at a moments notice because his coming and our transformation is going happen “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye.” You might ask, “If that's true, why does Jesus mention certain signs of his coming in Matthew 24 and Luke 21?”

The Signs of His Coming

Those are signs for the Jews that the time of the Gentiles is coming to a close. Jesus told his disciples that the signs would happen as precursors of His coming. Most people confuse the rapture of the church with the final coming of Christ. They're related, but separate.

Actually, the Second Coming of Christ happens in two parts. First, comes the Rapture. That's when Christ will come in the clouds for his church, but his feet will never touch the earth. He remains in the clouds and the church joins Him there. But seven years later, when Christ literally returns to the earth at the end of the Tribulation, He will defeat the Antichrist and set up his Kingdom.

The Rapture is what sets the whole series of the events in motion. Not long afterwards, the Antichrist comes on the scene and signs a peace treaty with Israel for seven years. But, he'll break that treaty after 3½ years and begin a 3½ year reign of terror. Finally, his armies will surround Jerusalem seeking to destroy it, but at that moment Christ will return to earth with his saints and defeat the Antichrist. After that, He will judge the nations and set up his Kingdom. So, the signs in Luke 21 and Matthew 24 point to Christ's literal return to earth as King; but the Rapture will happen before that.

Precursors of His Coming

What are the signs? Luke 21:9-11 says, “When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.”

The Fig Tree

Jesus also talks about the budding of the fig tree in Matthew 24:32. The fig tree was often used as a metaphor for Israel. So, after centuries of non-existence, the budding of the fig tree has been seen by many Christians as the reappearance of the nation of Israel. Jesus said, “I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” Prophecy gurus of the 1970's taught that Jesus would return within a generation of Israel's reappearance. In biblical understanding, a generation is usually about 40 years. Since Israel was reborn as nation in 1948, they assumed that Jesus would return before 1988.

That date has come and gone, but the fact that Israel has been reborn gives us the sense we are in the last days. This past week there was a horrible earthquake in Haiti. We've had a lot of them in recent years. Have you noticed? There are wars and rumors of wars, as well as famines and disease. All of these point to the soon return of Christ.

Jewish Tribulation Worship

Let me mention a second reason why the Church will most likely be absent during the tribulation: all references to believers during that time are Jewish in nature. There's no mention of the church. The tribulation is the last of the 70 weeks of Daniel and describes events that uniquely pertain to Israel. Second, Daniel 9:27 mentions sacrifice and oblation; terms that refer to Jewish ritual, not to the church. And, Jesus talks about the holy place of the temple and about fleeing on the Sabbath day. Christians do not observe a Jewish sabbath. And finally, the Gospel message that will be proclaimed during the tribulation by the 144,000 will be the same Gospel of the Kingdom that John the Baptist preached to the Jews of his day: “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”

Again, if the church is to go through the tribulation there would have been ample warning in the New Testament. Since Jesus primarily refers to Jewish worship and since the Bible urges us to be ready for return at any moment, it is safe to assume that the church will be taken out before the horror begins.

The Antichrist

Let's go back for a few minutes to Daniel 7. Verse 25 tells us that when the little horn of verse 8 emerges, he will “alter set times and laws.” If you remember, the first thing King Jeroboam did after the kingdom of Israel split away from Judah, was to change the place and the objects of worship. He set up two golden calves at Bethel, and encouraged his people to worship there instead of the temple in Jerusalem. This is most likely what the Antichrist will do and he will be successful for “time, times and a half of time.” Daniel 4:16, 23 indicate that “a time” means a year. Chaos will reign for 3 ½ years, as the plagues of Revelation are poured out, one by one. There is an abrupt change of scenery that takes place in verses 9-10. We are transported into the third heaven, into the very throne room of God. While there is violence and hopeless chaos on earth, there is peace and quiet resolve in heaven. God is in control. He is keenly aware of the events on earth and all is quiet, because everything is going according to plan. Look at verses 9-10.

The Throne Room of Heaven

The term “Ancient of Days” refers to God the Father. Thrones are set in place and God the Father takes his seat. It is here that the final preparations are being made for the triumphal return of Christ to the earth. The time of the Gentiles is in it's final days. Thousands upon thousands of angels attend God on his throne and another million are waiting in the wings for His command. The books are opened, the planned reviewed, and the final operation in God's program for His people Israel is about to commence.

The Sovereign God Reigns

This picture of heaven is a wonderful reminder of how great our God is. There are no knee-jerk reactions in heaven. From a human perspective, things may be spinning out of control, but seen from God's perspective, everything is moving according to plan. God could act now, but instead He is waiting for the precise moment in His eternal plan to bring the “time of the Gentiles” to its end.

Psalm 2

In the words of Psalm 2: “The nations rage and the people on earth plot evil deeds. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One, (which is another name for the Messiah) but the One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” Their plans will come to naught, because only His alone will succeed.

Daniel finds comfort in the presence of the Almighty God, who sits on His throne and closely directs the affairs of mankind. That's the perspective we so desperately need today. In a world of greed, Islamic jihadists, war and suffering, God is still on the throne. He is in complete control of everything. That's our comfort as well. By now, the tribulation is in full swing. The church has been removed and “Jacob's trouble” begins with a peace treaty of sorts between the Antichrist and the Jews. It is to last seven years (Daniel 9:27). The first three and a half years will be relatively peaceful. The Antichrist will show himself to be an able leader and will eventually gain control over much of the world. The temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt with much fanfare. 144,000 Jews will fan out across the globe to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom and many Jews and Gentiles throughout the world will trust in Jesus as the coming Messiah.

But the last half the tribulation will be terrible. The Antichrist will suddenly change his behavior. He will set up an image of himself which Daniel refers to it as the “abomination of desolation.” He will force people to worship him and take his special mark on their wrist or forehead to be able to buy or sell. Those who refuse to submit will be imprisoned or put to death. Zechariah 13:8 says that two thirds of the people in Israel will die. Only a third of them will survive.

At the end of 3½ years, the armies of the Antichrist will surround Jerusalem for a final assault. Israel's very existence will hang by a thread. The situation will be hopeless. But that's when Daniel again turns our attention to the throne room of God. Look at verses 13-14.

The Coming of the King

The “Son of Man” is a name used in the Old Testament for the Messiah and it's the one Jesus used to refer to himself. He approaches the Father and receives from Him the authority, glory and sovereign power to rule the world and to set up a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed. The long awaited time for Christ's return has finally come.

We watch as Jesus descends in the clouds with incredible power and glory. Along with him are myriads of angels, and the saints, who have been with him for the past seven years. A great battle is in progress on earth. That's where we will pick it up next week.

Conclusion

I want to end this morning with a three related questions. Where will you be and what will you be doing when Jesus comes? Even more important, if Jesus returned in the next five minutes, would you be ready? Those are questions you'll have to answer for yourself. Like Jesus told the church at Philadelphia: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

This morning, He's making that same offer to you. You see, He's already provided a way for you out of the darkest chapter this world will ever experience. All you have to do is believe.