Edition 98.  November 5th 2011

The sequence of events to come.

News events and comment.

●Catholic leader Benedict XVI is considering resigning in April 2012. He will be 85 then. (Italian Libero newspaper) If this does occur it will pave the way for the final pope, according to the prophecies of St Malachi. (See video on these prophecies in the "videos" tab.)

●The Catholic church "accidently" releases a plan for a new world order and one world government. The Vatican based Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace leaked this document recently. One passage in the document says that the "church should seek to promote a new humanism to serve as the basis for a new world government." "This new world government should be empowered to deal with the most minute and far-reaching aspects of human life." The  proposed New World Economic Order includes an older draft denouncing a profit-at-all-costs mentality as being responsible for the global financial meltdown.

●A few days ago the leader of the Catholic church, Benedict held a global interfaith meeting in Assisi. There were some 50 Islamist representatives from various Muslim nations. The central issue was the "rehabilitation of society" Pressure was put on the leader to bring a group of anti-Semitic, pro Nazi, Holocaust deniers and bishops back into the Vatican fold. This group of Catholic vipers is called The Society of Saint Pius X. The meeting was joined by Hindus, Buddhists and African tribal ancestor worshippers.

●Egypt is to withdraw Peace pact with Israel. Jordan's king says he sees Egypt returning to a state of war with Israel. This is the desire of the Muslim Brotherhood. (Washington Post. 27th October.)

●Obama removes terror training manuals for the armed forces that make reference to Muslims. This was due to pressure and complaints from terror-based advocacy groups.

●With the UN Palestinian statehood vote delayed to November, more organisations are coming on board the pro-statehood bus. UNESCO is the latest.

●UN Probe finds possible new Syrian nuclear facility.

●There is growing speculation that Israel will launch a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. It's highly unlikely that Israel will warn anyone beforehand. Shimon Peres says "The clock is ticking."

The sequence of events to come.

The unfolding sequence of events leading up to the tribulation period and the second coming of our Messiah is like a giant jig-saw puzzle. Some of the pieces are clear and we can see at first glance where they fit in. Others are not so clear but just as important to the entire picture.

Discernment under the leading of the Holy Spirit is needed in putting it all together.

We should start with the overall framework and what is clear and then move on to fill in the gaps.

In numerous places, both Old and New Testaments, the Bible offers us some huge, monumental pieces of the puzzle in the form of visions, dreams, statues, images and symbolisms, all of which complement each other.

●We have strange visions of many skeletons lying in a "the valley of dry bones " all coming to life.

●We have the vision of Daniel's great statue of gold.

●We have the dream of Nebuchadnezzar's statue of gold, silver, brass iron and an iron and clay mixture, representing the empires and nations of the world right up to the close of the age.

●Then there's Nebuchadnezzar's "writing on the wall".

●We have the incredible Daniel 9 timeline in which he identifies the time periods relating to both the first and second coming of our Messiah and Lord.

●We have the powerful images and symbolisms of the Revelation, with apocalyptic horses riding onto the stage and numerous other incredible visions and symbols.

●We have images of beasts, flying scrolls, giant lamp stands, frightening creatures and demons, a woman clothed with the sun, seals being opened, trumpets blowing, bowls being poured out, a lake of fire and many more in the Revelation.

●In many of these pieces of the puzzle we see numbers being used, and precise measurements all of which have significance.

●We have our Messiah sitting on the slope of the Mount of Olives answering questions about His second coming to the disciples.

There are numerous other sections of scripture that collectively describe the greatest drama of all time, which is just starting to unfold now.

The importance of the Feast of the Lord

For a very simple overview of the prophetic sequence we need we need to understand the prophetic significance of the Feast. I'll discuss this briefly because I've dealt with this in many previous editions.

All of the seven Feasts have a prophetic significance and fulfilment in order of the events.

As you can see we're now between Pentecost and The Feast of Trumpets (also called Rosh Hashanah) The first four were fulfilled perfectly on the day. This means that the next three will be fulfilled in the same manner. There is universal agreement that the next three will be fulfilled by the tribulation period, the salvation of the Jews and the start of the Millennium.

So the next fulfilment is the Feast of Trumpets / the seven year tribulation.

We can be absolutely sure that the tribulation period will begin on a Feast of Trumpets. This is a major piece of the jig-saw. Which Feast of Trumpets will usher in the tribulation period?

If the seven Feasts are prophetic and Trumpets to Tabernacles gets fulfilled by the tribulation, then when have to find a time period where Trumpets to Tabernacles is 2520 days apart, because that is the length of the tribulation in days as spelt out in Daniel and the Revelation.

Bear in mind that we're using the Jewish calendar. The next time period that qualifies is 2014 for the start of the tribulation period.

Okay, so now we have a possible start for the tribulation in 2014.

Using the entirety of the prophetic word, there are many things that need to be in place before the tribulation can begin. The list of events below come from numerous portions of scripture scattered throughout the Bible. Some absolutely must be in place before the tribulation begins and others could be fulfilled early in the tribulation.

I've marked them accordingly.

Some events that should occur before the tribulation begins:

●Israel in conflict with Arab neighbours. (The prophesied war of Gog and Magog may occur here or early in the tribulation.)

●Consolidation of the Arab-spring against Israel. The prophesied war in which Syria is destroyed may be the fuse to ignite Arab resistance against Israel.

●World economic instability, leading to a global currency and a form of financial control. (This begins pre-trib, but will be completed in the tribulation)

●The world's fiat currencies (paper based) will collapse in about two years time. (Maybe sooner) The mountain of debt created specifically by western nations is unsustainable. It can be propped up in the short-term but will cause a nightmare knock-on to the world economy as the dominos begin falling.

●World currency and government preparations. (Will run through into the tribulation)

●Europe to reform into some form of ten-nation confederacy. (Will run through into the tribulation)

●The professing church becomes more and more apostate, while the true church becomes more and more purified. (On the go now)

●Many false Christs. (On the go now)

●Preparations for the new Temple on the Temple Mount. (On the go now) The Temple Mount needs to become available for construction of the Temple.

●The Palestinian statehood bid will eventually succeed and set in motion the fury and anger of God, bringing war and destruction and not peace according to Joel 3:2 and others. (This may occur just before the tribulation and be one of the reasons for the fateful seven year peace treaty.)

●The destruction of Syria's capital Damascus. (May occur before or in early days of the tribulation)

●A climate of war so that a peace treaty can come about to launch the tribulation.

●The rapture, the rewarding of saints, the marriage of the Lamb.

Events in the tribulation.

●The signing of a seven year peace treaty with Israel and the revelation of the antichrist. (Kicks off the tribulation period)

●The Jews begin to recognise their Messiah in increasing numbers.

●World evangelism done through the 144,000 Jewish saints and the two Jewish witnesses.

●Massive false church based on multi-faith, forms and is empowered by Satan, under the leadership of the false prophet who will lead them to worship the antichrist.

●Mass starvation, famine and pestilence.

●The great war of Gog and Magog. (May occur in early days of the tribulation or even just before)

●Ever increasing severity and frequency of judgements on earth both supernatural and through nature's upheavals.

●It's important to understand that there will two thirds of the world's population destroyed in the tribulation period. It will be unprecedented in human history.

●The wrapping up of the campaign of Armageddon.

Events to occur at the end of the tribulation:

●The second coming.

●Satan bound for a thousand years.

●The judgement of the tribulation nations.

●The resurrection of the tribulation and Old Testament saints.

●The 1000 year millennium of peace.

●Satan loosed for a short final revolt at the end of the Millennium.

●The  Great White Throne judgement of all the unsaved of all ages and their casting into eternal hell.

●The creation of the final new heaven and new earth.

The nature and character of the tribulation period.

It would really be a tragedy if our fellow family members who believe in a post tribulation rapture got what they believed!

Those who believe in a post tribulation rapture have absolutely no idea of the severity of the tribulation.

Some post-tribbers claim that they will be preserved and protected through the tribulation. The Bible shows that those who get saved in the tribulation period (tribulation saints) will be martyred and beheaded, tortured and killed in large numbers.

The tribulation will be the worst time this earth has ever seen. As many as two thirds of the world's population will be killed. That is a staggering amount of people. Some people get freaked out at the huge numbers killed in recent tsunamis, earthquakes and other events. These are a pick-nick compared to what's coming.

Some claim that only the last half will be bad, they are wrong!

The time period just before the tribulation begins is called "birth pangs" The analogy here is a woman in labour about to give birth. She knows that the birth is coming, but she doesn't know the exact day.

The idea that the first half will be a time of peace comes from the fact that the antichrist signs a peace pact with Israel for seven years and he breaks it at the midway mark. A peace pact with Israel relates only to a socio-political peace deal and only for Israel itself. Firstly this peace will be a deception and secondly it does not relate to all the other tribulations on the world that run right through the seven year period. 

The tribulation is seven years long, not three and a half years. The first half is called "the beginning of sorrows" with many wars conflicts and natural upheavals. Then we have mid tribulation marked by the antichrist entering the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. This event is also called "abomination of desolation." Then we have the second half which is called "the great tribulation" and is worse than the first half. It is concluded by the second coming.

Some tribulation versus are: 

Matthew 24:4-28, Revelation 6:1-17, Daniel 9:27, and Revelation 12:6-17

The entirety of The Revelation from chapter 4 onwards deals with the tribulation

What to watch for.

We are already on the doorstep of the Arab hatred for Israel exploding. We need to watch for further developments on this stage, especially relating to Syria and Iran.

We will soon see the reason for the Arab spring. A leader will emerge who will consolidate and amalgamate the various nations against Israel

We need to watch for new developments in Europe as it falls apart. It will arise again soon in some new form that will more closely fit into prophecy.

Finally

We must understand that the whole world will be devastated in the tribulation, with about two thirds of the population being killed. Every single unbeliever will be cast off this world at the second coming, so the entire world will meet its fate with its god at the end of the tribulation.

But the majority of the tribulation events will centre around Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

Satan has been behind the attempted destruction of the Jews from day one. We saw this with Pharaoh, the plot through Haman, the plot through Hitler, the plot through the Palestinian Intifada and many others.

We must have all the ducks in a row, for the jig-saw to fall into place. We can't get things out of place that God's word is clear on. Other things are speculation, but by applying logic, we still get a clear picture.

Some events may be just before or after the spot where I've placed them. The Bible is not completely clear on the actual time of some events. There may be some variance, but it won't be by much.

There are so many pieces of the puzzle falling into place now. The picture is becoming very clear. The big bottom line is that time is running out.

Yes, yes, I've place the rapture at the pre-tribulation spot. If you believe it's post, that's fine you can still be my buddy. (By the way, I have lost of "post" buddies.)

It's important to realise that events are speeding up. Prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes very quickly.

It IS quite within the realm of possibility that all of the jig saw pieces will be in place by 2014.

If not we carry on watching!

Jeremiah 31:31 "Behold the days are coming says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."

Jeremiah 32:38 "They shall be My people and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them..."

Heaven or hell:

Young people you are loyal to the causes of your countries. But did you know that through the new birth you become a citizen of another country? Yes, as a citizen of heaven you will become part of the triumphant. As a citizen of heaven you will become an ambassador for Christ. What a tragedy to give your life for a world who's god is the devil!

Rabbi, did you know that your Messiah is the ultimate Jew? Di you know that He has come to this world once already and is soon to return without forgiveness? He offers you forgiveness now through the new birth, but if you wait too long, that offer will run out. Like the kids next to you, your loyalty to tradition won't save you. Rabbi, you are chosen by God, but not for automatic salvation.

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Here's a sketch by Rembrandt titled "the three crosses" More and more we're seeing enemies of the cross of Christ rising up around us. The cross the remains the only way of salvation and the gives us the power to move forward.

Kind regards and many blessings...Shalom and grow in grace!