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Potential
End Times Timeline
On
God’s plan for Israel. I do not
want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be
conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number
of the Gentiles has come in. And so all
Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from
Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their
sins." As far as the gospel is
concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is
concerned, they are loved on account of the Patriarchs, for God's gifts and
his call are irrevocable. Just as you
who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result
of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that
they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. Rom. 11: 25-28 Note: All
verses referenced herein should be read within the context of the surrounding
scriptures. Emphasis should be placed
on signs over dates. Trends should be
interpreted within the context of signs. Approach of the End Times
Historic events that point to the approach of the Last Days Rise of
nation states (end of 5,000+ years of empires
& colonialism - especially in Europe, the Middle East, and around the
Mediterranean Sea?) [20th
Century] Dan. 2: 40-45 (Note: Of
the world's 192 nations, 145 gained independence in the 20th Century, [CIA
World Factbook – cia.gov] 30 gained independence since 1990
[geography.about.com/cs/countries/a/newcountries.htm]) Return of
Israel to the Promised Land [1948] Ezek. 36: 17-25 (God always delivers on His promises); Isa. 11: 10-16
(Israel in the Millennial Kingdom); Isa. 66: 7-10 (created with suddenness);
Ezek. 38 & 39, Dan. 9: 26, Mat. 24:15-17, II Thes. 2: 4, Rev. 11: 1-13
(implied by places & future events described) Notes: 1. The ingathering of the Jewish nation will not be completed until
after the Tribulation [Isa. 11: 11-16, Ezek. 37: 16-28, Zech. 10: 6-12, Rev.
7: 4-8] when all 12 tribes will occupy Greater Israel – the land originally
promised to Abraham by God – 'from the river of Egypt [Nile River?] to the
great river, the Euphrates' [in eastern Syria and Iraq]. Gen. 15: 17-21 2. 2. During the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Israeli forces
advanced to within 60 miles of Cairo [on the Nile] and to within 25 miles
[artillery range] of Damascus [in Syria], before agreeing to a cease-fire and
withdrawal [MSN Encarta Encyclopedia - encarta.msn.com.] Israel
hated by surrounding nations (Rev. 12) &
considered an obstacle to world peace
Zech. 12: 2-3 Note: Since its creation in
1948, Israel has been involved in 10 wars with its Arab neighbors
[Wikapedia.com – search 'Arab-Israeli conflict'] Israel
takes back Jerusalem from the Gentiles
[1967] Luke 21:24 (implied) Note: During the 6 Day War of
1967, Israeli forces occupied Jerusalem, unifying the city under Jewish sovereignty
for the first time in over 2,000 years [Jewish Virtual Library -
jewishvirtuallibrary.org] Rise of
federations - & of confederations as a new form of empire? (Russian Federation; NATO; European
Union [europa.eu.int/] & Arab League [arableagueonline.org/] in loose
confederation as the Revived Roman Empire? [Euro-Mediterranean Partnership -
europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/euromed/]; etc.) Dan. 2: 40-45, Rev. 13: 1-4, Rev. 17: 7-15 Note: At no time since Babel
has an empire formed through a voluntary union of peoples (Gen. 11:
1-9). All subsequent empires formed
primarily through military conquests.
The European Union could become a modern-day 'empire of the willing' –
the first since Babel. Rise of
apostasy, false prophets, & persecutions
Mat. 24: 9-12, II Thes. 2: 1-3 Gospel
preached globally (missionaries, radio, television,
internet, & mass print?) Mat. 24:
14, Rev. 14: 6-7 Increases
in knowledge, travel, & understanding of the End Times prophecies Dan 12: 4 & 9, Acts 2: 17-21 Disbelief
in the End Times prophecies Mat. 24: 37-39, I Thes. 5: 3-4; II Peter 3: 3 Increases
in unnatural affections & hatreds
Mat. 24: 12, II Tim. 3: 1-5, Rev. 13: 5-18 Increases
in apostate Christianity and apostate churches II Tim. 3: 5, II Tim. 4: 3-4, Jude 1:
17-19 Note: 85% of Americans claim a
'Christian preference' in religion, while 45% attend church services
regularly. Only 30% affirm that they
have a commitment to Christ that is important to them today & acknowledge
that they know they will go to heaven because they have confessed their sins
and accepted Christ as their savior.
Statistics based on surveys & research conducted by the North
American Mission Board [namb.net] & The Barna Group [barna.org] Signs
& wonders in the sky (modern knowledge of asteroids, & of their
potential destructiveness?) Luke 21: 25 Note: The first asteroid
discovered was Ceres, in 1801; by 1980 scientist recognized that an asteroid
strike might have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs; in 1981 the first
conference was held on the hazards due to comets and asteroids [The
Spacewatch Project, University of Arizona
spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu/arsw.html] Current
/ near-future events? (2005 &
beyond) (Note: Significant deviations from
this suggested pattern of future events might require additional analysis of
events leading up to the Tribulation.) America
withdraws from Middle East entanglements and becomes preoccupied with its own
problems - increasing national debt, oil shortages, declining economy,
collapse of social security, terrorism at home, illegal aliens, etc. Notes: 1. America is not mentioned in the bible, & it may not feature
prominently in the events of End Times prophecy – I hope 2. America may soon enter a cyclical period of crisis that could end
with the nation weakened [William Strauss & Neil Howe The Fourth Turning,
an American Prophecy Broadway Books 1998] Iraq
splits into Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish autonomous areas – political base of the
Anti-Christ? Dan 7: 3-8, Rev. 13: 2 & 17: 16-17 Notes: Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli Kirkuk: Between Kurdish Separatism and Iraqi
Federalism 3/31/05 No.215 Middle East Media Research Institute
[memri.org] Peter W. Galbraith As Iraqis Celebrate, the Kurds Hesitate The
New York Times 2/1/05 [also reported in the Kurdistan Observer –
[KurdistanObserver.com] Thanassis Cambanis Fractured Iraq sees a Sunni call to arms
Boston Globe 3/27/05 European
Union (EU) & Arab League (AL) work to stabilize the Middle East -
Nebuchadnezzar’s image, with feet of iron & clay? Dan. 2: 41-43 Islamist
influence in Europe grows as Muslims populate Europe & oil prices
soar? Rise of Eurabia Notes: Robert Spencer The Rise of "Eurabia" FrontPageMagazine.com
3/18/04, Bat Ye’or European Fears of the Gathering Jihad FrontPageMagazine.com
2/21/03, Niall Ferguson Eurabia? New York Times 4/4/04 Israel
partners with this expanding Euro-Arab confederacy, distancing itself from
America & seeking a closer relationship with Europe, as America's
regional/global influence wanes? Dan. 9: 27 Notes: NATO update 2/23/05 NATO Secretary General visits Israel to discuss
greater cooperation [nato.int] European Union, External Relations, Israel [europa.eu.int] Martin Walker Analysis: Israel weighing EU membership United
Press International 5/21/2003 Foreign Ministry warns Israel, Europe on collision course Haaretz Service and the
Associated Press 10/13/04 [haaretz.com] Asian
nations compete with the West for resources – rise of the kings of the
east? Rev. 16: 12 Notes: India And China: Oil-Patch Partners? BusinessWeek
Online 2/7/05 [businessweek.com] China, India seek cooperation in global oil quest Reuters 4/11/05 Emergence
of Russia, in alliance with other nations, as a global power –
Gog/Magog? Ezek. 38-39, Isa. 66: 18-19 Notes: Paul M. Kennedy Watch Out for the BRICs - Will Brazil, Russia,
India, China Be Superpower? The Seoul Times 4/27/05 F. William Engdahl Running into a ‘BRIC wall’ with Eurasia?
Energy Bulletin 1/7/05 [energybulletin.net] Russia
develops alliances in the Middle East
Notes: Putin reassures Israel over Iran BBC News 4/23/05 Putin wants Moscow Mideast talks CNN 4/27/05
[cnn.com] Hisham Abu Taha Missile Sale
to Syria Is No Threat to Israel, Says Putin Aljazeerah 4/23/05
[aljazeerah.info/] Lyuba Pronina Russia Says It's Ready to Arm Saudi Arabia The
Moscow Times 2/10/05 [themoscowtimes.com] Saudi leader's visit to Russia brings key oil accord, closer ties Center for Defense Information #10 - RW 272 9/4/03 [cdi.org] Rise of
Messianic Judaism, especially in Israel –
the 144,000 tribulation
servants? Rev. 7 (implied by future events described) Notes: 1. U.S has ~ 100,000 Messianic
Jews & 200+ Messianic congregations.
Israel has ~ 50 Messianic congregations. Additional Messianic congregations exist in other
countries [Religioustolerance.org ]) Larry Derfner & Ksenia Svetlova Messianic Jews in Israel claim
10,000 The Jerusalem Post 4/28/05
[jpost.com] Messianic Jewish web pages: Shalach Ministries [shalach.org/], Jews for
Jesus [jewsforjesus.org], etc. Rise
of the Anti-Christ & False Prophet.
Dan. 7 & 8, Rev. 13 & 17 From 1 of the
10 tribes of Israel settled by the Assyrians in the lands of the Medes -
modern day Kurdistan? Little horn
that subdues 3 horns: (Turkey, Syria, Iran after Kurdistan gains independence
upon break-up of Iraq?) Leopard
(Empire of Grecia), bear (Empire of Media), & lion (Empire of Babylon) –
geography of the easternmost reaches of the Roman Empire – modern Lebanon,
Syria & Iraq. Dan 7: 3-8, Rev.
13: 2 & 17: 16-17 Note: Ancient Jewish &
Christian historians placed the 10 tribes of Israel in the Mountains of
Medea, east of the Euphrates, in the regions of N. Iraq, N. Iran, N.
Afghanistan, & Central Asia [Grant R. Jeffery The Coming Judgment of the
Nations – Bantam edition 1994] The next
Pan-Arabic or Pan-Muslim leader, or khilafah? Notes: National Intelligence Council Mapping the Global Future 12/04, Fictional
Scenario: A New Caliphate [cia.gov] Khilafah.com – 'what is the khilafah?' The Heritage Foundation [heritage.org/] – word search 'khilafah') Note: Scripture suggests that
Eurabia may be the 7th empire to have dealings with Israel as a sovereign
nation (Nebchadnezzar's feet of iron & clay) and that Anti-Christ's
kingdom will be the 8th (Rev. 17: 9-13).
If Eurabia is the 'Revived Roman Empire', then Anti-Christ most likely
will not be its leader, but the leader of a separate 10-nation confederation. Anti-Christ
becomes the leader of all or part of the Arab League (AL)? (10 kings who give their authority to
Anti-Christ?) Rev. 17: 10-14, 16-17 Anti-Christ
gains great influence in the West (EU) & in the Middle East (Rev. 13: 1-2), extends influence
throughout the world (Rev. 13: 3-4), & ushers in a period of temporary peace &
prosperity. Mat. 24: 37- 39, I Thes. 5:3 (based on free-flowing, but expensive,
oil?) Note: By 2024, the Middle East
will supply 2/3 of oil on global market [National Geographic 6/04] & have
85%+ of global oil reserves [Institute For Analysis of Global Security -
iags.org] Seven Year Tribulation Anti-Christ
& False Prophet make a 7-year security alliance with Israel. Dan. 9: 27 Jerusalem
internationalized? (Outer courts of
the temple given over to the Gentiles)
Rev. 11: 1-2 Note: In 1947, the United
Nations suggested internationalizing Jerusalem as part of the partitioning of
Palestine – Untied Nations [un.org/Depts/dpa/ngo/history.html] Anti-Christ
& False Prophet establish a new world order (based on Middle East oil & economic union between European &
Arab nations [Eurabia?] ) & a new/old religion
(demagoguery & demon worship), & begin to
pressure the faithful (Jew, Christian & Muslim?) Rev. 13: 11-18 Secular
Israel grows wealthy at the center of world political, economic &
religious commerce? (Mystery Babylon?), & trades with
Persian Gulf States? Ezek. 38: 12-13 Mystery
Babylon: Secular/apostate Judaism, centered in Jerusalem - the harlot who rides the 7 empires (the 7-headed beast) with whom she
fornicates: 1. Egypt, 2. Assyria, 3. Babylon,
4. Persia, 5. Grecia, 6. Rome, (Church Age: Israel dispersed & the Church
does God's work – the Mystery of God, hidden from the Jewish prophets. [Rom. 11, Col. 1: 25-27]) & 7. EU/AL
alliance? (after God gathers a part of Israel back into the Promised
Land) Mat. 23: 29- 39, Rev. 17 &
18 (in retrospect), Isa. 1: 21, Jer.
2 & 3, Ezek 16 (archetype), Hos. (all), Zech. 5: 5-11 Gog-Magog war Gog and
allies (Turkey [?], Russia [?] Sudan [ancient Ethiopia], Libya, Iran [ancient
Persia], Central Asian nations [?] etc.) attack Israel, which has been 'gathered out of many people' & 'at rest, dwelling
in safety' in 'unwalled cities' (Ezek.
38-39, Isa. 66: 18-19), taking the AL (Saudi Arabia = ancient Sheba & Dedan?) & EU (Britain &/or Spain = ancient
Tarshish?) by surprise. Ezek. 38: 13 Gog
attacked by God (earthquake, thunder, disease,
torrential rain, hail, fire, brimstone) &
driven into the mountains of Israel, before reaching Jerusalem, & fire
rains down on allied nations. Terror
& panic grip Gog's armies, which attack each other. Gog, & 85% of Gog's forces, are
destroyed in the mountains of Israel. Ezek 38: 19-22, & 39: 1-6; Zech. 12:
1-9 Many
Israelis turn to God, recognizing His hand in Gog's defeat (Ezek. 39; Zech. 12: 10) as Israel cleans up the war debris (Ezek 39) & rebuilds the
Temple n Jerusalem? Dan. 12: 11, Mat. 24: 15, Mark 13: 14 II Thes. 2: 3-4 (implied) Anti-Christ
& False Prophet to take credit for Gog's defeat, deceiving many Jews,
Christians, Muslims, etc. Rev. 13: 12-14 Notes: 1.
Jewish, Muslim, & even Christian beliefs about the Messiah are
varied, to include denial of the Messiah's divinity or that Jesus is the
Christ, allowing Anti-Christ and the False Prophet to deceive of many. [II Cor. 11: 13-15, II Thes. 2: 9-12, Rev.
19:20] 2.
See also: jewishencyclopedia.com - word search 'Armilus';
wikipedia.org/ & answers.com – word search 'Christian eschatology',
'Jewish eschatology' & 'Islamic eschatology' First 3 1/2 years The Church is tested Persecution of the Faithful Church Mat. 24: 9-14, Rev. 6: 7-11, Rev. 7: 13-17, Rev. 10: 1-7, Rev. 13: 9-10, Rev. 14: 13) Many are enticed away from the faith by Anti-Christ's deceptions, or abandon the faith to avoid persecution. Many who remain faithful are imprisoned &/or killed. Note:
Christ's parable of the 10 virgins, 5 foolish [without extra oil] and
5 wise [with extra oil], might suggest that Christians today should prepare themselves
against the possibility that they may have to endure Tribulation
persecutions. Mat. 25: 1-13 2
Witnesses prophesy in apostate Jerusalem for 1,260 days. Rev. 11: 3-11 (Moses & Elijah? Faithful Church &
Faithful Jews?) The two olive trees (Rev.
11: 4). Israel and the grafted
Church? (Rom. 11: 11-24) 1st 4
Trumpets: (1.)
Hail & fire destroys 1/3 of vegetation (meteoroids?) (2.)
Mountain of fire (asteroid?) fouls 1/3 of ‘the sea’ (Western
Mediterranean?), & destroys 1/3 of life in the sea, & 1/3 of ships on
the sea (3.) 1/3 of fresh waters poisoned, & many
die drinking this water (acid rain fallout from the asteroid strike?) (4.)
1/3 of light of sun, moon & stars dimmed (global dust clouds?) Rev. 8: 7-13 (Also Mat. 24: 29,
Mark 13: 24-25, Luke 21: 25) 5th
Trumpet: (1st Woe) Satan cast to earth & opens the
bottomless pit, unleashing smoke & darkness (super-volcanic eruption in
Yellowstone, Indonesia, etc.?).
Abaddon the destroyer, & many demons, released from hell, &
torment unbelievers for 5 months. Rev. 9: 1-12 6th
Trumpet: (2nd Woe) Release of
the 4 angels bound in the Euphrates River (Kurdistan [Kurds], Turkey
[Turkmen], Syria [Arabs] & Iraq [Arabs & Persians]?) - attack of
200,000,000 warriors who will, by the end of the tribulation, kill 1/3 of
humanity (biological, chemical &
nuclear weapons?) Rev. 9: 13-19 Notes: 1.
Oceans, lakes & rivers often represent nations & peoples in
bible prophecy 2.
Military manpower of Anti-Christ's kingdom & allies [AL & EU]
in 2004: 180 million+ [men aged 15-49: CIA World Fact Book '04 –
cia.gov] 3.
Control of Russian, Iranian & Central Asian oil & gas
resources would give Anti-Christ control of most of the world's oil & gas
reserves & production capacity) 2 Witnesses
killed in Jerusalem (which is likened unto Sodom &
Egypt) by the beast from the bottomless pit (Abaddon, - released in the 5th Trumpet plague?) & resurrected 3 days later (at the 7th Trumpet?) Rev. 11: 7-11 7th,
& last, Trumpet: (3rd Woe) Rev. 11: 15-19 Mystery of God accomplished? (Rev. 10: 7) Resurrection of the dead in Christ? (1Cor. 15: 20-24 & 51-53) Rapture of the Church? (Mat. 24: 31, I
Thes. 4: 15-17; Rev. 15: 2-5) Resurrection of the 2 Witnesses? (Rev. 11: 11-12) Holy Spirit taken out of the way? (II Thes. 2: 6-8) Christ is
coming (Rev. 11:
15-18) Lightening, thunder, earthquake, & hail (Rev. 11: 19) Harvest of the
Righteous (grain harvest)? Rev. 14: 14-16 Second 3 1/2 years Israel
is tested Redeemed in
Heaven witness the Vials of Wrath poured out on unrepentant humanity. Rev. 15: 1-4 Note: Without the convicting ministry
of the Holy Spirit, humanity will not repent of sin & turn to God. John 16: 7-11, Rom. 8: 5-16, I Cor. 2:
14-16, II Cor. 1: 22 & 3: 16-18, Gal. 4: 6, Eph. 1: 13-14 & 4: 30 Global war
– 1/3 of humanity killed by fire, smoke & brimstone (WMD?), by disease,
& by famine. Rev. 6: 1-9, Rev. 9: 13-19 Harvest of the Wicked
(grape harvest – wine of God's wrath)? Rev. 14: 10, 17-20, Isa. 63: 1-4, Joel 2: 12-14 Anti-Christ
given authority to act for 42 months (Rev. 13: 5) from Jerusalem (Dan. 7: 23-25, Rev. 11: 2) & is revealed to be a false messiah (II Thes. 2: 6-8) (Upon removal of that which restrains him:
the 2 Witnesses, the Holy Spirit & the true Church, at the 7th Trumpet?) 1st 5
Vials of God's Wrath Rev. 16: 1-11 (Reserved for
rebellious humanity & poured out after the rapture [Rom. 2: 5-11; Rev.
11:18]):
(1.) Disease on followers of
the Beast (the faithful are gone) Zech. 14: 12-13 (2.)
Oceans die (Mediterranean? All?) (3.)
Fresh waters completely polluted
(4.) Sun scorches (5.)
Physical (& spiritual?) darkness (the light of the world – the Church - is gone) Israel
attacked by surrounding Islamic nations (Anti-Christ's
reaction to Israel's Messianic revival?)
Zech. 12-14. 2/3
Israelis killed, but 1/3 protected by God (the purified
remnant) Zech. 13: 7- 14: 5 Mystery
Babylon/Jerusalem sacked by 10 kings allied to Anti-Christ (Secular/apostate Judaism: the Great Harlot & Mother of
Harlots) Rev. 17: 16-17 1/2
population of Jerusalem taken captive
Zech: 14: 1-2 The
remaining population is called out of Mystery Babylon/Jerusalem. (Rev. 18: 4), and rescued by God
Zech. 14: 3-5 Disease,
terror & panic overtake the attackers. Zech. 14: 12-13 (See also Joel 3 [all]) 6th
Vial: Euphrates dries up (Anti-Christ's empire weakened by war & pestilence?) allowing the (oil-hungry?) kings of the east to march westward. (China, India, etc.?) Isa. 11: 15-16, Rev. 16: 12 All the
Jewish people, including the 10 'lost' tribes of Israel, return to reclaim
their inheritance? Isa. 11: 11-16 & 63: 16-19, Ezek. 37: 15-22, Zech. 10: 6-10,
Acts 26: 6-7, Rev. 7: 4-8 Satan,
Anti-Christ & False Prophet summon the rulers of the earth & their
armies to Armageddon, to oppose Christ's coming. Rev. 16: 12-16 7th
Vial: Thunder, lightening, earthquake -
destruction of Babylon (Apostate Jerusalem?), & destruction of cities, coasts, islands & mountains. 100 # hail falls on humanity, who curse
God (Rev. 16: 17-21) & mourn the loss of
Babylon's (Jerusalem’s?)
wealth. Rev. 18: 9-18 Christ Returns Christ
Returns: casts Anti-Christ & False Prophet into Hell, destroys the
gathered kings & their armies with His Word & binds Satan in Hell for
1,000 years. Rev. 16: 17-21, 19: 19-20:3 |
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