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What Happens in The Last Days?
Pat Holman
Anyone who enjoys putting a puzzle together knows that it takes time and patience. First there is the sorting of pieces into colors and shapes. Most puzzle people begin the arduous task with the straight edge pieces because that’s the boarder of a square or rectangular puzzle. As they work to the center there’s a lot of trial and error to find exactly how all the pieces fit with each other to reveal the picture.
Understanding the Bible is very similar to a puzzle. The straight edge pieces of the biblical puzzle align with recorded history. To assemble the remainder takes time and patience. Just like a physical puzzle the biblical piece might be the right shape but the wrong color or pattern--both have to match and align with the boarder pieces to be the correct piece.
Let’s try some of the biblical puzzle pieces and see where they might fit.
Many of the Old Testament prophets referred to end time events as a time when the stars would fall, the sun and moon go dark, and even the earth is moved out of its place. Isaiah and Joel referred to a fantastic display of God’s power as He begins to intervene in this world’s affairs as a shaking in the heavens.
“All the host of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls of from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig tree” (Isa 34:4)
“The heavens shall tremble; the sun and the moon shall be dark and the stars shall with draw their shining” (Joel 2:10)
When the disciples asked Christ about the last days, Christ concluded the list of things to come with the “signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke 21: 25-26)
Matthew and Mark also recorded that “immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” (Matt 24: 29 & Mark 13:24)
This coming “firework” display in the heavens will pale into insignificance the firework displays we have during our present day worldly celebrations. The booms that vibrate the ground under foot as the sky brightens from man-made firecrackers are so very tame when compared to the power that will be displayed worldwide in the very near future as Christ’s return is announced to the world with divine pageantry.
Also, when the “heavens shake” how many satellites will become disabled or crash to earth? Modern civilization relies on numerous satellites for cell phones, weapon deployment, weather reports and military surveillance. And, let’s not forget that astrologers use the planets, stars for their religious belief system. A shaking of the heavens will create a lot of anger in modern mankind, especially evolutionists who believe they evolved from slime.
At the conclusion of these “heavenly fireworks”, which are also referred to as the Sixth Seal (Rev 6:12-13) “. . .the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:14)
“Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt 24: 30-31)
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thess 4:16-17)
From the above puzzle pieces (scriptures) we see that there are (1) heavenly signs, then (2) Christ appears in the sky, (3) the dead are raised and (4) those still alive will be changed and rise to meet Christ in the air. Those events occur in that order.
“The second woe is past and behold the third woe comes quickly.” (Rev 11: 14) From the way the scriptures line up, it’s obvious that the three woes correspond to the fifth, sixth and seventh soundings from angels and that the seventh seal/third woe/first trumpet comes right on the heals of the sixth seal/second woe.
Rev 7 continues the end time events with four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. Then, another angel comes from the east to seal the servants of God in their foreheads.
Maybe the deceived people on earth will think the worst is over when everything quiets down and then “party”? “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them (the dead two witnesses) and make merry and shall send gifts one to another. . .” (Rev 11:10) Maybe there’s a three and half day worldwide party at the end of the heavenly signs and death of the two witnesses?
The Seventh Seal is opened with silence in heaven with the prayers of the saints mixed with incense ascending before the Throne of God and then the Seven Trumpets begin to sound.
Rev 10: 7 says that “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall BEGIN to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Rev 11:11-12 says that the two witnesses whose dead bodies lay on a Jerusalem street for 3.5 days “stood upon their feet. . .and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them.”
Since the Fifth Trumpet is to last five months (Rev 9:5) the total amount of time for these seven trumpets of the seventh seal/third woe is uncertain. Isaiah referred to the “day” of the Lord and the year of His recompense. (Isa 34:8) Recompense is something given in return for something else—a judgment or reward. It’s therefore possible that these seven trumpets of the seventh seal are fulfilled within a literal year that is the “Day of the Lord”--a year of judgment on evil mankind and a year of reward for His saints.
It’s also very possible that the first fruits are in Heaven for the marriage supper during the seven last plagues and then follow Christ to this earth as His army of ten thousands of saints. (Jude 14-15) Also consider Deu 24:5 with regard to this concept: “When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.”
Rev 11:19 the temple of God is opened right after the seventh angel sounds. The temple is opened, saints on the sea of glass, the seven angels leave with seven plagues and no one enters the temple until the plagues are fulfilled. (Rev 15:1-8) Is it “opened” because the saints “enter”? Is it “closed” because an event will take place inside?
Consider as well, the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Half went into the wedding and the door was “shut”. The other five wanted in but were not allowed to enter. They were not prepared to be the Bride of Christ because they lacked “oil”. (Matt 25:1-13) The parable does not refer to those five virgins as being lost or condemned to the Lake of Fire. Christ says He does not know them, which might refer to the fact that they are not the Bride / firstfruits. They are still “virgins”—not tainted by the world.
There are several scriptures that refer to another group that is not the “Bride”. “He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegoom’s voice. . .” John 3:29. Did John the Baptist know that he was not in the group that would become the “bride” but in the group that would be come the friend?
Consider Christ’s words: “Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning; and you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks they may open onto him immediately.” (Luke 12: 35-36)
“And He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Rev 19: 16. It does appear that there are two different groups of first fruits.
When the Seventh Trumpet sounds “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev 11:15) The nations come as a hostile army to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, also known as the Kidron Valley, which is located between the Mount of Olives and the Temple Mount. Christ returns to the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12) and makes war with the gathered nations.
MOUNT OF OLIVES
“I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat. . .so shall you know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.” (Joel 3 2-17)
“The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gather together to make war against Him that sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet. . .and these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and the remnant were slain with the sword. . .” (Rev 19:19-21) (Isa 66:15-18)
“The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first. . .in that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. . .I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. .” (Zech 12:7-14)
How many other scriptures can you find about the “Last Days” and where do they fit in the big puzzle?
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