End of Days What s Going On? Pt. 3 Preached February 9, 2014 The Backbone of Bible Prophecy, cont. Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-22 Last time: The period 70 weeks [of years] = 490 years The people God s chosen people, Israel The place Jerusalem, the Holy City The purpose listen to first message Now: The program the actual prophecy and what the 70 weeks are all about. 1. The commencement of the count. v. 25a a. Israel s prophetic clock began to tick when the commandment rebuild Jerusalem was given. [2 Chron. 36 / Ezra 1] b. The first year of Cyrus, King of Persia. [his was the first decree given of 3, ending w/ Artaxerxes in 444 B.C., March 21 st on our calendar, to be exact. 2. The coming of the Christ. v. 25b 7 weeks of years = 49 yrs. 62 weeks of years = 434 yrs. The total is 483 years. - Multiply times 360 days [the ancient calendar was based on this] - A prophetic year in the Bible is always 360 days. - This totals 173,880 days. - Do the math and you land on Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry, March 30 th, A.D. 33. [H. W. Hoehner s Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ] - We serve an on time God, and He s not going to be late for you, either! - As Jesus approached Jerusalem on that Sunday, walking down the slopes of the Mount of Olives, He paused, and probably it was with tears that He said, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if only they knew the things that belonged to them on this, their day! No wonder He refused the Kingship. John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 1
Matthew 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. - He kept this low profile throughout His ministry until this day arrived! - We believe the Bible by faith, but it s not a blind faith, but a well founded, well grounded, reasonable faith! 3. The crucifixion on the cross. v. 26a cut off Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. - This means that He would die. v. 26b but not for Himself He didn t die for His own sins, for He had none. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. I should have been crucified! Commencement of the count, coming of the Christ... 4. The collapse of the city. v. 26c - The prince that shall come = the antichrist. - The people of the prince = the Romans. - destroy the city and the sanctuary = Titus, the Roman General destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. 5. The calling of the church. v. 26d unto the end wars and desolations are determined [literal reading] a. This is an indeterminate period of time. b. God calls a time out and the prophetic clock stops ticking. 69 weeks of years have gone by, there s only 1 more week [7 years to go]. This is because Israel rejected her Messiah and King. Welcome to the church age! This interim period is a layover which lasts until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. God turned from the Jews to the Gentiles, and we should be thankful that He did! We don t know when but someday soon God will look down from glory and see a sinner repenting and will turn to His Son and tell Him to go and get His bride...and hey, Gabriel, blow your horn! 2
This is the rapture of the church, and the end of the church age. Our redemption will be complete. I ll get a glorified body better than Jason s, and it won t break on me! We ll see loved ones gone on before, and every tear will be wiped away. There will be rewards and riches and royalty as we rule and reign w/ Him. There will be rapture at the rapture...and I m gonna get carried away, when I get carried away! 1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 6. The confirmation of the covenant. v. 27 a. The antichrist makes a 7 year peace treaty, playing right into God s hands he unwittingly starts the prophetic clock ticking again, and now the last of the 70 weeks is underway. He promises to protect Israel for 7 years. Antichrist compared to Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ came down from heaven [Jn. 6:36] *Antichrist will ascend from the bottomless pit [Rev. 11:7] Jesus Christ came in His Father s name [Jn. 5:43] *Antichrist will come in His own name [Jn. 5:43] Jesus Christ humbled Himself and became obedient unto death [Phil. 2] *Antichrist will exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped [2 Thess. 2:4] Jesus Christ was despised and rejected of men [Is. 53:3] *Antichrist will be admired and wondered after and worshipped [Rev. 13:13-14] Jesus Christ came into the world to do His Father s will [Jn. 6:38] *Antichrist will do his own will [Dan. 11:36] Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost [Luke 19:10] *Antichrist shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [Dan. 8:24] Jesus Christ is the good shepherd [Jn. 10:11] *Antichrist shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces [Zech. 11] Jesus Christ is the true Vine [Jn. 15:1] *Antichrist will be the vine of the earth [Rev. 14] Jesus Christ is the truth that sets men free [Jn. 8:32] *Antichrist will be a liar [2 Thess. 2:11] Jesus Christ is the holy One of God [Mark 1:24] *Antichrist will be that Wicked [2 Thess. 2:8] Jesus Christ is the sinless one [Heb. 4:15] *Antichrist is the man of sin [2 Thess. 2:3] Jesus Christ was the virgin born, only begotten of God [Luke 1:35] *Antichrist will be the son of perdition [2 Thess. 2:3] Jesus Christ is the mystery of Godliness [1 Tim. 3:16] *Antichrist is called the mystery of iniquity [2 Thess. 2:7] 3
Who is the antichrist? I don t know, and I don t want to know...i m not looking for the antichrist, but for Jesus Christ! If you see the antichrist it will mean: Whatever religion you had, if any, was false. You missed the rapture. You may have known about Jesus, but you didn t KNOW Him personally. God, who used to be for you, is now against you. You have entered a nightmare beyond description. Your destiny will be same as the god you have followed. Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Again, the antichrist promises to protect Israel for 7 years. Israel has never trusted her national defense to anyone, but they will with him, because he will be so deceptively loving, kind, and wise...such a gifted peacemaker! There will be a one world government [The New World Order] He will allow the Jews to rebuild their Temple, which will fit on the open area of the temple mount beside the Dome of the Rock if necessary. [if court of the Gentiles left off!] Animal sacrifices will resume, and priests will once again enter the Holy Place. Halfway thru the week [3.5 years] the antichrist will break his covenant. v. 27b He will enter that temple where they are sacrificing lambs and will say get this trash outta here! Take away your bloody sacrifices. You want to know who God is? You re looking at him! This is the abomination of desolation! Dan. 12:11, 11:31 {Antiochus Epiphanes} 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. The antichrist is the devil incarnate [in the flesh] and he will have his day saying, I am God, worship me! What did Jesus say to do? Back to our main text in Matthew 24:15... Matthew 24:15-22 You don t want to be here...and you don t have to be! 4
Ill. years ago men sat on the deck of a steamer heading up the Delaware River. They looked over Philadelphia and noticed a bright orange sky. There was a yellow flicker, almost like a fireworks display...it intrigued them. They sat on the ship smiling, entertained by what they saw. When they got to the landing, got off the ship, and got the word that their factory had just burned to the ground. The very event that ruined them for life they had been smiling about. Many today scoff at the end of the world. Let s pray that they heed the warning now from some distance, before their ship is sunk! I believe that we are the terminal generation. I m not setting dates, but reminding you that all the ducks are in a row, and all things are ready, and Jesus said He would be coming quickly! 7. The completion of the count. The last half of the tribulation is hell on earth, and 3.5 years go by slowly when you are scrapping to stay alive every minute of every day! But at the end of those 7 years the 70 weeks are up, and God s kingdom will come to earth--the prophetic clock can hang in heaven s museum, for time will be no more! 5