Where are We Now in Prophecy? Bible Study Church of God International July 7, PDF Free Download

Where are We Now in Prophecy? Bible Study Church of God International July 7, 2018

Introduction

Today we will talk about Bible prophecy.

Our objective is to bring more clarity to Bible prophecy. Prophecy is interesting and it is a blessing if we understand it.

Revelation 1 1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Bible prophecy is proof that God exists and His written words are true. As Christians, our understanding and interpretation of Bible prophecy needs to be as accurate as possible.

Jesus told us to watch world events and pray always that we may be able to escape the coming tribulations.

Luke 21:36 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.

Recent world events have made people think about end-time prophecy. 2008 US Financial Crisis 911 attack Rise of ISIS Brexit Global warming Humanitarian crisis in Africa Escalating Middle East conflict Election of US President Donald Trump US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel US-North Korea Summit and the looming global trade war, etc.

Today, we will attempt to do three (3) things: 1. Understand the timing difference between the Biblical Last Days and the Day of the Lord 2. Understand the end-time prophetic timeline 3. Identify where we are now in prophecy

Last Days and Day of the Lord

The Bible talks about the Last Days and the Day of the Lord. The question is: Is the Last Days synonymous with the Day of the Lord? The key to understanding the prophetic timeline is to understand the difference between the two.

Most churches believe that the Last Days is synonymous with the Day of the Lord that they are one and the same. That is an erroneous understanding.

When talking of the Last Days, many erroneously think about a momentous event when all these things happen in an instance short and quick.

When people read Isaiah 2:2 and Joel 2:28 they conclude that the Last Days lies in the future towards the end of the age the unveiling of the great tribulation followed by the return of Christ.

Isaiah 2:2 2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Joel 2:28 28 And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

However, a careful study suggests the opposite. The Last Days seems to suggest a long period of time. In fact, the last days started with the first advent of Christ! Consider the following verses:

The Last Days

Hebrews 1:1-2 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. This verse clearly states that the Last Days started with the first advent of Christ.

Hebrews 9:26 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages (in the Last Days) to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. The scripture describes the redemptive act of Christ as happening in the Last Days.

In Acts 2 at Pentecost, Peter quoted from Joel s prophecy recorded in Joel chapter 2. Peter testified that the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit at the Day of Pentecost 31 AD was the fulfillment of the Last Days prophecy spoken of by the Prophet Joel. Therefore, they are living in the Last Days and the Last Days has begun.

Acts 2 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

Acts 2 17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. Peter referenced the Pentecost of 31 AD as in the Last Days

Acts 2 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This is another clear reference of the difference between the Last Days and the Day of the Lord

1 Peter 1:20 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. The first advent of Christ was the start of the Last Days.

James 5:2-4 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. This is an obvious reference to the apostolic time.

The verses quoted above clearly indicate that the term Last Days started during the first advent of Christ up to the present. Therefore, we are living in the Last Days!

Day of the Lord

The Day of the Lord is a separate and distinct event from the Last Days. Considering the following verses:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, Peace and safety, destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. Paul specifically relate the Day of the Lord to the second coming of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Paul here contends that the Day of the Lord has not yet come

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 3 Don t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. It is explicitly clear that the Day of the Lord is the second advent of Christ. The Day of the Lord is still in the future.

For a clearer understanding of the difference between the Last Days and the Day of the Lord, we can refer to 2 Peter 3:3-10.

2 Peter 3:3-10 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.

2 Peter 3:3-10 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

2 Peter 3:3-10 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

2 Peter 3:3-10 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

1. The Last Days started at the time of the first coming of Jesus Christ; and 2. The Day of the Lord refers the second coming of Christ.

This distinction will help you identify where we are now in God s prophetic timeline.

Prophecy Timeline

Matthew 24 1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 Do you see all these things? he asked. Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. Tell us, they said, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

Matthew 24 contains the famous Olivet prophecy. The disciples asked Jesus three (3) questions: 1. When is the destruction of the temple? The temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70AD and still lies ruined today. 2. What are the signs of the end? This question refers to the Last Days. 3. What are the signs of Christ s second coming? This question refers to the Day of the Lord.

The response Jesus gave to each question was precise and accurate. Matthew 24:4-14 answers the question about the Last Days while Matthew 24:15-31 answers the question about the Day of the Lord.

Matthew 24:4-14 4 Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

The end of the age or the last days has started but the end is not yet it is the beginning of birth pains (Matthew 24:8).

Matthew 24:15-25 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 15 So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel let the reader understand

Matthew 24:15-25 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

Matthew 24:15-25 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Messiah! or, There he is! do not believe it.

Matthew 24:15-25 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

Jesus Christ was clearly talking about two (2) distinct and separate events; those are the Last Days that started with the first advent of Christ, and the Day of the Lord that is to start at time of the return of Christ.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Since the time Jesus spoke about the sign of the end of the age, mankind has wanted to know the exact timing and the apocalyptic events that would lead to the end of the world.

Prophecies are not to be interpreted privately. We must allow the Bible to interpret itself. Jesus did not leave the Olivet prophecy hanging, rather He provided details to the prophecy in the Book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ is given to the Apostle John concerning things that are to soon take place.

Revelation 1:1-3 1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

The Book of Revelation reveals events that are to soon take place a time in the future. It is a book that provides clarity and detail to Jesus Olivet prophecy.

The Sequence

The Book of Revelation is not a book of mystery. It is a book that is intended to be understood by the readers. It is a book that contains the revelation of Jesus Christ to the church.

The Book of Revelation is not difficult to understand. Jesus shows us the blow-by-blow account of things that are to happen.

Key to understanding the Book of Revelation is to read it sequentially. The prophecy is laid out in three (3) sets of sevens (7); 7 Seals 7 Trumpets 7 Plagues

Only in this manner will you be able to appreciate and fully comprehend the prophecies revealed by Christ to His people through the Apostle John.

Revelation 6:9-17 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?

Revelation 6:9-17 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Revelation 6:9-17 12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Revelation 6:9-17 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?

Revelation 20-21

Seven (7) Seals

1 st Seal 2 nd Seal 3 rd Seal 4 th Seal 5 th Seal 6 th Seal 7 th Seal Religious deception Matt (Started during the time of the Apostles after the death of Christ 24:4-5 and continues until today and into the future) War (More frequent and more devastating over the years after 70AD. Now war threatens even the very existence of mankind) Famine (now threatens global food shortage and worldwide famine) Disease epidemics (the worse epidemics happened in the last 1,000 years and sure to get worse over the not too distant future) Tribulation and Persecution (church went underground to survive persecution and migrated to the New World where it flourish again for a period, yet the true church remains small, ostracized and fragile) Matt 24:6-7 Matt 24:7 Matt 24:7 Matt 24:8-12 Heavenly Signs (we see major meteorological changes in recent Matt years. Climate change causes severe weather changes with super 24:29 hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, super chills, hails, El Nino and La Nina which in turn causes severe droughts and flooding and devastations. The depletion of the ozone layer together with global warming will bring this about) 7 Trumpets Rev. 6:1-2 Rev. 6:3-4 Rev. 6:5-6 Rev. 6:7-8 Rev. 6:9-11 Rev. 6:12-17

Matthew 24:4-5 4 Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many.

Revelation 6:1-2 1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, Come! 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Matthew 24:6-7 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Revelation 6:3-4 3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come! 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

Matthew 24:7 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Revelation 6:5-6 5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come! I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, Two pounds of wheat for a day s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!

Matthew 24:7 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Revelation 6:7-8 7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come! 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Matthew 24:8-12 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

Matthew 24:8-12 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Revelation 6:9-11 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?

Revelation 6:9-11 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Matthew 24:29 29 Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Revelation 6:12-17 12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

Revelation 6:12-17 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

Revelation 6:12-17 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?

7 Trumpets

7 Trumpets 1 st Trumpet 1/3 of the land destroyed Revelation 8:7 2 nd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the oceans and Revelation 8:8-9 sea life 3 rd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the rivers and Revelation 8:10-11 fresh water life 4 th Trumpet Heavenly signs Revelation 8:12 5 th Trumpet Human affliction Revelation 9:1-12 6 th Trumpet Military destruction Revelation 9:13-19 7 th Trumpet Seven last plagues

Revelation 8:7 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Revelation 8:8-9 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Revelation 8:10-11 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

Revelation 8:12 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

7 Trumpets 1 st Trumpet 1/3 of the land destroyed Revelation 8:7 2 nd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the oceans and Revelation 8:8-9 sea life 3 rd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the rivers and Revelation 8:10-11 fresh water life 4 th Trumpet Heavenly signs 1/3 turned dark Revelation 8:12 5 th Trumpet Human affliction Revelation 9:1-12 6 th Trumpet Military destruction Revelation 9:13-19 7 th Trumpet Seven last plagues

Revelation 9:1-12 1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.

Revelation 9:1-12 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Revelation 9:1-12 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

Revelation 9:1-12 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women s hair, and their teeth were like lions teeth.

Revelation 9:1-12 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.

Revelation 9:1-12 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

Revelation 9:13-19 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.

Revelation 9:13-19 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

Revelation 9:13-19 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.

Revelation 9:13-19 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

7 Trumpets 1 st Trumpet 1/3 of the land destroyed Revelation 8:7 2 nd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the oceans and Revelation 8:8-9 sea life 3 rd Trumpet Devastation of 1/3 of the rivers and Revelation 8:10-11 fresh water life 4 th Trumpet Heavenly signs Revelation 8:12 5 th Trumpet Human affliction Revelation 9:1-12 6 th Trumpet War - military destruction Revelation 9:13-19 7 th Trumpet Seven last plagues

7 Bowls of Plagues

7 Bowl of Plagues 1 st Plague Painful sores Revelation 16:2 2 nd Plague Sea becoming blood Revelation 16:3 3 rd Plague River becoming blood Revelation 16:4-7 4 th Plague Fiery sun Revelation 16:8-9 5 th Plague Darkness and pain Revelation 16:10-11 6 th Plague Madness for battle Revelation 16:12-16 7 th Plague Natural disaster Revelation 16:17-21

Revelation 16:2 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Revelation 16:3 3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

Revelation 16:4-7 4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;

Revelation 16:4-7 6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve. 7And I heard the altar respond: Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.

Revelation 16:8-9 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

Revelation 16:10-11 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

Revelation 16:12-16 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Revelation 16:12-16 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed. 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Revelation 16:17-21 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, It is done! 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.

Revelation 16:17-21 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.

Revelation 16:17-21 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

When reading the Book of Revelation sequentially, something of prophetical significance happens before the the 7 Trumpet and the 7 bowls of plague. The two events are the sealing of the 144,000 and the arrival of the two (2) witnesses.

7 Seals 7 Trumpets 7 Plagues Sealing of the 1440,00 1 Appearance of the 2 witnesses 2. War in heaven 3 Persecution of the church 4 Appearance of the beast and false prophet

Events prior to the 7 plagues 1. Revelation 11:1-6, the appearance of the 2 witnesses on the scene. 2. Revelation 12:7-9, war in heaven 3. Revelation 12:13-17; the great persecution of the church 4. Revelation 13:1-18, rise of the beast and the false prophet.

Revelation 7, the sealing of the 144,000 and a great multitude will happen immediately preceding the 7 trumpet blows.

Revelation 7 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:

Revelation 7 3 Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

Revelation 7 5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, 6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

Revelation 7 7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

Revelation 7 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.

Revelation 7 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!

Revelation 7 13 Then one of the elders asked me, These in white robes who are they, and where did they come from? 14 I answered, Sir, you know. And he said, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7 15 Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

Revelation 7 16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 11:1-6 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

Revelation 11:1-6 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, and they stand before the Lord of the earth.

Revelation 11:1-6 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

War in Heaven

Revelation 12:7-9 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Great persecution of the church

Revelation 12:13-17 13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent s reach.

Revelation 12:13-17 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

Revelation 12:13-17 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring those who keep God s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Rise of the beast and the false prophet

Revelation 13:1-18 1 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Revelation 13:1-18 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?

Revelation 13:1-18 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

Revelation 13:1-18 7 It was given power to wage war against God s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast all whose names have not been written in the Lamb s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

Revelation 13:1-18 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God s people.

Revelation 13:1-18 11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

Revelation 13:1-18 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Revelation 13:1-18 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

Revelation 13:1-18 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

7 Seals Sealing of the 144.000 7 Trumpet s 1 Appearance of the 2 witnesses 2. War in heaven 3 Persecution of the church 4 Appearance of the beast and false prophet 7 Plagues Death of the two witnesses Great battle of Armaggeddon Return of Christ Resurrect ion of the saints

Revelation 11:7-12, describes the death of the 2 witnesses. Three and a half days after is the return of Christ.

Revelation 11 7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt where also their Lord was crucified.

Revelation 11 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Revelation 11 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

1. The coming of Christ Revelation 19:11-16

Revelation 19:11-16 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.

Revelation 19:11-16 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Revelation 19:11-16 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords

2. The Armageddon Revelation 19:17-21

Revelation 19:17-21 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.

Revelation 19:17-21 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.

Revelation 19:17-21 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Revelation 19:17-21 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

3. The resurrection of the saints Revelation 20:1-5

Revelation 20:1-5 1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:1-5 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

Revelation 20:1-5 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.

Where are we now in prophecy?