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Eschatology Seminar. Lecture 05: The Great Tribulation. Presented by. Eternal Answers Ministry www.EternalAnswersMinistry.org. What is the difference between Tribulation & the “Great Tribulation?”.

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  1. Eschatology Seminar Lecture 05: The Great Tribulation Presented by Eternal Answers Ministry www.EternalAnswersMinistry.org

  2. What is the difference between Tribulation & the “Great Tribulation?” For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. -Matthew 24:21,22 • This “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” climaxes in the “Day of the Lord”: Isa 61:2; Zech 12, 14; Rev 19:19; et al.

  3. What is the difference between Tribulation & the “Great Tribulation?” • Note that this is 3½ years, not 7, as is so often assumed: And he (“the prince that shall come”) shall enforce the covenant with [the] many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:27 • Revelation 6 - 19 is essentially an elaboration of the events during the “70th Week” of Daniel 9

  4. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : Alas!for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. -Jeremiah 30:7 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. -Daniel 12:1

  5. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : Note that according to Jesus in Matt 24:21, neither Israel nor the world has seen a time as bad as this. That means it will be worse than Vietnam, worse than the Cold War, worse than the dropping of the bombs on Japan, even worse than the Holocaust in Germany!

  6. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly. -Hosea 5:15 • The Hebrew is quite clear—“their offence” is singular & specific. • God’s purpose is to finally get Israel to call upon the name of the crucified Messiah, acknowledging Him as the only one with the power to save them.

  7. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : • Jesus confirms this in Matthew 23:37-39 : O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord

  8. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : • The Book of Revelation Ch 6-19 details the events of this last, 70th week of Daniel • God pours out His wrath upon the world starting with the opening of 7 seals (the “7 seal judgements”) • The 7th seal releases 7 Trumpet Judgements • The 7th Trumpet releases 7 Bowl Judgements • These culminate in the destruction at Armageddon & the Return of Jesus Christ

  9. What is the purpose of the Great Tribulation? • The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” : • Revelation provides its own outline in v1:19 when John is told: “Write the things which • [A] thou hast seen, and • [B] the things which are, and • [C] the things which shall be hereafter [= meta tauta = the next in the sequence];”

  10. Revelation 1 • Vision of Christ • Christ is seen as God, the Ancient of Days • This is the vision of “[A] the things which thou hast seen”

  11. Revelation 2-3 • The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor • This is actually the most relevant portion of the Book of Revelation to us today! • It constitutes the vision of “[B]the things which are” • [B] the things which are, and • [C] the things which shall be hereafter [= meta tauta = the next in the sequence];”

  12. Revelation 4-5 • John Enters the Throne Room of Heaven • Here John sees a vision of Christ as the Lamb of God “as He was slain” 5:1] And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals • John weeps uncontrollably because there is no one worthy to take possession of this deed 5:5] And one of the elders saith unto me, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” • The Lord begins to break the seals on the scroll, each indicating His right to possession of & each, therefore, bringing judgment upon the earth

  13. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • This begins the Great Tribulation, “[C] the things which shall be hereafter [= meta tauta] • The first four seals unleash what are known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; these are:

  14. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • 1. The White Horse-The Overcoming Conqueror Carrying a Bow (6:2) 2. The Red Horse-War Carrying a Sword (6:3-4) 3. The Black Horse-Famine Carrying Scales (6:5-6) • 4. The Pale/Livid Horse-Death with Hell following (6:7-8)

  15. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • The Horsemen generally represent those “birth pangs” that Jesus speaks of in Matt 24

  16. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals Famine, Pestilence/Epidemic, War have always been used by repressive regimes as a tool for population control:

  17. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • The Soviet Union starved the population of the Ukraine into almost complete extinction in the 1920’s-30’s in order to subjugate/conquer the region & make it a “willing” part of its union (covenant).

  18. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • The Muslim Turks forcibly migrated & systematically starved the native Christian Armenian population during WWI, a war crime & genocidal crime against humanity that the Turks have never even admitted much less for which have they been held accountable.

  19. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • Innumerable regimes (nominally the White Horse) across the third world have in the past & to this day continue to use these “tools” to divert funds for & from food & medicine donations, starving their own populations & keeping them subject to pestilence & epidemic (the Black & Pale Horses) in order to use the funds to foster rebellions or border disputes with neighbors in perpetual warfare (the Red Horse).

  20. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • However, with the addition of the Anti-Christ (literally the White Horse) these “tools” will be able to be implemented on a world-wide scale.

  21. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • They will be able to bring into line any nation that will not surrender its sovereignty to the Anti-Christ except those that are able to supply enough food & medicine to provide for their whole native populations

  22. Revelation 6 • The 7 Seals • Only four nations on the whole planet are capable of doing this today: • 1. The United States 2. Great Britain 3. Germany • 4. Israel • Of these four, which one will NEVER surrender its sovereignty under any circumstances to anyone for any reason ever!? • War will be the only alternative, & with only an anti-Semitic, apostate church left on the earth, the Great Tribulation will be the result

  23. Revelation 7 • The 144,000 • These are sealed by the Holy Spirit out of the tribes of Israel • They are preserved through the Great Tribulation • Everyone (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, etc) wants to be one of the 144,000 • I’d much rather be one of the 24 elders! They get scooted out of the tribulation; the 144K have to go through it! • BTW: There are NO LOST TRIBES! • In this list, Dan is intentionally omitted & Ephraim is only listed in a sort of backhanded, elliptical manner by listing “Manasseh & Joseph” • Dan must go through the tribulation unprotected, but will inherit land in the Millennium (Ezek 48:1)!

  24. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal 1. Hail & fire mingled with blood burning up a third part of trees, and all green grass. (comparable to the 7th plague on Egypt) (v.7) • 2. A great mountain burning with fire (a meteor?) strikes the sea: and a third of the sea becames blood (cf to the 1st plague on Egypt) & a third of all sea life dies; & a third of the ships on the sea are destroyed. (v.8-9) • There are currently ~ 25,000 merchant vessels registered worldwide; 1/3 would be ~8,333 destroyed • There are approximately 3,100 naval vessels registered worldwide; 1/3 would be 1,333 destroyed • There are countless recreational & private commercial ships employed worldwide

  25. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal 3. A great star falls from heaven, “burning as it were a lamp”; it poisons a third of the rivers & fresh water supplies; the name of the star is called “Wormwood” many die of the waters, because they are made “bitter.” (v.10-11) • The Ukrainian word for “Wormwood” is “Chernobyl” • Hypertext Data base: Chernobyl and its consequences . (Project "Polyn"). University of • Hawaii; http://www.hawaii.edu/intlrel/pols320/Resources/chernobyl.html; accessed • 5/2/13 • This may be a reference to some kind of nuclear disaster; a “burning star” would be an apt description of an active nuclear core

  26. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal

  27. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal 3. A great star falls from heaven, “burning as it were a lamp”; it poisons a third of the rivers & fresh water supplies; the name of the star is called “Wormwood” many die of the waters, because they are made “bitter.” (v.10-11) • Conversely, this could have reference to the fall of Satan; elsewhere in Revelation, fallen angels are imaged as falling stars (Ch12); possibly an angel is used to “sabotage” man’s nuclear reactors— • This is one of those where it is never wise to firmly put one’s foot down & say definitely “this is how it’s going to be!”

  28. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 4. A third part of the sun, moon & stars are smitten such that the sun does not shine for a third part of the day, the moon & stars are not visible for a third of the night (cf. the 9th plague on Egypt) (v.12) • Thusfar, the trumpets have been “natural” disasters • The next two will be demonic & the last will bring about the 7 bowl judgments • Together, these last 3 trumpets are known as “The Three Woes” • v13] And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

  29. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 5. Another “star” (this time definitely an angel) falls to earth with the key to the bottomless pit, unleashing a demon army of locusts led by Apollyon aka Gog (v 9:1-11) • John describes these “locusts” in detail with tails like scorpions, crowns on top, breastplates of iron, etc. • If you had asked me 20-30 years ago what these were, I would have replied without hesitation, “helicopters” • Together, these last 3 trumpets are known as “The Three Woes”

  30. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal

  31. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 5. Another “star” (this time definitely an angel) falls to earth with the key to the bottomless pit, unleashing a demon army of locusts led by Apollyon aka Gog (v 9:1-11) • But as time has gone one, my interpretation has become MORE literal • With the advance of genetic engineering, I can easily seen an insect based weapons system being developed & used • They are given the power to sting & hurt men for “5 months”

  32. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 5. Another “star” (this time definitely an angel) falls to earth with the key to the bottomless pit, unleashing a demon army of locusts led by Apollyon aka Gog (v 9:1-11) • But as time has gone one, my interpretation has become MORE literal • With the advance of genetic engineering, I can easily seen an insect based weapons system being developed & used • This makes sense; you would want to genetically build in a “failsafe” mechanism whereby all the “bugs” in this weapons platform would die before they could spread & present a threat to your troops or your country

  33. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 5. Another “star” (this time definitely an angel) falls to earth with the key to the bottomless pit, unleashing a demon army of locusts led by Apollyon aka Gog (v 9:1-11) • But as time has gone one, my interpretation has become MORE literal • With the advance of genetic engineering, I can easily seen an insect based weapons system being developed & used • What is most interesting, is that men will want to die, try to die, but will not be able to die

  34. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal

  35. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal 6. Four fallen angels bound under the river Euphrates lead a 200-million man army in a slaughter of a third of mankind (roughly 2-billion people) (v.13-21) • Only one country could mount such an enormous army: China • It just so happens that in the mid-90’s, China completed highway from Northern China to the head of the river Euphrates (more on that later!)

  36. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal 6. Four fallen angels bound under the river Euphrates lead a 200-million man army in a slaughter of a third of mankind (roughly 2-billion people) (v.13-21) • This army uses “horses” that have “mouths” that issue forth fire & brimstone (tanks? The current tank system for Israel is known as the Merkovah = “The Chariot) • Interestingly, though 1/3 of mankind is killed & obviously the environment is a wreck, still mankind will not repent “of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts”

  37. Revelation 8-9 • The 7 Trumpets • The 7 Trumpets extend out of the 7th Seal • 7. The 7th Trumpet initiates the 7 Bowl judgments, but first there is an interlude

  38. Revelation 10 • The 7 Thunders • This chapter has 7 mysterious thunders that John was not allowed to write about: 4] And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: andI heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. • No doctrine can be built upon the “Canon” being complete until the seven thunders are recorded

  39. Revelation 10 • The Mystery of God 7] But 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. • Which mystery? The problem of evil in the world • He has never used His absolute power to bring about an end to demonic evil, human rebellion, and global injustice and suffering. • That is all about to change. That is what we pray for when we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This reign will be inaugurated in Rev 11:17.

  40. Revelation 10 • The Little Book • John is then given a “Little Book” to eat which turns bitter in his belly • Most see this as representing the bitterness of the judgment of the Law • This speaks to the very Jewish character of this section of the book

  41. Revelation 11 • The Temple • John is given a rod with which to measure the Temple & the court surrounding the Temple • Israel would seem to have a restored Temple. Note the distinction between Jews and Gentiles reappearing, suggesting the OT dispensation. • According to Daniel, it is the desecration of this Temple that marks the mid-point of the 70th week: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. -Daniel 9:27 • There are any number of conjectures as to the rebuilding of the Temple but only archeology & time will tell

  42. Revelation 11 • The Two Witnesses 3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. Two Witnesses • Transfiguration Mt 17:3 • Resurrection Lk 24:4-7 • Ascension Acts 1:9-11 • John then goes on to describe these two powerful “witnesses”; They • Burn anyone who tries to harm them with fire • Can cause drought • Can turn waters to blood • Bring plagues on as they will

  43. Revelation 11 • The Two Witnesses 3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. • Identities-Unique Powers • Call down fire from heaven Elijah? • Shut heaven, no rain Elijah? • Turn water into blood Moses? • Smite earth with plagues Moses? • Alternatives • Enoch? • John, the Apostle (and writer)? • John the Baptist?

  44. Revelation 11 • The Two Witnesses 7] And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8] And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9] And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10] And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. • Only celebration on the earth in Revelation! A “Satanic Christmas”

  45. Revelation 11 • The Two Witnesses 11] And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12] 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. • A CNN exclusive?

  46. Revelation 11 • The Temple in Heaven 19] And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. • This chapter, interestingly, begins with the Temple on earth which is destined to be desecrated & ends with the true Temple in heaven which is incorruptible. • The “original” Ark has always been there: the one on the earth was but a replica (Heb 9:23).

  47. Revelation 12 • The Woman & the Dragon 1] And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2] And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. • Some try to identify this woman as the Church. This identity is wrong on numerous counts: • The woman is the mother of Christ; The Church is the Bride of Christ • The Church is the Virginal Bride; the woman is pregnant

  48. Revelation 12 • The Woman & the Dragon 1] And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2] And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. • Some try to identify this woman as the Church. This identity is wrong on numerous counts: • The sun, moon & stars reference is a clear reference to Joseph’s dream in Genesis where the sun & moon represent Israel & his wife & the stars his twelve sons, making the woman Israel, not the Church

  49. Revelation 12 • The Woman & the Dragon 1] And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2] And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. • Some try to identify this woman as the Church. This identity is wrong on numerous counts: And he [Joseph] dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? -Genesis 37:9-10

  50. Revelation 12 • The Woman & the Dragon 3] And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4] And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. …that old serpent, called the Devil, andSatan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. -Revelation 12:9 

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