Month: August 2016

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven’; but in the middle of the ‘seven’ he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.  And on the wing of abominations shall be ONE WHO MAKES DESOLATE, even until the consummation which is determined, is poured out on the desolate,” (Daniel 9:27).

It is in this last verse of Daniel’s prophecy that the reader is moved into the final 70th “week” or last 7 years of this age, the period we call “end times.”

This verse opens with a man confirming or strengthening a covenant with Israel and “many” people for 7 years.  He is a world leader:  a Putin, an Obama, a Cameron or whoever.  Because of his success in bringing about a Middle East “peace” treaty— which many thought to be impossible— he is lifted up in pride.  

This historic treaty will cause the world to proclaim “peace and safety”.  It will also allow for the rebuilding of the third Jewish temple.  But in the middle of this 7-year period, the world leader will stop the sacrifices and offerings within the newly rebuilt temple! 

In Daniel chapter 4 there is a story about King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon becoming insane, like a wild animal.  Instead of Nebuchadnezzar honoring God, he became lifted up in pride.  Because of his pride, Nebuchadnezzar became like an animal, a beast for 7 years!  Nebuchadnezzar’s madness is a prototype of what will happen to this world leader.

After bringing about the heralded Mid East treaty, pride will cause this man to be taken over by a spirit.  This spirit arises from the abyss and takes control. 

THE WORLD RULER ONLY BECOMES THE “BEAST”, THE ANTICHRIST AFTER HE IS POSSESSED BY THE SPIRIT FROM THE ABYSS!  His revealing as the beast takes place at the midpoint of the 7-year period when he walks into the temple and proclaims himself, God.  

Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 24:15:  “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” 

In 2 Thessalonians 2:4, the Apostle Paul tells us that Antichrist is the one “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”  

This is the signal that Jews in Judea need to flee to the mountains to escape the destruction to come.

There will be an “image” or likeness of Antichrist’s true identity erected at the temple (Revelation 13:14-15).  This “image” will be erected under the supervision of the False Prophet:

“And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.  He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

In the Bible, the word for “image” usually indicated a human form.  Two infamous “images” mentioned in the Bible are the giant statue of Daniel 3 and the statue of Zeus (during the time of the Maccabbees under Antiochus Epiphanes.  It is mentioned in Daniel 11:31 as another abomination that desolated the Second Temple).   In each instance, the king sought to unify his kingdom by having himself worshipped as a god.  To do this, the image or statue of his god would bear the king’s face!  

THE “IMAGE” WOULD BE A COMBINATION OF TWO PERSONALITIES: A FALSE GOD AND THE KING.  IN COMBINING THE TWO PERSONALITIES INTO ONE “IMAGE”, THE KING WOULD TAKE ON GODLIKE STATUS!

The “image” of the beast will reflect this.  It will be the “melding” of the world leader with another spirit. The identity of that spirit will be covered in a later blog.  

Daniel 12:11 tells us that this “image” will be set up for a total of 1290 days. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1290 days.”   

The timeframe places the image’s destruction with the pouring out of the 7th bowl judgment when all the cities of the world fall, and Jerusalem itself is broken into three parts.  Presumably this massive earthquake will destroy the “image” of abomination at that point.  Antichrist himself will meet his end at Armageddon (Revelation 19:20) .

 

When Jesus Christ returns in the clouds at His Second Coming, “the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,”  (I Thessalonians 4:16b-17).  Christ’s Second Coming will have two main purposes:  to rescue His bride and to initiate the outpouring of His divine wrath upon the wicked.

But do all “Christians” go in the rapture?

CONSIDER THE TEACHING OF JESUS ABOUT THE TEN VIRGINS.  FIVE WERE “WISE” AND FIVE WERE “FOOLISH:”

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’  But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming,”  (Matthew 25:1-13).

In this parable, as well as the following parables, JESUS UNDERSCORES THE NECESSITY FOR PREPAREDNESS FOR HIS RETURN.  In this parable, ALL were virgins.  ALL were looking forward to the return of their bridegroom.  This can be said of all believers everywhere.  ALL believers are “virgins.”

However, only five of the virgins were prepared for the Master’s return by having enough oil.

In ancient Jewish marriages, the engagement begins with the prospective groom going off to build a house for himself and his bride to live in after their wedding.  The building of the house is done under the direction of the groom’s father.  It is only when the father gives the okay that the groom is allowed to return for his bride.  So, the day and the hour of the groom’s return is unknown both to the groom and his bride.  Jesus said about His return, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” (Mark 13:32).

The prospective bride’s job was to prepare herself for her bridegroom’s return.  How does she do this?

Leonard Ravenhill once observed that he had been to weddings all over the world.  All had different customs and different ceremonies.  But one thing was held in common by all the brides:  none of them were dirty!  All had bathed and dressed in a manner fitting to their new status.  ALL HAD PREPARED THEMSELVES FOR THE GROOM’S RETURN.

In Revelation 19:7, scripture declares that “the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made HERSELF ready.”

In Jesus’ parable, the lack of being prepared is shown in five of the virgins who did not have sufficient oil to keep their lamps burning.  Their lamps were going out prior to the groom’s appearance.  In Jewish tradition, the groom departs to build a house for his bride.  Sometimes, the building took a long time.  Upon being alerted that the groom’s return was imminent, the bride would take a lamp, light it, and place it in the window of her house.  The lighted lamp would be a SIGNAL TO THE GROOM THAT THE BRIDE WAS STILL EXPECTANT AND PREPARED FOR HIS RETURN!  Without the lighted lamp in the window, the groom could take it to mean that his bride had lost interest and was no longer willing and ready for him.  If the lamp was dark, the groom would pass by.

So it is in the parable of the virgins.  Five of the virgins had their lamps brightly shining and lit for their groom’s return.  Five had allowed their lamps to go out.  The foolish virgins may have still been wanting their groom, but were passed over.  Their lamps had, sadly, gone out.

Another important point made in this parable was that at midnight “a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’”  THIS CRY WAS HEARD BY ALL TEN VIRGINS, BOTH WISE AND FOOLISH!  At this point, all ten virgins get up and get ready for the groom’s coming.  Although they did not know the exact hour, they were aware that His arrival was imminent!

BUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PREPARATION WAS PAST.  The foolish virgins were under the impression that they could scramble around at the last minute to buy oil, but found this was really not so.  Many Christians are foolishly putting off living holy and faithful lives to God today, believing that they will have time to straighten up later on.

What does the “oil” stand for?  The oil is the Holy Spirit of God.  It is His very own Presence that fills us and makes us ready. We daily get filled up with the oil of His presence by spending time with Him. We do not grieve Him by living in ungodly, worldly fashion; instead, we live to please Him.  He is more important to us than all the world has to offer. Thereby, we are daily filled with the oil of His precious presence.  Our lamps stay burning.  WE LIVE PREPARED, READY FOR HIS RETURN!

Some Christians are under the illusion that the point of their salvation is all that is necessary.  But consider this:  our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Now, if God personally came to your house, how would you prepare for Him?  Would you have pornography, drunkenness, worldliness, and idols set up?  If it is His very own Presence that is the oil for you, are you welcoming Him in to fill you?

Jesus gave the parable of the 10 virgins as a warning to stay ready for His return.  It is at the return of Christ that we are “caught up” in the clouds to meet Him in the air.

In Revelation 3:10-11, Jesus promises His faithful virgins that “Because you have kept My command to PERSEVERE, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.  Behold, I am coming quickly! HOLD FAST WHAT YOU HAVE, THAT NO ONE MAY TAKE YOUR CROWN.”

This warning to the wise is repeated in the parable of the 10 virgins.  At the point of the imminent return of the groom, the 5 foolish virgins try to take some of the oil from the 5 wise virgins who had stocked up. “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘NO, LEST THERE SHOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FOR US AND YOU; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’” 

THERE IS A WARNING HERE TO THE WISE ONES: 

GOD NEVER TOLD US TO SACRIFICE OUR “OIL” FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE COMPLACENTLY.  

DO NOT DEPLETE YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BY SPREADING YOURSELF TOO THIN FOR THE FOOLISH.  GUARD YOURSELVES CAREFULLY.  KEEP YOUR OWN OIL OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD FULL.

We are to live holy and godly lives, being careful that the sinfulness, worldliness, complacency, and apathy of others around us (even fellow Christians) does not deplete us!

So, do all Christians get “caught up” at the return of Christ?  According to the Lord’s own teaching, only those who are PREPARED for His return will be caught up to meet Him.