The End Times as God Reveals Them. Pt. 3 Christ Foretells Tribulation followed by His Glorious Return!

I hope each one of you are enjoying this day that God has given us. We can be thankful and worship Him no matter how difficult our personal circumstances may be. We find strength when we lean on His everlasting arms and we find comfort under the shelter of His protective  wings.

Deuteronomy 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Psalm 36:7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Our study of end times or final things regarding human history is firmly rooted in the Old Testament prophets. The only full prophecy in the New Testament is Revelation, which has hundreds of references to the Old Testament prophets. Some historical books like Genesis and wisdom literature like Job and the Psalms also contain some prophetic references to Christ. However, the bulk of prophetic material is found in the 17 prophets of the Old Testament. 

I suggest for any of our Readers who have not read through the Old Testament, to begin reading from Isaiah through Malachi. We have studied a few of the smaller books (Habakkuk, Malachi, Jonah, Obadiah) in previous posts that you can find by referencing the Blog Index  posted on September 3. 2020. 

Partial and Complete Fulfillment of Prophecy. 

I think it is good to point out that some (not all) prophecy may have a partial fulfillment followed by a later full completion of what was prophesied. Let me give you a clear example of this. In Acts 2 when the New Testament church was birthed, the Holy Ghost fell on the 120 believers gathered at Jerusalem. The disciples spoke with tongues, which as you recall, means they were enabled to speak the gospel in foreign languages to religious pilgrims from all over the world who came for the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21).

Peter explained to those who heard the gospel preached in their own language that this was a fulfillment of Joel chapter 2 and Isaiah 28:11. How do we know that this was a partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy? 

Joel 2:30-31  And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 

The disciples did receive power to speak the gospel in known foreign languages that they never learned and this partially fulfills Isaiah's prophecy about stammering lips and Joel's prophecy about the Spirit of God being poured out. 

However, look at what did not happen during Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost there were no wonders in the heavens. The earth was not filled with blood, there were no pillars of smoke and no fires. The sun was not turned to darkness, the moon did not turn to blood. The stars did not stop shining and there were no earthquakes  going on (Joel 2:10). 

This was a partial fulfillment of Joel and Isaiah's prophecies. When the Father tells Jesus Christ to return as conquering King then all the elements of that prophecy will be fulfilled and completed. 

There is a technical term for this phenomenon called "prophetic duality" which is a scholarly way of stating that a prophecy may have a partial fulfillment and a later complete fulfillment. 

The Abomination of Desolation 

Matthew 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 

Jesus referred to the concluding verses from the book of Daniel. What does the abomination of desolation mean? The word "abomination" means something that is vile, disgusting and filthy that all people will abhor. The word "desolation" means something that is destroyed, devastated and so horrible that it leaves a person speechless. 

This specific prophecy has had two partial fulfillments in history and is awaiting an ultimate and final fulfillment during the tribulation period. 

The first fulfillment of the abomination of desolation happened exactly as Daniel 11 described. That chapter foretold of the rise of Greco-Macedonian empire after the death of Alexander the Great. I would like to share a quote from a reliable reference because it explains this concept very well and shows us when and where it occurred in history.

"Daniel prophesied of an “abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31) within a long, detailed prophecy about the Greek kings who ruled over portions of the Greco-Macedonian empire after the death of Alexander the Great.

The kings of the North from Daniel 11:4-35 are known in history as rulers over the Seleucid Empire. They are named after one of Alexander’s generals, Seleucus I Nicator (approximately 358 to 281 B.C.), who emerged as one of the strongest generals after Alexander’s death. He ruled over a large swath of Alexander’s old empire that included the city of Babylon, Mesopotamia and central Asia (land generally to the north of Jerusalem).

Daniel’s prophecy of the “abomination of desolation” describes events that occurred in Jerusalem around 168/167 B.C. during the rule of the eighth Seleucid king, Antiochus IV. He is better known in history as Antiochus Epiphanes (Greek for “manifestation of god”).

Daniel’s prophecy described it this way: “Forces shall be mustered by him [Antiochus Epiphanes], and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (verse 31).

Antiochus Epiphanes was hostile to Jewish worship and attempted to Hellenize (or enforce the adoption of Greek culture and religion) the Jews in Judea. He outlawed all forms of Jewish worship and placed a Hellenized high priest over the temple who was sympathetic to his rule. He eventually outlawed practices like circumcision, the biblical dietary laws and Sabbath observance. While Antiochus was on a military campaign in Egypt in 168 B.C., a group of Jews revolted against the high priest that Antiochus had appointed and took control of Jerusalem. Antiochus returned to Jerusalem and violently put down the rebellion, killing thousands of Jews and selling others into slavery.

In 167 B.C. Antiochus erected a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the Jerusalem temple. He also ordered that swine, biblically unclean animals, be offered on the temple altar, desecrating the holy place (fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy). These acts were loathsome, abhorrent and detestable to the Jewish people and were the first fulfillment of the abomination of desolation."

A second partial fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy happened in A.D. 70 when Titus led the Roman armies to utterly destroy Jerusalem. They demolished and burned the temple building, looted all the gold, silver and brass obliterated the altar. This fulfilled what Jesus foretold in Matthew 24:2 that not one stone from Herod's marvelous temple would be left standing. They would all be thrown down and this is in fact, what the Roman army did. 

Jesus is speaking of that final abomination of desolation that will take place in the future at a time and day known only to the Father.

The Abomination of Desolation brings a time of great tribulation.

Matthew 24:16-22  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 

Jesus foretold what it will be like when the Jewish people in particular see this final abomination of desolation. He warns that they must flee to the mountains and not attempt to gather up possessions or goods. It will be a time when mothers will wish that they had not given birth during that moment. 

The desecration of the temple of God in Jerusalem will usher in a time of "great tribulation" unlike any other time in recorded history. Worse than World War 1 and World War 2. Yes, worse than those devastating global wars. It will be so terrible that all people will perish unless God intervenes. 

Matthew 24:23-26  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25) Behold, I have told you before. 26) Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 

Jesus warned His disciples again about false Christs and false prophets. The ultimate fulfillment of this will be that person called the anti-Christ. He will have a false prophet who will do great signs and wonders that could deceive the people of God. I am giving you only an overview at this point but there are numerous passages that describe the antichrist and the false prophet including Revelation, Daniel, 2 Thessalonians and 1 & 2 John. 

The Coming of Christ as King and Judge!

Matthew 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

The word "coming" means more than arriving or appearing. It has a very specific definition referring to the future, visible, physical return of Jesus Christ from heaven to raise the dead, hold the last judgment and formally set up the glorious kingdom of God! What will the return of Christ be like? Jesus compared it to a bolt of lightning emanating from the east to the west. 

Matthew 24:29-31  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun 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: 30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31  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.  

God will end the tribulation period by sending His Son, Jesus Christ (See Revelation 19-20) to put down the AntiChrist, the false prophet and Satan. As Joel's prophecy is fulfilled, Jesus described the heavens being shaken, the sun being darkened, the moonlight extinguished, and the sign of Christ returning to the earth. Jesus will return with the clouds of heaven, His perfect glory and overwhelming power. 

What follows is the great trumpet sound followed by the angels of Christ gathering His elect. The elect are the believing remnant of the Jewish people who endured to the end.

Thoughts to Ponder...

The partial and complete fulfillment of prophecy is an important principle of proper Bible interpretation. I hope that you find this helpful as we work through our studies together. 

In the End Times, the Jewish people will see a horrible desecration to the Temple of God in Jerusalem. This means (we will see this later on) that the Temple will be rebuilt at some point as the Jews re-establish their ceremonies under the law of Moses. Jesus warned them what to do when that time arrives. 

Following the abomination of desolation will be a period of indescribable tribulation as the AntiChrist declares himself to be God. We will speak more about this 7 year period in later lessons. 

Christ is going to return to end the tribulation period and He is going to set all things right. 

The very next prophetic event to be completed is the "rapture" or taking home of the church. This is the true church of God composed of all born again believers. It is not an organized church or a denominational affiliation. The Church is every man, woman and young person who has been regenerated by God's Spirit and placed into the worldwide body of believers in Christ by God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 12, Titus 3:4-6).

What does this mean for you and me? If you are not born again into the family of God, you will be left behind to go through that terrible 7 year tribulation period. Those who reject the gospel before Christ comes for His Church will be damned (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 2:1-12).

Therefore, I urge those who know in their heart that they are not born again and part of the family of God, to confess their sins to God, and turn in repentant faith to Jesus Christ for salvation.  Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Are you?

Romans 10:8-13  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

Second, believers have been called to live for the glory of God. We have been called to live a separated life by loving Christ, not loving the world. We are called to worship God in Spirit and in truth and to be His faithful witnesses. Are we ready to stand before the Lord of Glory and give an account of how we lived for Him?

May the Lord help us to see the eternal gravity of all these things. 

Bob