The Day of the Lord

Is a period of time when the Lord openly intervenes in the affairs of men—in judgment and blessing Joel 1:15 - “Alas for the day ! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.” *note that it is destruction and will be against the world, satan, wicked—not believers. See also 1 Thess 5:1-24; Isa 13:9-16

[outline and notes]

Overview (major milestones)

Rapture (catching away, harpazo)

Antichrist

The Scroll is Opened

7 Seal Judgments

7 Trumpet Judgments

7 Bowls of Wrath

The Return of Jesus

 

Letters to the Churches: Rev 1-3

Prior to Breaking of Seals: Rev 4

Interludes: Rev 7; 10-14; 16:13-16

 

Note

The ‘day’ of the Lord is a series of events not a 24 hour day

The Rapture is BEFORE the Tribulation Period

The Tribulation is 7 years followed by 1000 year kingdom (prophesied in the OT) aka 70th Week

The Tribulation is broken into two 3 1/2 year periods

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can’t race forward until Jesus permits it

Jesus returns to keep the world from destroying itself through war

The gospel goes worldwide, multitudes are saved, and the false religion is destroyed.

Jesus wins and the earth will be restored for the 1000 years.

 

Day of the Lord Summary

Is a period of time when the Lord openly intervenes in the affairs of men—in judgment and blessing Joel 1:15 - “Alas for the day ! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.” *note that it is destruction and will be against the world, satan, wicked not believers. See also 1 Thess 5:1-24; Isa 13:9-16

 

It has been prophesied extensively. See also by pastor mark -  Minor Prophets and the Tribulation followed by Millennial Kingdom.pages  and  Day of the Lord beginning.pages

 

BIG PICTURE: In short, it begins with the harpazo/translation of the church and terminates with the cleansing of the heavens and the earth before bringing into being the new heavens and the new earth.

1. Rapture/Harpazo 1 Thess 4:13-17
2. Fulfillment of Daniel’s 70th week Dan 9:27
3. The return of the Lord in glory to establish kingdom on earth Mt 24:29,30
4. destruction of the beast, the false prophet and their armies Rev 19:11-21
5. judgment of individual gentiles according to their treatment of Christ’s brethren, the jewish people (Zech 14:1-9; Mt 25:31-46) and the judgment of Israel (Eze 20:34-38).
6. the millennial reign of Christ on earth Rev 20:4-6
7. the satanic revolt and it’s judgment Rev 20:7-10
8. resurrection and final judgment of the wicked (not believers) Rev 20:11-15
9. destruction of the present earth and heaven by fire preparatory for the future day of God (2 Peter 3:10-12)
10. creation of the new heavens/earth Is 65:17-19; 66:22; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1

 

The Rapture

1 Cor 15:51-53; (1 Thess 4:14-17)  Rapture (catching away, harpazo, translation of the church)(our rapture not specifically part of Revelation) The word “rapture” is not used in the Bible.  The Bible uses  “caught up” or “gathered” “harpazzo” (Ezek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:2; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5).  The word primarily refers to the event wherein those who have died “in-Christ” will be resurrected and return with Jesus to meet those “in-Christ” who remain alive on Earth.  This reunion will take place in the air. (Rapture is not the Return, are 2 distinct events.)

 

If you don’t believe this happens before the 7 year tribulation, keep your mind open while we continue to study. 

 

Timing of Rapture Events overview

 

Jesus comes once for believers perfecting their salvation and not punishing them for sin (Hebrews 9:27-28), second time to wage war against all unrighteousness even having the blood of the evil who are slain on His robe, accompanied by armies ready to strike down nations and treading the wine press of the fierce wrath of God (Rev 19:11-16) just after God's 7 bowls of wrath are meted out (Rev 16) .

Pre-rapture/tribulation Believers do not go through the wrath of God (1 Thess 5:9; Rev 3:10; )

Length and time of Tribulation known as 70th week (Daniel 9:24,27) begins with the Man of Lawlessness confirming the covenant. The gathering or translation of the church or rapture has already happened by the period of the great tribulation as evidenced by Rev 7:14. The great tribulation is the final 1260 days or midway of the tribulation and is marked by the abomination of desolation in the temple  (Dan 9:27, Mt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:4) further supported by the requirement of all earth dwellers to receive the mark of the beast or be beheaded (not a test of faith that God would put believers through who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit prior to this moment) (Rev 13:16,17). This midway is also marked by the rapture of the two witnesses (Rev 11:3,12). This midway point is between the 6th and 7th trumpet (Rev 9:13-21) and (Rev 11:15-19).

 

Views of End Times

1. Amillennialists believe that God's promises regarding the end times are figurative and will not be literally fulfilled, particularly the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth.
   
   Amillennialism is the teaching that there is no literal 1000-year reign of Christ as referenced in Revelation 20. It sees the 1000-year period spoken of in Revelation 20 as figurative. Instead, it teaches that we are in the millennium now, and that at the return of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16-5:2) there will be the final judgment; and the heavens and the earth will then be destroyed and remade (2 Pet. 3:10). The Amillennial view is as old as the 
   
   
2. Postmillennialism which states that in the future the world will be converted, and we will usher in the kingdom of God.
   
   
3. Pre-millennialists believe that Jesus Christ will return to the earth prior to His literal reign on the earth for 1000 years.
   
   Three groups of pre-millennialists include the following:
   1. Post-tribulationists believe that the rapture will not occur until the end of the seven year tribulation, just prior to the beginning of the millennial kingdom.
   2. Mid-tribulationists believe that the rapture will occur three and one half years into the tribulation, at beginning of the three and one half year great tribulation.
   3. Pre-tribulationists believe that the rapture will occur prior to the seven year tribulation, but not necessarily immediately before the tribulation. [this view is the one we teach here]

 

Antichrist: Man of Lawlessness is Revealed

How do we know who he is and when he has arrived and the tribulation started? 

Apostasy must come first. Rapture must happen (1 Thess 4). If you don’t believe the rapture is prior to the tribulation and the antichrist you will see/experience him: The antichrist will be a world leader that announces he is greater than anyone, everything.  He will be seeking worship. He will not have power until the HS is taken out of the way. He will speak against God and persecute His people. He will be anti-Christian and anti-Semitic. He shall intend to change times and law (all the laws based upon the bible’s teachings). 

 

The scroll must be opened in heaven and the first seal judgment would confirm that the man of lawlessness has already been revealed. The first seal judgement is sending the antichrist to the earth.

 

There should be a temple for the Jews. This future temple is believed will be sited where the Dome of the Rock held by the Muslims is, or where the present Dome of the Tablets is. This is a gazebo just a couple hundred feet away from the mosque. The antichrist sees to it that the Jews are allowed to have this temple and reinstitute the temple sacrifice on this spot.

 

Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem

The Mosque of Omar is located in Jerusalem's Christian Quarter, directly adjacent to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was built in the 12th century by Muslim Caliph Umar ibn Al Khattab, who was offered to pray at the Holy Sepulchre Church but instead decided to construct his own mosque, avoiding religious confrontation between Christians and Muslims. The mosque's spire, built in the 19th century, is slightly taller than that of the nearby Holy Sepulchre Church.

 

Man of Lawlessness  2 Thess 2

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

 

At present [speculation] it seems we’ll know the identity by, his rise to world power in the EU Dan 9:26, will rise to power after the world is split into ten regions Dan 7:7,8,24, after rising to power in Europe he’ll take over the UN Dan 2:40-43, he’ll sign a covenant with many, promising to protect Israel for 7 years Dan 9:27. It seems that it is only likely to happen within the UN, possibly the EU. Where else can the antichrist convene many nations to sign an agreement relating to Israel?

 

Things are shaping up for the fulfillment of of the arrival of the antichrist. The UN is being transformed into a world government, they recently passed a resolution to divide up Israel’s land and give it away to her enemies, the Roman Empire is being revived in the form of the EU, the western nation Great Britain has left the EU (Britain is the only ‘western’ culture in the EU), Israel is back in their land, the quest for a peace treaty in the middle east is going strong, and preparations for rebuilding the temple are well under way.

 

 

Prince who is to come - Dan 9:26,27

Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”