Eschatology (4)

Isaiah 2:12, 13:6-9, Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3, Joel 1:15, 2:1, 2:11, 2:31; 3:14, Amos 5:18-20, Obadiah 15, Zephaniah 1:7, 1:14, Zechariah 14:1, Malachi 4:5, Acts 2:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Peter 3:10

Acts 2:20 ESV

the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

Joel 1:15 ESV

Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.

Isaiah 13:6–9 ESV

Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt. They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame. Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it.

Zephaniah 1:14–18 ESV

The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

In addition, the phrase that day or the great day (phrases that mean the same thing as Day of the Lord) occur more than 75 times in the Old Testament, giving evidence to its great importance in prophetic teaching.

**These passages reveal that the idea of judgment is paramount in all of them.

Events included in the Day of the Lord

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Matthew 24:36-44 - Events prior to 2nd Coming

Zechariah 14:1-4- Events of 2nd Coming

2 Peter 3:10- Events of Millennial Age

B. Day of Christ

(closely related term, which has brought some confusion)

Occurs in the Following Passages

1 Corinthians 1:8, 2 Corinthians 1:14, Philippians 1:6, 10, 2:16

Philippians 1:10 ESV

so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Philippians 2:16 ESV

holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

(incorrectly used in 2 Thess. 2:2 in KJV & ASV, putting “Day of Christ” instead of “Day of the Lord”)

The “Day of Christ” relates wholly to the reward and blessing of all saints at His coming, as “Day of the Lord” relates to judgment.”

It appears that two separate programs are in view when these two expressions are used although not two separate time areas. They can not be made to refer to the same event. In each case where “Day of Christ” is used, it is used specifically in reference to the expectation of the Church, her translation into heaven, her glorification, and examination for reward.

-Pentecost Things to Come pg. 232

The word “day” as used in Scripture is not necessarily a time word, but may be used for the events which fall within any period. Paul so uses it in 2 Corinthians 6:2, when he speaks of the “day of salvation.” Some, failing to see this, have felt that because Scripture mentions the “Day of the Lord” and the “Day of Christ” these two must come at different periods of time, usually saying that the “Day of Christ” refers to events of the tribulation period and the “Day of the Lord” refers to events related to the second advent and the millennium to follow. Certainly two different programs are in view in these “two” days, but they may fall within the same time area. Thus the two days may have the same beginning, even though two different programs are in view. It may be that in 1 Corinthians 1:8 reference is made to “the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ” to show that He is related to both of these days, being both “LORD and CHRIST” (Acts 2:36)

-Pentecost Things to Come pg 232

II. What It Is

A. Nature of the Tribulation

The nature/character of this period is that of...

Wrath (Zeph. 1:15, 18; 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9; Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19)

Judgment (Rev. 14:7; 15:4; 16:5, 7; 19:2)

Indignation (Is. 26:20-21; 34:1-3)

Trial (Rev. 3:10)

Trouble (Jer. 30:7; Zeph. 1:14-15; Dan. 12:1)

Destruction (Joel 1:15; 1 Thess. 5:3)

Darkness (Joel 2:2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14-18)

Desolation (Dan. 9:27; Zeph. 1:14-15)

Overturning (Is. 24:1-4, 19-21)

Punishment (Is. 24:20-21)

B. Source of the Tribulation

It’s important to note where the tribulation is coming from.

Because the post tribulation rapturist refuses to distinguish between the tribulations of this age, which the church will endure, and the unique and unprecedented period of tribulation which shall come on the earth, they insist that the rigors of the tribulation come only through agency of man or of Satan, but disassociate God from the period entirely.

- Pentecost Things to Come pg. 235

Quote from Alexander Reese (leading advocate and writer for post-tribulation thinking)

According to Darby and his followers, the Great Tribulation is the wrath of God against the Jewish people for their rejection of Christ. According to Scripture, it is the Devil’s wrath against the saints for their rejection of Antichrist, and adherence to Christ.

Let the reader once see the Scripture truth on this point, and the whole Darbyist case will be exposed as a campaign of assumptions, mis-statements, and sentiment.

-Reese The Approaching Advent of Christ pg. 284

The tribulation period will witness the wrath of Satan in his animosity against Israel (Rev. 12:12-17), and Satan’s puppet, the beast will show his animosity against the saints (Rev. 13:7). These do not cover all the wraths that will be poured out on that day!

Scripture abounds in asserting that this period is not, however, the wrath of men or even the wrath of Satan, but is certainly the wrath of God!!! God may use these agencies (men or even Satan himself) as channels for the execution of His will; but it is still the tribulation from God. (Is. 24:11; 26:21; Joel 1:15; Zeph. 1:18; Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:7,10,19; 15:4,7; 16:1,7,19; 19:1-2)

Revelation 6:16–17 ESV

calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Revelation 14:7 ESV

And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Revelation 19:1–2 ESV

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

This period differs from all preceding tribulation, not only in intensity, but also in the kind of tribulation, since it comes from God Himself.

John 17:15 ESV

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

1 Thessalonians 3:1–4 ESV

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 24:21 ESV

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

C. Purpose of the Tribulation

1. Prepare the nation Israel for her Messiah

*Being for Israel, can be seen in these verses

(Deut.4:30; Jer. 30:7; Ezek. 20:37; Dan. 12:1; Zech. 13:8-9; Matt. 24:9-26; Rev. 7:4-8; 12:1-2,17)

Jeremiah 30:7 ESV

Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.

Daniel 9:24–27 ESV

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

The tribulation is primarily Jewish. This fact is borne out by Old Testament Scriptures, by the Olivet Discourse of Crhsit, and by the book of Revelation itself. It concerns “Daniel’s people,” the coming of the “false messiah,” the preaching of the “gospel of the kingdom”, flight on the “sabbath,” the temple and the “holy place”, the land of Judea, the city of Jerusalem, the twelve “tribes of the children of Israel,” the “sons of Moses,” “signs” in the heavens, the “covenant” with the Beast, the “sanctuary,” the “sacrifice and the oblation” of the temple ritual - these all speak of Israel and prove that the tribulation is largely a time when God deals with His ancient people prior to their entrance into the promised kingdom.

The many Old Testament prophecies yet to be fulfilled for Israel further indicate a future time when God will deal with this nation (Deut. 30:1-6; Jer. 30:8-10; etc)

-Pentecost Things to Come pg. 237

*For future salvation of elect Israel, can be seen in these verses

(Ps. 79:1-13; 80:1-19; Is. 53:1-9; 59:20-21; 61:8-9; 64:1-12; Jer. 30:3-24; 31:31-40; 32:37-40; 50:4-5; Ezek. 11:19-20; 16:60-63; 34:25-26; 36:24-32; 37:21-28; Hosea 6:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Zech. 9:11; 12:10-13:9; Rom. 11:25-27, Rev. 7:1-8)

Romans 11:25–27 ESV

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

One of the major Divine purposes for the tribulation in relation to Israel is the conversion of the Jewish remnant to faith in Jesus as their Messiah. This will take place throughout the tribulation, but by the end of the seven-year period the entire number of Jewish people will become converted to Jesus. That number is likely a third of the Jewish people as noted in Zechariah 13:9, “And I will bring the thrid part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God’.” As part of the process of bringing the Jewish remnant to faith Zechariah 13:8 speaks of a purging out of the non-elect Jewish element from the nation. “‘And it will come about in all the land,’ declares the Lord’ that two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it’.” The Old Testament prophets speak frequently of the purging out of the Jewish non-elect during the tribulation.

- Thomas Ice, God’s Purpose for Israel During the Tribulation

*Israel must be converted to Messiah before Christ will return, can be seen in these verses

(Lev. 26:40-42; Jer. 3:11-18; Hosea 5:15; Zech. 12:10; Matt. 23:37-39; Acts 3:19-21)

Matthew 23:37–39 ESV

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

2. Pour out judgment on unbelieving man and nations

Revelation 3:10 ESV

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Jeremiah 25:32–33 ESV

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, disaster is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth! “And those pierced by the Lord on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.

Isaiah 26:21 ESV

For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.

*From these Scriptures, it is seen that God is judging the nations of the earth because of their godlessness. The nations of the earth been...

deceived by the false teaching of the harlot system (Rev. 14:8)

partaken of the “wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

followed the false prophet in the worship of the beast (Rev. 13:11-18).

blasphemed the name of God… and they repented not to give him glory (Rev. 16:9)

For this godlessness, the nations must be judged.

D. Time and Length of the Tribulation

1. Daniel’s seventy week prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27)

-Importance of this text

Establishes the literal method of interpretation of prophecy

Demonstrates the truth of Scripture

Supports that the church was a mystery not revealed in OT

Gives us the divine chronology of prophecy

(Revelation is simply an expansion of what was written in Daniel)

-Factors in Daniel’s prophecy

The entire prophecy has to do with Daniel’s “people”(Israel) and Daniel’s “city”(Jerusalem) (v.24)

Two different princes are mentioned: first is named Messiah the Prince (reference to Jesus)(v.25); the second is described as the Prince that shall come (reference to Anti-christ)(v.26)

The entire time-period is exactly specified as Seventy Weeks (v.24) Divided into three parts

The beginning of the whole period of Seventy Weeks is definitely fixed at “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” (v.25)

In the scriptures are contained several decrees that have to do with the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. 2 Chron. 36:22-23, Ezra 1:1-3, Ezra 6:3-8, Ezra 7:7. However, in all these, permission was granted for the rebuilding of the temple and nothing was said about the rebuilding of the city.

When we turn to the decree of Artaxeres, made in his twentieth year, recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-8, for the first time permission is granted to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

The date of Artaxerxes’s reign can be definitely ascertained - not from elaborate disquisitions by biblical commentators and prophetic writers, but by the united voice of secular historians and chronologers.

The Persian edict which restored the autonomy of Judah was issued in the Jewish month of Nisan. It may in fact have been dated back from the 1st of Nisan.... The seventy weeks are therefore to be computed from the 1st of Nisan B.C. 445

Now the great characteristic of the Jewish sacred year has remained unchanged ever since the memorable night when the equinoctial moon beamed down upon the huts of Israel in Egypt, bloodstained by the Paschal sacrifice; and there is neither doubt nor difficulty in fixing within narrow limits the Julian date of the 1st of Nisan in any year whatever. In B.C. 445 the new moon by which the Passover was regulated was on the 13th of March. Accordingly the 1st Nisan may be assigned to the 14th of March.

The end of the seven weeks and threescore and two weeks (69 weeks) will be marked by the appearance of Messiah as the “Prince” of Israel (v.25)

At a later time, “after the threescore and two weeks” which follows the first seven weeks (that is, after 69 weeks), Messiah the Prince will be “cut off,” and Jerusalem will again be destroyed by the people of another “prince” who is yet to come (v.26)

After these two important events, we come to the last, or Seventieth Week, the beginning of which will be marked by the establishment of a firm covenant or treaty between the Coming Prince and the Jewish nation for a period of “one week” (v.27)

In the “midst” of this Seventieth Week, evidently breaking his treaty, the coming prince will suddenly cause the Jewish sacrifice to cease and rain upon this people a time of wrath and desolation lasting to the “full end” of the Week (v.27)

With the full completion of the whole period of the Seventy Weeks, there will be ushered in a time of great and unparalleled blessings for the nation of Israel (v.24)

-These blessings include: finishing of the transgression, make a end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy (Jesus or the Holy of Holies).

-Meaning of the weeks

The Hebrew word is shabua, which means literally a “seven”. “Seventy sevens are determined.”

Obviously years are meant, for Daniel had been thinking of the years of the captivity in 9:2. Also 490 days is 16 months, 490 weeks is 9 1/2 years, both are too short a time frame to accommodate the events prophesied in this passage. Furthermore, weeks of days are so specified in 10:2-3, where the Hebrew adds “days”.

2. Sixty-nine weeks Explained

From Robert Anderson, The Coming Prince, pg. 121-23

From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks." An era therefore of sixty-nine "weeks," or 483 prophetic years reckoned from the 14th March, B.C. 445, should close with some event to satisfy the words, "unto the Messiah the Prince."

No student of the Gospel narrative can fail to see that the Lord's last visit to Jerusalem was not only in fact, but in the purpose of it, the crisis of His ministry . .• now the twofold testimony of His words and His works had been fully rendered, and His entry into the Holy City was to proclaim His Messiahship and to receive His doom. .• •

And the date of it can be ascertained. In accordance with the Jewish custom, the Lord went up to Jerusalem upon the 8th Nisan, "six days before the Passover." But as the 14th, on which the Paschal Supper was eaten, fell that year upon a Thursday, the 8th was the preceding Friday. He must have spent the Sabbath, there fore, at Bethany; and on the evening of the 9th, after the Sabbath had ended, the Supper took place in Martha's house. Upon the fol lowing day, the 10th Nisan, He entered Jerusalem as recorded in the Gospels.

The Julian date of that 10th Nisan was Sunday the 6th April, A.D. 32. What then was the length of the period intervening be tween the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the public advent of "Messiah the Prince,"-between the 14th March, B.C. 445, and the 6th April, A.D. 32? THE INTERVAL CONTAINED EXACTLY AND TO THE VERY DAY 173,880 DAYS, OR SEVEN TIMES SIXTY-NINE PROPHETIC YEARS OF 360 DAYS, the first sixty-nine weeks of Gabriel's prophecy.

Anderson arrives at his figures as follows:

The 1st Nisan in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes (the edict to rebuild Jerusalem) was 14th March, B.C. 445.

The 10th Nisan in Passion Week (Christ's entry into Jerusalem) was 6th April, AD. 32.

The intervening period was 476 years and 24 days (the days being reckoned inclusively, as required by the language of the prophecy, and in accordance with the Jewish practice).

But 476 x 365 = ·····················-··----··············· 173,740 days

Add (14 March to 6th April, both inclusive ···-········ 24 days

Add for leap years ···························-······················-··· 116 days

173,880 days

And 69 weeks of prophetic years of 360 days (or 69 x 7 x 360) = 173,880 days.

Thus Anderson shows us that the sixty-nine weeks began with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and terminated at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday of the week of the Lord’s death. Luke 19:42, spoken as Christ came into Jerusalem on that day is most significant:

Luke 19:42 ESV

saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

3. Beginning of the 70th week

Daniel 9:27 ESV

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 ESV

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Covenant made with the “prince that is to come”

Falling away

Man of sin revealed

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