Chapter 9 – Divine Judgment
The Tribulation a time of Jacob’s Trouble
“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.”[1]
One event will usher the time of Jacob’s trouble. This one event is when the antichrist will make a firm covenant with the many for seven years. Daniel was given the countdown to the end of the age. Amazingly this countdown started some almost 2500 years ago, when “in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”[2] a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem.
Daniel was given the most amazing of prophecies. And “from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem”[3] a countdown was started. Just picture how the space shuttle counts down for days leading up to the launch. This decree with was actually the forth decree to rebuild the temple but the first that to specify that Jerusalem “will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.”[4]
It was revealed to Daniel the most exact of prophecies, “that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.” Real simple here, from this until this, equals this. This is a basic math problem. The decree recorded in the 2nd chapter of Nehemiah according to Sir Robert Anderson[5] took place on March 14, 445 B.C. Multiply sixty-nine weeks and this prophecy reveals the exact day that Messiah would present Himself as King.
The tricky part of this calculation is that Jews had many different types of weeks. There is the normal week of days which we are all familiar with and it is one of “The LORD’S appointed times which… for six days work may be done; but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest.”[6] There is also something called “Feast of Weeks”[7] also known as Pentecost. The Lord commanded to count off seven weeks then the day after the seventh Sabbath was to be another appointed time to the Lord. There are also weeks of months, the seven month celebrating the High Holy Days of the Lord which include Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Booths. Lastly, there was a week of years, “during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD.”[8]
Daniel’s seventy weeks is calculated using not a week of days or week of weeks or even a week of months, but instead uses a week of years. The sixty nine weeks of years is then a total of 483 years, however there is one more important piece of information for our calculation to be exact. Throughout the Bible a year is calculated as being 360 days in length. So we need to multiply 483 years by 360 days which totals 173,880 days.
Sir Robert Anderson calculated this out more than one hundred years ago from the date of the decree to the date Messiah presented Himself as King. He arrived at the date of April 6, 32 A.D. or the 10th of Nissan on the Jewish calendar. This turns out to be Palm Sunday of 32 A.D. The exact day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt. As He rode into the city the people cried out, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”[9]
Pharisees in the multitude said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”[10] And Jesus answered and said, I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”[11] Nothing could stop the prophecy from God from being fulfilled, if need God would have the rocks cry out for Messiah the Prince. Then Jesus wept as He saw the city and said, “If you had known this day, the thing that brings you peace.”[12]
Had known what day? If they had known the 173,880th day from the issuing of the decree then calamity would not come upon them. Jesus then prophecies destruction over Jerusalem “because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”[13]
Then after sixty-nine weeks and with only one week left to be fulfilled until the return of our Lord the countdown was paused. Just like countdowns are paused on the Cape for the lift off of the space shuttle. Daniel’s prophesy continues “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.”[14]
Four days after the countdown was paused Jesus was cut off, crucified and killed. Then the people of the prince who is to come [another name for antichrist] will destroy Jerusalem. This was fulfilled some 38 years later in 70 A.D. We are still waiting for this prophetic countdown clock to start again.
A Covenant with many for one week
Daniel saw the countdown continuing when this future prince shall come; “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.”[15]
The the prince who is to come also known as the antichrist confirms a covenant or treaty with many for seven years. This may be some type of peace treaty based on what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:3; “When they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”[16]
Another reason one can foresee that this treaty may be a peace treaty is that the antichrist was foreshadowed by Antiochus Epiphanes who according to the first book of the Maccabees also came in peace. “He came to Jerusalem with an impressive force, and addressing them with what appeared to be peaceful words, he gained their confidence; then suddenly he fell on the city, dealing it a terrible blow, and destroying many of the people of Israel.”[17]
Just like the future antichrist, Antiochus the IV came in peace, and then sudden destruction came upon the city. Antiochus the IV went on to sacrifice a pig upon the holy alter and put a stop to holy sacrifice and offerings. Then Antiochus in 167 B.C. set up what is called the abomination of desolation.
Daniel prophesies this event almost 400 years in advance. Then another 200 years later, 600 years after Daniel first gave the prophecy, Jesus teaches in both Matthew and Mark, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”[18]
That which has been is that which will be
Daniel prophesies for fifteen verse about this character Antiochus Epiphanes, from Daniel chapter 11 verses 21-35, and in the midst of this prophesy, Daniel pens these words, “And forces from him [Antiochus the IV] will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.”[19] This was fulfilled in 167 B.C. and yet Jesus says 200 years later, when you see this at the end of the age, Head for the hills.
This passage has a double fulfillment; Fulfilled first by Antiochus Epiphanes then again in the future by the antichrist. The Bible says; “That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done.”[20] Those things that have already happened will the things which are to come to pass.
One of my favorite ways to illustrate this is with the parallels of the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations. I remember having a poster about this as a kid. But it proves, “that which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done.”
Lincoln and Kennedy were both elected 100 years apart 1860 and 1960. Both were killed by bullets that entered their heads from behind. Both were killed on a Friday. Lincoln was killed in the Ford Theater while Kennedy was shot in a Lincoln built by Ford Motor Company. Lincoln’s assassin was shot him at a theater and ran to a warehouse; while Kennedy’s assassin shot him from a warehouse and ran to a theater. Both Vice Presidents that succeeded them were named Johnson and each was a southern democrat who was former Senators. Both Johnson’s were born 100 years apart 1808 and 1908. Each assassin was known by three names, John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald. Both assassins have 15 letters in their names. Both assassins were murdered before they could be brought to trial. And Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who told him not to go to the theater, while Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who told him not to go to Dallas.
There are even more coincidences than these listed. But it goes to show that things that have been are the things which shall be. There are many types and shadows in the Bible of things that have happen that will happen again later. So when Jesus points us twice to this one event, the abomination of desolation, which has already been. He’s saying, “It will happen again” the same event, same spirit, but different characters.
Antiochus Epiphanes becomes our archetype of the antichrist. Just look at a few parallels; Antiochus came “by smooth words”[21] The antichrist is described as in Daniel as having “a mouth uttering great boasts.”[22] Antiochus was a powerful military leader and bringing quick destruction upon Jerusalem.[23] The antichrist is described as coming on a white horse, “conquering, and to conquer,”[24] after coming in the name of peace and when people “are saying, ‘Peace and Safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly.”[25]
Both Antiochus and the antichrist put a stop to daily sacrifices.[26] Both opposed Jewish objects of worship.[27] Anyone found worshipping the Jewish God was put to death.[28] Both spoke out against God making alterations to the laws.[29] Both attained great economic control.[30] Both come with false peace being very shrewd politicians as they attain power with a small force of people.[31]
Lastly both set up what has been called the abomination of desolation. Daniel prophesying, “in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.”[32] This middle event known as the abomination of desolation is so important that Jesus makes specific reference to it. It becomes the time marker for the midpoint of the tribulation.
2520 Days Divided by 2
The coming antichrist is going to confirm a covenant with many for seven years [one week of years]. On our calendars today including a leap year, seven years is 2557 days long. However, the bible is very specific about this time period being divided into 1260 days each. First, the Lord says, “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty day, clothed in sackcloth.”[33] Then once these two prophets are killed and the abomination of desolation is set up, the Jews are to flee “into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”[34]
Math being math, the tribulation is just 2520 days and not 2557 days. Just as Jesus prophesied when He said, “And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”[35]
God is very specific about the two halves of the tribulation referring to it as “times, time and half a time,”[36] a reference that means two years plus one year plus half a year or a total of three and a half years. Each half of the tribulation is also broken down into “forty-two months.”[37] As well as I have just shown it is broken down into 1260 days.
The tribulations two half are referred to by different names. The first half just referred to as tribulation,[38] while the second half of the Jesus calls great tribulation[39] making reference to this period after the abomination of desolation.
The First Half Tribulation
During the first half of the tribulation antichrist is revealed making a treaty or confirming a covenant with many for seven years. But something else very important is happening during the first forty-two months of the tribulation, and I am not talking about the seven seals and seven trumpet judgments. I am speaking of two witnesses in Jerusalem. John the revelator records;
“And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”[40]
The first thing these two witnesses do is oversee and measure out the temple of God. See the antichrist cannot put a stop to sacrifice and offering unless a temple is rebuilt. He can’t set up an idol in the Holy of Holies unless there is a third and final Jewish Temple built. Somehow this treaty for seven years allows for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple and the two witnesses are involved in the rebuilding.
These two witnesses then prophecy in the Holy city of Jerusalem for 42 months, they have been granted authority from God. John saw these two witnesses as olive trees and lampstands standing before the Lord of the whole earth. John wrote, “And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”[41]
Who are the two witnesses?
My studies of these two witnesses have gotten me to conclude that the two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah. Elijah is the easy one to decipher. The reason he is so easy is because Elijah shut the heavens for forty-two months when he was on earth, secondly the prophet Malachi prophesied the Lord saying, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.”[42] Lastly and most importantly Elijah along with Enoch never saw death, and the Bible says, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”[43]
It is really a tossup as for Moses and Enoch. Moses turned the water to blood and poured out the plagues of God on Egypt, which parallels what the two witnesses do in Revelation 11. However, John reveals in his revelation, “And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street.”[44] So because Moses has seen death once, I lean toward Enoch as the second witness. Besides Enoch, “prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all.”[45]
I think the reason most other scholars’ choice Moses as the second witness is because he was present on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus and the prophet Elijah. It makes sense that Elijah could have been present at that meeting as he would just need to come from heaven. He had a body. But for Moses to be present at the Mount of Transfiguration is much more difficult. Elijah could bring information directly from the throne room of God as he rode a chariote to heaven some nearly 1000 years earlier. But Moses did not have a body. He had died some 1500 years earlier and his body was buried in the Arabian Desert.
Moses spirit would have been trapped in Abraham’s Bosom waiting to be a part of the first fruits of the resurrection. Instead Luke records, “two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” Notice the text says two men were speaking with Jesus. Not one man and a spirit of another man. They are talking with the Messiah about what He is going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
So how is Moses there, well turn back to Exodus chapter 33 where Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!”[46] God declares, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”[47] Then the Lord says, “I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”[48]
The word My back is translated from the Hebrew word Achowr which can mean behind or back, but this same word also can mean hereafter or a time to come. Such as in the passages from Isaiah in 41:23 where it says, “Declare the things that are going to come [Achowr] afterward.”
So when Moses asked the Lord to see His Glory, the Lord covered Moses with His hand until He passed by and Moses saw into the hereafter or the time to come. Instantly Moses pierces the veil of time and space and sees the Glory of God, the Son. Moses then precedes with Elijah the things that are to come to pass in Jerusalem.
The argument for Moses to appear at the end of days with Elijah is weak based just on the Mount of Transfiguration. When we consider it is appointed for man once to die and then comes the judgment. A good saying is, “Born once, die twice; born twice, die one.” No one wants to see the second death which is the lake of fire.[49] The only insurance against the second death is to be born again.[50]
The only celebration upon the earth during the entire tribulation is going to be when the two prophets are killed by the beast [the antichrist]. Revelation 11:10-11 says;
“And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. And after the three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them.”
The two prophets are killed after they have prophesied for 1260 days.
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The Second Half Great Tribulation
This is the midpoint of the tribulation is the killing of the two prophets and the setting up of the abomination of desolation. Jesus taught regarding the end of the age and the sign of His return saying, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand).” This one event is so key that Jesus lays out specific instructions for the Jews who are in Judea.
These are His instructions; “Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath; for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.”
Jesus just says, “RUN! Don’t turn back just go!” The antichrist and the devil have one goal slaughter every living Jew on the planet. During the Holocaust in the seven years from 1939 to 1945 six million Jews lost their lives. That was one third of all the Jews that were on the planet where killed. Sadly, it will be even worse in the tribulation. This is why Jesus says, “Flee!”
Zechariah the prophet wrote about the tribulation and the killing of Jews during the final seven years before the return of the Lord; “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. And I will bring the third 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’.”[51]
Fully two-thirds of all the Jews on the planet will be killed by the evil shepherd during the tribulation. This is why Jesus commanded the Jews to understand and flee, not even returning into their home. Praying their flight not be on the Sabbath. Just run, sadly Antiochus Epiphanes caused, “Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there, taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle.”[52] Just like the antichrist in the future will cause the Jews to flee to the wilderness.
Then Antiochus brought a large detachment of his army “preparing to attack them on the Sabbath day.”[53] So as the Jews might not fight back. Jesus similarly warns, “Pray your flight no be in winter or on the Sabbath.” It appears by this and by the words of Jesus that the antichrist may end up doing the same thing in the future.
The Beast and Israel hidden within a Story
The thing which has been is that which shall be. Inside this story from the book of Daniel we will see a hidden parallel to the end of the age. Let’s closely examine a story from the third chapter of Daniel. Within this story we will see amazing parallel to the children of Israel, the beast whose number is 666, the seven year tribulation a time of Jacob’s trouble, and the church which has disappeared from the scene. The story begins in verse one where it says:
“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits.”[54] So we have an image that is sixty cubits high and 6 cubits wide this is a huge impressive image of gold. Nebuchadnezzar then call the seven types of rulers and assembles them for the dedication of the image.
“Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”[55] Please don’t miss this there are six types of instruments that are blown for an image that is 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. This is a prophetic picture of the beast described by John when he wrote; “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is six hundred and sixty-six.”[56]
The story in Daniel continues that when all the people heard the sound of the six instruments that all the people should go and worship the beast. “All the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”[57] Everyone had been ordered to worship this beast with the number sixty and six when six instruments played the parallel to the tribulation doesn’t get clearer than this.
The story of Daniel takes a turn, it says, “For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.”[58] Charges came from Chaldeans who are from the area of ancient Persia which is today Iran. The charges were that “the Jews” would not worship the beast whose number was 666. The charges came that certain Jews, namely three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego would not worship the golden image.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.”[59] The king then asks these Jews, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?”[60] The king then gives these three one last chance to worship the beast or be cast into a furnace of blazing fire. The king then says, “What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”[61]
Then in one of the great highlights of the entire Old Testament, we read; “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up”[62]
Then here is where the parallel is further seen to parallel the seven years of the tribulation. This is what is recorded in Daniel; “Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.”[63] The tribulation is compared to a furnace where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth and this furnace is heated seven times paralleling to the seven years of the tribulation.
The king then orders these three Jews bound and cast into the blazing furnace. Amazedly the men who worked for the king and had bound the Jews where actually consumed by the fire, “But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.”[64] The furnace was so hot it actually killed them men who bound and cast the three Jews into the fiery furnace.
But what happens next is even more amazing and further points to the parallels of the tribulation and the nation of Israel. The story in Daniel records, “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and waling about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”[65]
Who is this one walking around protecting the Jews from the furnace burning seven times hotter? It is one who looks like a Son of God, it is none other than Jesus! God says, “He will supernaturally protect Israel during the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Based on this passage it appears as if the Son of God Himself will walk through the fire with them.
Nebuchadnezzar is left uttering words of worship to the Lord saying; “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielding up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other go who is able to deliver in this way.”[66]
When the Lord returns after supernaturally saving Israel, no other gods shall ever be worshiped upon the earth. Those who trust in the Lord shall be saved.
The last parallel hidden within the story is that the beast was created to capture Daniel as the leaders knew that Daniel would never worship the beast, but somehow between the end of chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3, Daniel has up and disappeared which is a prophetic picture of the gathering together or rapture of the church.
The antichrist v the Christ
Shortly the church will disappear and those represented in the story of Daniel will take center stage. The antichrist will make a covenant with many for seven years, a covenant he will break because he is a liar. John saw the antichrist as a liar and wrote; “Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.”[67]
John clearly saw the one who would make the covenant with many for seven years. John wrote this about the spirit of antichrist; “By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist.”[68] The antichrist is the one who leads many against the true God.
Daniel saw the antichrist as a king who would exact himself higher than God. Daniel prophesied, “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. And he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.”[69]
Paul referred to this one who would exalt himself with no regard for any gods as the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition.[70] This is the same name Judas is referred to as by Jesus.[71] Why is this name given to him? Why is it given to antichrist? I believe the answer is hidden right in that passage from Daniel which say, “he will show no regard… for the desire of women.”[72]
What is the desire of women? Some have falsely said, “that antichrist will not desire women because he is a homosexual.” But when reading Bible prophesy we have to look with the eyes of God. The desire of women is none other than Messiah, “the seed of a woman.” After the fall in the Garden, the Lord cursed the serpent that beguiled Eve. And when He did the Lord pronounced this curse over the serpent saying:
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”[73] This is the first of more than 300 Messianic prophesies in the Old Testament and I think the most important of all those prophesies.
The word enmity in the Hebrew is Eybah which means hostility or hatred, but after studying about this battle between God and the serpent, hostility or hatred is not nearly a strong enough word. I think the best definition for enmity would be “cosmic battle”! It is a cosmic battle between the former cherubim angel ‘hallel’ translated in our English Bibles as Lucifer and the seed of the woman, the son of God, Jesus of Nazereth.
A Battle which began not in the garden but when the cherubim angel, Lucifer, Hallel in the Hebrew, said in his heart; “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”[74]
The same spirit that possesses the antichrist which entered Judas after the last supper (John 13:27), this same spirit longs to ascend and raise himself above God. Just look back at the temptation in the wilderness after Jesus was baptized. Matthew records, “Again, the devil took Him [Jesus] to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.”[75]
The devil showed the seed of the woman, Jesus, all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. What is the glory of a kingdom? It’s the people, the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their people and said, “All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
This is the description of Lucifer who was cast from heaven like lightning[76] given by the prophet Ezekiel, “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God…You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God.”[77]
The seed of the woman is the Son of God and the seed of the serpent are these sons of perdition. Remember Hell was not created for man, Jesus said to the goats, “those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”[78] This cosmic battle will end shortly. John prophesied the end of this battle like this:
“And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.”[79]
Ezekiel sees the end of the anointed cherub, Lucifer, like this; “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will be no more.”[80]
The false trinity
The tribulation represents the final battle between the true trinity The Father, Son and Holy Spirit vs. the false trinity of Satan, the Beast and the false prophet. Notice Satan gave authority to the beast, just as the Father gave authority to the Son.
“And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.” Revelation 13:2 … remember luke 4
To anoint the most holy place
Daniel was give special insight into the events that would lead to the final great battle, a battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the snake. Daniel prophesied over the Jewish people and their holy city, saying; “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.”[81]
Even though each half of the tribulation is divided into two hundred and sixty days, Daniel gives us a strange prophesy that seems somewhat unclear. He says, “and from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days.
“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him.”[82]
“I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”[83]
“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”[84]
[1] Daniel 9:27
[2] Nehemiah 2:1
[3] Daniel 9:25
[4] Daniel 9:25
[5] The Coming Prince by Robert Anderson (1894)
[6] Leviticus 23:2-3
[7] Exodus 34:22
[8] Leviticus 25:4
[9] Luke 19:38
[10] Luke 19:39
[11] Luke 19:40
[12] Luke 19:42 Emphasis Added
[13] Luke 19:44
[14] Daniel 9:26 Emphasis Added
[15] Daniel 9:27
[16] 1 Thessalonians 5:3
[17] 1 Maccabees 1:29-30 New Jerusalem Bible
[18] Matthew 24:15-16 (Abomination of Desolation is also mentioned in Mark 13:14)
[19] Daniel 11:31 Clarification Added
[20] Ecclesiastes 1:9
[21] Daniel 11:32
[22] Daniel 7:20
[23] Daniel 8:24 prophecy and its fulfillment in 1 Maccabees 1:31-32
[24] Revelation 6:2
[25] 1 Thessalonians 5:3
[26] 1 Maccabees 1:41-64; Daniel 9:27
[27] 1 Maccabees 1:41-64; 2 Thessalonians 2:4
[28] 1 Maccabees 1:41-64; Revelation 13:15
[29] Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-6
[30] Daniel 11:38, 43; Revelation 13:17
[31] Daniel 11:21, 23; Daniel 8:25; Revelation 13:7-8; Revelation 17:12-13, 17
[32] Daniel 9:27
[33] Revelation 11:3
[34] Revealtion 12:6
[35] Matthew 25:22
[36] Daniel 7:25, 12:7 and Revelation 12:14
[37] Revelation 11:2, 13:5
[38] Matthew 24:29
[39] Matthew 24:21, 15
[40] Revelation 11:1-3
[41] Revelation 11:4-6
[42] Malachi 4:5
[43] Hebrews 9:27
[44] Revelation 11:7-8
[45] Jude 1:14-15
[46] Exodus 33:18
[47] Exodus 33:20
[48] Exodus 33:22-23
[49] Revelation 20:14
[50] John 3:3
[51] Zechariah 13:8-9 Emphasis Added
[52] 1 Maccabees 2:29-30
[53] 1 Maccabees 2:31
[54] Daniel 3:1
[55] Daniel 3:4-6
[56] Revelation 13:18
[57] Daniel 3:7
[58] Daniel 3:8
[59] Daniel 3:13
[60] Daniel 3:14
[61] Daniel 3:15
[62] Daniel 3:16-18
[63] Daniel 3:19
[64] Daniel 3:23
[65] Daniel 3:24-25
[66] Daniel 3:28-29
[67] 1 John 2:22
[68] 1 John 4:2-3
[69] Daniel 11:36-37
[70] 2 Thessalonians 2:3
[71] John 17:12
[72] Daniel 11:37
[73] Genesis 3:15 Emphasis Added
[74] Isaiah 14:13-14
[75] Matthew 4:8-9
[76] Luke 10:18
[77] Ezekiel 28:12, 14-16
[78] Matthew 25:41
[79] Revelation 19:20-21
[80] Ezekiel 28:17-19
[81] Daniel 9:24 Emphasis Added
[82] John 5:43
[83] Hosea 5:15
[84] Hosea 6:1-3
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