Prophecy

A Timeline of End-Time Events

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Many people believe that the book of Revelation is a confusing book that cannot be understood. But notice what the book of Revelation says about itself, in Revelation 1:1-3:

Jesus Christ’s revelation, which God gave Him to show to His bondservants things which must happen in a short time. And He communicated it, sending it by His messenger to His bondservant John who reported God’s word and the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw, both the things that are and those that must happen after these. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, because the time is near!

In the book of Revelation, Jesus revealed the future to His servants. If you are a servant of Jesus Christ, you are supposed to understand this book! And, if you read this book, and respond to what you learn, Jesus Christ promises to bless you. So in this lesson you will open the book of Revelation and start to understand what Jesus has revealed to His servants.

A Word of Caution

Imagine you are a painter, standing in front of a painting of the end times. On your canvas, you have already painted a sequence of end-time events, as you understand them. But there are some white spaces that you haven’t painted yet. Those are the areas that you are unsure of.

As you study this lesson, you will want to add more details to your painting. Some of what you learn will fit into the empty spaces of your painting. But other things you learn won’t fit into your painting, so you will leave them out. When you are done, you will have a picture that might make sense to you, but it probably won’t match the Bible.

So please leave your painting alone. Don’t change a thing. Get a new canvas—a blank canvas that is completely white. Pretend you don’t know anything about end-time events. Just follow this lesson, and paint a new picture step-by-step as you read each scripture.

At the end of this lesson, you will have two pictures. One picture will be the picture I show you. The other picture will be your original picture. Once you have those two pictures, go back through the scriptures and see which picture matches the Bible.

An Outline of Events

First, I will provide a sequential outline of events, based primarily on the book of Revelation, Matthew 24, and the last chapters of Daniel. After that we will examine the scriptures to fill in some of the details of the outline.

The book of Revelation begins with chapter 1, which is an introduction to the book. Chapters 2 and 3 foretell the history of God’s Church until the end time. Then in chapter 4, John describes God’s throne in heaven. In chapter 5, God gives Jesus a scroll that reveals what will happen at the end of the age. In chapter 6, Jesus begins to open the seven seals of the scroll. The rest of the book of Revelation is mostly in sequential order, but a few chapters step out of the sequence in order to explain a series of events on a single topic.

As Jesus opens each of the seven seals on the scroll, things happen. After He opens the seventh seal, there are seven trumpets. After the seventh trumpet is blown, there are seven bowls (plagues) that are poured on the earth. At the end, Jesus Christ establishes the Kingdom of God and brings life and peace to the world.

Here is an outline of the main sequence of events:

The Four Horsemen / The Beginning of Sorrows

  • Seal 1: The Rise of False Christianity (Revelation 6:1, 2; Matthew 24:5)
  • Seal 2: War (Revelation 6:3, 4; Matthew 24:6, 7)
  • Seal 3: Famine (Revelation 6:5, 6; Matthew 24:7)
  • Seal 4: Death (Revelation 6:7, 8; Matthew 24:7)

During these four seals, the followers of Christ are persecuted, and some abandon their faith and betray their friends and family (Luke 21:12-15; Matthew 24:9-12). When Christ’s followers have finished preaching the Gospel to the whole world, “then the end will come” (Matthew 24:13, 14).

The End

  • Seal 5
    • War in heaven, Satan and the demons cast out (Revelation 12:7-12)
    • Intense persecution of true Christians (Revelation 6:9-11; 12:11, 13)
    • Christ’s followers are no longer able to preach the Gospel (Amos 8:11)
  • 45-day Period
    • The king of the South attacks the King of the North “at the time of the end” (Daniel 11:40)
    • The king of the North invades North Africa and the Middle East (Daniel 11:40-43)
    • Jerusalem is surrounded by armies (Daniel 11:41; Luke 21:20)
  • 30-day Period
    • The Abomination of Desolation is set up in the holy place (Matthew 24:15)
    • Some followers of Christ escape (Matthew 24:16-20; Revelation 3:10; 12:14)
    • The modern nations of Israel and Judah collapse in one month (Hosea 5:5, 7)
    • The King of the North goes out to destroy and annihilate many (Daniel 11:44; Leviticus 26:25, 26)
  • 3 ½-year Period (Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:14; 13:5)
    • The Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:4-7)
      • Two-thirds of Israelites die, one-third goes into captivity (Ezekiel 5; Leviticus 26:27-39)
      • Some people of every nation repent (Revelation 7:13, 14)
    • Immediately after the Great Tribulation
      • Seal 6: Heavenly Signs (Matthew 24:29; Revelation 6:12-17)
      • 144,000 Israelites sealed for protection (Revelation 7:3-8)
    • Seal 7: 7 Trumpet Plagues
      • Trumpet 1: 1/3 of the trees and grass are burned (Rev 8:7)
      • Trumpet 2: 1/3 of the seas become blood (Rev 8:8, 9)
      • Trumpet 3: 1/3 of the waters become bitter (Rev 8:10, 11)
      • Trumpet 4: 1/3 of the sky is darkened (Revelation 8:12, 13)
      • Trumpet 5: People are tortured for five months (Rev 9:1-12)
      • Trumpet 6: A 100-million-man army kills 1/3 of humanity (Rev 9:13-21, according to most Greek manuscripts)
      • Trumpet 7: Christ becomes King (Revelation 11:15)

Now remember, your purpose at the moment is to evaluate whether the outline above matches the Bible or not.

The Book of Daniel Gives the Timing

Most people today assume that the Tribulation lasts for seven years. The basis for this assumption is Daniel 9:27, which says:

And he will enforce an agreement with many for one week. In the middle of the week he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease, and on an edge, abominations making desolate; and until the complete destruction, and what is determined is poured out on the desolate.

This scripture indicates that someone will enforce an agreement that lasts for a week (seven days, meaning seven years). Many people assume that this agreement will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation. But that isn’t what the Bible says.

Notice that daily sacrifices are stopped in the middle of this seven-year period, and the abomination of desolation is set up at that time. Now read what Jesus said in Matthew 24:15-21:

“When, therefore, 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 run away to the mountains. … because then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.”

What Jesus said is clear. The Great Tribulation does not begin until after the abomination of desolation is set up in the middle of the 7-year period.

God revealed the exact timing of these end-time events to Daniel. Notice this sequence of events mentioned in Daniel:

  1. “At the time of the end” the King of the South attacks the King of the North (Daniel 11:40)
  2. The King of the North enters “the Glorious Land” (Israel/Palestine) (Daniel 11:40, 45)
  3. “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20)
  4. The Abomination of Desolation is set up in the middle of the seven-year period (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15)
  5. The Great Tribulation begins (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21)
  6. The faithful are resurrected at the return of Christ (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)

After Daniel saw a vision of all these things, he asked, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?” (Daniel 12:6)

The angel replied, “it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished” (Daniel 12:7).

The shortest time period is from the beginning of the Great Tribulation, to the completion of these events at the first resurrection. This will be “a time, times, and a half.” The book of Revelation shows us that 3 ½ times is equal to 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:14).

The angel also gave Daniel two more time periods in Daniel 12:11-12:

“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. Blessed is he who endures, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.”

The next verse shows when all three time periods end:

“But go you your way until the end; for you will rest, and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:13)

All three time periods will end the day that Daniel lives again in the first resurrection at the return of Christ.

Daniel 12:11 says sacrifices will stop and the abomination of desolation will be set up in the holy place exactly 1290 days before the first resurrection.

But what happens 1335 days before the first resurrection? Notice that Daniel 12:12 says, “blessed is he who endures… to the 1335 days.”

Now compare that with Matthew 24:13: “he who endures to the end will be saved.” The word endure in Matthew and the word endure in the Greek translation of Daniel are the same word. The 1335 days is when “the end” will begin. That is when the preaching of the Gospel will be complete, the fifth seal will be opened, and the King of the South will attack the King of the North.

To summarize:

  • “The end” begins 1335 days before the first resurrection
  • Sacrifices stop and the abomination of desolation is set up 1290 days before the first resurrection
  • The Great Tribulation begins 1260 days before the first resurrection

What Is the Great Tribulation?

Very few people understand what the Great Tribulation is about and how it is different from the Day of the Lord. But the Bible is very clear that these are two separate time periods, with two different purposes.

The Great Tribulation is not a time of trouble for the whole world. It is a time of trouble for Israel and Judah. Here is how Jesus described the Great Tribulation in Luke 21:23-24: “there will be great distress in the land, and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations.”

Notice also Jeremiah 30:7: “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he will be saved out of it.”

Here the Great Tribulation is called the time of Jacob’s trouble. Jacob is another name for Israel. You can be sure that the time of Jacob’s trouble is the Great Tribulation because it says there is no other time in history like it (Jeremiah 30:7). Daniel 12:1 says “there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.” Matthew 24:21 says, “then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.” Clearly these scriptures are all speaking of the exact same time period.

During the Great Tribulation, God will use “Babylon” to punish Israel for their sins.

We have already seen that the King of the North will enter the land of Israel (in the Middle East) at the time of the end. The King of the North is the king of “Babylon,” the end-time leader of Germany, Europe, and the world.

The King of the North will surround Jerusalem with his armies, and stop the daily sacrifices, and set up the abomination of desolation, 30 days before the Great Tribulation begins. At that point, the modern nations of Israel and Judah will fall.

Notice Hosea 5:5-6:

The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity. Judah also will stumble with them. They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Eternal; but they won’t find Him. He has withdrawn Himself from them.

Notice exactly what it says here. All the nations of Israel, including Ephraim, will stumble at the same time as Judah.

But, before they fail completely, they “go with their flocks and their herds to seek the Eternal.” They start giving animal sacrifices in Jerusalem, but God does not accept them. Then the sacrifices are stopped, 30 days before the Great Tribulation. In those 30 days Israel and Judah fail:

They are unfaithful to the Eternal; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now a month will devour them with their fields. (Hosea 5:7)

The king of the North will already have armies around Jerusalem. So during that month the king of the North will be able to take control of Judah (which is the nation called Israel in the Middle East). But what about the descendants of Israel in England, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden? What about the Israelites in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa?

When major powers like Russia and China see these nations collapsing, what will they do? They will see an opportunity to invade and take control of these territories.

Daniel 11:44 says this about the King of the North: “But news out of the east [Asia] and out of the north [Russia, north of Israel] will trouble him; and he will go out with great fury to destroy and to devote many to destruction.”

The King of the North will need to act quickly to gain control of as many territories as possible, before other countries like China and Russia move in. The armies of Europe will “go out with great fury to destroy and to devote many to destruction.” You have already learned that two-thirds of Israel will be destroyed, and one-third will go into captivity at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Ezekiel 5).

The one-third that goes into captivity will be sold as slaves around the world (Deuteronomy 28:64-68). The Great Tribulation is not a time of trouble for “Babylon.” It is a time of trouble for Israel. The Israelites who live in Northwestern Europe, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa will become slaves that work in factories and labor camps, as the Jews did during World War II. Revelation 18:12-17 describes the great prosperity of Babylon during the Great Tribulation, and confirms that Babylon will be buying and selling “the bodies and lives of men” (Revelation 18:13).

The Great Tribulation will last 2 ½ years. Then the Day of the Lord will begin.

What is the Day of the Lord?

Immediately after the Great Tribulation, there will be great signs in heaven, announcing the Day of the Lord. Compare the following scriptures:

Matthew 24:29 says:

But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the skies will be shaken

Joel 2:30-31 says:

I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Eternal comes.

Revelation 6:12-17 says:

I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come; and who is able to stand?

The Day of the Lord comes immediately after the Great Tribulation. During the Day of the Lord, God will punish all the non-Israelite nations of the earth for their pride and rebellion against Him (Isaiah 2:10-21; Obadiah 15; Malachi 4:1, 5).

The following scriptures show that the Day of the Lord will last one year:

  1. Isaiah 34:8: “For the Eternal has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”
  2. Isaiah 61:2 “to proclaim the year of the Eternal’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God”
  3. Isaiah 63:4 “For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.”

Notice that the Day of the Lord is also called “the year of the Eternal’s favor” and “the year of My redeemed.” While God punishes the nations during the Day of the Lord, Israel will turn to God (Deuteronomy 4:29-31). During this year, God will rescue Israel from slavery. God will bring them out of Babylon before Babylon is destroyed (Isaiah 51:6). God will gather Israel and Judah from all the places they have been scattered, and will bring them to the land of Israel in the Middle East (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Jeremiah 16:14-18; Ezekiel 20:33-44).

During the Day of the Lord, the seven trumpets in the book of Revelation will be blown (Zephaniah 1:14-16; Joel 2:1; Rev 8; 9; 11:15-19). When the last trumpet is blown, Jesus Christ becomes King (Revelation 11:15).

In the next lessons you will learn who God will protect during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord and what will happen after Christ becomes King.

Next Lesson: Will There Be a Rapture Before the Tribulation?

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