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PROPHECY  FOR TODAY!

Amazingly there are some today who teach that studying Biblical prophecy is not productive, they say it is unsuitable for young Christians who may become upset or confused by “all that.” GOD however does not share that opinion! He has said some wonderful things in His Word about the importance of knowing what is coming in His Plan:

WE saved ones are ALL a part of fulfilled prophecy:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”1 Corinthians 2:9:

We can’t be ready for the Return of Christ if we are not aware of the times 

we are living in right now.

Matthew 24:44:

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28:

To study Bible prophecy is a COMMAND from the Lord:

“Despise not prophesyings.” (1 Thess. 5:20).

This is NOT the soothsaying that passes for prophecy in many churches today! 

It is the Greek word “propheteia” meaning the speaking forth of the Mind and Word of God.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:”

(11 Peter 1: 19).

There is a very special blessing for everyone who studies prophecy:

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”(Revelation 1:3).

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

The Bible tells us in a number of places that Jesus Christ will come back WITH His redeemed saints from the earth. Obviously He must have taken them away into glory BEFORE this time - when Christ is revealed for the entire world to see! The Second Coming or “Advent” is in two stages, the RAPTURE then the REVELATION to the entire world. The Rapture must include ALL that are saved and are the Body of Christ, for there is a unity of the Body that cannot be broken. SEE 1 Cor. 12:12,13.

Jesus Christ will come again with His saints: 

Zech. 14:5; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 3:13; 1 Thess. 4:14; Jude 14. See Revelation 19:14.

Jesus Christ is coming again to execute judgment upon all, and convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. Jude 14:15.

Jesus Christ is coming again to render vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 11 Thess. 1:7-9.

Jesus Christ is coming again to slay the lawless one (Antichrist) with the breath of his mouth and to bring him to naught by the manifestation of His coming. He will destroy Antichrist just by His manifest glory. 11 Thess. 2:8.

There are many other reasons why Jesus is coming again, but the most wonderful one of all is seen in Isaiah 11:1,2,4,5,9. He is coming to establish a righteous reign that is universal, to bring Godliness to the earth. The Millennial reign of one thousand years.

The Rapture is a mystery, and it is in secret. 1 Thess. 4:15-17. 1 Cor. 15:51-57. See THE MORTAL in this last passage; this is THE LIVING, when Christ comes for them in the Rapture. Jesus Christ will come like a thief in the night, 

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”(1 Thess. 5:2-4).

But the Second Coming in revelation of His glory will be seen by all flesh (people) on earth. 

"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it]." Isaiah 40:5.

Have you heard that Christians are waiting for a revived Roman Empire to appear on the world stage? Well that revived empire is a Bible prophecy which is as clear as day! We are seeing the revived Roman empire already set up in the European Union right now. Nothing like this has ever happened before. It is a “peaceful” looking freewill union of countries, but it is in reality a tyrannical nightmare of a union from which there is now no escape for the members.

READ. Daniel 2:20-23.
DANIEL chapter 2 shows an image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream.

Head of gold – Babylonian empire;
Breast and arms of silver –
- Medes and Persians;
Belly and thighs of brass – Greek empire;
Legs of iron – Roman empire
(legs divided approximately 330 AD);
Feet part of iron and part of clay –
- the revived Roman empire.

In Daniel 2:44 we read that
“In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.” The “days of these kings” refers to the fourth kingdom, the Roman Empire.

Why ten regions of the revived Roman empire?
It is toes; they correspond to the ten horns of prophecy.

Daniel 7:7-8 – THE LITTLE HORN is the Antichrist.

Daniel 7:24-26 – ten kings and kingdoms in the revived Roman Empire.

Revelation 17:12 reveals that there will be ten kingdoms with ten kings.

“THE LITTLE HORN” will subdue three of the ten kings, leaving only seven.
He is the “prince that shall come” of Daniel 9:26,27; the “king” of Daniel 11:36-45; the “abomination” of Daniel 12:11; and Matthew 24:15; the “man of sin” in 11 Thessalonians 2:4-8; and the “beast” of Revelation 13:4-10.

He will be the head, or the president of the revived Roman empire.

The EU could have ten kingdoms eventually, or it may be ten Images REGIONS.

The United Nations has a ten regional system worked out for the entire world, and may soon move its operations to the headquarters of the revived Roman empire, the EU. The ten UN regions could work in with and syncretize with the EU regions. Many countries are now uniting into the regions they are involved with. China and the Asian countries, African nations, the Muslims countries, many unions are occurring across the world. 

The EU has announced that they want a new overall President for Europe by 2005-2006. He is to be Europe’s face in international affairs:

“France and Britain joined forces…to demand the creation of a powerful new president of the European Council… The goal is to give Europe a high-profile political leader, who would also serve as the European Union’s face in international affairs and take a key role in developing defense and foreign policies.” (EU Observer, May 16, 2002).

This is all sinister and terrible, but 

A GREAT STONE WILL BREAK ALL EARTHLY POWERS TO PIECES in the end.
This Stone is Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. 

READ Daniel 2:44,45.

1 Corinthians 15:23-25.

** LOOK AT DESPATCH magazine, June 2003.

SEVEN YEARS?

HOW DO WE KNOW THE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD IS IN SCRIPTURE?

READ Daniel 9:24-27.

The language is very clear; it refers to the nation of Israel. “thy people” of Daniel’s people. “thy holy city” or Jerusalem. The seventy sevens refer to seventy year weeks, or, 70 times 7 years – a period of 490 years. It is common in Scripture that a “week” may refer to a week year. 

Just as an example: Leviticus 25:8 and Genesis 29:27,28. 

Laban related to Jacob that he has to serve him for seven more years before he could have Rachel as his wife. He had to fulfill Leah’s “week” of years.

If we look at Daniel 9:25 we can see exactly when this seventy sevens commenced. It was at the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. In the book of Nehemiah we can read all about that. 

In chapter 2:1 we read about the month of Nisan (March or April). 

In verse 6 we read of the king granting Nehemiah the permission to return to Jerusalem and start rebuilding it. According to God’s Word in Daniel 9:25,26 this was when the first of the seven sevens commenced. The rebuilding of the walls in Jerusalem began in 445 BC.

After that the other sevens of sevens also went into fulfillment. The sequence continued right up to the time when the messiah was crucified, but without His Kingdom being set in place.In the year 70 AD the Roman army under General Titus destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple during that year. The nation of Israel was scattered across the entire world as a result. Thus the seventieth week could not come to fulfillment. 

(A prophetic or biblical year is 12 times 30 days = 360 days). 

It has all been calculated precisely by Sir Robert Andersen, a criminologist and Bible student, in his book, The Coming Prince. He worked out the precise number of days in the 69 sevens, or the week years (Ussher also did this). 

He counted the days onward from the 14th March 445 BC into the future, and came to the date 6 April 32 AD. Jesus Christ on that day entered Jerusalem on a donkey and was worshipped as KING! 

This was the only time He was acknowledged in that way by Israel – then He was rejected by His own and betrayed. 

READ Luke 19:38, then in verses 41,42 Jesus uttered this amazing cry 

note: He says “IN THY DAY”]:

“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least IN THIS THY DAY,
the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”

The Jews had forgotten the prophecy in Daniel! The 69^th week was fulfilled on that day.

There is a span of nearly two thousand years between the 69^th and the 70^th week, the Tribulation is that 70^th week of years. SEVEN YEARS. The last seven years is the Biblically prophesied time we read about in Matthew chapter 24.

How can we know about the three and a half years then?

The seven years is divided into two periods in Scripture. The last three and a half years is the Great Tribulation, being worse in horror than the first half of the seven. BUT, the first seven is still the Tribulation, and is very terrible as well. It is about a false peace under the Antichrist and His dreadful pretended good will!

READ:

Revelation 11:2; see verse 3. Revelation 13:5; Rev. 13:11. Revelation 12:6; Rev. 12:14. compare with Dan. 7:25; 12:7. ALL have to do with periods of three and a half years, the seven years of the Trib. divided into two halves.