READ THE FIG LEAVES
Signs of the Times
ALREADY HAPPENED and HAPPENING NOW
TOPIC 2—THE MESSIAH COMES
The First Coming—The Messiah
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” ISAIAH 7:14 I believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. LUKE 1:34-35 And that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. LUKE 2:11 He is the Word that became flesh and dwelt on this earth. JOHN 1:14 God loved us and gave his Son so that whoever believes in him should have eternal life. JOHN 3:16 He is the way—the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him. If we know him, we know the Father also. JOHN 14:6-7
All of the prophecies for the messiah were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The problem that most Jews had accepting Him as the messiah was that they did not confirm His identity through Scripture; but rather they had their own ideas about the characteristics that would be a part of ‘their’ messiah; but God gave the Jews what they needed—a Savior—not what they wanted—a militant military King. When they did not get what they wanted, they rejected and crucified the Son of God. JOHN 19:16-18 The Jews were looking for a deliverer to expel those who occupied their country and oppressed them; but God sent the Savior of the world to redeem them, and us, from sin and its debt. Some Jews believed the gospel and received the Holy Spirit. Then He poured out His Spirit on the Gentiles ACTS 10:45 so that all who believed “in Him” would be saved. Peter rebuked the Jewish people for rejecting the Messiah and then proclaimed that He was the only way to salvation.
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ACTS 3:13-15 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ACTS 4:11-12
The Sacrificial Lamb of God—Redemption is Purchased
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, EPHESIANS 1:7
Man cannot cease to sin of his own volition and resolution. Rules and laws do not help. The many need a redemptive Savior. It has always been God’s plan to redeem fallen—sinful man. The coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, was to take “…away the sin of the world…” JOHN 1:29 Man may view sin as a sickness, differing in each individual. God sees sin, as a transgression of His law—a pestilence completely affecting all mankind. Sin that he will, in the end time, purge from the earth. He will then destroy all evil in the lake of fire.
Abraham was willing to offer Isaac up to God; but he did not kill him. Instead, Abraham prophesied that God would provide for himself a lamb. GENESIS 22:8 Then, almost eighteen centuries later, John the Baptist identified the Lamb of God! He proclaimed Jesus as that Lamb: “…Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” JOHN 1:29 Through His blood we have redemption for our sins. HEBREWS 9:12 He died to pay a debt for our sins that we could not pay. He redeemed us. We have been justified by His blood; ROMANS 5:9 and we are sanctified through His blood. HEBREWS 13:12
Death and Resurrection
Jesus Christ died MATTHEW 27:50 and was buried MATTHEW 27:58-60 and then was resurrected on the third day. He lives! MATTHEW 28:6 John saw the Lamb in heaven. REVELATION 5:6 In Jesus Christ we have redemption through His blood. Salvation is in Christ alone. It was necessary that he die to redeem those who believe in Him. He will return to ‘catch away’ those who are “in Christ” and eagerly await Him; HEBREWS 9:28 but for those who have rejected Him, He will return to judge and punished all who did not believe in Him.
He Has All the Keys and Authority That He Needs
Jesus has all the keys that he needs—all authority! He can open all doors. He opens and no man shuts. He shuts and no man opens. John visited the throne room of heaven through an open door. REVELATION 4:1-2 In Revelation Jesus tells us that He also has the keys to Death and Hades REVELATION 1:18 and the key of David. REVELATION 3:7 He now has authority over death and the grave. And the Davidic Kingdom is now in His control.
We know death claims the body and that our spirit returns to God who gave it. ECCLESIASTES 12:7 Some have theorized that Hades is the temporary abode of the soul—others have decided that Sheol, Hades, and Hell, are synonymous. The Old Testament says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” PSALM 16:10 A New Testament quote of that scripture says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.” ACTS 2:27 So, at least, in these two verses Sheol and Hades are the same; but are the keys of Death and Hades keys to places or authority over beings?
Death and Hades as beings: “And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.” REVELATION 6:8 And, “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” REVELATION 20:14 It appears from these two scriptures that Death and Hades may be beings.
Death and Hades as places: “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.” REVELATION 20:13 This implies that since the sea is a place that gave up its dead, then Death and Hades are places that also gave up their dead.
We normally think of death as neither a place nor a being; but rather we think of it as the ending of life on this earth and as a transition from this life to our final destination.
Regardless of what our conclusions may be, Jesus Christ has defeated Death and Hades and now has authority over them; and He now holds the keys to Death and Hades. He defeated death when he rose on the third day after being crucified. He has authority over places and beings!
Further, He holds the Key to the house of David. “For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel.” JEREMIAH 33:17 Having the key to the house of David, he now has the authority to sit on the throne of David for the millennium and for all eternity in the New Jerusalem.
Seated at the Right Hand of the Power of God
Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew’s and Luke’s writings that they would see Him seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. MATTHEW 26:64 Although he was seen by Stephen standing at the right hand of God, ACTS 7:56 all will not physically see Him until He returns with the clouds. REVELATION 1:7
The right hand of the power of God is the place of the highest honor and authority possible. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” HEBREWS 1:3 He sits there as a priest forever PSALM 110:4 & HEBREWS 5:6 for the propitiation of our sins. I JOHN 2:2
He sits there until his enemies are his footstool. PSALM 110:1 And to shatter kings on the day of His wrath and execute judgment among the nations PSALM 110:5-6 The battles, then and now, are in heavenly places against the spiritual forces of evil. EPHESIANS 6:12 But He will return, to the physical realm, for the final battle on earth against the forces of evil. He will destroy them. REVELATION 19:11, 21 Then his enemies and the earth will be his footstool.
TOPIC 3—HISTORICAL EMPIRES and a FUTURE EMPIRE
Seven Empires
Revelation, chapter seventeen—verse ten says, “they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.” REVELATION 17:10 First, note the total of kings or kingdoms in this verse is seven—the number of completion. After this seventh kingdom there will not be any more kingdoms of this world. Before the time of John of Patmos, there had been five past empires that had impact on the Jewish people: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece. These are the five fallen kings in verse ten.
The “one is” is, of course, the empire of John’s day—the Roman Empire. Daniel writings cause many to believe that the Roman Empire is his fourth beast. DANIEL 7:7-8 In chapter two Daniel writes about a “divided kingdom.” DANIEL 2:41 The “other [that] has not yet come” is this final “divided kingdom” that has not yet come. It is ofter referred to as the Revived Roman Empire—the seventh empire. This empire will be taken over by the Antichrist at or near the mid-point of Tribulation.
Daniel saw four kingdoms. And he saw an additional end-time kingdom, that he referred to as a “divided kingdom,” for a total of five kingdoms. There are seven kingdoms mentioned in Revelation. Before Daniel’s time there had already been two kingdoms that oppressed the Israelites, Egypt and the Assyrians. The addition of these two kingdoms brings scripture in Daniel and scripture in Revelation into agreement—there are seven empires.
The seventh empire includes both the rules of the ten ‘horn’ kings and the rule of the Antichrist. The Antichrist is an eighth [empire] but the kingdom of the beast belongs to the seven. REVELATION 17:11 Note, John did not say the “seventh;” but rather the seven. The devil has controlled all six of those past empires and will control this last empire as well. These are those “…all kingdoms of the world…” LUKE 4:5 that the devil showed Jesus to tempt Him. Again, the totally demonic empire of the last three and one-half years of the Tribulation will be a part of the seven empires of the world—the last empire. He takes over the seventh; but it is only considered an eighth in that it is the devil’s last stand—totally his kingdom!
It is not totally clear from scripture how these ten horn kings will rise to power in the first stages of this last empire—The Revived Roman Empire. Although some scholars seem to believe kings translate to nations, that may not necessarily be so. It could be a ten nation confederation in the early beginnings. Later these ‘kings’ will become subservient kings’ REVELATION 17:13 much like King Herod in the Bible. We find he was a king within the Roman Empire. He was not a sovereign king over a sovereign nation—rather he was subservient to the Roman Caesar and ruled within the power and authority he was allowed.
We need to have some understanding of the ten horns on Daniel’s fourth beast, DANIEL 7:7 the great red dragon, the first beast rising out of the sea, and the scarlet beast. REVELATION 12:3 & 13:1 & 17:3 All have ten horns. They represent the ten kings that will be a part of the last empire—before the Antichrist has any major impact. Daniel’s fourth beast and the first beast in Revelation both arise out of the sea—masses of people. So we can see these last ten ‘horn’ kings will come from the masses of people—nations. People are also represented by the clay in Daniel’s “divided kingdom;” DANIEL 2:41 but these people, represented by the clay, are those people of the apostate church.
Throughout this study we will look at the elements and the catalysts that will produce this last empire. I may refer to it as a one-world government; but at least at the start of this empire there will be ten kings or ten leaders. So it may be referred to as the ten ‘horn’ kings or kingdoms. Regardless of the phraseology, it will eventually become a totally demonic empire that will be destroyed after the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Europe and the Old Roman Empire
In 1946 Winston Churchill is quoted as saying the answer to Europe’s peace and prosperity was a “United States of Europe.” [1] A foundation for a European Union was laid in 1948. A lot of people, ten kings equal ten nations proponents, got excited about the end-time and the coming of Jesus Christ when they saw the European Union come into existence. In 1957 a treaty was signed on Capitoline Hill, one of the seven famous hills of Rome. [These seven hills of Rome could be the seven heads or mountains that the great prostitute is seated on. REVELATION 17:9] The agreement was called the Treaty of Rome. Italy, France, and Germany joined the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium in the European Economic Community. Then in 1973 England, Ireland, and Denmark joined the European Economic Community. When Greece joined the European Economic Community, that made it a ten-nation confederation. A lot of people really got excited when the number of member nations became ten! Some still believe that the European Union is going to be the Revived Roman Empire although it is now a twenty-seven nation union. Those that followed the formation of the European Union thought this was the beginning of the end, it was not! [2]
Those countries in Europe that will be involved in end-time events are already accustomed to wars and changes. Recently, I started viewing a television series, “The World From Above,” that presents an aerial view of many of the European countries. Not only is their beauty presented, the scars from the many wars and conflicts are pointed out as well. In the United States ‘old’ is three hundred years; but in Europe there are many buildings still in use that are more than one-thousand years old. And there are many battle scars that are much older. These include many sites of ruins from the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire in Jesus’ day covered most European countries and territories in addition to costal northern Africa, the Balkans, Asia Minor, and some parts of Mesopotamia and the Middle East.
Although the Roman Empire was divided in the fourth century AD into Eastern and Western empires, some Bible scholars believe the “divided kingdom” of Daniel will be an end-time revival of this old Roman Empire. This empire will be primarily composed of the ten ‘horn’ kings or kingdoms from Daniel’s prophecy and those prophecies of John in Revelation; but the whole world will be affected and all nations will probably be subjective, to some degree, to those end-time kingdoms.
While being careful to avoid overlooking any signs of the end of time, we should especially consider signs in all of those countries in Europe and other places that will be at or near the center of end-time events. A look at those countries will show that, like the United States, they too are marching toward a one-world government and the last kingdom. A closer look may reveal the early beginnings of the revived Roman Empire.
All of the prophecies of end-time kingdoms say ten horns or ten kings—not nations. Kings seem to imply a nation or kingdom for most people. Kings do have kingdoms—areas of control or influence; but they may not be nations. The ten ‘horn’ kings or kingdoms could be a division of the world into ten districts with a ruler or king over each. While it is not yet clear how the ten kings or kingdoms of the end-times come to power, the “divided kingdom” of Daniel will be a revived Roman Empire. [We should be watching the signs of the time for the formation of this empire—read the fig leaves!] It becomes the kingdom of the Antichrist when he assumes full control. It may be more like the Holy Roman Empire than the old Roman Empire, at least at the beginning. Regardless, the last one-half of this Revived Roman Empire will be the last kingdom on earth that is ruled by man. After Armageddon and after the seventh trumpet sounds the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ REVELATION 11:15 and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron for a thousand years!
There have been some one-thousand year empires. Historians say the original Roman Empire lasted for more than a thousand years; but they cannot totally agree on an exact start or finish of this empire. The Holy Roman Empire lasted for ten centuries. Hitler, in my lifetime, started a regime he said would last a thousand years. It did not. Those kingdoms that did last a thousand years, or more, never ruled the entire world and they had many different rulers. Nation by nation was conquered by those rulers to build those empires; but the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ will be the only kingdom ever to rule all nations from start to finish, with a rod of iron, for one thousand years! It will also have only one ruler—no other empire could ever make that claim.
Holy Roman Empire
There has already been a revival of the Roman Empire known as the Holy Roman Empire that lasted for ten centuries. [1,000 years] Its first emperor, Charlemagne, was crowned by Pope Leo III. This empire had great Roman Catholic Church control. It was a feudal monarchy with subservient kings. It encompassed much of Europe and the Slovak Republics. The kingdoms of the ten ‘horn’ kings will contain most, if not all, of these same countries. The emperor’s role was to enforce doctrine, root out heresy, and uphold ecclesiastical unity—all the things the Catholic Church needed. The Church [Catholic] and the emperor were closely connected and, again, there was major control by the Catholic Church. I do not believe this Holy Roman Empire is the one Daniel speaks about as a “divided kingdom,” although it could closely resemble it!
For almost three hundred years during the Holy Roman Empire, the Crusades, religious wars sometimes directed by the Catholic Church, were fought to protect the Holy lands and to curtail the expansion of Islam. In some cases they fought to take back lands the Islamists had taken in previous wars. It was a fight, to some extent, of the Catholic Church against Muslims; but since the Second Vatican Council [1962-1965] the Catholic Church has sought to repair the breech between Catholicism and Muslims, in fact between themselves and all religions. So it is possible it will only be a matter of time before there may be some kind of consensus on a one world church. This excludes, of course, the one true Church—the Bride of Christ—and the Jews in Israel.
A study of the Holy Roman Empire [962-1806] and its wars and the Vatican Councils in recent years is frightening. The actions by the Catholic Church and by the those who want peace at any cost will only increase as things continually get worse. The desire to be agreeable about religion and to be at peace at any price will be one of the catalysts for the formation of this last empire—the “Revived Roman Empire—the divided kingdom” of the book of Daniel; but still undetermined is the exact process that must happen to get us to the formation of that last empire. [3]
We can look at some recent and current events and see some direction for ourselves. There are three that come to mind, (1) The United Nations—could be a forerunner of a one world government. (2) The move toward a global economy, banking and currency, that is happening now would be necessary for a one world government. (3) There is a move toward one church—the Vatican Councils—the governments of the world push for religious tolerance—and their removal of God from everything, will make way for a one world church and a global government that is Christ-less. We need to ‘read the fig leaves!’
TOPIC 4—RECENT HISTORY—PROPHECY FULFILLED
Restoration of Israel as a Nation
Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. ISAIAH 66:7-8
Just as scripture had foretold—After the German holocaust and the Second World War, Jewish people from all over the world started returning to their native homeland, Israel, and were able to re-establish it as their home state. The state of Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. David Ben-Gurion, head of the World Zionist Organization, made the declaration of the establishment of the Jewish State. Then on May 11, 1949 a majority of UN members voted to recognize the de facto existing state of Israel. Israel was then a nation. It is the only nation ever ‘birthed’ in a day! [1] [2]
Return of Israelites to Israel
then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. DEUTERONOMY 30:3-5
Although there are still many Jews who have not yet returned, Jews continue to immigrate to Israel. According to The Jerusalem Post published September 25, 2022, in the Hebrew calendar year of 5782 sixty-thousand immigrants arrived in Israel from several countries around the world. The highest number, twenty-six thousand came from Russia. Returning Jews may receive citizenship under the “Law of Return.” Today there are a little more than seven millions Jews in Israel. That population is expected to more than double by the year 2065.
With a global Jewish population of over fifteen million, that number is still about one million less than their population was before the holocaust!
They Will Never Be Dispersed Again
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God. AMOS 9:14-15
The Psalm 83 War—The Six Day War of 1967
For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant. PSALM 83:2-5
In any Middle Eastern war, and rumors of war, it is extremely hard to untangle all of the causes and effects. Facts are elusive and issues are deliberately clouded. Root causes predate modern times. There is no end to accusations and blame. The Arab world would like the rest of the world to believe Israel was the aggressor in the Six Day War of 1967; but the facts are that acts of aggression by Egypt, in particular, were the provocation for Israel’s preemptive attack on Egypt and the start of six days of war!
Egypt’s acts of aggression include: (1) the blockade of the Strait of Tiran, which prevented access to Israel’s southern port of Eilat and the failure of the international community to break that blockade. (2) The expulsion of UN peacekeepers from the Sinai Peninsula—and the amassing of Egyptian forces on the Sinai Peninsula after the UN was expelled. (3) Moving them toward Israel’s border was the final agitation. Further, for years Egypt had illegally blocked Israeli use of the Suez Canal and Jordan had illegally occupied the West Bank.
When it seemed that war with Egypt would be inevitable, Israel notified Jordan through UN diplomatic channels that it should stay out of the war. It stated simply: “We shall not attack any country unless it opens war on us;” but in response to the Israeli attack on the Egyptian Air Force, Jordanian forces launched an offensive into Israel. They were soon driven back as the Israeli forces counterattacked into the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem. Had Jordan heeded Israel's message of peace and remained neutral in the conflict, then Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank would have remained in Jordan's possession.
In the Six Day War of 1967 Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. Israel has been allowed to keep some of these territories. The Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982 as a result of the Israel—Egypt peace treaty; but disputes continue over all captured territories not voluntarily returned since the war or returned through negotiation.
When the Jewish people re-captured the city of Jerusalem in the Six Day War in 1967, they had initially taken control of the Temple Mount, but they gave control back to the Muslims for political reasons. [Still not sure why they did this.] The Muslim Mosque on the site called the Dome of the Rock is still under Muslim control today.
Arabs would like the world to believe that in 1967, Israel simply woke-up one morning and invaded them. Few if any deny that Jordan attacked Israel first; but Israel’s neighbors “consider” themselves as one against Israel. Seeking solutions or assigning responsibilities becomes more difficult because they collude to cloud the issues. Israel’s enemies and critics continue to ignore the facts, as they are still blaming Israel for ‘starting’ the 1967 war. Israel did attack Egypt first, but only after the belligerent actions of Egypt made war unavoidable.
Although a charge of aggression was vehemently made against Israel in relation to the Six-Day War, the fact remains that the two attempts made in the General Assembly [of the U.N.] in June-July 1967 failed to condemn Israel as the aggressor. A clear and distinctive majority of the members of the U.N. voted against the proposition that Israel was an aggressor despite the most intense efforts by the Arab States and their supporters, led by the Premier of the Soviet Union.
Those who believe the Israelis are God’s chosen people have no trouble seeing the hand of God’s favor toward Israel in this war. Greatly outnumbered in men and machines, Israel’s sweeping victory against seemingly insurmountable opposition was nothing less than a victory by the hand of God. In an impressive predawn strike, Israel destroyed the Arab Air Force. More than 400 aircraft were lost by Egypt. Without air support the Arabs had no chance of winning! With clear skies over the desert, Israeli aircraft soon neutered the ground force threat. Arab losses have been estimated at just under twenty-thousand men while Israel lost less than one thousand. Israel not only defended its borders, it acquired new territory.
Many small and great miracles that happened during this short war have been cited. The following are but a few of the major assists from God: Jordan was unable to warn Egypt of the air attack on them because of a code change. The destruction of Egypt’s air cover left Egypt’s ground troops exposed and surprised. There was much confusion and dismay among Egypt’s troops on the second day—Egypt destroyed its own equipment and fled in many cases.
More than once in the Old Testament in wars against Israel, they never fought because God had their enemy turn on themselves and flee. In Gideon’s battle in the Old Testament “…the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled…” JUDGES 7:22 Egypt’s destruction of their own Russian made equipment and their hasty retreat appears to be a modern day battle of Gideon! [3]
Egypt was “…like chaff before the wind.” And they were terrified with Israel’s “hurricane.” Israel filled their enemies’ faces with shame. PSALM 83:13-16 The rest of the Psalm 83 prayer may yet be fulfilled! “…that they may seek your name, O Lord. Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” PSALM 83:16-18 They shall never again be uprooted; and victory is assured for them. “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.” ZECHARIAH 12:6
To explore all sides of the 1967 Six Day War and to classify each input as fact or fiction and then reach a viable analysis of the data would demand volumes of data and probably eventually be deemed impossible. Verses two and three say Israel’s enemies make an uproar and lay crafty plans against them and consult with one another. PSALM 83:2-3 It is obvious from the way the events took place that Egypt, Jordan and Syria had consulted with one another and had laid what they considered were “crafty” plans. Verse four says “…come, let us wipe them out as a nation…” PSALM 83:4 For more than ten years before the Six Day War Egypt’s President Nassar had said in every diplomatic way possible that Israel had to be “wiped” out as a nation. This is a very short argument; but, yes, this may well be the Psalm 83 war. But the Yom Kippur war of 1973 also had some of the elements of the Psalm 83 war.
The 1973 Yom Kippur War
Israel was again at war in 1973. The war lasted from October 6th to October 25th of 1973. Again, Israel enemies were a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. It is obvious that they did not learn from their 1967 experience. The majority of the fighting between the two sides took place on the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. Israel was still greatly outnumbered by Egypt and Syria and their coalition; but Israel won this war too!
The attack was launched on Israel on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The fighting started when Egypt and Syria crossed cease fire lines of the 1967 war. Israel’s enemies experienced humiliation in the lopsided rout of their forces again; for God gave Israel another resounding victory. An overview of men and equipment lost by both sides shows the totality of Israel’s victory. However, it is unlikely Israel’s enemies have learned a useful lesson yet. They will, in the end-time, try to destroy Israel with another partner, Russia. Russia has been an outspoken enemy of Israel for a long time. They have supported the Arabs in their wars against Israel with equipment and other helps; but they will soon become a visible and viable participant in these wars. They will be involved in the two Gog and Magog wars. In both of those wars, Israel’s enemies will once again be soundly defeated. [4]
PART 2 HAPPENING NOW—CONTINUES INTO THE FUTURE
Prologue
There are so many end-time things happening in our world today that it is impossible for any individual to keep abreast of developments. Signs of the times are everywhere; but today’s news is tomorrow’s history. So I will write about things in this Part 2 that are happening now and that will certainly continue into the future.
In addition to the wars and rumors of wars, the riders from the first four seals in Revelation, and the beginnings of a one-world government of the end-times, mankind continues to fight spiritual wars that began in the Garden of Eden. While those things visible seem to cause most of the problems in the world, the unseen encapsulates the root causes and reasons for those problems; but these wars will continue to be spiritual and in the heavenly places until the rule of the Antichrist. When the great red dragon is thrown down from heaven by the Archangel, Michael, then the spiritual wars will become physical and on the earth; and it will not end until Satan’s final destruction. Jesus is coming soon! Then those spiritual wars will be over.
Read Matthew chapter twenty-four and become conscious of what is happening in our world today. We must learn to read the signs of the times—‘read the fig leaves.’ Then compare current events with Bible prophecy. Correctly making those comparisons should help us to understand that the end of time is near.
We are now in the beginning of the ‘birth pains’ that Jesus spoke about. MATTHEW 24:8 In addition to the wars and rumors of wars and the riders from the first four seals in Revelation chapter six, we now have the beginnings of an end-time one-world government. A worsening of world conditions are a prelude to the government by the Antichrist.
TOPIC 5—SPIRITUAL WARS
The Forces We Battle Today
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. EPHESIANS 6:13
These are the forces we battle today—“…against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil…” EPHESIANS 6:12 Daniel prophesied, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” DANIEL 12:1 John sees the beginning of that deliverance: “… war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.” REVELATION 12:7-8 So Satan was thrown down to earth REVELATION 12:9 where Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet him. Once more he will make the earth tremble, shake kingdoms, make the world like a desert and overthrow its cities before he is destroyed. ISAIAH 14:16-17 “…But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” REVELATION 12:12
Spiritual War in Heavenly Places
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. EPHESIANS 6:12
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, II CORINTHIANS 10:3-5
We cannot see Jesus Christ in the natural and we cannot see the devil in the natural; but we can see and know the effect Jesus has on this world and in the spiritual war in heavenly places. We see in the natural the effects of the devil’s victories on earth. All sin is a victory for the devil. There is no sin in heaven since the devil’s fall. So he has no victories in heaven—and he never did have a victory in heaven. The heavenly places referred to in Ephesians chapter six and verse twelve refers to the second heaven where he is the accuser of the brethren and the earth’s atmosphere where he is the prince of the air. Soon he will be thrown from the second heaven by the Archangel Michael and then later purged from earth’s atmosphere by God’s wrath. Until then, spiritual war is in the heavenly places.
War on Earth Against Evil
My pastor, Doctor Jack Hester, in a sermon on the end-times, said, “Our battle on earth is spiritual, not physical. God’s battle on earth [in the End-Time] is physical, not spiritual.” Spiritual wars in heavenly places will become physical wars on earth when the Archangel Michael throws Satan down to earth. Although Satan will continue his war in the first heaven—earth’s atmosphere, the physical war against evil will begin in earnest on earth.
As will be seen in a future chapter, the devil will incarnate a man, the Antichrist, and for the last three and one-half years of Tribulation, The Great Tribulation, all wars with the devil will be physical and on the earth. At Armageddon the devil will once again seek to destroy Jesus Christ. This battle will end with the Antichrist and his false prophet being thrown into the lake of fire. Then God will send an ordinary angel with a big chain to bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit. The army that has assembled will be destroyed with the Word from the mouth of Jesus Christ. Evil will be removed from the heavens and from the earth.
Many Antichrists—In the World Already
And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. MARK 13:21-23
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. I JOHN 2:18 [NKJV]
In his discourse, in Mark, Jesus warned his disciples that there would be antichrists. They were told to “be on guard.” Then John says—note the wording—“…as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming…” and that “…even now many antichrists have come…” I JOHN 2:18 [NKJV] John is reminding his readers that the [capital A] Antichrist ‘is’ coming; but many antichrists [plural, little ‘a’] have come and are still here. The antichrists started while Jesus Christ was on the earth; for all who opposed or denied Him then and those who oppose or deny now or in the future are antichrists. So we should beware of antichrists that are here in our day. And we should be vigilant in looking for signs of the emergence of the Antichrist!
Power of Antichrists Increasing
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. I JOHN 4:3
John is the only writer, in the Bible, who used the word antichrist; but all of the Apostles warned the early church in differing ways that there were already antichrists in the world. Even then there were false prophets perverting the Word of God. From the beginning there has been deception. That is what the serpent did in the Garden. He deceived Eve by making his word sound a lot like God’s Word—with only a slight variation. Thus meaning something very different. Deception is everywhere. In the Old Testament, there were people who were against God; but there were no antichrists. After the Law was given, many “sects” eventually formed. At a later date these became some of the first antichrists; for they vigorously opposed Jesus Christ.
Then centuries later the Catholic Church came into being. To chronicle all the ways they have been antichrist, and the ways they have deceived people, and perverted the gospel would take volume of books. They have interfered with individual relationships with God since their inception. It took centuries of religious domination before people began to break away from the Catholic Church. For personal religious freedom, it was necessary that Protestants leave the Catholic Church; but then the Protestants divided themselves into an unbelievable number of denominations and kept many of the idols and doctrines of the Catholic Church. While antichrists have attempted to pervert truth with false doctrines in some churches, that is not the only place that antichrists have been at work perverting truth.
In our time Satan , father of all antichrists, has the formidable weapon of mass media. Now false prophets are able to exponentially spread their false ‘truths.’ Antichrists have opposed truth on many fronts, including in our governments. In my lifetime I have seen governmental campaigns to remove God from public speech, public places, public schools—from all public entities. The effect has been to add to the deception with the intent of silencing truth. That is the work of antichrists.
In the place of God and his plan, government, with the help of mass media started promoting evolution, humanism, and religious tolerance. Doctrines of evolution attempt to destroy the truth of creation by a divine and intelligent Creator. Humanism teaches man to put himself first instead of God. Religious tolerance is the false doctrine that there is more than one way to God. While the proponents of religious tolerance believe that doctrine is a way to peace among religions, the controversies that have resulted, because some radical religions claim to be the ‘only way,’ have caused chaos and terrorism in many places. All of these doctrines are “anti Christ.”
Again, God is truth. Satan is a liar. The thing most often used by antichrists is deception. As most know, deception usually is not a blatant lie; but deception causes one be deceived and to believe a lie. Deception is a part of Satan’s character. The Antichrist will make deceit prosper. DANIEL 8:25 As deception increases, chaos, confusion and calamity will also increase—and so will the power of the antichrist. Never at anytime in history has there been so many discordant sounds.
The political news media of the world is carefully deliberate in its deceptions! It no longer reports the unbiased news. News organizations, news commentators, and reporters distort and spin their perceived truth until it is no longer resembles the facts or truth. Political commentaries have always been a ‘spin.’ Now the ‘spin’ has infected the reporting as well. Your choice of a political party or politician is usually a choice of who, one thinks, lies less. You can pick a political party by choosing a news network with party biases.
False doctrines of humanism, evolution, tolerance and selective racism are now widely accepted because of governmental pressures and influences and the distribution of collaborative rhetoric by the news media to promote these doctrines. Politicians, news commentators, secular educators and others in positions of power seem to be totally convinced that many wrongs are now alright. They no longer find it necessary to disguise their false doctrines. In fact, they no longer even attempt to hide their blatant lies.
To make sure nothing is missed, they now consider themselves to be “woke”—alert to any injustice or discrimination. Alert to anything or anyone in our society that may hinder their liberal ideas and agendas and hinder governmental racism. They no longer require proof to persecute or prosecute; for perception has supplanted hard evidence. The political “correctness” police have forced a new and stronger push to promote even those liberal ideas that conflict with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They enforce their policies of rights for those whose life styles violate God’s statues; but no one has a “right” to sin against God. And no government can make that sin right!
Lies and idols are the devil’s favorite weapons. They are being promoted in our world today. Lies are used to gain power, authority, and control. Those gains in power, authority, and control then become idols to those that seek them. Both tangible and intangible idol worship is more prevalent now than in Old Testament times. Give the humanists an idol and he will worship it; for he already worships himself.
Nothing and no-one has promoted evil and idol worship more than the cell phone. It is the number one idol in America. While cell phones have many good and practical uses, the evil that they can generate is unprecedented. Nothing since the beginning of time is so easily converted to the use of antichrists! They are used to buy-sell and promote drugs and sex, to commit crimes, and for any perverted thing that the human mind can conceive; and they are used to worship sports, entertainment, social media, and materialism. We cannot do without our cell phones!
While none of this has been subtle, the American mind is oblivious to the abomination this could cause! They continue to worship this idol without a thought! This is just another one of the many idols in America. The antichrist’s powers are increasing; and the cell phone is just one device he is using. Do not allow it to become an idol to you.
And then there are all of the other problems of the world—economic, social, medical, wars—the list could go on and on. All things that take us away from worship of Jesus Christ—is antichrist. This is the perfect environment for a person posing as a “man of peace” and a man with all the answers to take over! We should see it is men who have caused those problems and no man has been able to solve them. For one thing, there are more people creating problems than there are working on solutions. We are almost at the moment in time when people of the world will try anything—even a man who we have been told will be Satan’s incarnate.
TOPIC 6—THE OLIVET DISCOURSE—PROPHECY—HAPPENING NOW
Weather Forecasters v Reading Fig Leaves
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. MATTHEW 16:1-3
Jesus told the Pharisees and the Sadducees that they could look at the sky and tell what the weather would be; but they could not interpret the signs of the times. After Jesus’ disciples pointed out the buildings of the temple to Him, Jesus prophesied the temple would be destroyed.
They then asked Him, “…Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” MATTHEW 24:3 Jesus then started His “Olivet Discourse.” It included many of the signs of the end of time. He concluded with, “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” MATTHEW 24:32-33 Learn the lesson of the fig leaves, then when you see all those things He talked about, He is near—the end of time is near. We can learn to be weather forecasters or we can learn to read the fig leaves—to read the signs of the times
Signs of the End of the Age
And Jesus answered them, “‘See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.’” MATTHEW 24:4-7
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” MATTHEW 24:9-12
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” MATTHEW 24:14-16
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. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. MATTHEW 24:21-22, 24
“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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” MATTHEW 24:29-31
Scripture says it best. The preceding verses are the heart of Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse.” In it He gives signs for many of the end-time events—some that are happening now. Some will happen in the Tribulation. For those happening in the Tribulation, there is a Revelation parallel. Those events that are happening now are just the beginning of birth pains.
The Beginning of Birth Pains
Jesus often spoke in parables; but in the following scripture Jesus gave the best comparison that could be given when he compared “birth pains” with events to come! In verse eight, after scripture that parallels the first three seals of Revelation chapter six, He says, “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” MATTHEW 24:8 So after the first three seals the pains of birth will begin and then continually increase!
Most women know that birth pains in the beginning can be subtle. They may start, then stop for a while. Sometimes there are even false alarms; but when the baby is about to be delivered, the pains become regular and more frequent, they last longer, and the pain gets stronger. So it will be with end-time events.
Some of the events of the first four seals, in particular, have been happening since the time of Jesus Christ. They continue to happen today. The birth pains started slowly. At first, only the astute noticed their implications; but those pains are now increasing in frequency and intensity each day. They are now more noticeable. When Tribulation starts they will escalate further. As we get deeper into Tribulation “birth pains” will increase even further. The pains of The Great Tribulation will be almost unbearable; for the destruction and pains of the seven trumpets and the seven bowls of God’s wrath will be indescribable. Jesus says that after the abomination of desolation, “…then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” MATTHEW 24:21 Birth pains will then be at their greatest. Jesus says, “And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” MATTHEW 24:22 When all of this has happened, a righteous kingdom will be birthed; for then the kingdoms of this world will be delivered to our Lord and His Christ!
The First Five Seals Happening Now
The first five seals are happening now; but just as in labor pains they will intensity and will become more frequent after the start of the Tribulation. The first five seals parallel the events recounted in Jesus’ discourse in Matthew chapter twenty-four verses four through eleven. We can see for ourselves in world events and personal experiences that all of these events are now occurring.
John tells us the antichrist was in the world in his time. “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” I JOHN 4:3 [NKJV] And, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” II JOHN 1:7 There is no reason to believe the antichrists left us after the early church—just listen to all of the antichrist rhetoric and see the actions of states, churches, and individuals. The antichrist is riding now. This parallels the opening of the first seal in Revelation.
In Matthew chapter twenty-four, Jesus tells us in verse six and the first part of verse seven that we will hear of wars and rumors of wars. And that nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. All we need to do is to look at world history from Jesus’ time until now to see this prediction has happened and is happening today; for the peace of the world is under almost constant threat. This will intensify and the wars will become more frequent when Tribulation starts! This parallels the opening of the second seal in Revelation.
In the last half of verse seven in Matthew twenty-four we read, “…and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” Again, world hunger, famines, and earthquakes in various places are often mentioned on the nightly news. Currently [May 2024] there is famine in Gaza. A look on the USGS, United States Geological Survey, reveals there are several earthquakes every day. Although many are unnoticed, some are quite strong with many over 5.0 on the Richter scale. A look back at the last five years will reveal there has been several major earthquakes with major loss of life. It is happening now. Famine in some places shows that the rider on the black horse—the opening of the third seal in Revelation—is already riding. In Tribulation he will ration food further for much, if not all, of the world will experience famine.
“And there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” LUKE 21:11 The fourth seal will bring about death, more great earthquakes, more famines and pestilences. Pestilences are “fatal epidemic diseases;” or as we define them—a pandemic. The recent [2020] Covid 19 pandemic is a pestilence in the middle of those that have already happened and those yet to come. One notable pestilence of the past is the bubonic plague. Without modern measuring methods, the percentage of the people of Europe who died from that plague cannot be accurately determined; but the number has been place at as many as fifty million people or 50% of the population of Europe who died from this one pestilence.! There are more pestilences to come I am sure. This parallels the opening of the fourth seal in Revelation. [1]
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.” MATTHEW 24:9 Christians have been martyred since the time of the early church. It continues today; for we often hear and some people see Christians being martyred. A few years ago the terrorist organization ISIS executed twenty-one Christian men on a beach in Libya. They made a video of those murders so the world could see their atrocities. Thousands more have happened without the publicity. With those who hate Christians continually increasing in number, this killing of Christians will continue. It will increase in frequency when Tribulation starts. These Christian martyrs are revealed when the fifth seal is opened in Revelation.
A Worsening of World Conditions—Prelude to The Antichrist
The antichrists in the world today and the Antichrist of the last three and one-half years of The Great Tribulation are certain to creep into all discussions of the end-times; but it is a worsening of world conditions that will introduce the Antichrist to the world. A worsening of world conditions is happening now and will continue to happen until the Antichrist is revealed to the world. Those things Jesus named in His Olivet Discourse that would be happening in the world and that would be the “beginning of birth pains” are bad now. When they get bad enough, mankind will seek an answer from a man instead of from God. That almost total dependence on the “arm of flesh” will began the downfall of our world as we know it.
There are now wars and rumors of wars. The lack of peace will be a catalyst that will bring the Antichrist to a notable position in the world; for he will broker peace treaties that will catapult his image as a man of peace. Then his ‘answers’ to every problem confronting the world will secure his position as a world leader. The beginning of the end has started. Then we will know—that is our sign—Jesus Christ is near!
All scripture used in this study is from the ESV version unless specifically noted!
Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.
Over a Period of Two + Years
Finished October 28, 2023
Edited November 3, 2023
Last Edited May 31, 2024