the mission the gospel eschatology timeline
the BIBLE'S ECHATOLOGY
TIMELINE
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Added Insight
According to Malachi (below), one of these two men may be Elijah, who stopped the rain for this same time period when he was alive (1 Kings 17). So, if the powers God gives them are tied to their lives on earth, Moses, who is renowned for having turned waters into blood, is a likely candidate for the second witness.
"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord." -Malachi 4:5
Added Insight
According to Jesus, the people of Israel are to respond to this takeover by fleeing to the mountains, leaving their temple desolate. Thus, it is the Antichrist who is called the abomination that causes desolation.
Day 1,261: Rumors of War
When the Antichrist (King of the South) learns that armies from the north are advancing, he and his own army will take over Israel’s temple to lie in wait for the impending attack, causing the worship inside the temple to cease.
On this same day, the Antichrist will kill the two witnesses, leaving their bodies without burial. According to both Jesus and Daniel, the events of this day will soon be followed by the beginning of the great distress as well as the rapture.
Israel At Rest
With the freedom that their newfound peace will allow, the Bible alludes to the people of Isreal rebuilding their temple, which will allow for the resumption of the sacrificial worship that God instructed them to carry out during the days of Moses. Meanwhile, a nation to the far north will plan to take advantage of the Israel’s vulnerability and gather armies from other nations to invade the Holy Land. The northern nation is called the King of the North, and the Antichrist is called the King of the South.
My Two Witnesses
On the very day peace is declared, two men, who are believed to have lived out their lives on earth ages ago, will reappear in Israel dressed in sackcloth. Referred to as lampstands and olive trees, these two men will be given the task of sharing the gospel with men and women of Israel for 1,260 days, a period that spans the first half of the seven years.
If Bible history has taught us anything, it’s that rogue teachers of the gospel in Israel will eventually be seen as a threat. And so, to ward off those who will try and kill them, these two men will be granted the power to smite the land with plagues and consume their attackers with fire.
REV 1:3-6
DAY 1: A Covenant With Many
The book of Daniel introduces us to a time frame of 70 weeks, each “week” being a seven-year period. The completion of the events during these 70 weeks (490 years) will achieve salvation for all of Israel. Of these 490 years, 483 have already transpired. The remaining seven years will occur in the future.
Throughout the Bible, particularly in Revelation, we are informed of events that will take place during this final week, starting with a seven-year covenant of peace initiated by the Antichrist on day one.
DAN 9:24-27
Framing the Timeline
To provide a quick recap, there will be a covenant of peace on day 1 which will kick off the ministry of the two witnesses who will prophesy for 1,260 days. On day 1,261 (the middle of the week), the abomination (Antichrist) will slay the two witness, enter the temple in Jerusalem, and cause the sacrificial worship to cease.
Now we are informed that there will be 1,290 more days until the end of all things. This assures us that 30 days will follow Israel's restoration at the end of the 7 years, giving us a grand total of 2,550 days.
Day 1,335: Blessed to Attain
After stating that the rapture will occur around the time the abomination enters the temple (day 1,261), the angel who served as Daniel’s guide went on to name day 1,335 as being significant to those who are blessed and who will endure until this day.
In the Bible, verses that begin with “blessed is he” or “blessed are they” do not suggest behaviors that one will do to be saved. Because salvation is not earned, these verses name attributes of those are saved. Thus, “blessed” in verses like the one referenced below refer to the saints.
Day 1,264: Kings Collide
Three days after the Antichrist enters the temple, God will resurrect the two witnesses, allowing their ascension into heaven to be seen by people from every nation who celebrated their deaths. On this same day, the armies from the north will arrive to face off with the Antichrist’s army.
Before this day is done, an earthquake will cause a giant sinkhole to swallow a tenth of Jerusalem, killing 7,000 of the city’s attackers. Lastly, because the King of the North and his armies will far outnumber those lying in wait, the Antichrist will be defeated and killed.
Added Insight
According to Jesus, the people of Israel are to respond to this takeover by fleeing to the mountains, leaving their temple desolate. Thus, it is the Antichrist who is called the abomination that causes desolation.
Added Insight
In Daniel 12:12, the importance of day 1,335 is emphasized with an exclamation point. While the angel did not state outright that the rapture will occur on this day, it is indeed within a close proximity to day 1,261 given the vastness of the timeline. Also, should the rapture occur any earlier, there would be no saints present on the earth to attain to it. Food for thought!
The Tribulation of Those Days
When the Antichrist (King of the South) learns that armies from the north are advancing, he and his own army will take over Israel’s temple to lie in wait for the impending attack, causing the worship inside the temple to cease.
On this same day, the Antichrist will kill the two witnesses, leaving their bodies without burial. According to both Jesus and Daniel, the events of this day will soon be followed by the beginning of the great distress as well as the rapture.
may God draw you close as you read
