Created Sunday, May 9, 2004,     updated Jan. 24, 2009

 

The Beginning Genesis Exodus The Psalms Isaiah

Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Daniel 8 Daniel 9 Daniel 10-12

Ezekiel 36 Ezekiel 37 Ezekiel 38 Ezekiel 39

Joel 3 Zechariah 14

Related Articles

I have gathered here all that I could reasonably find on scriptures from the Hebrew Old Testament that would speak of the day of judgment, the end of the world, and similar themes. It is important because there are a small number of Christians, very small, who do not believe there is a last days or end of the world coming, as hard as that seems to believe. But more importantly, for those who do believe, they need to understand just how connected and related the Old Testament scriptures are with the visions of Revelation. So that is the task at hand here. In particular, the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zechariah have much to say that either ended up referred to by Jesus, especially in Revelation, or the Apostles in their letters.

I have a proposition for Christians who are trying to understand prophecy, especially that of Daniel and Revelation. God had a message to communicate to us but He wanted to be careful not to reveal it to His & our common enemies here on earth in the flesh. So He communicated to his prophets in this figurative symbolic "spiritual" language, hoping to teach us this form of communicating. Jesus made a big point of always speaking in figures and parables so as to teach us this secret way of communicating to each other.

But God, Jehovah, saw fit not only to speak in figures and parables. In order to further disguise His messages to us, for our benefit, I might point out, He decided to keep changing the names and figures of the same parties in His prophecies so as to further confuse His enemies, who would not take too kindly to being revealed and exposed by God’s message to His prophets. They would not understand that the many different identities were actually fingering the same party with the different names or descriptions. But it does not stop there, either.

In addition, God saw it good to take situations and those involved in the future, and split up the pieces and parts of those circumstances and scatter them throughout the Bible, to the various prophetic books, so that the enemies of His people would never figure out what was going on. Jehovah, the God of us all, left it to us to take all the scattered pieces and put them together like a puzzle, so that when put together, the message would become clear. He knew that those who truly loved Him would make the effort to study His words of prophecy and His spirit would help us to understand the puzzle, the mystery, that was hidden in His scattered disguised secret message that He felt very important for us to know "For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." [Amos 3:7].

And of all the books of the Bible, none contain more prophecies of the very last days than the books of Daniel and Revelation. And truth be told, these two books share most of the pieces of common prophecies divided between the two. Put in other words, one can not really understand or interpret the prophecies of the last days unless one considers these 2 books together, along with some prophecies scattered in a few other books. I dealt with those of Revelation in 2004 and a few from Daniel in my article on the Antichrist of the same year.

Though it has been a long time coming, I am finally getting around to Daniel in particular here near the end of 2007. Daniel is very important for it may contain specific periods of literal days that let us know about how long we will possible live in an outlawed state or perhaps an incarcerated state as in a work camp or concentration camp. It also may reveal some political situations we should be aware of, even though we do not participate in those events. God saw it important to fill us in and give us a good idea of how long it would be, for though the idea of being temporarily imprisoned or outlawed is not good of itself, it is only for a brief time, perhaps 3.5 years or 1290 days.

Very important and seldom really paid attention to by many followers of Bible prophecy are the prophecies involving the King of the North and the King of the South. God did not utter these to Daniel without good reason. But understanding them takes a little work as intended. There is a lot to digest in Daniel, chapters 7-12. But do not kid yourself. It is all very important. But we will need Revelation to help us along as well.

I find the best way to interpret and understand a prophecy is to see if you can match up certain symbols with symbols in other places and books. Some figures can be confusing. By identifying matches, it makes it easier to then interpret those symbols that are more uncertain. Try it with me and see what you think. This technique is the way to tease the secrets out of Daniel. I have seen others try to interpret Daniel before, assuming that types of symbols should always be interpreted the same way. But I do not find this the case. Symbols change and types of symbols change. But matching up aspects that are the same, though located in different places works wonders in the end. Can’t argue with success, right? Let’s begin with Genesis, first.

The First and the Last, The Alpha and the Omega

Genesis 3:13 And Jehovah God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. 14 And Jehovah God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed above all beasts, and above every animal of the field. You shall go on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

Note the complete similarity between Genesis above, the first book of the Bible, and Revelation below, the last book of the Bible. This definitely is the woman and her seed in both cases. There can be little doubt about it. And we see the enmity between the dragon/Satan who has a seed on earth doing his will and the woman and her seed doing God's will. Many might mistake the woman to be Eve but this prophecy in Genesis is in regards to the Messiah/Christ in righting the wrong caused by the Devil. And a continual battle ensues between these two, from the Garden of Eden all the way to the end, to what we have come to call by name, Armageddon.

Revelation 12:1 And a great sign was seen in the heavens, a woman having been clothed with the sun, and the moon was underneath her feet; and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2 and having a babe in womb. She cries, being in labor, and having been distressed to bear.
5 And she bore a son, a male, who is going to shepherd all the nations with an iron staff. And her child was caught away to God, and to His throne.
17 And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, those keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Genesis first raised the question of a seed of the woman and Revelation answers the mystery of that vision for us. we are last of that seed to face the devil in the end. We might now wonder who the devil's seed it, right?

I would not be doing any justice to this subject if I did not give some attention to the Exodus for I definitely believe this was done by God in such a way as to establish a proto-type for what would happen in the last days in the final deliverance of God's people, by providence called Christians. God does not do anything without a lot of thought and planning. And when He does something, He tries to accomplish it in such a way that it will serve to show how it will happen again at a future time. It is part of God's way of communicating to us how it will all go down without making it too obvious to just anyone. Proto-types, called by some of a more archaic preference, anti-types, are spread throughout the Bible, so much that few of us probably recognize them all. But various Christians have pointed out ones that stand out to them and when these are all added it, it is quite a list. But lets move on to Exodus proto-types.

Recall that Israel was in slavery in Egypt. Hmmm, you don't suppose we are in a sort of slavery do you? But weren't we supposed to be free, at least in the US of A? Well, maybe God has a different opinion of that idea. I would say the world is bound and fettered by an abusive minority and the whole world lies in the power, domination, and control of the wicked one and we certainly are enslaved to sin as well. Moses asks Pharaoh, the ruler of the land and the greatest leader of the world at that time, to let "Israel" go to worship at a place about 3 days away from where they lived in the delta of Egypt. Pharaoh does not consent initially and Egypt suffers greatly under his refusal. But God forces Pharaoh's hand and he give in and lets Israel go, only to regret it after.

Will Christians be released from captivity, only to have "Egypt"/"Gog & Magog" regret it? And while Egypt suffered great plagues, Israel did not suffer the plagues themselves in the latter plagues. The last days are supposed to be a time when vast multitudes will die by violence and war, as well as plagues, starvation, disease and by "peace" at the hands of a not so nice king, according to Daniel, which we will get to. Jehovah, the God of Israel, makes a great distinction between how things go for Israel as opposed to how they go for Egypt. The firstborn of Pharaoh dies by the hand of God and Pharaoh gives in.

God will force the hand of the antichrist (by killing him) and "Israel" Christians will be let free. And it is possible that when they are freed, that like Egypt giving the gold and valuables to Israel to get rid of them and not wanting to offend God any more, these Christians may be given reparations for the crimes of humanity committed against them, as had been the fad for sometime, since WWI onward. But the world quickly regrets what they have done and according to Ezekiel, they move on Christians, who exist without defense. God wipes the world out with His bowls of wrath according to Revelation. We are finally free under God.

The Psalms
Back to Top

The whole theme of Psalm 37 is the judgment and destruction of the wicked and the earth being turned over to the righteous and the meek. Some have a belief that there is no such day of judgment and that pain and misery among the human race shall be forever and that heaven is the only destination for Christians. But a righteous God like Jehovah could never tolerate evil forever. This Psalm alone trashes the idea of no judgment day. There will be an end to evil and He is going to preserve people, good righteous people, on earth forever. It will again be the Paradise it first was before Adam sinned.

Psalm 37:
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; and the ones waiting on Jehovah, they shall inherit the earth.
10 It is but a little, and the wicked shall not be; yes, you shall search his place, and he is not.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they shall delight themselves in abundant peace.
12 The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes on him with his teeth;
13 the Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword and they have trodden their bow, to cause the poor and needy to fall; to kill those who walk uprightly.
15 Their sword shall enter into their heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little to the righteous is better than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but Jehovah upholds the righteous.
18 Jehovah knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in an evil time; and they shall be full in days of famine.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Jehovah shall be like the beauty of pastures; they are consumed like smoke; they are consumed.
21 The wicked borrows and never repays, but the righteous is gracious and giving.
22 For His blessed ones inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

Psalm 37:
27 Depart from evil and do good, and live forevermore.
28 For Jehovah loves judgment and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever; but the wicked's seed shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the earth and live on it forever.

Psalm 37:
34 Wait on Jehovah and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the earth; you shall see when the wicked are cut off.
35 I have seen the wicked ruthless, even spreading himself out like a luxuriant, native tree;
36 yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; and I looked for him, but he could not be found.
37 Watch the perfect and behold the upright one; for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors are destroyed together; the end of the wicked is cut off.39 But the salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah; He is their strength in the time of distress.
40 And Jehovah helps them and delivers them; He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them, because they trust in Him.

Psalm 91:
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shade of the Almighty.
2 I will say to Jehovah: My Refuge and my Fortress, my God; I will trust in Him.
3 For He delivers you from the fowler's trap, from destruction's plague.
4 With His feathers He will cover you, and under His wings you shall seek refuge; His truth is a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not fear the terror of night, of the arrow that flies by day;
6 of the plague that walks in darkness, of the destruction laying waste at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall by your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes you shall look, and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because You, O Jehovah, are My refuge; if you make the Most High your habitation,
10 no evil shall happen to You, nor shall any plague come near Your tent.
11 For He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You in all Your ways.

Proverbs 2:
21 For the upright shall live in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

[ Yet another Psalm promising an end to the wicked on earth while keeping the upright, that is to say, those who want to be upright. They will be perfected by Jesus after the wicked are done away with. Note Psalm 91, 7, 8, 10. You will see death all around as the wicked perish at the end, but it will not happen to you just as was the case with Israel in Egypt in the days of Moses. No plague will come upon God's people while they are kept in prison or concentration camps. The angels shall watch over us even as they did Israel under Moses and as they did with Jesus in his day. ]

Isaiah 2:
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 And it shall be in the last days, the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mount of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach from His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion the law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.

4 And He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 2:
10 Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from fear of Jehovah, and from the glory of His majesty. 11 The lofty eyes of man shall be humbled, and the pride of men shall be bowed down; but Jehovah, He alone, will be exalted in that day. 12 For the day of Jehovah of Hosts shall be on all the proud and lofty ones, and on all that is lifted up; and it will be abased;

Isaiah 2:
19 And they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, for fear of Jehovah, and from the glory of His majesty; when He rises up to make the earth quake. 20 In that day a man shall throw his silver and his golden idols which they made for him to worship, to the hole of the burrower and to the bats; 21 to go into the crevices of the rocks, and into the clefts of the cliffs, from the dread of Jehovah, and from the glory of His majesty; when He rises up to make the earth quake.

Hosea 10:8 And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us! and to the hills, Fall on us!

Revelation 6:
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great ones, and the rich ones, and the commanders, and the powerful ones, and every slave, and every freeman hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
16 And "they said to the mountains" and to the rocks, "Fall on us," and hide us from the face of the One sitting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
17 because the great day of His wrath has come; and who is able to stand?

>>Lets face it! Had Revelation not made it clear that the prophets of old where actually forecasting the last days and the end, we might not have known it. AS it is, Revelation brings all those old prophet's visions together in a somewhere coherent whole. But so that we need not doubt Revelation and to fulfill law by having 2 witnesses, we have those visions originally established centuries before Revelation was delivered so that we know the vision is true and reliable.

Isaiah 11:
4 But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
5 And righteousness shall be the encircler of His loins, and faithfulness the encircler of His reins.

6 And the wolf shall live with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall feed, their young shall lie together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the infant shall play on the hole of the asp; yea, the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper's den. 9 They shall not do evil, nor destroy in all My holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. 10 And it shall be in that day, the Root of Jesse stands as a banner of peoples; nations shall seek to Him; and His resting place shall be glory.

Isaiah 25:
6 And Jehovah of Hosts shall make a feast of fat things for all the peoples in this mountain; a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, refined wine on the lees. 7 And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering which covers all people, and the veil that is woven over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death in victory! And the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from all faces. And He shall reprove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for Jehovah has spoken
9 And one shall say in that day, Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is Jehovah; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Isaiah 26:
19 Your dead ones shall live, my dead body, they shall rise up. Awake and sing, dust dwellers; for the dew of lights is your dew; and the earth shall cast out departed spirits.
20 Come, My people, go in your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide for a little moment, until the fury passes. 21 For, behold, Jehovah comes out of His place to visit his iniquity on the dweller of the earth. The earth shall also reveal her blood, and shall no more cover over her slain ones.

Isaiah 32:
1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
2 And a man shall be a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place; like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 And the eyes of those that see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall listen.
4 And the heart of the rash shall discern knowledge; and the tongue of those that stutter shall hurry to speak clear things.
5 The fool shall no more be called noble, and a miser will not be said to be generous.

Isaiah 32:
13 Thorns and briers shall spring up on the land of My people; even over all the houses of joy in the jubilant city,
14 because the palace is forsaken; the crowd of the city is forsaken; mound and tower are instead caves, until forever; a joy of wild asses; pasture for flocks;
15 until is poured out on us the Spirit from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field; and the fruitful field is reckoned as a forest.

16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness shall dwell in the fruitful field.
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the service of righteousness shall be quietness and hope forever.
18 And My people shall live in a peaceful home, and in safe dwellings, and in secure resting places.

Isaiah 35:
1 The wilderness and dry land shall rejoice for them; and the desert shall exult and bloom like the crocus.
2 Blooming, it shall bloom and exult, even with joy and singing. Lebanon's glory shall be given to it, the honor of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of Jehovah, the majesty of our God.
3 Make the weak hands strong, and firm up the feeble knees.
4 Say to those of a hasty heart, Be strong! Do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the full dealing of God, He will come and save you.

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf opened.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. For waters shall break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
7 And the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty land shall become springs of waters, in the home of jackals, in its lair, and a place for the reed and rush.
8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The Way of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it. And it is for them, the wayfaring one; yea, fools shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there; and no violent beast shall go up on it; it shall not be found there. But redeemed ones shall walk there.
10 And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return and enter Zion, with singing and everlasting joy on their head; gladness and joy shall reach them; and sorrow and sighing shall flee.

Revelation 7:
15 Because of this they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary. And He sitting on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
16 And they will not hunger still, nor will they thirst still, nor at all shall fall on them the sun, nor any kind of heat.
17 Because the Lamb in the midst of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them on the living fountains of waters; and God will wipe off every tear from their eyes. [Isaiah 25:8 quoted earlier]

Isaiah 65:
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and new earth. And the things before shall not be recalled, and they shall not go up on the heart.
18 However, be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. For, behold, I create in Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

2 Peter 3:13 But according to His promise, we look for "new heavens and a new earth," in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea no longer is.

Isaiah 65:19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people. And the voice of weeping and the voice of crying shall no longer be heard in her.

Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no longer [Isaiah 25:8 quoted earlier], nor mourning, nor outcry, nor pain will be any longer; for the first things passed away.

Isaiah 66:
14 And you will see, and your heart shall rejoice; and your bones shall flourish like the grass. And the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward His servants, and He shall be indignant with His enemies.
15 For, behold, Jehovah will come with fire, and His chariots like the tempest, to return His wrath in fury, and His rebuke in flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword Jehovah will execute judgment with all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be many.

Isaiah 66:
23 And it will be, from new moon to its new moon, and from sabbath to its sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says Jehovah.
24 And they shall go out and see the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, nor shall their fire be put out; and they shall be an object of disgust to all flesh.

The visions of Daniel are perhaps the most important ones in the Bible as regards prophecy and its interpretation. Daniel is given a few keys to puzzles existing in Revelation. One of those important keys to unlocking understanding is right here in chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar had a frightful dream that had him all upset, Only Daniel was able to help him remember what is was and what it meant. It gave Nebuchadnezzar great relief.

This dream consisted of a line of empires that were to rule in succession over the earth as it seemed to revolve around the Mediterranean Sea. This gives us a sequence and a sense of time perspective. More keys will be given to Daniel in chapters 7, 8, and 11/12.

Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets, and makes known to king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

Daniel 2:31 You, O king, were seeing. And, behold, a certain great image! That great image stood before you with a brilliant brightness, and its form was dreadful. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its breast and its arms were of silver, its belly and its thighs were of bronze, 33 its legs were of iron, its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You continued until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were together broken to pieces, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 This is the dream, and we will tell the meaning of it before the king.

Daniel 2:37 You O king are the king of kings. For the God of Heaven has given you the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the honor. 38 And wherever the sons of men, the animals of the field, and the birds of the sky dwell, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 And in your place shall arise another kingdom lower than yours, and another third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule in all the earth.

Daniel 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. Inasmuch as iron crushes and smashes all things, and as the iron that shatters all these, it will crush and shatter.

We have read here about 4 kingdoms starting with Babylon. Another king follows after that as we see in verse 41. This king shall be the last before God destroys it and sets up His own kingdom with His son ruling it. it is very important to note a description of that 5th and final king in the next 3 verses. They give us clues about the identity and traits of this last power on earth, this last empire.

Daniel 2:41 And as to that you saw, the feet and the toes were partly of potters' clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it the strength of iron, because you saw the iron mixed with clay of the potter. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 And as you saw the iron mixed with the clay of the clay, they shall be mixed with the seed of men. But they shall not adhere to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and destroy all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Because you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold in pieces. The great God has made known to the king what shall occur after this. And the dream is certain, and the meaning of it is trustworthy.

Daniel 2:46 Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel. And he commanded an offering, even to offer incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel and said, Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings, and a Revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.

The key to this chapter is the last king whose feet are of iron and clay. As I see it, the kingdom is divided and weak, yet seems to have the iron strength of 4th kingdom of iron thighs. This last king is the king that will be important to recognize as the one who is on guard when Christ returns. And the phrase, "a stone was cut out without hands," is a symbolic phrase which indicates that God is the one who is behind the action, and not that of men or followers of God, either. This is important for another chapter of Daniel in another verse (8:25) points out that "he shall be broken without hand." He being the antichrist to appear near the end. From this we know the antichrist shall be executed directly by God, not man.

But it is in the days of this last king, to come some time after the 4th king who is clearly Rome, that this shall all take place. It is a vision to help us understand the setup that will usher in God's judgment and Kingdom. This vision also helps us to understand the 7 heads of the beast of Revelation. But you say, this is only 5, not 7. Yes, but when one adds the 2 other powers to be manifest in the Bible, before Babylon, namely, Assyria, around in the time of Babylon, and who destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel; and the ever-present and existing even in the days of Abraham and Joseph as a force to be reckoned with, Egypt, who was still a force to be dealt with in the days of Babylon, even though Babylon did prevail over the other 2. This does make 7.

Here is the next piece to the puzzle.

Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he related the dream, giving the sum of the matters.

Daniel 7:2 Daniel spoke and said, In my vision by night I was looking. And, behold, the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, different from one another.
4 The first was like a lion and had eagle's wings. I watched until its wings were torn off. And it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

The 7 headed 10 horned beast of Revelation comes up out of the sea as well. Though described differently, these are the same line of empires described in Daniel 2 with the 1st being Babylon.

Daniel 7:5 And, behold, another beast, a second, like a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, Rise up, eat much flesh.

Daniel 7:6 After this I was looking, and, behold, another like a leopard, and to it were four wings of a bird on its side. And also to the beast were four heads. And rulership was given to it.

Verse 6 is important because it describes a feature of this 3rd kingdom that is important to its identification or at least its confirmation. It also helps us get better at recognizing subtle signs presented with other kingdoms and visions.

Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse (different) from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

>>I would propose that this horn with eyes and especially the mouth speaking great things, that this is the antichrist who claims to be Christ and God, pretty great things.

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Daniel 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

We are fortunate in that these visions of Daniel's are going to be interpreted by an angel so we will not have to wonder about these signs and their meanings. Note that the stone cut out of a mountain, not by hand, symbolizing God, has now been changed to "the Ancient of days." The Ancient of days kills the little horn, the antichrist. He is called a beast here as well, but is not the 4th beast from which he comes from. So the antichrist is a sort of king as well as "Messiah." But we don't want to make the mistake that some make in confusing him with the beasts of Revelation. Those beasts are political powers and political control in contrast to a false prophet mentioned briefly in Revelation, but far more elaborated on by Jesus who says people will say that Jesus has returned as this false prophet and that we should not believe them for Jesus will not return in the flesh.

Yes, Bible symbols are tricky because God keeps scrambling them and changing them. He had to, to keep enemies from figuring anything out. But if we pay attention to all the symbols and names, such as the one Jesus refers to, then we get an overall correct understanding of who is who. Ain't it fun? ;-)

Daniel 7:15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, (GLT reads: which shall be different from all kingdoms) exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

Verse 18 mentions God's people, referred to as the saints who are given the kingdom. These are the ones who reign with Jesus in heaven over the earth. They are the 144,000 of Revelation chapters 7 and 14, and the 24 Elders of that same book, chap. 5. This has been the hope held out to all by Jesus since his ministry on earth. This does not diminish or nullify the promises of a paradise on earth in which the righteous will dwell, for after all, those in heaven have to reign over someone, right? And shepherd and guide them!

Next note something very important. What comes next is exactly what is described in Revelation where the beast and false prophet in that book make war on the saints and prevail against them which results in the end of their preaching and witnessing work and cause some to be killed. But these who die in Jesus are rewarded with crowns in heaven so they suffer no real loss at all. They then possess the kingdom as Daniel 7:22 puts it.

Daniel 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse [different] from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse [different] from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

The 4th beast stands out from those before in its vast empire, treading down and crushing. It is Rome and its territory is far more extensive than any before it. But the most important info comes in the 10 horns and the horn that comes after them. This horn subdues 3 kings before him. And remember that this is feet and toes of iron and clay in the chapter 2 vision of Daniel. He is the one who wears out and and prevails over the saints, changing times and law. Yes, he upsets everything that came before him, turning the world upside down. He is the antichrist, the man of sin, the false prophet.

So the big 4th beast is a king, an empire, and 10 more kings come and then another king, a beast if you will. He will be different than the others. Something rather special and unique about him. Interesting.

God's people are given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Revelation describes it as 42 months which is 3.5 lunar years. After this horn/kingdom attacks, he is done away with and the rule of the earth is given to Christ's brothers who are harvested from the earth as the first fruits. They are the 144,000 kings and priests, the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ.

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter.

[Here is yet another vision that is a key in deciphering God's mystery message to us. It is another description of the ruling empires to come upon the earth in their order.]

Daniel 8: 1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. 2 And I looked in the vision, and it happened when I looked that I was at Shushan the palace, which is in the province of Elam. And in a vision I looked, and I was by the Ulai Canal.

Daniel 8:3 Then I lifted up my eyes and looked. And behold! A ram was standing before the canal, having two horns. And the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward, so that no beasts could stand before him, and none could deliver out of his hand. But he did according to his will and became great.

Daniel 8:5 And I was considering. And behold! A male of the goats came from the west, over the face of all the earth and did not touch the ground. And the he goat had an outstanding horn between his eyes. 6 And he came to the ram with two horns which I had seen standing before the canal. And he ran to it in the fury of his power.

Daniel 8:7 And I saw him touched beside the ram. And he was moved with anger against him. And he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to stand before him. But he threw him down to the ground and trampled him. And no one could deliver the ram from his hand.

Daniel 8:8 Then the he goat became very great. And when he was mighty, the great horn was broken. And in its place came up four outstanding ones toward the four winds of the heavens. 9 And out of one of them came a little horn which became very great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the bountiful land. 10 And it became great, even to the host of the heavens. And it caused some of the host and of the stars to fall to the ground, and it trampled them. 11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the leader of the host. And the regular sacrifice was taken away by him, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12 And a host was given with the regular sacrifice because of transgression. And it threw the truth down to the ground, and it worked and prospered.

[{ The he goat is Greece and specifically Alexander the Great, whose kingdom would split into 4 pieces, going to his four generals, just as predicted here and in chapters 2 and 10. Two parts of that kingdom would prove to be more prosperous and powerful than the other 2 according to chapter 10 which we have yet to cover. In this chapter, the succession from one of those horns gives rise to yet another horn. But this horn is associated and linked with features that place us in the time of the end when this horn makes great brags and magnifies himself against God, even. This is what the man of sin that Paul speaks of, does. This "horn" takes away the regular sacrifice, something mentioned in 3 or 4 places in Daniel alone. The sanctuary was cast down. The horn showed no regard for the truth and he prospered and succeeded initially.

All the kingdoms in between Greece and the last days are skipped. This is very important to keep in mind for God does the same thing in dealing with the king of the North and the king of the South. That is quite a jump in time. But what comes in between is not important here. Verse 17 and onward will make it clear it is the end.

What is important are features that become manifest at the end. I believe the horn is the antichrist who naturally has complete rule and authority and changes times and law. But the regular sacrifice and sanctuary can only be symbolic of the services performed by Christians in behalf of Christ. These are taken away and truth was thrown down and whatever this leader or country/political force or authority, not ruling out the UN, does seems to work and prosper, especially against God's people, Christ's followers here on earth. But as we shall soon learn, Christians will only be down for a relatively brief time, 3.5 years, roughly, and then will be restored and delivered. }]

Daniel 8:13 Then I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that one who spoke, Until when is the vision, the regular sacrifice and the desolating transgression, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled? 14 And he said to me, For two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary will be vindicated.

[ This is a critical point in this vision. And fortunately, we are going to have some of it interpreted for us again by an angel. But as far as when this shall all take place, it was not going to be for long time, from Daniel's standpoint. But when it did, it would involve the sanctuary and the host that accompanies it, the army, so to speak, being trampled. Since this is in the end, it could only have something to do with true (and rare) Christianity. The symbols are vague so as to throw any enemies off of the trail of discernment. It also tends to throw phony Christians off the trail of truth, as well. Ain't it cool?!

I want you to carefully observe the 2300 days, that they start when the regular sacrifice (of Christians serving God, spiritually) is stopped and the symbolic sanctuary on earth represented by God's people and those people themselves, the host, cease to be able to offer their worship to God, likely outlawed or incarcerated. And then after 2300 days, the sanctuary will be vindicated, perhaps restored. Exactly how to interpret it may have to wait until it is in the process of being fulfilled or just after it was fulfilled, even as the Apostles only really understood some of Jesus' prophecies after they were fulfilled. But I have no doubt that in this case the days are literal for a change, to keep the enemies guessing. ]

Daniel 8:15 And it happened when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, then I sought the meaning. And, behold, the form of a man stood before me. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, and he called and said, Gabriel, make this one understand the vision. 17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. 26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

[{ Green's Literal translation words the end of 27 as follows: "But there was no understanding." Daniel did not understand the vision.

When the transgressors have come to the full, when they have reached the very height of evil for which they can go no further and at this time, a king, exceptionally fierce, shall take the throne, so to speak. He is the one who "shall destroy the mighty and the holy people." He shall magnify himself in his heart, and stand up against the Prince of princes which could be no other than Jesus.

I also find interesting that this nasty king, by peace, shall destroy many. Perhaps it is done with famine, disease, or maybe even natural disasters that can not be readily blamed on anyone in particular. Maybe they even find a way to influence and control nature to such a degree so as to be able to make disasters happen without any of us knowing better. But it will not likely be war or other military action which brings about these deaths. It will appear as if this wonderful false messiah will have had nothing to do with the tragedies befalling mankind. But the Bible makes it clear that the "horn" is behind it, just the same.

But alas, the horn is broken without hand. Remember in Daniel chap. 2, a stone cut out of the mountain, was also cut out, not by hand, signifying that it was God that was behind it and God, through His son, will be behind the death of the antichrist as well. And with the antichrist having proclaimed himself the messiah, it will be a shock to many to find him mysteriously, unexplainably, and unusually, dead; under suspicious circumstances that can not be blamed on mere men. It will be obvious that he was no messiah after all and at this time, Christians, who had been out of favor for 3.5 years, will be freed again. The antichrist dies after 3.5 years, even as Jesus began and had his ministry and life ended after 3.5 years. But whereas the serpent bruised Jesus in the heal, Jesus will bruise the serpent in the head.

Revelation also tells us God's people are due to be "killed," figuratively speaking, in the vision of the 2 witnesses of chap. 13. It also tells us that they will "come to life again," be restored briefly before the very end as God pours out His judgment on those who, not long after freeing and restoring Christians, regret their decision and decide to plunder those they formerly set free and reimbursed for the unjust treatment they (God's people) received at the hand of Babylon and the nations. This is when God finally wipes out "Gog and Magog," figures drawn from Ezekiel and behaving just the same as they do in Ezekiel.

This king who attacks the holy people is the antichrist, Paul's man of sin/lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2. He, too, had an arrogant heart and placed himself in the seat/throne of God, so to speak. He magnifies himself, amplifies, elevates, equates himself with Christ, the leader of the heavenly host. So we are given some features that help make this identification.

I tried for a long time to figure out the 2300 days. I draw on help from Daniel chap. 12:11,12. These two passages clearly give solutions and times and I believe they are key to also understanding the 2300 days as well here. They are separated but only to make interpretation more difficult and fleeting, but God's true servants will understand that these all belong together.  And they would not discern this interpretation until just near the end. For notice how it was not intended for Daniel to really understand and that the vision was shut up, for it shall be for many days. So even God's people would not discern this until the days just before it would happen. Maybe we are finally at those days so as to be able to gain a reasonable understanding so as to be prepared for what we are to have to face.

Take note that most times in Daniel, Revelation, and elsewhere, time periods are usually given in symbolized periods such weeks of years, symbolic months or days, or even symbolic years. But God mixes up how He gives out time periods but there are ways to confirm just what might be symbolized or intended. I believe that here God decided to really fool many by simply telling the time period in literal form. 1290 days in Daniel 12:11 means exactly that, 1290 days. And verse 12's 1335 days is exactly that. And Daniel tells us what starts and ends the 1290, but does not tell us what the 1335 days marks off but only that anyone who can survive to the end of that will be happy, blessed, so we might assume it is the very end when only Christians will be remaining to inherit the earth forever along with many resurrected ones to follow quite quickly. }]

Daniel 9
Back to Top

Daniel 9:
21 And while I was setting my prayer in order, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, touched me in my severe exhaustion about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 And he enlightened me and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I have now come out to give you skill in understanding. 23 At the beginning of your prayers the word came forth, and I have come to explain it. For you are greatly beloved. Then understand the matter and pay attention to the vision:

24 Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people, and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

25 Know, then, and understand that from the going out of a word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.

[{ 2 periods are identified in verse 25, 7 weeks and 62 weeks, totaling 69 weeks out of 70. This seems to begin with the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and end with Jesus arriving and dying. In Verse 26, Jesus dies after the 62 (and 7) weeks, assuming 7 days for each week and a day for a year based on a scripture in Ezekiel as nearly everyone has seemed to do in trying to understand this prophecy, we end up with 7 * 69 = 483. 483 years are given from the time of one of the decrees to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (there was several such decrees by Medo-Persian kings) to the start of the ministry of Jesus would be 483 years, after which he is killed (sacrificed) 3.5 years later, in the middle of a symbolic week, you might say. And the people of a coming prince (of Rome) shall destroy Jerusalem and its temple according to the will of God. 

I have an in depth article and accounting of this prophecy of Daniel 9's weeks of years in "The Timelines of Jesus" which I link to here and at the end of this article under Related Articles, as well. }]

Daniel 9:26 And after sixty two (and seven) weeks, Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of a coming prince shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, and war shall be until the end.

Now verse 27 is the tricky one to pay close careful attention to.

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week. And in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on a wing of the altar will be abominations that desolate, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall pour out on the desolator.

[{ After Jesus is "cut off," which the prophecy makes clear, is not due to any fault on the part of Jesus, not on his account or wrong doing (not for Himself), the city, Jerusalem, and the sanctuary, the temple, are destroyed by Rome as history records and war shall continue all the way to the end. Rome attempted to rule the world and attempts would continue to be made to rule it until the end when the absolute entire world would finally be subdued and conquered ever so briefly before God would step in to halt the madness and evil that would accompany this final subjugation of the world and humanity. Then the ruler of this final stage of the world is introduced in verse 27.

The prince of Rome in 26 is now a much different prince in the time of the end. We have taken a huge leap in time from the Days of Rome and the fall of Jerusalem and the temple to this concluding week which brings about the very end. This "prince" confirms a covenant with the many for 1 week (7 years). It is the horn, the antichrist, who makes a covenant agreement with the world and stops the sacrifice and offering of the people of God at the middle of the week (3.5 years). But after the 7 years, the "desolator," the antichrist, is killed without hand, as had been decreed since the days of Daniel the prophet.

This is the one week, a separate week from the 69, to keep many guessing, that figures into this prophecy, not to be taken or confused with the other time period we covered above, involving Medo-Persia, Rome, and Jesus. This time period jumps way ahead to the end, again. This will help explain the 2300 days better, I think. The false prophet/messiah concludes a covenant, a deal, with the many, the world, for 1 week, 7 years approximately. In the middle of his covenant period, roughly 3.5 years, but perhaps not exactly, he causes the sacrifice and offering to cease. At this time, Christianity is ended, at least officially and legally.

Also mentioned are the abominations that desolate. While we may not be certain right now exactly what that/those are, we will know then, I am sure. Idols, lies, apostasy or all of the above. I think the abomination of desolation is the antichrist but only time will tell. The antichrist is a blasphemy who claims to be God and Messiah. We will know when it arrives. And then the false messiah will be killed at the end of the 7 years, 3.5 years after Christians are banned, at the very least. We arrive at the end of the 1290 and 1335 days, happy and spared God's wrath which is poured out on the world, figuratively Egypt and Gog and Magog, God's enemies as well as the enemies of God's people. One and the same. }]

Daniel 10:14 Now I have come to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is yet for many days.

We were told here what we were told in chapter 8. It was a long way away from Daniels time. But I believe the time has arrived now. But before our time, an angel reveals to Daniel in chapter 11 how Greece shall fall and be divided into 4 separate kingdoms, which it was. The southern kingdom and the northern kingdom were to become the most prominent parts of the fragmented Greek empire of Alexander. These would prove to be the southern Egyptian kingdom ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty (Ptolemy I Soter) and the Northern Syrian kingdom of Seleucus I Nicator and his line.

The angel describes a struggle between these two powers over a period of time and kings, eventually ending up with the Roman empire as in chap. 11:20, 21 for instance. But at some point, it jumps to the time of the end, as it did in the last section we considered. I believe this is at Daniel 11:28 in dealing with the holy covenant which would be the one with Christ and the Christians. This is the time we want to look at more closely.

Daniel 11:28-36 that follows would almost seem to be describing the beginning of the persecution of the Christians. However, there are a number of things that do not fit if we try to align this with events of the Roman Empire. Nero was the 1st great persecutor of the Christians and what follows does not match his deeds. And as regards the sanctuary and the abomination that desolates, Vespasian and Titus do not match up, either.

Verse 11:30 says he will be furious against the holy covenant which has always stood for Christianity. He also returns and heeds or goes along with the forsakers of the holy covenant. Phony hypocritical Christians??? Jews??? You tell me!!! The regular sacrifice could only be something rendered to Christ unless we were to consider the temple before its destruction in 70 AD by Titus. But this is supposed to be near the end. In verse 11:32 he will encourage some to do evil against the covenant by flattery, to their own destruction, of course. But God's people will not be fooled or stopped at that point.

This is the antichrist who builds himself up in his heart and to all the people of the earth to be someone truly great, even as Christ and God. Christians all the while will teach and instruct many at this time. Some of God's people shall stumble by various types of persecution and torment. But they will get a little help along the way. Revelation 12 describes much the same thing. Most significant to me is that many would join Christianity with hypocrisy. This should not surprise any of us. There are phony Christians everywhere today. The Bible told us there would be, long before it happened. Some will stumble and fall away while Christianity is refined and purified. And the bad king will go on magnifying himself above God.

I believe things change between verses 26, 27, & 28. Verse 26 speaks of the last things to happen to the ancient rivalry of the King of the North and the King of the South. Verse 27 is a big clue that we are going to jump far ahead in time for it lets us know that this rivalry will continue for some time, with both sides hell bent on nothing by mischief and continual lying to each other and everyone else and will continue to do so until the time of the end when God will again address what is going to happen at that point.

Daniel 11:27 And as for the two kings, their minds shall be bent on mischief; they shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail; for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.

Verse 28 brings us to the time of the end and the heart of the King of the North is against the holy covenant, this is, real authentic Christianity and not the phonies and hypocrites who claim to be Christian. And at the appointed time (of the end) he and the King of the South have yet another encounter. 

(GLT) Daniel 11:28 And he will return to his land with great wealth. And his heart shall be against the holy covenant. And he will act, and he shall return to his land.

The next verse is a little perplexing. I have gathered 6 translations and I have sought the original Aramaic text to consider what is intended. Oh, and by the way, some argue that Hebrew alone is the inspired word of God. But you note Daniel wrote in Aramaic and there has never been a different (Hebrew) version offered as the original. So for those who object to Greek as language transmitted by the Apostles, it was not the first time another language was used. Daniel did it first and the Apostle John did it much later with Revelation in Greek. Interesting that the 2 most important prophetic books are in languages other than Hebrew. God will transmit in whatever language He likes and there is nothing you can do about it.

Daniel 11:
GLT) 29 At the appointed time he will return and come against the south. But it will not be as the former or as the latter.
YLT) 29 At the appointed time he turneth back, and hath come against the south, and it is not as the former, and as the latter.

RSV) 29 At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south; but it shall not be this time as it was before.
ASV) 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come into the south; but it shall not be in the latter time as it was in the former.
BBE) 29 At the time fixed he will come back and come into the south; but in the later time it will not be as it was before.
Douay) 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and he shall come to the south, but the latter time shall not be like the former.

[{ The first 2 seem to be saying something a little different from what the latter 4 are. But I suspect they are somewhat the same when one considers the original language text:

Strong's 07223 Nwvar ri'shown ree-shone' or Nvar ri'shon ree-shone'
from 07221; ;{ See TWOT on 2097 @@ "2097c"}
AV-first 129, former 26, former things 6, beginning 4, chief 3, before 3, old time 2, foremost 3, aforetime 1, misc 8; 185
adj:     1) first, primary, former; 1a) former (of time); 1a1) ancestors; 1a2) former things; 1b) foremost (of location); 1c) first (in time); 1d) first, chief (in degree)
adv:     2) first, before, formerly, at first

Strong's 0314 Nwrxa 'acharown akh-ar-one' or (shortened) Nrxa 'acharon akh-ar-one'
from 0309; adj; {See TWOT on 68 @@ "68e"}
AV-last 20, after( ward) (s) 15, latter 6, end 2, utmost 2, following 1, hinder 1, hindermost 1, hindmost 1, rereward 1, uttermost 1; 51
1) behind, following, subsequent, western; 1a) behind, hindermost, western (of location); 1b) later, subsequent, latter, last (of time)

As best as I can tell, what it might be saying is that this appearance of the King of the North will not be like his first appearance nor his last one, either. In both of those he was strong and triumphant. But this time, the final time, he is going to have problems. }]

Daniel 11:30 For the Kittim ships will come against him. And he will be grieved and turn back and be furious against the holy covenant. And he will act, and he will return and heed the forsakers of the holy covenant.

[{ He (king of the North) is confronted by a foreign navy or navies or perhaps these are symbols of a more generic military force. There are those opposed to the king of the North, who is used to having his way but not this time. He gets some resistance this time and he will be grieved, perhaps embarrassed, retreats, and gets real mad and takes it out on the "holy covenant," though we can not be sure of what connection there is between Christians and the ships of Kittim. Maybe there will be a common sympathy between the two that angers the North. Or it may be that the North, being embarrassed, tries to recover to make himself look better after the humiliation by the ships of Kittim, which I assume belong to the king of the South.

Kittim was one of the sons of Javan in Genesis 10:4 who were noted at that early time as being sailors and mariners of the coasts and islands, probably not just of the Mediterranean but even beyond it to the north around Spain and North Europe and south around Africa and by means of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba, even likely the Indus River Valley and who knows how much further. From Javan came many related tribes, some or many of which were sea faring and settled the coasts and islands. I note that there is a Java in the East Indies. It is quite possible they filled or helped fill the islands of the SE Asian Pacific.

Just a few side-points to note!

Some of the tribes of Ham also plied the Mediterranean, namely from Mizraim (Egypt), came the Casluhim, from whom the Caphtorim (Minoans) and Philistines (Mycenaeans possibly) came from and the Canaanite Sidonian Phoenicians, who also founded Carthage in time. What are often called Greeks likely came to be a mixture of those from Javan and Ham and Northerners. White races also came down from the north into Greece as well, the Ionians, Dorians, and Achaeans. At some point, the mixture became known as Greek. But according to Scripture, it would appear that it was the sons of Javan who really established the maritime trade and culture which the Hamites and others later picked up or joined up with. I will leave it to Academia to settle who gave who what language as they say it was the Phoenicians, but I suspect it could have been the Greeks who started it. For that matter, it could very well have been the Hebrews through Moses who had a great deal of influence on writing and the alphabet. The ultimate evidence may still be waiting to be discovered, for all we know.

But that age is so far remote in the past and so little evidence remains, that the scant evidence we have at the moment has led some to believe the Phoenicians were the benefactors of the phonetic alphabet but due to so little evidence, I am inclined to believe it could be in error. But that the alphabet was named for the Phoenicians does lend it quite a bit of credibility. For sure, the record of the Bible gives us good reason to pause. It is the single best record of the period, if not nearly the only narrative record of that remote time period of the Middle Bronze Age, circa 2350 BC to 1200 BC by my reckoning. 1200 BC to 800 BC was a sort of dark age collapse, though I am inclined to think it more like 1350 BC to 950 BC, but that will have to remain unsubstantiated here at this point in time, without explanation but not without research having been done previously by me.
End of notes.

Christians, perhaps seen as a nuisance or irritation, will present a good diversion from the Kings's failure and he will heed the forsakers of the holy covenant. They seem to talk him into acting against the holy covenant. Who are the forsakers of the holy covenant? No doubt, phony Christians for starters. Could they include former forsakers such as Jews? I suppose it could be possible that it includes all forsakers, past and present. But I have no doubt that phony Christians will be the first and foremost to want to eliminate the faithful, even as phony Jews of the 1st century did the same with the faithful of that time.

But do notice that if I am right in that this humiliated king needs a diversion for his embarrassing military failure, then he is much like Nero, who used Christians as a scapegoat and diversion from his own actions in burning Rome while blaming others for it. And there to encourage the King of the North to get God's people are the foresakers of the Covenant. And working with these two will be the antichrist as well, who is said to come from the tribe of Dan, and may be called a Jew. So we are given some unique details here about one of the elements no doubt revealed in Revelation. Are the forsakers Babylon? Could be! Is the King of the North part of the beast system? Could be! Not mentioned here but mentioned so many other places in Daniel, would be the antichrist.

We are to know and understand that many elements will be working together against God and in behalf of Satan, as resistors of God's will. And we have a key event, a humiliating loss to a military/political foe, the King of the South or the ships of Kittim. Kittim may not be with the south but perhaps a renegade element. But it is this circumstance that finally puts the events in motion against God's people. God has kindly allowed us this knowledge so that we can brace ourselves for the unavoidable that is to come upon us. This will be about midway into the 7 year period of the antichrist when some Christians will be martyred.

One thing for sure, God and His son have always had enemies and never a shortage of enemies. Who knows how many of those will be represented among this group/type. We will know shortly. For just as the Jews forsook the 1st coming of Jesus, so these modern day "Jews," supposed Christians, will be the 1st and foremost to reject & try to kill Jesus, by attacking  his people and resisting his will, all while claiming to be his followers. "Lord, lord, did we not do this or that . . . all in your name?" Yet Jesus will say to them, "I know you not, you criminals." -Matthew 7:21-23. Right? But they have it in for Christians because it is the best way to get at Jesus and the King of the North takes advantage of this and joins with the foresakers.

I do want to point out that this little bit of info in Daniel 11 is unique among prophetic announcements. It provides detail that I find nowhere else.

Now some might argue or ask, why would phony Christians attack the sincere ones and not be harmed themselves? Well, if they are followers of the antichrist, the false messiah, then they would be immune to persecution while real Christians refuse to follow the false messiah and, therefore, get punished. Indeed, Ishmael, the fleshly son/covenant of Galatians 4:22 on, continues to persecute Isaac, the spiritual son/covenant, all the way to the end. }]

Daniel 11:31 And forces will stand away from him, and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress. And they shall remove the regular sacrifice, and they will place the abomination that desolates.

[ While I favor the GLT Bible in most instances, here it does not properly convey the first statement of this verse. I have supplied 5 versions so you can see how all the others translate it. The original language also indicates arms and forces united with the King if not from him, not against him. ]

GLT) 31 And forces will stand away from him
KJV) 31 And arms shall stand on his part
RSV) 31 Forces from him shall appear
YLT) 31 And strong ones out of him stand up
ASV) 31 And forces shall stand on his part

Daniel 11:32 And he will defile by flatteries those who do evil against the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will work.

[{ The GLT Bible says he will defile by flatteries but this is not quite the understanding I get. I think he seeks to make friends and allies of them, with perhaps flatteries, but more at smoothness, promises, all the sorts of things politicians do to gain a supporter or supporting group. Or maybe he tickles their ears, telling them whatever it is they want to here and so they join him. Is this the deception of the antichrist or a prelude to such? Is this why those who hate Jesus and betray the covenant they claim to represent join the antichrist/king? I quote Strong's as well as present how 6 Bible translations word it.

02514 hqlx chalaqqah khal-ak-kaw'
from 02505; n f; {See TWOT on 670 @@ "670e"}
AV-flatteries 1; 1
1) flattery, smoothness, fine promises

GLT) defile by flatteries
RSV) seduce with flattery
ASV) pervert by flatteries
KJV) corrupt by flatteries
BBE) by his fair words
Douay) shall deceitfully dissemble

So the King of the North wins over those who do evil against the covenant. So we have a king, a political power aligned with other interests that want Christians out of the way. The king of the North acts against Christianity and has helpers and allies help him. Verses 33-35 seem to back up and describe a situation going on for some time and continuing for days up to the time of the end in 35. Then in 36, we are back to the time of the end action, where the king definitely seems to be the antichrist. I think this is because their actions are united, too, that they are described as "one" even as Jesus and the Father act as "one" and are said to be "one."

But do recall that there is both a beast and a false prophet that get thrown into the lake of fire in Revelation. So there is both political and religious elements that work together in the end and that is why this may be more about the political element called a political beast in Revelation. }]

Daniel 11:33 And those who understand among the people will instruct many, yet they will stumble by the sword and by flame, by exile and spoil for days.

[ Now whether this takes place more prominently during the time of the 1st half of the covenant the antichrist makes with the many, about 3.5 years, half a week, 1260 days in sackcloth for Christians in Revelation 12:6, it could also apply to nearly anytime in history since Christianity began, except that truth has often been quite scarce until the last days. I favor the time more relevant since the middle ages and Reformation as being applicable. ]

Daniel 11:34 And when they shall stumble, they will be helped with a little help. But many will join them with hypocrisy.

[ The faithful will stumble a little and be helped a little. But many joining with hypocrisy means some are perhaps not sincere, are phonies, bought off by the various political and business / financial interests or maybe some are spies who are making a list of who is who, getting ready to imprison them all. But as I see it, that the Bible says "many" is a way of saying it will be very prominent and that they will likely far outnumber the sincere followers so watch out! But if there are spies, do not resist them. It is God's will that we be kept safely in prison while the world perishes. ]

Daniel 11:35 And many of those who understand shall stumble, to refine and to purge them, and to make white to the time of the end. For it is yet for the appointed time.

[ But the sifting and refining process of God moves along, and perhaps some who understand do not remain faithful and are weeded out. The appointed time for God's kingdom is not yet but soon will be. You will note how after pointing the finger at the very end up to verse 32, God now jumps back a bit in time to reveal the slow gradual process toward spiritual "enlightenment." But it is about to jump back ahead again in 36. ]

Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god; he shall even speak marvelous things against the God of gods and shall prosper until the fury is fulfilled. For that which is decreed shall be done.

[{ This king is surely the antichrist but is he the king of the North? Could be but it might not necessarily be. I harbor a little bit of doubt for the previous king was from a line or succession of kings of nations. And he has his problems whereas the antichrist seems rather successful and prosperous right up to the time he is killed off by God. And what I have already mentioned of Revelation applies as well, as regards a beast and a false prophet, the antichrist. Time ought to solve the doubt and clear up understanding. But know this, the antichrist accomplishes nothing without military and political aid, so that when one group acts, it is as if all act. All are united together in their goals and aims at this time. }]

Daniel 11:37 He shall not regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women; yea, he will not come to any god. For he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his place he shall honor the god of forces, and he shall honor a god whom his fathers did not know, with gold and silver and with precious stones, and desirable things. 39 And he shall act in the strongholds of the fortresses with a foreign god, whom he shall acknowledge. He shall multiply in glory, and he shall cause them to rule over many and shall divide the land for a price.

[{ This arrogant king who elevates himself above all, including God, will honor the god of forces, armies and military power, and he will give great wealth to this "god". But publically, he declares himself as the only god. Ah, yes, have not many men wanted to be declared a god. But this one has the benefit of technology, a solid network of co-conspirators well placed for at least the last thousand if not more like 1600 years or more. And he will have control of all the money and financial power of the world. But most of all, he has the support of the devil in the spirit realm. It is beginning to look obvious, isn't it? Lets see, a big military budget and lots of influence over the wealth of the world.

It is not that he will literally worship a god of war, but with his actions, more than his words or lips, he will worship the god of war/forces/military strength. But he will do this in secret. It is with power and might that he gets things done, rather than real Godly power and good (holy/pure) motivation. And as always, lots of people will die as they always do in war and revolution. And remember, this antichrist will be a liar and deceiver. And he pretends to be so nice but he will shed blood on a scale never seen before or ever seen again. By his fruits you will recognize him!

This also looks like a time when God's people will have some success spreading the good news and Christians will be refined as a group to weed out the weeds, perhaps. There are those who will finally be able to see through the lies that have been held out to them for so long but had not been so obvious maybe 30 years previous to this. Anyway, the king's move comes next. And the next verses are another reason why I have some doubts about who exactly this king of the North is. But considering that Christ is king and priest, it is rather likely the false Christ will also do the same, assuming both roles in time.

Next is what appears to be the last struggle between the two kings. And keep in mind that the identities of these kings changes over time and that the enemies of the king of the North usually change over 50 years so the king of the South might be different than last time. But whoever he or they are, they get defeated and the king of the North does well, though some of the vanquished enemy do escape. }]

Daniel 11:40 And at the end time, the king of the south will engage in butting with him. And the king of the north shall come against him like a tempest, with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships. And he shall go into the lands and shall overflow and pass over. 41 And he shall enter into the glorious land, and many will be stumbled. But these shall escape out of his hand: Edom and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon. 42 And his hand will stretch out against the lands, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he will rule over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all Egypt's desirable things. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

[ My dilemma here is that verses 40 and 44 seem to be two different campaigns. Does verse 44 represent his final push where he comes to an end? Then verse 40 precedes it and perhaps has already happened. Could it represent WWII? I tend to think it does. Or is it one yet to come and 44 simply represent the final fall of the antichrist? I will have to wait and see at this point as it is too difficult to call at the moment. I believe enough is knowable so that we will not be caught off guard or by surprise. There will be a lot of war, violence, and killing going on, on a scale like we have never seen before in history and will never see again, according to Jesus and Revelation, as well as Daniel 12:1. ]

Daniel 11:44 But news shall trouble him from the east and from the north. And he will go out with great fury to destroy and to devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall plant his palace tents between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, and there is not a helper for him.

[{ The king of the north, the acting power or king at the end, will enter the glorious land (Israel/Jerusalem?) and many will be stumbled as a result. Possibly this is the land of Judah and Jerusalem. This would fool or stumble many, thinking it was God's will that accomplished this amazing feat. Maybe a number of people will die as a result. The king also intends to destroy many and he will plant his palace between the seas, possibly the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, indicating his rebuilding the temple and his palace at Jerusalem so as to deceive and mislead. But he will come to his end all the same.

We have to wonder who the king of the south might be. Whoever it is, the king of the north brings a lot of military equipment, soldiers, and ships so it will be a spectacle for sure. We may be seeing it soon in the Mideast for all we know. Time will tell. But for sure, the king of the North will come to his end. Christians will be vindicated and saved in the very end. What I can say is that if the temple is to be rebuilt and the antichrist put on a throne, then the Mideast will have to be subdued in some way and I would expect that to be bloody. Perhaps the Mideast can be won over by smoothness and diplomacy. Time will tell. But there will be plenty of blood all around the world eventually around this time.

This also looks to be the time when following this campaign, Daniel 12:1 is fulfilled and the 7 bowls of wrath in Revelation are poured out on the world to end it all. }]

Daniel 12:1 And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great ruler who stands for the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of distress, such as has not been from the existence of a nation until that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the Book. 2 And many of those sleeping in the earth's dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and to everlasting abhorrence. 3 And those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and those turning many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, to the end time. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

[{ Verse 12:1 should ring a bell to anyone familiar with the words of Jesus as regards the end of the world. His words are almost exactly the same as Daniel's which was deliberate on his part, just as it as with most of Revelation quoting the Old Testament. Also note 12:4 above and an alternate translation below as well. It would all be understood near the very end.

Oh yeah, did you notice verse 12:2? Doesn't it sound just like John 5: "28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear His voice. 29 And they will come out, the ones having done good into a resurrection of life; and the ones having practiced evil into a resurrection of judgment."
Turns out that Jesus was basically quoting Daniel. Of course, Jesus was the author of what was delivered to Daniel in visions and partially explained by an angel. }]

(RSV) 12:4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

[{ It should be noted at this point that there are signs and features here in abundance, features that as near as I can tell, have never been revealed in any other place in the Bible. The details revealed here should make it very easy to spot the guilty parties when their time comes to be revealed. Those who have been studying God's word with diligence and care will immediately recognize the scoundrels. Sounds like fun, eh? Let's face it! When we are outlawed or taken prisoner, it will be a shock, no matter how prepared we were for it. The disciples were shocked and scared off when Jesus was taken prisoner to be executed. We need to be aware that we have enemies, because they may be quite subtle so that we may not be aware of them and their hatred for us.

And 2nd, we have to know our fate so that as we are led away, we know it shall only be for about 3.5 years and we will be rescued by God from it all. We can not overstate the incredible importance of this message. We need to know we are going to be OK in the long run. But also, if we are to preach under heavy persecution just prior to our incarceration, we have to have this understanding to guide those coming in at the last hour to take their stand with us as obedient and loyal to God, regardless of what is confronting us for threats. We have to know the outcome. And God spent the entire Bible preparing us for this final testing. We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Daniel could not see and wanted to but we do because it was meant for us to see, but not for our enemies. }]

Daniel 12:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was on the waters of the river, Until when is the end of the wonders? 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was on the waters of the river, when he held up his right and his left hand to the heavens and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when they have made an end of scattering the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8 And I heard, but I did not understand. And I said, O my lord, what shall be the end of these things?

[ It is asked, when is the end of the wonders? A literary expression is used to number 3.5 times. 3.5 times for what? When the holy people are no longer scattered in their power. When they are no longer hindered, outlawed, or incarcerated, then all these things shall be finished. When they are restored and empowered again, it shall be over or as good as over. Daniel, of course, could not make sense of what was revealed. The prophecies were given to him to record and deliver, but not to understand. It was meant for someone far into the future, right near the very end.. The angel made that clear to Daniel next. ]

Daniel 12:9 And He said, Go, Daniel! For the words are closed up and sealed until the end time. 10 Many shall be purified and made white and tested. But the wicked shall do wickedly. And not one of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

[ You see, that is the cool thing about prophecy. Those in on the technique understand was is being passed on but none of the wicked have a clue. To them, this is a bunch of babbling nonsense. They don't even consider God to be real or they are so fooled by false prophecy that they have no idea what is really intended by God. But the wise of God understand! ]

Daniel 12:11 And from the time the regular sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that desolates set up, a thousand, two hundred and ninety days shall occur.

[ This is a real important verse. It looks like 1290 days begins and passes after the sacrifice is taken away and the abomination installed, possibly being the antichrist or the rebuilt temple installed. This seems to align with the 3.5 times/years in Daniel  12:6. 1290 days is just 30 more days, 1 more month, than the 1260 days of 42 lunar months, 3.5 lunar years. ]

Daniel 12:12 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand, three hundred and thirty five days.

[{ I am guessing that this indicates 45 days beyond the 1290, totaling 1335 days, which would seem to be the intent of suggesting it is pretty well over when the Christians are restored from "exile." And I believe the 1290 would be subtracted from from the 2300 days to indicate when some of the troubles would begin to let us know how long before we must go into "exile" for 1290 days.

The problem is in counting the days and fitting them into 365.25 day solar years or whether it is intended for lunar months and years of 12 30 day months and 360 day years. Using solar years we get 6 years, 3 months, 20 days for 2300. Lunar calculations gives us 6 years, 4 months, 20 days. Only a month difference either way so it is no big deal. 1290 days amounts to 3 years, 6 months, 15 days with the solar method and 3 years, 9 months with the lunar method. The difference between 2300-1290 = 1010. A solar 1010 is 2 years, 9 months, 10 days or lunar yields 2 years, 9 months, 20 days. I am not sure it makes a difference whether it is lunar or solar. Whether it is 1260 or 1290, it will be in that neighborhood of time. I do not care if it varies by a few days or not.

But as you can see, the time of Christians being exiled, outlawed, or incarcerated is about just over 3.5 years and things begin to happen about 2 years and 9 months before that, that start to heat things up. But after Christians are restored back to life, so to speak, restored to power and rights, they are soon (45 days) to be attacked again after a brief rest, but this will be when God steps in to destroy the attackers; completely, finally, thoroughly!

Lets face it, going into incarceration, if it comes to that, is not great to look forward to, but on the other hand, it is a relatively short time of 3.5 years before we will experience the joy of being freed from a world of hell and have God finally reward His servants in a big way. And it is likely that while we are stored away in a camp or prison, we will be spared the tremendous death, disease, chaos, and starvation that the rest of the world will be suffering. God is letting us know in advance how long it is to be so we do not go on thinking it will be many years. Note that the antichrist dies after 3.5 years and Jesus died after 3.5 years of preaching and we go into captivity for 3.5 years. God uses this pattern to help show He is behind these things which is why it keeps coming up as the same time period. }]

Matthew 24:
15 Then when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (the one reading, let him understand),
[Dan. 11:31; 12:11]
16 then let those in Judea flee on the mountains;
17 the one on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house;
18 and the one in the field, let him not turn back to take his garment.

[{ Notice what Mathew writes in parentheses - (the one reading, let him understand)! Revelation says a similar thing when it says, Let the one who has ears listen to what the spirit says to the churches. Jesus would often say, Let he who has ears listen. This was a way of saying with sort of a wink and nod, pay careful attention and read in between the lines here. And this was in regards to Daniel's "abomination of desolation." Many think Matthew is quoting the same words of Jesus written by Luke. I'll get to Luke's account in a minute.

But what some may not understand is that in talking about Jerusalem's temple being destroyed, Jesus was also speaking of the end of the world as well. This is made clear at the beginning of chapter 24 of Matthew and also Luke 21. But some miss this. When Jesus speaks of the end, he describes many things which apply to both periods, the one leading to the temple's fall and the period just before the end of the world. So when one reads about the abomination, one has to look beyond the temple to the end of the world and what is meant by the abomination of desolation in the last days.

If you look at all the events and prophecies throughout the Bible, you will find that there is always an event which takes place in the same way as a later event does. There is always a first as a proto-type and then the repeat type after. This is not at all clear to the casual observer but for a serious and careful student of the Bible, which one would only be if they were really putting faith in the Bible to begin with, it is clear. So one has to pay careful attention when Matthew, or John, or other says "let he who has ears listen" or something similar, there is something more to be understood that what might be readily apparent.

Really, this repeat aspect is rather generous of God for it makes our interpreting and understanding what is to come a bit easier. Once one gets on to how God does things, it all falls into place. Let us finish Matthew's account so you can see how Jesus quotes Daniel somewhat. }]

Matthew 24:19 But woe to the woman having a child in womb, and to those suckling in those days! 20 And pray that your flight will not be in winter nor on a sabbath. 21 For there will be great affliction, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. 22 And except those days were shortened, not any flesh would be saved. But on account of the elect, those days will be shortened.

[ Sounds like doesn't it? Daniel 12:1 "And there shall be a time of distress, such as has not been from the existence of a nation until that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered," That is what Jesus intended, naturally. Now let us look at Luke to see why some get confused about Matthew. ]

Luke 21:20 And when you see Jerusalem being encircled by armies, then recognize that its destruction has come near. 21 Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains; and those in its midst, let them go out. And those in the open spaces, let them not go into her. 22 For these are days of vengeance when all things that have been written are to be fulfilled.

[{ The words of Matthew and Luke are very different. No mention of Daniel's abomination by Luke nor Jerusalem encircled by armies, which did happen just before the temple was destroyed along with many of the inhabitants. Were they confused or did Jesus mention both things or did one of them make some assumptions or was Jesus cleverly disguising one event with another? I think whatever the case was that Jesus intended us to understand that there would be an abomination of desolation in the last days that we should look out for and he was quoting Daniel, assuming we would understand him referring to that account and what it signified for us, much more than those in Jerusalem in 70 AD/CE.

Then right after he tells us that in Matthew, he then brings up false prophets and false christs and say that "then" if anyone says to you that Christ is here or Christ is there somewhere on earth, do not believe them. Jesus will return in the sky, in the clouds, concealed from us visibly but very noticeable from the effects of his coming. The timing between the abomination and the appearance of a false Christ is very important.

I would guess to say that this abomination would be some kind of sacrilege such as the temple being rebuilt which would insult the sacrifice already given by Jesus with his own body and blood in our behalf. Or it could be the antichrist claiming he was Christ or God or something similar. We will know it when we hear it. It will definitely be an abomination of desolation for sure.

Now I want to make it clear that due to so many visions between Daniel, Revelation, and Ezekiel, that it would be near impossible to cover all the visions and integrate them all together and be sure of the interpretations all the numerous details. But they are there because we can be assured that every single detail will fall into place and be answered and fulfilled. God wants to be able to bring in a large harvest at the last hour and He needs something impressive like a fantastic number of visions made and fulfilled to the detail, to be convincing to people and giving them the confidence to trust the rest of the message and take a stand that will require courage and faith.

But knowing what the ultimate outcome is going to be, they will find that courage and embrace God and His ways. So these many visions are very important. Now you will want to pay careful attention to Ezekiel, for his visions speak of the same things Daniel speaks of, but of course with different symbols. Ezekiel also pays attention to particular aspects not covered elsewhere or not discussed enough elsewhere.

Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore, say to the house of Israel, So says the Lord Jehovah: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but only for My holy name which you profaned among the nations, there where you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name which was profaned among the nations, which you profaned among them. And the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, declares the Lord Jehovah, when I am sanctified in you in their eyes. 24 For I will take you from the nations and gather you out of all the lands and bring you into your land.

[ This was the promise of bringing the nations into God's house, which Peter was used to announce the start with the conversion of Cornelius, the gentile, as we have come to call people of the nations. All nations would contribute individuals to make up the temple of God and rule with Jesus in heaven. But we are still on earth at the moment. ]

Ezekiel 36:
25 Then I will sprinkle clean waters on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your defilement and from all your idols.
26 And I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them.
28 And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be a people to Me, and I will be God to you.

[ These prophecies are similar to other prophets who foretold the nations becoming children of Israel, even as Paul spoke of. We are Abraham's seed according to promise not according to the flesh. And as you can see, nearly everything in 25-28 is figurative so there should be no surprises there. So we are dealing with the Christian nation, so to speak, dwelling in the "land" that God had given to their "fathers." This land is symbolic for God's people, Christians, who would be all over the earth in nearly every nation and language, and not just in one area. But we must hide the message in symbols so that our enemies do not know what is being told to us, but we know and that is as it should be. ]

Ezekiel 36:
29 I will also save you from all your defilements, and I will call for grain and increase it, and I will not put a famine on you.
30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, in order that you will not any more receive the disgrace of famine among the nations.
31 And you will remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good, and you will despise yourselves in your own eyes for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32 Let it be known to you that I am not doing this for your sake, states the Lord Jehovah. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

33 So says the Lord Jehovah: In the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the wastes shall be built.
34 And the desolated land shall be cultivated, rather than being a ruin in the eyes of all passing by.
35 And they shall say, This land that was desolated has become like the garden of Eden. And the wasted and desolated and razed cities are fortified and inhabited.
36 And the nations left all around you shall know that I, Jehovah, built the razed places and planted that which was desolated. I, Jehovah have spoken it and will do it.

[ This spiritual land was once desolate but now it thrives. God makes it grow and thrive for His own sake and not for ours. This chapter was important to set up who it is that is being referred to in the next chapters. ]

Ezekiel 36:
37 So says the Lord Jehovah: Yet for this I will be sought by the house of Israel, to work for them. I will increase them with men like a flock.
38 Like a holy flock, like the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the wasted cities shall be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am Jehovah.

[ "Israel" indeed, has multiplied from a nation of maybe several million or 10 to 20 million in ancient times to hundreds of millions in our time. ]

Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of Jehovah was on me. And He brought me by the Spirit of Jehovah and made me rest in the midst of a valley, and it was full of bones. 2 And He made me pass among them all around. And, behold, very many were on the face of the valley. And, behold! They were very dry. 3 And He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I said, O Lord Jehovah, You know.

Ezekiel 37:4 And He said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of Jehovah: 5 So says the Lord Jehovah to these bones: Behold, I cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live,; 6 and I will put on you sinews and will bring flesh on you and spread skin over you and put breath in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am Jehovah.

Let me ask, if "Israel," God's people are going to live again, then when did they die since we left them alive in chapter 36? We are never told they die but we are told this in Revelation and this will be important. This chapter shall set up a certain chain of events. It will not be a complete picture but only a piece of it. We are coming in on the piece that is about halfway through Revelation 11 where God's people have been killed, figuratively speaking.

Ezekiel 37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise. And, behold, a shaking! And the bones drew near, a bone to its bone. 8 And I watched. And, behold! The sinews and the flesh came up on them, and the skin spread over them from above. But there was no breath in them.

In order for these to be living, they must have the breath of life. I believe this has a bearing on the issue of abortion and when a life becomes a life. It does so when it draws its first breath on its own, not when it is conceived. But that is another topic I would rather not address right now.

Ezekiel 37:9 Then He said to me, Prophesy to the Spirit. Prophesy, son of man, and say to the Spirit, So says the Lord Jehovah: Come from the four winds, O Spirit, and breathe on these slain ones, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the Spirit came into them. And they lived and stood on their feet, a very great army. 11 Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is perished; we are cut off to ourselves.

First, notice that they were slain, killed by an unidentified assailant. They are martyrs, sort of. The symbolism is plain to see as the bones, before living, say: Our bones are dried, and our hope is perished; we are cut off to ourselves. But this very great army lives again. This, too, will become very important very soon.

Ezekiel 37:12 So prophesy and say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people, and I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am Jehovah when I have opened your graves and have brought you up out of your graves, O My people. 14 And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live; and I will put you on your own land. And you shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it, says Jehovah.

It might look, at this point, like Jehovah is promising the resurrection. But that this is the Christian congregation was earlier established. Theirs is not to be a earthly resurrection if they were slain. Their reward would then be a heavenly one. So again, it must be figurative/symbolic. And we read next of Israel nad Judah being joined back together again like before the days of Solomon's son, Reheboam. This has not happened to earthly fleshly Judah and Israel but it has happened to the spiritual ones. They are one house, one flock, with one shepherd.

Ezekiel 37:15 And the word of Jehovah was to me, 16 saying, And you, son of man, take one stick to yourself and write on it, For Judah, and for his companions, the sons of Israel. And take another stick and write on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions. 17 And draw them one to one for yourself, into one stick. And they shall become for oneness in your hand.

Ezekiel 37:18 And when the sons of your people shall speak to you, saying, Will you not declare to us what these mean to you? 19 Say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions. And I will put them with him, with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand. 20 And the sticks shall be in your hand, the ones on which you write before their eyes. 21 And say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations, there where they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and will bring them into their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one King shall be for a king to all of them. And they shall not be two nations still. And they will not be split into two kingdoms any more.

Ezekiel 37:23 And they will not still be defiled with their idols, even with their filthy idols, nor with all of their transgressions. But I will save them out of all their dwelling places where they have sinned in them, and I will cleanse them. So they shall be for a people to Me and I will be for God to them. 24 And My Servant, David, shall be King over them. And there shall be one Shepherd to all of them. And they shall walk in My judgments and keep My statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell on the land that I have given to my servant, to Jacob, there where your fathers dwelt in it. And they shall dwell on it, they and their sons, and the sons of their sons, forever. And My Servant David shall be a ruler to them forever. 26 And I will cut a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant it shall be with them, And I will place them and multiply them, and I will put My sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 And My tabernacle shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 28 And when My sanctuary shall be in their midst forever, the nations shall know that I, Jehovah, sanctify Israel.

The parts I put in boldface appear in Revelation as quotes and probably elsewhere in the prophets of the Old Testament. Let us review the scenes we have been shown so far. We had "Israel" (Christianity) established and purified. Then we saw them dead, slain, and brought back to life. And now they are firmly established again. Now comes the big finale.

Ezekiel 38:1 And the word of Jehovah was to me, saying, 2 Son of man, set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3 And say, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 And I will turn you back and put hooks into your jaws. And I will bring you and all your army out: horses and horsemen, all of them clothed most perfectly; a great assembly with buckler and shield, all of them swordsmen. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all his bands; the house of Togarmah from the recesses of the north, and all his bands; many peoples are with you. 7 Be prepared; yea, prepared for yourself, you and all your assembly that are assembled to you, and be a guard to them. 8 After many days you shall be visited. In the after years you shall come into the land turned back from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel which have been for a continual waste. But he has been brought out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.

My archaelogical and historical research has led me to conclude that Meshech and Tubal are the majority of the Asiatic races that typically make up Mongolians, Chinese, and other such races. Gomer and Togarmah of of Celtic extraction who for a time inhabited the steps of Asia and were pushed out by the Asiatics eventually. Who Rosh is, I do not know. But Persia (in the mideast), Ethiopia, and Libya (from Africa) are also with this large collection of nationalities. It is a very large group, but strictly symbolic as far as I can tell.

But this large horde are assembled against "Israel" of whom we are well aware of as to who they really are.

Ezekiel 38:9 And you shall go up, you shall come like a storm; you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you and all your bands, and many peoples with you.

Ezekiel 38:10 So says the Lord Jehovah: And it shall be in that day, words shall come up into your heart, and you shall devise an evil plan. 11 And you shall say, I will go up to the land of open spaces. I will go to those at ease, who live securely, all of them living with no walls, and there are no bars and gates to them, 12 in order to spoil a spoil, and to steal a prize, to turn your hand on the inhabited waste places, and on the people gathered out of the nations, who have gotten livestock and goods, who dwell in the center of the earth. 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, and all its young lions, shall say to you, Have you come to spoil a spoil? Have you gathered your assembly to steal a prize, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to spoil a great spoil?

More symbolism as God's people are said to dwell in the center of the earth. They are defenseless and present no threat to anyone, but they are attacked because of what little wealth or value they have and because those who attack hate Christ as well.

Ezekiel 38:14 So prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, So says the Lord Jehovah: Shall you not know in that day when My people Israel dwells securely? 15 And you shall come from your place out of the recesses of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly, a mighty army. 16 And you shall come up on My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It shall be in the after days, and I will bring you against My land so that the nations may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes, Gog.

Ezekiel 38:17 So says the Lord Jehovah: Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by the hand of My servants, the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days and years, to bring you against them? 18 And it shall be on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah, My fury shall come up in My face. 19 And in My jealousy, in the fire of My wrath, I have spoken. Surely, in that day there shall be a great quaking in the land of Israel. 20 And the fish of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men on the face of the earth, shall quake at My face. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 And I shall call a sword against him on all My mountains, declares the Lord Jehovah. Each man's sword shall be against his brother.

Ezekiel 38:22 And I will judge him with a plague and with blood, and an overflowing shower, and hailstones. I will rain fire and brimstone on him, and on his bands, and on the many peoples who are with him. 23 And I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself. And I will be known in the eyes of the many nations, and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

This is the final attack on God's people, described in Zechariah 14 and Revelation with its 7 bowls of anger as final revenge for attacking God's people. Because I believe this is so apparent, then we can not assume that this is describing the ones who first killed "Israel" in chapter 37. That was never solved here but is in Revelation.

Ezekiel 39:1 And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 2 And I will turn you back and lead you on. And I will bring you up from the recesses of the north, and will bring you on the mountains of Israel. 3 And I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and I will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand. 4 You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your bands, and the people with you. I will give you for food to the birds of prey, a bird of every wing, and to the beasts of the field. 5 You shall fall on the face of the field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord Jehovah. 6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and on the secure inhabitants of the coasts. And they shall know that I am Jehovah. 7 And I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel. And I will not let My holy name be profaned any more. And the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel.

Revelation also spoke of dead people as being food for the birds of heaven in God's great evening meal prepared for them. Only here the beasts of the field are added as well.

Ezekiel 39:8 Behold! It is coming, and it shall be done, declares the Lord Jehovah. That is the day of which I have spoken. 9 And the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go out and shall set afire and burn the weapons, even the shield and the buckler, the bow and the arrows, and the hand staff, and the spears. And they shall burn them with fire seven years. 10 And they shall not take wood out of the field and shall not cut down out of the forest. For they shall burn the weapons with fire. And they shall plunder those who plundered them, and rob those who robbed them, declares the Lord Jehovah.

God's people, those who remain on earth, have plenty to do. And the spoils of war also go to them. They have been avenged by God and not by their own hand. Christians today do not need to bear weapons. They, too, will be unguarded in security, without a bar or door, no weapons. So those who bear arms today to defend themselves are not relying on God and can not be said to be His people dwelling in security, trusting in Him for protection and salvation. Let he who has ears listen.

Ezekiel 39:11 And it will be on that day, I will give to Gog a place there, a grave in Israel, the valley of those who pass by, east of the sea. And it shall stop those who pass by. And they shall bury Gog and all his multitude there, and they shall call it The Valley of the Multitude of Gog. 12 And the house of Israel shall bury them, in order to cleanse the land, seven months. 13 And the people of the land shall bury. And it shall be for a name to them, the day when I am glorified, declares the Lord Jehovah. 14 And they shall separate men who continually pass through the land, burying those who passed through, who remain on the face of the earth, to cleanse it. At the end of seven months, they shall make a search. 15 And as they pass, those who pass through the land, and any man sees a bone, then he shall build a post beside it, until the buriers have buried it in The Valley of the Multitude of Gog.

Ezekiel 39:16 And also the name of the city is The Multitude. And they shall cleanse the land.

Ezekiel 39:17 And you, son of man, So says the Lord Jehovah: Say to the bird of every wing, and to every beast of the field: Gather yourselves and come, collect yourselves from all around to My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, so that you may eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the rulers of the earth, of rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. 19 And you shall eat fat until satiated, and drink blood until drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 20 And you shall be satiated at My table with horses and chariots, and mighty men, all the men of war, declares the Lord Jehovah. 21 And I will put My glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see My judgments which I have done, and My hand that I have laid on them. 22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am Jehovah their God, from that day and onward. 23 And the nations shall know that the house of Israel was exiled for their iniquity. Because they betrayed Me, so I hid My face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies. And they fell by the sword, all of them. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their sins, I have done to them, and have hidden My face from them.

Revelation 19:17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God,
18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and of the ones sitting on them, and the flesh of all, both freemen and slaves, even of the small and great.

Need I say more?

Ezekiel 39:25 So the Lord Jehovah says this: Now I will return the captivity of Jacob and will have mercy on all the house of Israel. And I will be jealous for My holy name. 26 And also after they have borne their shame, and all their treachery which they have done against Me, when they dwell on their land securely, and no one terrifies; 27 when I have returned them from the peoples, and gathered them out of the hand of their enemies, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations, 28 then they shall know that I am Jehovah their God who exiled them among the nations. But I have gathered them to their own land and have not left any of them there. 29 And I will not any more hide My face from them, for I have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah.

End of the story! Only Revelation 20-21 gives us further insight into the future.

From this account in Ezekiel, it seems to me a perfect parallel to Revelation 11where God's people, symbolized as His two witnesses, are killed, figuratively speaking, and come to life only 3.5 days later and then God pours out the 7 bowls of anger on His enemies who attempt one last attack on God's people after they come to life again. Instead, the enemies all die and are thrown into the lake of fire, the 2nd death.

Joel 3:1 For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, for My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they shared out My land. 3 And they have cast lots for My people. And they have given a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine, and they drank.

Its kind of handy having this follow Ezekiel since they speak of the same thing here, namely Israel and the nations who enter into judgment with God.

Joel 3:4 And also, what are you to Me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you restoring repayment to Me? And if you are repaying Me, I will turn your reward on your own head, swiftly, speedily, 5 in that you have taken My silver and My gold and have carried My good treasures to your temples. 6 You have also sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you might remove them far from their border.

Joel 3:7 Behold, I am arousing them from the place where you have sold them, and will return your reward on your own head. 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far off. For Jehovah has spoken it.

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: Sanctify a war; awaken the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Gather yourselves and come, all you nations; and gather yourselves together all around. O Jehovah, bring down Your mighty ones. 12 Let the nations be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit to judge all the nations all around.

Joel 3:13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in valley of decision! For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall gather in their light.

Notice the similarity between Joel above and Revelation below.

Revelation 14:17 And another angel went forth out of the temple in Heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel went forth out of the altar having authority over the fire. And he spoke with a great cry to the one having the sharp sickle, saying, Send your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripened.
19 And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw into the winepress of the great anger of God.

Joel 3:16 And Jehovah roars from Zion, and He gives His voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth quake. But Jehovah is a refuge for His people and a fortress to the sons of Israel. 17 And you shall know that I am Jehovah your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be a holy thing, and aliens shall no more pass through her.

Joel 3:18 And it shall be in that day, the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streams of Judah shall flow with waters. And a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and it shall water the valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt shall be a ruin, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, from violence done to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they poured out in their land. 20 But Judah will dwell forever, and Jerusalem to generation and generation. 21 And I will cleanse their blood which I did not cleanse. And Jehovah is dwelling in Zion.

Anyone have just read Ezekiel should see the similarities in Joel. Those who fight against Judah shall certainly be paid back by Jehovah, Himself. God is not one to be messed around with.

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of Jehovah comes, and your spoil shall be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. And the city shall be captured, and the houses plundered, and the women ravished. And half the city shall go into exile and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 And Jehovah shall go out and fight against those nations, like the day He fought in the day of battle.

Revelation says the 2 witnesses/ woman's seed/ saints shall be overcome. Well so does Zechariah. Here it is called Jerusalem but it represents the same thing. The city is captured, spoil divided, houses plundered, women raped and half those of the city go into exile, which I assume is they fall away from God. But of those who remain, they shall not be cut off from the city. God will step in and battle.

Ezekiel speaks of much the same event after the bones come to life when Gog of Magog attacks with all his horde, a vast collection of nations from the remote north, likely of Scandinavia, the Russian steps and Siberia, figuratively. But God steps in now and does away with those who come in on the city to plunder.

Zechariah 14:4 And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall divide from its middle, from the east even to the west, a very great valley. And half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah. And Jehovah my God shall come, and all the saints with You. 6 And it will be in that day, there shall not be light; the glorious ones will shrink. 7 And it will be, one day which shall be known to Jehovah; not day and not night, but it will be, there will be light at evening time.

Notice how the saints are coming with Jehovah. These, I believe, are the saints formerly dying as martyrs for God but are now resurrected to take part in the final battle with God's enemies, perhaps.

Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, living waters shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them shall go toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter it shall be. 9 And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth. In that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His name one. 10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. And it shall rise and dwell in its place, from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananeel to the king's winepresses. 11 And they shall live in it. And there shall not again be a shutting in, but Jerusalem shall dwell safely. 12 And this shall be the plague with which Jehovah will strike all the peoples who have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rest in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths. 13 And it shall be in that day, a great panic of Jehovah shall be among them; and they shall each one lay hold of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.

Zechariah 14:12 is a very famous scripture and vision. Many think it is the promise of atomic weapons killing. While I can not say it is not, I think it is more indicative of the point that their death will be very fast, so fast they will not hit the ground before they are dead. Verse 13, I believe, reveals the real cause of death to many. This is exactly the same way that Ezekiel describes it in 38:21. So we have 2 witnesses telling how man shall end.

It shall be by his own hand as chaos breaks out among the population and they kill each other which is only fitting. God may step in near the end and finish it off but man will get to start it off with world wide civil war. And unless those days had been cut short, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen, those days will be cut short. It is a promise to us.

Zechariah 14:14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of the surrounding nations shall be gathered, gold, and silver, and clothing, very much. 15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, and all the beasts which shall be in those camps, like this plague.

Looks like it is the Christians who will be the ones to do the plundering after God gets through. How fitting that those who intended to plunder get plundered instead. God loves a good irony. The last of Zechariah basically says that God's people will live happily ever after and God's enemies will not. Fine!

Zechariah 14:16 And it shall be, everyone who is left from all the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, whoever will not go up from the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, there shall even be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up, nor come in, then the rain shall not be on them, but the plague with which Jehovah shall strike the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be Egypt's offense, and the offense of all nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 20 In that day there shall be on the bells of the horses, HOLY TO JEHOVAH. And the pots in the house of Jehovah shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holy to Jehovah of hosts. And all those who sacrifice shall come and take of them, and boil in them. And in that day there shall not be a trader in the house of Jehovah of hosts any more.

We have seen a number of prophets, psalms, and other writings of God foretell the many events of the future. Each has their own details to reveal. Some announce that there shall be a judgment without saying much more. Others get very specific and detailed. Each prophet has their own set of details to reveal. All taken together, they present quite a detailed picture. But one has to be able to understand the different ways they are described or presented to see how they really do tell the same story and fit together to form a perfect whole.

What I marvel most at is how they all blend in with Revelation so well, down to the last detail. That is why I give so much attention to the prophets and their visions and how Revelation is, in many ways, really noting more than a vast collection of quotes or near quotes of the prophets of old. Jesus did not do away with the law and prophets, he simply fulfilled them so that they were no longer needed. They all point to Revelation and Revelation points back at them.

But as you hopefully can see, it takes a close careful diligent study of these matters to come to a reasonable understanding of all this. It was never intended to be easy as some have thought it should be. Instead of Christians being lazy and expecting God to do all the work, it is Christians who need to be busy with the word of God and applying great effort to it. This would need to be the case so that none but God's people would ever get an understanding of it.

After all, who else would bother to put so much work into understanding something if they did not believe it was really from God? They would just dismiss it as a bunch of mumble jumble not worth bothering with. That was exactly what Jehovah our God wanted. It worked, didn't it? And now that we are so near the time of the final end, it should all become very clear now or soon from now.

Now I must ask this. If you have read how others have interpreted the various prophets and visions, have you ever read anything even close to this? I doubt it. The main feature, if I am right, is Christians becoming illegal and maybe imprisoned and a great slaughter, political intrigue, along with a false messiah who dies mysteriously after 3.5 years and then everything goes to hell, so to speak. I am not aware of anyone preaching these things. That is good, damned good! What better way to distinguish who is right or wrong than if I were the only one to prevail with the right interpretation. It will make things easier for people to decide who they should pay more attention to, right?

But what is really important to know is who to ignore for there are many false prophets in the world and they have lots of money and get lots of attention but they are liars and losers. There will be lots of confusion and doubt. Someone needs to have some answers and if there is no competition, it just makes it easier. How well I have done in predicting the end, based on the scriptures, shall remain to be seen. I could end up looking brilliant, or simply turn out to be a fool. Time will reveal what I have been and whether God's spirit was doing anything with me or not.

But in not too much more time, we are going to see who really knows what they are talking about or not. Be awake and alert and you may escape and be able to navigate that narrow cramped road that leads to salvation. I make no money off this site or anywhere else. I have nothing to gain that way. Further, my message is not popular or desirable because it tells Christians that they are not going to be raptured and they will be persecuted and imprisoned, in all likelihood. So it is not likely that I will be popular or get a lot of attention, either. So if I am looking for attention, I am certainly going the wrong way about it. But it could get real interesting if I turn out to be right. For starters, it could give the appearance of my interpretation coming from God. But it matters not where you get the message but only that you listen to the message and obey God. Give God and yourself a chance.

And don't get fooled by this unpopular message. The apostles did not want to listen to Jesus when he warned them that he must suffer and die. They would not hear of it. We do not want to make the same mistake this time. We need to learn from them. We need to embrace courage and accept the difficult message. It means our lives. So take heart and brace yourselves for the great upheaval coming upon the earth. It must happen and it can be endured. And the reward is fantastic, to follow just afterward.

So It would be nice is if you would give this whole series on the end of the world a lot of consideration to see if you might not help to make it more clear. In a multitude of counselors there is wisdom and success. Then time and God shall judge all things. Amen!

How to Interpret the Bible Most people approach the Bible from the wrong way, taking everything literally. See why this is such a grave error and what approach we need to take.

The War With Christ Many imagine a battle between nations at Armageddon. But it is really a battle with Christ and we will be under attack, too.
Being Vigilant and Awake Jesus indicated that many, even most, people would be asleep and unprepared when he returned again on the last day. It also answers if many will be saved or not.
Spiritual Israel Israel is mentioned a lot in the Bible. But it is often not literal Israel in prophecy but Spiritual Israel, the Israel of God, the Christian congregation.
The Antichrist - read all about him and what 2nd century writers had to say about it all as well.
Babylon the Great Revealed! She is such a big part of Revelation. She deserves special attention since she is said to be God's greatest enemy throughout most of the ages.

The Last Days - End of the World Series:

Part 1:The Old Testament Visions of the End all dealing with the last days theme as written in the Old Testament.
Part 2:The New Testament Visions of the End
Part 3:The Symbols of Revelation The many symbols of Revelation actually first appeared in the Old Testament so we do not need to wonder what they might mean. They should be considered before trying to interpret Revelation.
Part 4:Revelation Revealed! Revelation interpreted verse by verse.

The Last Days Reviewed Are these the last days? Are things really any different than they have ever been? You better believe they are!!! But many skeptics would argue otherwise so I address the subject here.

Back to Top