What Shall be the Sign... Part 10

X.                  Son of Man coming in the clouds, the day of the Lord (Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26-27, Luke 21:27)

Matthew 24:30	Mark 13:26-27	Luke 21:27
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.	And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.	And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

 

a.       Two witnesses precede the coming of the son of man (Their coming corresponds to the 2^nd Woe, which corresponds to the 6^th Trump)

§         Acts 1:9-11 – And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

§         Revelation 11:3-12-And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecyⁱ: and have power over waters to turn them to bloodⁱⁱ, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

1.      1 Kings 17:1 -And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2.      Exodus 7:20 -And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that [were] in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that [were] in the river were turned to blood.

§         Zechariah 4:1-3 - And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all [of] gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which [are] upon the top thereof: And two olive treesby it, one upon the right [side] of the bowl, and the other upon the left [side] thereof.

§         Zechariah 4:11-14 -Then answered I, and said unto him, What [are] these two olive trees upon the right [side] of the candlestick and upon the left [side] thereof?  And I answered again, and said unto him, What [be these] two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden [oil] out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these [be]? And I said, No, my lord.  Then said he, These [are] the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

§         Malachi 4:4-6 –Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, [with] the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

b.      Sign of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:30) The 7^th Seal

§         Answers the original question posed by the disciples in Matthew 24:3.

§         Revelation 8:1-2 -And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

§         Joshua 6:10 - And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall [any] word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

§         Luke 11:29-30 - And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.  For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

c.       Mourning of the tribes of the land (Matthew 24:30) The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3-12)

§         Zechariah 12:10-11 -And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.  In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

o       Hadadrimmon - a place in the valley of Megiddo where a national lamentation was held for the death of King Josiah

-         King Josiah was a righteous king of Judah, the nation of Judah mourned his death

o       Who is mourning? The house of David, David was of the tribe of Judah, Judah is the representative tribe of the Jews who remain in Jerusalem and do not recognize Ye’Shuah as the Messiah, they will!

§         The two witnesses precede the coming of the son of man

o       So we have the son of perdition and the two witnesses both make their appearance before the return of Ye’Shuah

d.      2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 – That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

§         We are in the midst of a falling away now, but the “man of sin” has yet to be revealed

e.       Matthew 24:37-42 – But as in the days of Noe were so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and tookthem all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

§         Later in Chapter 24 of Matthew we see Jesus providing greater detail about His coming in that it will be a repeat of conditions that were present in Noah’s day before the flood.

§         We see the pronoun they used to describe those who were oblivious to the coming flood and the flood came and took them all away.

§         Likewise Jesus tells us of the two in the field and the two at the mill, one taken and the other left.  Often we here that the one taken is taken by Christ, but that is not consistent with what He is saying here because the ones taken by the flood were those that were destroyed by the flood.  So the ones taken here at the coming of the Son of Man are taken to their destruction.

§         This is consistent with Matthew 13:30 where it states: Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

f.        Isaiah 26:20-21 – Come, My People, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  For behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

§         God states the purpose of His return is to punish evildoers

§         He is not coming to punish His people, but those who do iniquity

§         When the Lord returns, why would he tell His people to enter into their houses if they have already been evacuated via the rapture?

o       Are not the servants of God also “inhabitants of the earth” yet there is no distinction made between righteous and unrighteous “inhabitants of the earth”

o       It’s quite possible that at this time, all of God’s servants have been killed and the chambers mentioned by Isaiah references the place that Ye’shuah had gone to prepare for us according in John 14:2.

g.       1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 – But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  For when they shall say “Peace and safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all the children of the light, and children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

h.       2 Peter 3:10 -But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

i.         Daniel 7:13-14 – 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.  And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and 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.

§         According to Dr. Michael Heiser, a renowned Bible scholar, this particular verse was outlawed by the Sanhedrin to be read without a Rabbi present.  

§         Matthew 26:63b-64 – And the high priest answered and said unto Him, “I adjure Thee by the living God that thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus saith unto him, “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

§       By Jesus stating this Jesus was disregarding their proclamation initiating the highly dramatic response from the high priest.

o       Matthew 26:65 -Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

o       Blasphemy? Against who? Against their proclamation against this passage

§         Revelation 1:7 – Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.  Even so, Amen.

j.        Obadiah 1:15-16 -For the day of the LORD [is] near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, [so] shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

k.      Zephaniah 2:3 -Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

l.         Zechariah 14:1-5 -Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.  And ye shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee.

§       Another indication that all the saints (except the 144,000 sealed) have been killed, they return with Ye’shuah to vanquish the despots.

What Shall Be the Sign...Part 9 (updated)

VIII.      The great tribulation (Matthew 24:20-26, Mark 13:18-23, Luke 21:21-24)

Matthew 24:20-28	Mark 13:18-23	Luke 21:24
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not.  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Behold, I have told you before.  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, [he is] in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.	And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.  For [in] those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.  And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here [is] Christ; or, lo, [he is] there; believe [him] not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.  But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.	And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

a.       Daniel 12:1 – And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy People: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy People shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book

§         We can see a clear tie-in between what Daniel speaks of and what Jesus speaks of concerning the tribulation.

§         Therefore we can fix the time of when this occurs to the time when Michael shall stand up.

§         Daniel says “thy People shall be delivered” but is this a rapture event or something else.

o        Jesus is speaking to the disciples in these passages from the gospels.  He is giving commands and instructions to the disciples who are standing in the place of the body of Christ. 

o        If the body of Christ is not present on the earth at this time why is Jesus saying things like: “…I have told you before…”, “…If they shall say unto you…”, “…believe it not…”, “…go not forth…”?

o        These instructions are indications that He is speaking to a literal presence of believers on earth during this tribulation.

o        We also see that the “tares” are still very present so in order to be consistent with the parable of the sower, the idea of a rapture could not have occurred.

b.      Shortened days (Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20)

§         Deuteronomy 17:18-20 - And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, [to] the right hand, or [to] the left: to the end that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

o        The lawless one will not “…keep all the words of this law…” therefore his days will not be prolonged in his kingdom, the reign of anti-Christ will be a very short reign

§         Proverbs 10:27-32 - The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.  The hope of the righteous [shall be] gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.  The way of the LORD [is] strength to the upright: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.  The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.  The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.  The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] frowardness.

o        How could the righteous be raptured if they “shall never be removed”?

c.       False messiahs abound (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:6, 21-22)

§         ψευδόχριστος pseudochristos, masculine noun - one who falsely lays claim to the name and office of the Messiah

§         ψευδοπροφήτης pseudoprophētēs, masculine noun - one who, acting the part of a divinely inspired prophet, utters falsehoods under the name of divine prophecies

IX.                Post tribulation, Sixth Seal (Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-25, Luke 21:25-26)

Matthew 24:29	Mark 13:24-25	Luke 21:25-26
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:	But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.	And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

a.       These passages align with the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th trumps of the book revelation:

§         Revelation 8:10 - And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

§         Revelation 8:12 - And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

o        Revelation 12:4 - And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

o        Ezekiel 5:12 - A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

§         Revelation 9:1 - And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

o        Revelation 9:2-6 -And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

-          So the 5^th trump occurs just after to the 6^th seal, because that is when the servants of God are sealed.

-          Revelation 7:4 -And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

-          144,000 are to be sealed representing the 12 tribes of Israel (occurs after the 6^th seal is opened)

b.      Revelation 12:7-8 – And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.  And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him.

§         The stars mentioned in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:25 are obvious allusions to angels.  Stars are giant balls of gas in outer space and cannot fall (under the present universal laws of physics)

§         According to the gospel record of this event we can see that it occurs subsequent to the tribulation

§         Satan is not physically present on the earth until “immediately after the tribulation”

c.       These passages also appear to align with the 6^th seal of the book of revelation:

§         Revelation 6:12 – And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.

§         Revelation 6:13 – And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

§         Revelation 6:14 – And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

d.      Sun darkened and the moon shall not give her light, stars shall fall (Matthew 24:29) in the Day of the Lord

§         Isaiah 5:30 – And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if [one] look unto the land, behold darkness [and] sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

§         Jeremiah 4:27-28 – For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.  For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken [it], I have purposed [it], and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

§         Ezekiel 32:7-10 – And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.  Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at [every] moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.

o        Who is the sword but the Word of God, the Son of God.  God will brandish His sword after he darkens the sun, moon and stars.

§         Joel 2:10 – The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

§         Joel 2:30-32 – And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

o        Acts 2:20-21 - The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

§         Joel 3:14-16 – Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

o        The valley of decision – what side are you going to choose?

§         Amos 5:20 – [Shall] not the day of the LORD [be] darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

§         Zephaniah  1:14-16 - The great day of the LORD [is] near, [it is] near, and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.  That day [is] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

o        Yom Teruah – The Day of Blowing (Feast of Trumps)

o        The seventh trumpet?

e.       Powers of the heavens shaken (Matthew 24:29, Luke 21:26)

§         Isaiah 13:6-13 – Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.  Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be as] flames.  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.  And I will punish the world for [their] evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.  I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.          

f.        Sixth Trump

§         Revelation 9:13-16 - And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.  And the number of the army of the horsemen [were] two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

o        4 angels bound, 4 measures of time 1) hour 2) day 3) month 4) year

o        Jude 1:6 - And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

o        Could the bottomless pit of Revelation 9:1 be under the great river Euphrates?

g.       Day of Atonement and the 144,000 of Revelation 7 (still in the 6^th Seal)

§         Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement will be day that Israel calls upon Messiah

§         Revelation 7:1-10 - And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

o        So we have here 12,000 from 12 tribes of Israel being sealed with the seal of the Living God.

o        What does it mean to be sealed?

-          1 Corinthians 15:52 -In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

-        One might think that the 144,000 being “sealed” is equivalent to when they are “changed” but if we examine the text a little closer we can see that the “change” occurs at the last trump and the 144,000 are sealed sometime before the 6^th trump.

-          So if being sealed does not bring about some physiological change then what does it do?  This is possibly something pertaining to the helmet of salvation providing some protection of the mind against deception.  We see that the seal is placed in their foreheads which is also one of the two places that the mark of the beast is placed (the other being the right hand)

o        Noticeable exceptions are:

-          Ephraim – but they are part of Joseph (Manasses is listed separately)

-          Dan – Possibly because of their idolatry, they do not reserve the right of having representatives among the sealed

o        The Day of Atonement, a fall feast day that fell on the tenth day of the seventh month is a Feast day of the Lord, a Holy Convocation or a dress rehearsal of things to come.

o        Initially on Yom Kippur the High Priest offers a sin offering for himself, then, after he is cleansed, he offers the sin offering for the atonement of the nation of Israel.

o        The Feast of Tabernacles is then the atonement of the nations through Israel

o        Likewise, here we see the sealing of the 144,000 representatives of Israel then, AFTER THIS we see a great multitude before the throne which are the peoples of the nations.

-          Since there is no mention of this multitude being “sealed” and that they are wearing white robes, can we assume that these are the saints who were martyred for their faith? 

-          So we have 144,000 servants of God present on the earth and multitudes in white robes before His throne

-          They are awaiting the opening of the 7^th and final seal!