What Shall be the Sign...Part 11

XI.                  Blast of the trumpet (shofar) (Matthew 24:31)

Matthew 24:31	Mark 13:27
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.	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.

a.       Exodus 19:16–20 – And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the People that was in the camp trembled.  And Moses brought forth the People out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.  And when  the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by voice.  And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

§         The voice of the trumpet is associated with the descent of God upon Mount Sinai

§         The last trump can be tied to the descent of the Lord in 1 Corinthians 15

§         In addition to the thunders and lightnings the Lord also called Moses up at this time, not all of the children of Israel

o       Note that the thunders and lightnings correspond to the plagues of the 7^th Vial of Revelation 16:17

§         We can also see that this occurson the third day in the morning,we know from Peter that a day with the Lord is as 1000 years.  But this says the morning of the third day so this passage could mean that early on in the 3^rd millennium (3^rd day after Christ’s initial descent) we are going to witness these events.

b.      1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

§         Psalm 47:5 -God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

§         The Lord descends and the resurrection occurs “with the trump of God”, which leaves the reader to wonder what is the trump of God.

c.       1 Corinthians 15:50-55 – Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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.  For this corruptible must be put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

§         We can see that this passage parallels 1 Thessalonians in that the dead are raised but reveals a little more information by telling the reader that these things occur “at the last trump”

§         So we can determine from this passage that there is more than one trump and the last trump seems to correspond to the trump of God from 1 Thessalonians

§         This passage does not reveal anything about the return of the Lord, but gives more insight into the resurrection of the dead and the living changed to immortal.

§         What we cannot determine from this passage is which trump is the last trump, because we don’t know how many trumps there are.

§         In this passage of 1 Corinthians 15, there is no distinction of which dead shall be raised, but there is a distinction in other passages:

o       1 Thessalonians 4:16 -For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

-         Here we see those who are dead in Christ will rise first

-         What does it mean to be dead in Christ?

o       Revelation 20:4-6 -And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

-         This passage in Revelation seems to indicate that only qualified individuals are given the privilege of having part in the first resurrection.

-         Those qualifications to take part in the first resurrection are:

1.      Martyred for Jesus

2.      Not worshipped the beast

3.      Does not have the image of the beast

4.      Did not receive the mark of the beast

-         The rest of the dead are raised after the millennium

-         Those who were part of the first resurrection appear to have exclusive access to Christ for 1000 to be trained as priests.

§         If the dead shall be raised incorruptible where are the dead now?  Sleeping? With the Father? 

o       Luke 16:19-31 -There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyesⁱ, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.ⁱⁱ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.ⁱⁱⁱ

1.      Here we see evidence from the mouth of Jesus that we do not sleep after death, but our souls are either:

a.       carried away by angels to Abraham’s bosom to be comforted, or

b.      taken to hell to be tormented

2.      There is an impassable gulf between where Abraham is and hell

3.      The message of Moses and the Prophets is consistent with one (Jesus) who has risen from among the dead.

v     It seems (with regard to those who are dead in Christ) that those who died in Christ would be among those with Abraham

o       2 Corinthians 5:1-8 -For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.ⁱ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:ⁱⁱ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.ⁱⁱⁱ

1.      Continuing with this theme from 1 Corinthians 15, we shall be clothed in immortality

2.      While in this corruptible and mortal body we cannot be present with the Lord

3.      What this passage states is that we cannot be present with the Lord, unless we are absent from the body (which is the corruptible and mortal body).  Is it possible to be present with the Lord while in this flesh body?  Paul of all people should answer this question in the affirmative for it was he who was struck down by the very presence of Jesus Christ on his journey to Damascus.  So then what is Paul getting at here?  Could it be possibly that he is saying in order to be in the Lord’s presence, we must put off the corruption and mortality of the things of this world.

The other thing that may not be so evident is that just because one may be absent from the body does not necessarily mean that he is present with the Lord,  for neither the rich man nor Lazarus in the parable Jesus spoke appear to be in the Lord’s presence.

o       Ecclesiastes 12:3-7 -In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

-         Ecclesiastes 12:7 is another verse that is often quoted independently of the context.  Notice that it says Then… before the rest of the verse describes where the spirit goes.  But with the lead in Then, should cause the reader to say When?

-         When? Is answered in verses 3-6, In the day…, well, what day?  I think we can see that the day being described is a day of wrath and judgment.  So does the spirit return to God immediately upon death?  That may be the case, but this text does not seem to provide any certainty that that is the case, but rather after the day of wrath.

d.      Revelation 11:15 -  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.”

§         What is the seventh angel sounding? The seventh trump!

§         Revelation 8:6 -And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

§         We can tie the seventh trump to the return of Christ and the resurrection, are there any other trumps that align with what Jesus said in the gospels?

§         The trumps are sounded in order as follows:

o       Revelation 8:7 -The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

o       Revelation 8:8 -And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

o       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;

o       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 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 9:13-16 -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.

-         4 Angels prepared for 4 things:

-         Seems to aligns with the 6^thseal:

1.      Revelation 7:1-4 -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.

-         Are the angels in chapter 7 the same angels of chapter 9 performing the same task, but viewed from a different perspective?

1.      Similarities between Revelation 9:13-16 and Revelation 7:1-4 include:

a.       4 angels

b.      Angels are sent to destroy

2.      Differences between Revelation 9:13-16 and Revelation 7:1-4 include:

a.       The 4 angels in Chapter 9 were bound in the Euphrates, no mention of the angels in chapter 7 being bound

b.      The 4 angels in chapter 9 were prepared to slay a third part of men, the 4 angels in chapter 7 were given 3 things to “hurt” the earth, the trees and the sea (which could be allegorical for trees and sea have referred to men and government in other places in scripture)

c.       Angels in chapter 7 are withholding the wind, there is no mention of the angels in chapter 9 withholding the wind.

d.      Chapter 7 indicates that there are 144,000 servants of God who were sealed in their foreheads.Chapter 9 indicates 200,000,000 “horsemen” which appear to represent the locusts out of the bottomless pit.

-         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.

§         We see there is a big gap between the 6^th and 7^th trump in terms of written material.

§         So from the Book of Revelation we know the number of trumps are 7 and that the last trump would be the 7^th trump

o       From this passage combined with the 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians passages we can determine the timing of the return of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead and the changing of the living with respect to other events.

o       What we don’t know is if these trumps are literal trumps or events that represent a trumpet blast

§         Leviticus 23:23-24 – And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, speak unto the children of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing trumpets, an holy convocation.

o       Holy convocation – Dress rehearsel

-         Holy - קדשqodesh, apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness

-         Convocation - מקראmiqra', convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together

-         The only Feast Day that begins on the 1^st day of the month; therefore, no one knows the day or the hour, why? Because the first day of the month falls on a new moon and in order to determine the first day you must Watch for the new moon or the first sliver of moon in the sky.

-         The return of Messiah is the actual event for which the Feast of Trumpets is a dress rehearsel.

o       Mark 2:28 – Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

o       Leviticus 19:30 – Ye shall keep MY Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

o       Leviticus 23:2 – Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My feasts.

-         A command to the children of Israel that Ye Shall Proclaim the Feasts of the Lord

-         These are not man’s feasts, or the Israelites’ feasts or the Jews’feasts, but the Lord’s Feasts

o       Hebrews 4:9 – There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

o       Revelation 8:1 - And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

-         Sabbaths are considered a seal of God

-         The Sabbath = rest = silence?

§         Three “woes” are proclaimed in Revelation 8:13 correspond to the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th trumps.

e.       1 John 3:2-  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.

§         Now that we know what happens at the 7^th trump and that we are changed from corruptible to incorruptible this verse provides tremendous value in that we can avoid deception through false messiahs who claim to be Christ and do miraculous wonders that deceive many.

§         We know that we shall not see Christ until He returns at the 7^th and final trump and we are changed to be “like Him” meaning we will no longer be clothed in the corruption of these flesh bodies but will be clothed in incorruption.

f.        Joel 2:1-2 –Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand;  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations.

g.       Zechariah 9:14 - And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

h.       Daniel 12:13 – But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

§         Daniel would rest in death until the resurrection

i.         Joshua 6 and the taking of the city of Jericho provides a typology of end time events with the seven priests (who represent the seven angels) and the seven trumpets blasting and the walls of Jericho fell down flat, foreshadowing the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdom of our Lord.

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!