Revelation 2021 / 81

Let’s quickly review the second possible scenario of Christ returning in the air. This may help clarify things.

Remember, Revelation is a book of history. The historical events we discovered in our Revelation study are the same in both scenarios.

The difference between Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 comes when studying Revelation, chapter 20. In this chapter, Satan is bound for a thousand years (a long time). In Scenario 1, Satan is bound now or in the near future. In Scenario 2, Satan was bound (power limited) upon the resurrection of Jesus. This happened more than two thousand years ago (a long time).

At the beginning of the thousand years, actually over two thousand years ago (a long time), the physical bodies of those beheaded for their faith were resurrected to reign with Christ. This is verified by the following scripture.

Revelation 20:4 … And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

As we have studied in Revelation 2020 (2 – 8), the beast is the mighty Roman Empire and the its mark was 666 or the number of Emperor Nero. This was at the time of Jesus being crucified and resurrected.

Since the resurrection, Jesus has been reigning in the spiritual realm and not in the earthly realm. The gospel and his church kingdom has spread throughout the world. In addition, Christ and the church has had a positive influence on culture. They have brought a blessing and improvements on the human condition in this world.

At the end of the thousand years ( a long time), Satan is released. An outbreak of wickedness comes upon the world for 3.5 years. This is called the “great distress.” During the 3.5 years, the man of lawlessness appears. Upon the seventh trumpet sound, Jesus, his angels and the souls/spirits of past believers will appear in the sky and the rapture takes place. This is called the 3rd Woe!

In Scenario 2, we are NOT at the beginning of the thousand years that Satan is bound but at the end of the thousand years that Satan is bound. Jesus will cause the sun to go dark, the moon to go dark and the skies to go dark. The brilliant , pure light of Jesus, his angels and past believers will be seen around the world as they return in the sky.

For details about the rapture and who is raised first, see pages 69 to 71 of this study.

In my opinion, scenario 2 is correct. We are at the end of the thousand year spiritual reign of Christ. We are living through the 3.5 years of great distress and the appearance of the man of lawlessness. We are close to the return of Christ and the rapture of believers. Keep watch, be alert and be ready so that you are not left behind and are not frightened when it happens.

Thank you so much for studying. God bless.

Jeff

Revelation 2021 / 77

Let’s now read a couple scriptures that seem to verify that Satan was bound (powers curbed) at the time of Jesus and not in our future.

John 12:31 Jesus says, “Now is the time for judgement on this world; now the prince of this world (Satan) will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Briefly, this scripture mentions the judgement of this world. Just as God brought judgement on the world during the time of Noah, on Egypt during the time of Moses, and on Sodom and Gomorrah, etc., God is bringing judgement upon the Roman Empire or beast shortly after the resurrection of Jesus. As we have studied, this judgement came in the form of war, famine and plague. This scripture is not referring to the final bowl judgements that destroy the world.

More to the point, in the second part of this scripture, Jesus says “Now the prince of this world (Satan) will be driven out.” By Jesus stating Now, Satan is driven out means this happened at the time of Jesus. Through the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, came his spiritual kingdom. Jesus reigns in the spiritual realm.

Colossians 2:15 “And having disarmed (curbed) the powers and authorities (Satan and demons), he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

This scripture also states that Satan was bound (his powers curbed) at the time of Jesus and not in our future. After the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was made available to all people and Christianity spread throughout the world. Christ is reigning in the spiritual realm.

This means that the thousand year reign (a long time) of Christ has already happened and is not still in our future. Is it possible that the Covid virus is the great distress, the man of lawlessness is currently happening and the rapture is close?

Next, why do we say that “a thousand years” is another way of saying “a long time?” Then, can we predict the time of the last days?

Thank you so much for studying. God bless.

Jeff

Revelation 2021 / 65

The scriptures tell us that one more thing happens before the return of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion
occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He (man of lawlessness)
will appose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he
sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Before Jesus returns, many believe the man of lawlessness will stand in God’s temple.  This temple is in
Jerusalem and is where Jewish priests made animal blood sacrifices.  These blood sacrifices were an
atonement for their sins.  These sacrifices ended with the final blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

I believe there is a better explanation.  Apostle Paul describes God’s temple in the following verse.

1 Corinthians 3:16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

As a believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within you.  Your body is the Temple of God.

Therefore, if the man of lawlessness sets himself up in God’s temple, he is setting himself up in the
physical body of believers.  In other words, he will effect the faith of many believers.  In their spirit,
people will believe he is the true God.  The man of lawlessness will claim the honors and dominion
due only to God.  Remember, if the time of distress was not cut short, even the elect would be fooled.

When this happens, the second coming of Jesus is at hand.

Next blog, the second coming of the real Jesus Christ.

Thank you so much for studying.  God bless.

Jeff

Revelation 2021 / 64

Continuing from last week, the 3.5 years of distress will take place and the Man of Lawlessness will appear before
the second coming of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:3  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way for that day (return of Jesus) will not come
until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed for destruction.

2 Thessalonians 2:8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow
with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the authority of his coming.

Again, the man of lawlessness will appear before the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Satan (a fallen
angel) will act through the man of lawlessness.  Sin and breaking God’s law will become incarnate in the
man of lawlessness.  He will be the final manifestation of evil.

As the following scriptures tell us, the days of distress will be cut short by the second coming of Jesus.
If not cut short, even the believers will be deceived and lose hope.

Mathew 24:22  If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, for the sake of the elect those
days will be shortened.

Mathew 24:24  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to
deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Next blog, one more thing happens before the return of Christ.

Thank you so much for studying.  God bless.

Jeff

Revelation 2021 / 62

Let’s now discover how long the great distress is to last?  Some scriptural interpretations call this the great
tribulation.

Daniel 12:1  “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people will arise.  There will be a time of
distress (tribulation) such has not happened from the beginning of nations until than.  But at that time your
people- everyone whose name is written in the book will be delivered.

The distress (tribulation) will begin before the rapture.  The angel Michael (protector) does not stop this
trouble.  He will arise, allowing the distress to continue.  At the end of the distress, the rapture is to remove and
protect the believers as things get even worse.  As in Daniel 10:13, the angel Michael is an archangel which in-
dicates rule or authority over other angels.  He is also called one of the chief princes.

Daniel 12:2  Multitudes who sleep (died) in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to
everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:7  The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left
hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be a time, times and
a half time.  When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be
completed.

The man clothed in linen is most likely another angel.  He is telling us how long the distress will last.
A time = one year, times = two years, and half a time = half a year.  A total of 3.5 years.  In my
humble opinion the great distress or tribulation will last three and a half years.  Then, as the be-
lievers are loosing hope, they are resurrected or raptured to heaven before things get even worse.

A reminder, the time of distress or tribulation is not the time of the beast or 666.  As we discovered in
Revelation 2020 / 2-9 of this study, the beast was the Roman Empire and 666 refers to Emperor Nero who per-
secuted Christians without mercy.  The time of distress DOES refer to the man of lawlessness which we will study
next.

Thank you so much for studying.  God bless.

Jeff