Herbert W Armstrong

   I watched the news on CNN for just a short time early this morning to see what had transpired since the day had gone by, and they were, of course, what, about six hours, I guess, later in the day over there than we are here, and they're continuing to have this strife and the violence. If you took note, it was just a matter of a couple of days prior to the Feast of Trumpets that the particular cycle of events over there that is going on now, that that particular cycle of events began. Now, it is particularly appropriate that we look at some of that, because we have passed a crucial juncture in terms of what is going on in the world today.

   Back in Acts chapter 17, the Apostle Paul was speaking on Mars Hill, and he told those assembled there in Athens, and he talked about the real God, the Creator God, the living God, the one whom, as Paul said, has made of one blood all nations that upon the face of the earth do dwell, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. The great God has a plan and a purpose. As the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 46, God declares the end from the beginning.

   From ancient times, those things that are not yet done. The great God that we serve has a great plan and purpose. These things that are going on on the world scene are not simply matters of accident or happenstance.

   It's not a matter of coincidence. The events on the world scene are inexorably moving toward a conclusion, a climax at the close of this age. We are living in the years immediately preceding that climax at the close.

   It is important that we understand some things about what is going on in the world scene. You know, it could be likened to a stage presentation. I think Shakespeare said, all the world's a stage, and in many ways that is true.

   If you've ever been to a stage show, whether it's a high school production or whatever, you know when one act ends, the curtains come down, the house lights dim, and there is a flurry of activity behind the curtain, behind the scene. And the time comes when the next act begins, and the curtain rises and the lights come up, and the whole setting on the stage has been changed. There is a different scene that is now going to take place, a different act, and the stage setting is different.

   We have been in a period of time in recent years where the curtain has rung down, and the stage is being reset, and the time is going to come in the years immediately ahead of us when the curtain will rise on the third and final act, and people will be absolutely amazed at the way the stage has been reset. It was on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles in 1978 that a new pope was elected, Pope John Paul. In the immediate aftermath of that, in fact, the Pentecost weekend of 1979, a matter of just months later, that he went to Poland and set in motion a series of events that many of us actually watched unfold on television at the Feast of 1989.

   Because it was at the Feast, just prior to the Feast of 1989, that the first non-communist government came to power in what we termed at that time the nations behind the Iron Curtain. Solidarity was admitted into the government in Poland just prior to the Feast of 1989, and by the Feast of 1989, the communist nations, the communist powers of Eastern Europe, were beginning to collapse like dominoes. You remember the people pouring across what had been the Berlin Wall, dancing in the streets, and I remember the learned pundits.

   They were interviewing on television just like they are about the Middle East. And frankly, these fellows whom they're interviewing about the Middle East have no more clue about what's going on than the ones they were interviewing in 1989 about what does all this mean? You know, the people from East Berlin pouring across into West Berlin and dancing on the street and hammering on the wall and breaking off chips of it. What does this mean? Oh, well, they sat there and they said, oh, well, you know, this certainly doesn't mean that Germany's going to be reunited.

   Oh, no, that's something. That couldn't happen. It would be a long time.

   Be a long time. That may never happen, certainly would be many years into the future. You know, the United States and Britain together spent literally billions of dollars in the years since in the aftermath of World War II in intelligence gathering.

   Oh, we had spies and we had spies spying on spies. We had whole bureaus that were staffed with individuals who spoke any number of languages, who were pouring over intelligence reports from all of these various nations. We spent over a period of the years after World War II billions of dollars in intelligence gathering.

   And yet our nation and the leaders, the government leaders of our nation were absolutely caught by surprise. They were stunned at the events of the fall of 1989. The most high rules in the affairs of men and he sets over nations whomsoever he will.

   He's determined the bounds of their habitation the times before appointed. There's a great plan and a great purpose being worked out here below. You know, it’s interesting you go to the book of Zechariah and you read about events, certainly in the very latter part of the book of Zechariah, and you read about events in Judah and in Jerusalem.

   You know, the background of the book of Zechariah, we look right now, Jerusalem is the focal point right now in terms of events going on in the world. Not just the Middle East, not just Jerusalem, but specifically the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This is something I think we need to understand that this period here, the festival period of the year 2000 has been a, this is a, the events going on are watershed events.

   These are events that represent a change in things going on over there because this is, at this point, the focus has moved to Jerusalem and to the Temple Mount specifically. If you remember the events that set all this in motion, the thing that, the specific event that set these things in motion was the visit of Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount. Not to the Wailing Wall, but on top of the Temple Mount.

   Now the Jews recaptured Jerusalem in 1967, the Six Day War. They have not interfered with the Arab worship and the Islamic religious site on top of the Temple Mount. Sharon went to the top of the Temple Mount, didn't interfere with what was going on up there, didn't try to enter the mosque, but he went there to the site of the Temple.

   He went to the Temple Mount. Now he obviously knew that he was not going to be welcomed with open arms because he took a thousand policemen with him to escort him and make sure he got up there. And he did.

   And he said in the aftermath of all of this, and he was, among other things, making a point. Because the Arabs had been pressing the Israelis and the United States has expended tremendous pressure, tremendous pressure on the nation of Israel to make concessions. And Arafat said, look, if you relinquish sovereignty over the Temple Mount to us, we'll take care of it and everybody will be welcome.

   Well, the Jews have sovereignty over the Temple Mount right now. Sharon wanted to prove the point. We're not even welcome when we do have sovereignty.

   Why would we think that we would be welcome when we don't? And that has been the case. You know, the events that are described here. When Zechariah wrote, this was 2,500 years ago, a little over 2,500 years ago, the Jews had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar.

   The Temple had been burned. Jerusalem had been destroyed. The population removed, just a few stragglers left behind.

   The whole area was desolate. The Babylonian Empire ruled supreme. And then Babylon was overthrown by the Persians.

   And Cyrus the Great of Persia allowed those Jews who wished to return to Jerusalem and to Judea to do so, and to return and to begin rebuilding the Temple. Now that took place shortly after Cyrus had overthrown the Babylonian Empire, and Zerubbabel and Joshua led a group of Jews back from Babylon to Jerusalem. Zechariah and Ahaggai were prophets who came back at that time.

   They rebuilt the Temple, though with difficulty, and the Temple that they rebuilt was not nearly so grand and magnificent as the Temple of Solomon. In fact, it's described there as you read the story in the book of Ahaggai as he recounts the dedication of the Temple of Solomon, or the Temple of Zerubbabel. And there were a few older people who were advanced in age who had been old enough at captivity many decades earlier that they had a memory of the Temple.

   Perhaps they had been only 10 or 12 years old, but they remembered the Temple of Solomon. And when they saw the new Temple, they were saddened because it was not nearly so grand and magnificent a building. After all, those who built it were just returned from captivity.

   They were a tributary people. Solomon had built it at the top, the pinnacle of the wealth and the power and the influence of Israel. King David had gathered together everything that he could, and Solomon added to it.

   But the Temple was rebuilt at that time, and Zechariah gave prophecy. Now understand, the Temple was rebuilt. Jerusalem continued as basically pretty much in ruin.

   In fact, the walls were broken down, and this state of things continued on for decades because you read several decades later when Ezra and Nehemiah returned. Nehemiah actually supervised the rebuilding of the walls and the refurbishing of the city. Jerusalem continued along as sort of a minor town, a minor city, small population.

   It was not the focal point. It was ruled over by the Babylonians and then by the Persians, and later by Alexander the Great and the successor Greek Empire. It had a brief period of independence during the Maccabee period and then became part of the Roman Empire.

   The Romans totally destroyed Jerusalem a generation after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By 70 A.D., the city was destroyed, the Temple was destroyed, the place was burned and reduced to rubble. Jerusalem was rebuilt a little while later and continued as a very minor locale, minor city in terms of importance, down through the days of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire.

   Eventually, the Muslim Arabs conquered Jerusalem and later on the Ottoman Turks up till 1917 when the British under General Allenby entered Jerusalem and took it from the Turks. All of this period of time, all of these hundreds of years went by. Jerusalem was a little minor location, sort of out of the center of world events, and certainly as the 19th century and the 20th century came.

   Jerusalem, a remote location, why it seemed like the great focus of things would be in the major cities, the great capitals. And yet God inspired the Prophet Hosea to write over 2,500 years ago, recorded in Zechariah 12:2; behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people.

   All that burden themselves with it will be cut to pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. So God talked about Jerusalem being a focal point of events. He talked about the significance of Jerusalem.

   Jerusalem would be a burdensome stone to all people. Now, it's interesting because he talks about in verse 6, in that day I'll make the governors of Judah like a harp of fire among the wood, like a torch of fire and a sheep, and they'll devour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left, and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. Now, that took place in June of 1967 for the first time in almost 2,000 years.

   Jerusalem was once again in the hand of the Jews. From the time of the Roman destruction until the Six-Day War of 1967, Jerusalem was once again inhabited in her own place, even in Jerusalem. And it's an incredible story.

   Many of you, of course, remember the event, but I tell you, it's interesting. You go back and you reread the remarkable event and, frankly, the miraculous situation. I'll make the governors of Judah like a harp of fire among the wood.

   They'll devour all the people round about. You remember the story. The Egyptian Air Force, the Syrian Air Force were all destroyed on the ground.

   In six days, by Friday sunset, it was over, and Jerusalem was inhabited again by her own people. Now, that was a key point in terms of end-time prophecy. Let me ask you, what are the odds of someone 2,500 years ago foreseeing a series of events, foreseeing a time in the far-distant future at the end time when Jerusalem, which if you were just an observer on the world scene and you looked at it, you'd say, well, this is a little minor town over here.

   These people have been conquered. They won't amount to anything, and it won't amount to anything. And yet, here we are 2,500 years down the time of world history, and the eyes of all the world, literally, you know, they were bringing satellite feed from Jerusalem.

   You watched early this morning the Palestinian rock throwers and the Israeli army. People all over the world, countries everywhere, were watching what was going on in Jerusalem at this festival season. There is a focus on the Temple Mount.

   There is a focus on Jerusalem and specifically on the Temple Mount in a way that there has not been. You know, there have been negotiations about the Sinai and negotiations about the Golan Heights and negotiations about the Gaza Strip and about various areas of the West Bank, but right now, the focus is on Jerusalem. The Arab demonstrators on the streets of Gaza yesterday were carrying banners and shouting, chants, on to Jerusalem, on to Jerusalem.

   That's their focus. That's where the focus is right now. It has been, and the whole dynamics of the situation have been changed.

   A matter of weeks ago, there was all this talk of peace negotiations and doing this and doing that. The whole dynamics have changed. The state of Israel was heavily divided, in fact, divided almost down the middle between religious Jews and secular Jews.

   The secular Jews with the government of Prime Minister Barak had gained the upper hand, though just slightly. They had regained the upper hand, and their mindset was that we can work out a negotiation. We can work something out for Jerusalem and for everything else.

   The whole dynamics have changed. The opinion polls over there show that if elections were held today, Barak would be soundly defeated by Mr. Netanyahu, whom he succeeded. The whole circumstance and situation of events in Israel and in the Middle East and in terms of world focus on that has changed.

   Where are we in prophecy, and what lies ahead? Where are these events leading? I would like to start out by showing you exactly where we are in terms of Bible prophecy. There's a particular verse that we will go to that I think clearly illuminates where we are. Back in the book of II Thessalonians, chapter 2. II Thessalonians, chapter 2, the Apostle Paul says in verse 1 (II Thessalonians 2:1-8), Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled either by spirit, or by word, or by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

   Evidently, there were those who were saying that Christ could come any moment, and Paul said, Absolutely not. No, there are things that must happen first. Verse 3, 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.

   Now, if you want to know where we are in Bible prophecy, we're at the comma in verse 3. A day shall not come except there come a falling away first. The word in the Greek is the word we get our word apostasy from. I find it very difficult to imagine that there could be an apostasy, how it would be possible to have an apostasy on a greater level than what we have experienced in recent years.

   We have gone through that period. The apostasy, there are two things Paul said, Look, the apostasy must come first. That would be the first thing that would happen, and the next is the man of sin will be revealed, the one who is the son of perdition.

   Now, there have been many men of sin down through time. There have been religious leaders who have taught a doctrine of lawlessness. There have been individuals whose personal conduct certainly would label them as men of sin, but while there have been many individuals who were lawless and who proclaimed the way of lawlessness, this is a specific man of sin, the specific one who will exalt himself above everything to be worshipped, the one who, as Paul says in verse 8, called that wicked one whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming.

   Here is the one whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, the individual, the specific final wicked one, that man of sin whom Christ will destroy at his return. So it is the specific man of sin. While there have been many individuals who were men of sin, this is the specific one that Christ will destroy at his return.

   The specific one, motivated and empowered by Satan the devil, will demonstrate great power and signs and lying wonders. This individual will be revealed. He will be made manifest.

   Now, the apostle Paul explained in verse 7 that the system that would produce this individual was already at work in his day. The mystery of iniquity does already work. The mystery religion that taught lawlessness was already beginning to function.

   But there was something which restrained, which held back, and it would continue to restrain until this individual would emerge from the midst. This final individual would come up, would emerge out of that system as that final great wicked one, that man of sin. Now, that is the event on the world scene that will enable us to know exactly the sequence because when you turn back to Revelation chapters 5 and 6, in Revelation chapter 5, the apostle John describes a vision, is describing a vision that he had of heaven.

   And he saw one sitting upon the throne, he saw God in this vision, and God was sitting on the throne and he held a book in his hand that had seven seals. And he saw that there was no one who was considered worthy to open the seals of the book. No angel, no man.

   John felt very saddened because of that, and then he was told, don't be upset because there is one. There's one who has prevailed. And there he saw a lamb, symbolizing Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

   And the Lamb came and took the book out of the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. The Lamb had prevailed to open the seals of this book. And one of the angelic creatures said to John, come here and see, because chapter 6, verse 1 (Revelation 6:1-2), actually John saw the Lamb take the book and open the first seal.

   And he heard great rumbling thunder, and one of the angelic creatures told John, he said, come here and look, you want to see what happened? And it was sort of like he watched the video. He saw the seal open, and then the angelic creature said, come here and look, see what happens. And when the seal was opened, verse 2 of Revelation 6, John saw a rider on a white horse ride forth.

   And he had a bow, and a crown was given to him. Now, when you put the whole story together with the outline that Jesus Christ gave in Matthew 24, it is very clear the parallel between Matthew 24 and Revelation 6, and that the white horse, symbol as the rider on the white horse is none other than that final man of sin. The false prophet represented the first seal.

   When that man of sin is revealed, the one who is the son of perdition, the one who will be destroyed by Christ at his return. The son of perdition, perdition refers to destruction. The title, son of perdition, simply means the individual who is cut out for destruction.

   That's the sense of it. The one who is destined to be destroyed. There is that wicked one who will be revealed.

   You know, Jesus Christ is pictured in Revelation 19 as returning on a white horse. This event in Revelation 6 is the counterfeit. The real Christ, the real Messiah on the white horse, that occurs in Revelation 19.

   The event here is a counterfeit. You know, the real Messiah, the real Christ is pictured as having the, talks about the weapon that he has is the sword, the sword of the spirit, the sword of his mouth, the word of God. The rider in Revelation 6, too, doesn't have a sword.

   He has a bow. The bow is the symbol of Nimrod, the mighty hunter, because in reality, this individual is not Jesus Christ. This is the successor to Nimrod, the mighty hunter, the great false prophet.

   So here comes riding forth. When the first seal is opened, the rider on the white horse came forth. John saw that.

   When that final man of sin is made manifest, when he emerges on the world scene and is made evident, you know, someone has to be made evident. When that occurs, then it will be very obvious that we are in the sequence of opening the seal. You will know when the first seal is open.

   That one. Great line wonders it talks about. Revelation chapter 13 describes along this line, as it describes here, sort of the historical inset.

   I might just make a comment. Revelation 6 goes through the opening of the first six seals. Revelation 7 starts out with an event that occurs after the sixth seal and before the seventh seal.

   You see, after when the first seal is opened, the white horse and the rider goes forth conquering and goes forth, the false prophet. Then when the second seal was opened in Revelation 6:3-4, the rider on the red horse went forth. He had power to take peace from the earth and is pictured here with weapons of warfare.

   Then the third seal was opened and the angelic creature said to John, said, come here and look. And John looked and he saw another rider, this time a rider on a black horse. And the rider on the black horse had a pair of balance scales in his hand and he was weighing out commodities very carefully.

   A small portion of grain was being sold for a day's wages. A description of famine, the rider on the black horse. And then when John saw the fourth seal of the book open, another creature said, come here and look.

   And John looked and he saw another rider, a rider on a pale horse riding forth. And following in his wake were death and the grave, pestilence, disease, all of the death that began to spread across. And then the fifth seal was opened and John saw another vision.

   He was told, come here and look. And he saw what appeared to be the souls, the lives of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the truth down through the centuries. He saw them under the altar, as it were.

   Now, as a young man, John had certainly remembered the temple in Jerusalem and had visited there a number of times. The sacrificial victims that were slain had their blood poured out. Their blood was drained under the altar.

   Actually, there was a drain there in the temple and that's where the blood of the victim, the blood was poured out. And so John, in this vision, sees, as it were, the blood of all of the sacrificial victims, of all of those who had died for the truth of God down through time. He saw their blood poured out there under the altar and it cried out for vengeance.

   Now, you know, in Genesis 4, when Abel was killed by Cain, God said to Cain, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. If the blood of one righteous man cried out for vengeance, how much more, with how much louder voice does the collective blood of all of the righteous men and women down through the centuries who've given their life for the truth of God, with how much louder voice does it cry out that a God of righteousness step in and do something? At that time, John heard those who were dead in Christ being told, remain yet in your graves a little while, until the remainder of your brethren who should be killed as you were should not. You see, what John saw when the fifth seal was opened was the fact that there would be a yet future martyrdom of saints.

   And then the sixth seal was opened, and there were great signs in the heavens. The sun became black, the moon became blood red, there were great meteor showers, people were absolutely frightened, and were told in verse 17, the great day of his wrath had come. The sixth seal is the prelude for the day of the Lord, for the event that represents the wrath of God poured out in judgment on this world.

   Then chapter 7, before the next event, which are recorded in Revelation 8, the seventh seal being opened, after the sixth seal and before the seventh seal, John saw this scene carried out where the angel having the plague that represented the seventh seal, they were told, wait, stop, hold up everything until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And so now the 144,000 are sealed. That is a yet future event that occurs after the sixth seal and prior to the seventh seal, if you just read it in the context that comes out.

   Then John saw something else. He saw later a contrast. Now, the last half of chapter 7 is a contrast with the first half, because the first half of chapter 7 represents a sealing of the 144,000, a firstfruit.

   Verses 9 on down to the end of the chapter represent a scene at the conclusion of everything when all who are in the kingdom of God, of all nations, are standing there before the throne. And the description given here in verses 15, 16, and 17, particularly verse 17, are the words you find quoted back in Revelation 21. That's the time set.

   John sees a contrast. You see, he sees the way it starts and he sees the way it finishes. Because these individuals who are sealed at the time when the sixth, after the day of the Lord, or right in the interim between the heavenly signs and the beginning of the day of the Lord, those who are sealed to be protected from the plagues of the day of the Lord are those who are walking by faith and are trusting what God says and not what they see, because everything physical evidence tells them is that you'd better compromise, you'd better go along, you'd better try to fit in, you'd better try to be a part of this.

   We read of them again in Revelation 14. Revelation 8 gives then the opening of the seventh seal, which consists of angels sounding trumpets, and that continues on through chapters 8 and 9, sixth of the trumpet sounding. Then we get to some inset chapters that provide a little bit of inset in terms of the story, and by inset I mean where we go back and we pick up the story at an earlier time and then bring it on up to this point at the end.

   And you get into that even in chapter 11, as it describes the two witnesses who are there in Jerusalem prophesying for this period of three and a half years, 42 months. It's interesting, there are several things that are brought out here in Revelation 11. It talks about the holy city being tread underfoot by the Gentiles for 42 months.

   Now that is the event that Jesus referred to in Luke 21 when he said that when he talked about Jerusalem being trodden down of the Gentiles until...this is in Luke 21:24 when he talks about Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. When will Jerusalem be trodden down of the Gentiles? Well, Revelation 11:2 tells you that the holy city would be trodden underfoot by the Gentiles for 42 months. They're going to rule it and control it during those final 42 months, three and a half years, but at the same time two witnesses will be empowered by God with great power, and they will be functioning there in Jerusalem during that same time.

   And then this culminates in verse 15 with the seventh angel sounding, which is the seventh and final trump that signals the resurrection. Chapter 12 provides an inset going back, tracing the story of the church from the beginning all the way down. It pictures the fall of Satan, and a future event is described here.

   The story of the church is picked up. You know, the church has a continual history coming from the time of the congregation of Israel, the church in the wilderness, all the way down. We have often focused on the fact that the name Church of God is used 12 times in the New Testament to identify the name of the true church.

   What most of us have not focused on is the fact that the name Church of God is also used 12 times in the Old Testament. Now, it's not translated Church of God. It's generally translated the Congregation of the Eternal, the Congregation of the Lord, or the Congregation of Yahweh would be sometimes the Congregation of Elohim.

   It's used a couple of different ways, but the Congregation of God or the Congregation of the Lord, that the same expression in Hebrew is used 12 times. That would be very easily translated and properly translated the Church of God. It was the church, the church in the wilderness, and John in Revelation 12 traces the story on down to start with the church in the wilderness, then the bringing forth of the Messiah, the Messiah being caught up to heaven, and so we can clearly follow the time flow of Revelation 12.

   And in the aftermath of the Messiah being caught up to heaven, we read of the woman in having to flee into a wilderness area to be protected by God during a period here, 1260 days, and we know historically that the church existed in remote wilderness areas through a period, and we can document it historically of 1260 years during the medieval period, and that they emerged once again in the 16th century. And in the aftermath of that, we read of a war in heaven, and the dragon not prevailing, but being cast down, verse 9 (Revelation 12:9-14). That old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceives the whole world, cast out to the earth. What is said next? Verse 10, I heard a loud voice saying, Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of our Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

   And they overcame him by the word of the Lamb, by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony. They loved not their lives unto death. Rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and to the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.

   When the dragon saw that he was cast out unto the earth, he persecuted the woman, the church, which brought forth the man-child, and to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness. Now, here is a separate event. You see, historically, the church existed in remote areas away from the centers of population, away from the control of the Holy Roman Empire through the Middle Ages, many of the mountainous regions and very difficult and inaccessible areas of Europe.

   But now, a future event, an event after Satan is cast back down. Because remember, this is not the original casting of Satan out of heaven. Satan has been in heaven, accusing the brethren.

   That's something that is going on right now and has been, as you read the book of Job, that has been going on for a period of centuries. But there is coming a yet future time, and this will be the specific spiritual event that will start the sequence. The devil will be cast down, and in the aftermath of that, he launches a persecution upon the woman, and in the aftermath of that, the woman is taken into her place to be nourished.

   We've often used the term place of safety. Well, the specific words place of safety aren't used, but the word place is used, into her place where she is nourished. So there is a place where the woman will be taken.

   It is described as in a wilderness or a desolate area, an area away from all of the, let's say, the accoutrements of civilization. It is a wilderness location. It is her place where she will be divinely, supernaturally nourished for this three-and-a-half year period from the face of the serpent.

   At the church that was being nourished in her place in the wilderness, he went to make war with the remnant. The remnant is those that are left behind, and these people are also converted because they keep the commandments of God and have testimony of Jesus Christ. Now, chapter 12 is an inset.

   It traces the story of the church on down, brings you up. You see, chapter 11 talks about the three-and-a-half years. It talks about the three-and-a-half years that Jerusalem will be treaded down.

   The two witnesses will be prophesying there at the same time. Chapter 12 goes back and picks up the story of the church and brings you down. The church will be in the place of safety.

   Chapter 13 goes back now, and it picks up the story of the beast, and it traces it down historically. We read the story of the beast that is the picture of the old Roman Empire, the beast that received a deadly wound, and then that deadly wound appeared to be healed. The system that emerged, there was another beast that came up, verse 11, another creature.

   This one looked like a lamb, looked like Jesus Christ, but it really wasn't because he spoke as the dragon. Now, it's out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. So on the inside, the real motivating factor, the real mind and heart of this was Satan, though outwardly it did not appear.

   Satan does not show up with a little red suit on, you know, sort of a tail and pitchfork and a little sign around his neck saying, I'm the devil and I'm here to deceive you. Paul says in I Corinthians, Satan comes as an angel of life. He comes representing himself as that which he's not.

   His ministers appear as ministers of righteousness, Paul says. They don't show up and say, well, I'm here, a false prophet, you know, that's why. You hear on the news, people get all stirred up.

   Well, you know, there are these devil worshipers over there. Well, that's, you know, that's bad, that's terrible. You know, that's a little tiny handful.

   What Christ talks about is many coming in his name, in Christ's name, claiming to represent him. The overwhelming majority of people are deceived not by somebody saying, I'm here to represent the devil. They're deceived by somebody claiming I'm here to represent Christ.

   They're wearing the covering of a lamb, the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing, looking like a lamb, but really Satan the devil. And this creature which represents the papal system that grew up, exercised the power of the old Roman Empire and caused everyone to give worship and loyalty and allegiance to the revived, to the holy Roman Empire, and is described in verse 13 as doing great wonders. Now, there were events in the Middle Ages that were a type of events at the end time.

   Remember, we saw in II Thessalonians 2, this man of sin who will do great wonders, do great signs and lying wonders. Here we find great wonders being done to deceive those who dwell on the earth, to cause them to give their loyalty, their devotion, their allegiance to the beast. And so we read of this description here in Revelation 13 that brings us down here to the coma, to this system that dominates and insists that everyone be part of it.

   Now, you remember in chapter 7 of Revelation, we read about this 144,000 that were sealed after the sixth seal prior to the seventh seal. Now, we read about them again in chapter 14. Here they're pictured resurrected, standing with Christ.

   Now, notice the contrast. The beast has insisted, Revelation 13:16, that everyone receive a mark in their forehead, the mark of the beast. It talks about the mark of the beast, the number of the beast, the name of the beast.

   I'm not going to get into that. We have a brand new booklet on the subject that went to the printers just before the feast, and you can write in and get it. So I'll leave you to study through that, but we've got a brand new booklet on the subject that is just out.

   I have not actually seen the final printed copy of it, but I know that it was completed and it did go to the printers. So we read at the end of Revelation 13, with those who receive the mark of the beast in their forehead. Notice in chapter 14, just about three verses later, we read of the 144,000, and they have the Father's name written in their forehead.

   So there's a contrast. There are those who receive the mark of the beast in their forehead, and there are those who have the Father's name in their forehead. What is it that seals us, by the way, that we're talking about? You know, a seal is for the purpose of authenticating genuineness.

   When official documents, you know, sometimes maybe you have to get a document notarized, and the notary affixes a seal. And usually that makes an imprint, a physical imprint into the paper. The purpose of a seal is to authenticate genuineness.

   In ancient times, kings would authenticate a document as being genuine. A king wore a figment ring that had a unique seal on it that was his seal. Nobody else had that.

   And warm wax was melted onto a document, and the king would then press that figment ring into the warm wax. And the wax, of course, would quickly harden. And that document was sealed.

   It was authenticated as genuine. Well, Paul explains in Ephesians that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. Paul explains that there in the book of Ephesians.

   God's Holy Spirit is what authenticates us as genuine. You know, you and I can hang any label around our neck if we want to. The issue is not what I call myself or what I call you or what you call yourself or me or anyone else.

   The only label that counts is the one that God gives. And you see, Paul explains that if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is not his. If the spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, your mortal body, shall he also quicken by that spirit that dwells in you.

   The Holy Spirit is what authenticates us as genuine. It makes that imprint. It talks about the name of the Father's name in our forehead.

   Well, you know, Paul explained also in the book of Ephesians, it talks about God, the Father, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The family takes its name from the Father. When you and I receive the Holy Spirit of God, we have the Father's name in our forehead.

   We're authenticated as being a genuine, legitimate son of God, because it is by the Spirit of God that we are begotten as God's child. And ultimately, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that we will be born again, born into the spirit realm at the resurrection. And so here he sees in chapter 14, the Lamb standing here in this contrast between these individuals in chapter 14, one who has the Father's name, as opposed to others who receive the mark of the beast.

   That was what they received. And you know, if you based your decisions in life on physical evidence, that would have seemed like, at the time they did it, that seemed like the smart move. Because if you don't, you're going to be in trouble.

   But you see, John, there's more to the story. And now, here are those who receive the Father's name. And as you go on down through the story in chapter 14, you read about the wrath of God being poured out on those who receive the mark of the beast.

   So now, events have taken quite a turn. Continues to describe this in chapter 15, and in chapter 16, the seven last plagues, which were the result of the seventh trumpet being poured out. So we have a sequence of events that are going to be set in motion.

   When Satan is cast back down, that will set in motion a series of events when we're told, when he comes back down, he has great wrath because he knows that he has but a short time. At that time, the restraint will be removed, and that final man of sin will emerge on the world scene. And when that occurs, you and I will know that the first seal has been opened, and the second and third and fourth and fifth will follow in reaped sequence, there opened sequentially but they remain open. In other words, when the first seal is opened, it's not closed back up when the next one is open. They're open, they're open sequentially, but each one remains open when the ones following are open. So these event start and then they continue.

   Now, let's go back to, better speed up here. Matthew 24. Let me show you something. We saw in the aftermath of this final man of sin being revealed and the things that began to happen, there are specific things that are going to happen centered in the Middle East.

   Matthew 24:15 says, when you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, whoso read let him understand, then let those that are in Judea flee. And as you come on down, verse 21, why? Why would they do that? For then shall be great tribulation, which was not since the beginning of the world of this time, nor ever again shall be. When you see the abomination of desolation, the one Daniel spoke of, then shall be great tribulation.

   So here is the event that signals the opening of the fifth seal. This is the event that pictures the opening of the fifth seal. Now, Jesus called our attention to the fact that it is the abomination that Daniel spoke of.

   There are many things that could be labeled abominations and abominations that have created a lot of trouble, a lot of desolation, destruction. But it is the specific abomination that makes desolate which Daniel spoke of. Well, in Daniel 12:11, we read that from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be 1,290 days.

   Blessed is he that waits and comes to the 1,335 days. But you go your way till the end be, for you shall rest, Daniel was told. You're going to sleep in the grave, you'll rest, and stand in your lot at the end of the days.

   Now, just mentioned here in the preceding verses, a period of 1,290 days and 1,335 days. These days end at the same time. They end at the time when Daniel will awaken and stand in his lot.

   In other words, at the time when the seventh trumpet will be blown and the dead in Christ will rise and those of us that are alive and remain will be caught up together with them and we'll meet the Lord in the end. That event of the seventh trumpet is the time when Daniel will arise and stand in his lot when he will, in his inheritance, that's what the term means, his lot, his portion, his inheritance. So very clearly, we are told that there is a specific event to occur in Jerusalem.

   Jesus Christ made reference to it in Matthew 24:15. When the abomination that makes death, the one Daniel talked about, when you see that, you better, if you're in the area of Jerusalem and Judea, you better get out quick. Move very quickly because then shall be great tribulation, such as had never been.

   That event occurs 1,290 days before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Now it's interesting, you know, we read elsewhere, we read about a period of 1,260 days, which that's 30-days, 30-day differential. The 30 days between the 1,260 and the 1,290 days, the abomination, the sacrifice is stopped, the abomination is set up, that begins a sequence that will lead into the great tribulation.

   Yet we're told that the church will be in her place in the wilderness, nourished of God for a period of 1,260 days. The two witnesses will be there 1,260 days. Jerusalem will be trodden down 1,260 days.

   What happens in the intervening month between the time the sacrifices are stopped and this final 1,260? Well, if you want to hold just a spot and if you want to just turn over a few pages of the book of Hosea, I think I can show you where our missing month is located. Hosea 5:5 talks about the pride of Israel does testify unto his face, therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity, Judah also shall fall with them. That never happened historically.

   Israel fell, Judah fell, but not together. Israel is going to fall, Judah will fall with them. Notice here in verse 7, the latter part of verse 7. Now shall a month devour them with their portions.

   That's the 30 days. The month of destruction and devouring from the time when the sacrifices are stopped and the abominations set up, that begins this countdown. The next month will be the destruction of Israel and Judah and the complete occupation that will occur, and so it is then that final 1,260 days that is the time when full power will be evidence in terms of the beast's power.

   Now, we read in Daniel chapter 12 about this abomination that's going to be set up, and Daniel 12 in the first verse talks about a time of trouble such as never was since the nation even to that time. Well, there can't be two times like that. That's what Christ talked about in Matthew 24, so clearly the events described in Daniel 12 are the specific reference that Jesus is making in Matthew 24.

   Now, let's just notice a couple of things to give us a little insight in terms of the events that are happening over there as far as the Middle East. Attention has now been moved to the Temple Mount, and the aftermath of this, there's no scripture that I know of that indicate how long sacrifices will be offered, but what we're seeing right now is the turning of the corner. Tensions have been escalated, but it is also having an effect in terms of the Jewish people, and the result of it is they are not going to be satisfied without a direct presence on top of the Temple Mount.

   That's what set this whole sequence in motion just a little over two weeks ago. Eventually, what's going to emerge is a Jewish presence on top of the Temple Mount, and I'll throw you out something as just a... I'll mention it as a possibility. I don't think any of us know exactly how these details are going to work out.

   We'll have to wait and see. But it is interesting the way it is worded in Revelation 11. It's interesting the way it's worded there.

   I've seen over the years in Biblical Archaeology Review magazine at least three different scholarly theories laying out the placement of things on top of the Temple Mount. Realize that the Temple Mount was expanded greatly in the days of King Herod. If you read about his expansion of the Temple, one of the biggest things that he did was he virtually tripled the size of the Temple Mount.

   That area over there is very rugged, and what Herod did was he expanded the size from about 13 or 14 acres to just under 40 acres, to about 39 acres. He built a huge retaining wall, a giant wall. What's called the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall is not part of the Temple proper.

   It is the remains of a retaining wall that Herod built. He built this big retaining wall, and he filled in this ravine and valley area with rock. He filled it up and then put dirt, and then he paved over the whole top of it, and he made a huge courtyard.

   A courtyard of almost 40 acres can accommodate a lot of people. So Herod greatly expanded, just about tripled the size of the top of the Temple Mount by building the retaining wall, filling in, making everything, bringing it all level. He built columns and porticos and porches and outbuildings and assembly areas up there.

   Revelation 11 makes an interesting statement, and in light of one of these, there are three different theories, and I don't claim to be able to prove which one is accurate. I think the fact that there are three primary ones, and there are others that maybe don't have nearly as much credence, but three at least primary ones show that even a lot of the scholars can't agree among themselves. In terms of the layout of the Temple buildings, but at least according to some, their placement of the location of the altar in the temple is further down, is on the other part of the Temple Mount from where the Alapsa Mosque is.

   Now, a lot of that area up there right now is just courtyard. Revelation 11 talks about measuring the altar and the inner area, but the court that is without, leave out, that's given to the Gentiles. You know, at least according to one layout, the area where Alapsa and the other Arab mosque is up there is in the area that was anciently the court of the Gentiles.

   Now, I'm not saying that dogmatically that that's the way it was, but that is certainly a possibility. Will the Temple Mount itself be divided? Will there be a Jewish presence and an altar on one end and an Arab presence on the other? I would say that it appears, with the pressure that is building up there, that that may be the way this thing is going to develop. A lot of times we've wondered, well, you know, how will the mosque be destroyed? Will they have to remove the mosque? Well, perhaps not.

   At least the indication from Revelation 11 is that there may be a divided presence, and then the whole thing is taken over by the Gentile power, which will be the beast and the false prophet. And sacrifices will be stopped. The abomination and idolatrous symbol and presence there will set in motion the events described in Daniel 12.

   Now, this particular individual who's going to come to power as the military and the political leader, there was a man in history by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes who came to power in the ancient sequence of history described in detail in Daniel 8. That really was a time, because you see, historically that is the time when the sacrifices were stopped and an abomination was set up. A statue of Jupiter Olympus was placed there in the sanctuary. This occurred during the days of Antiochus, basically from about 167 B.C. to 164, and then the temple was cleansed by the Maccabees.

   Daniel 8 gives the story, gives the sequence starting historically. And let me just pick out a couple of verses. This has gone through in detail in the booklet, by the way, so for the sake of time, let me just pick out a couple of the verses that are descriptive historically of Antiochus, but I think give us some insight into this final leader of whom Antiochus was a type.

   It talks about in Daniel 8:23, In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, understanding dark sentencing, shall stand up, an individual involved with the occult. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. He shall destroy wonderfully, shall prosper in practice, shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

   I think that refers to the mighty people would refer to physical Israel, the United States and British Commonwealth nations, the holy people would refer to the church. So we're looking at this same sequence there, the onset of the tribulation. Through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand.

   He shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace or prosperity shall destroy many. He'll stand up against the prince of princes. So clearly this goes beyond Antiochus.

   This is talking about the final one who will stand up against Christ, the prince of princes, and be broken without hand. So here is going to be a very crafty, clever individual, an individual who will come on the scene not promising a destruction and warfare, but promising peace and prosperity. He's described in Daniel 11:21, again something that refers historically to Antiochus, but certainly in type is descriptive of this final individual.

   An individual who is a vile person, a vile person. In reality they won't want to give him the honor of the kingdom, but he'll come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flattery, by cleverness, by flattery. Very crafty, clever individual.

   He will come in peaceably. He's not just going to show up with a great army to take over. He's going to rise to power and manage to maneuver and manipulate and ultimately be acclaimed by this religious leader who will already be on the scene doing great things and attracting great attention to himself, and this political leader will be pointed out as the one who is going to be the savior.

   And usher in peace. Well, it describes this and it describes the establishment of this abomination described in verse 31. Again, the historical setting was Antiochus, but this is a time for the final end time individual.

   Brethren, in the years immediately ahead, we're going to live through what are certainly going to be and what can be, even as we anticipate them and think about them, frightening times. There are events coming on in the immediate years ahead of us that you and I don't even like to think about, but they're going to come, and the events that are recorded in this book are going to play out. As we stand on the horizon, as right now the stage is being reset, and as we stand on the brink of the time when the curtain will rise on the third and final act, we need to keep our eyes on the one that we serve.

   Jesus Christ said in Luke 21:28, he says, when you see all these things begin to come to pass, then lift up your eyes and know that your redemption draws near. You see, brethren, regardless of what it is that you and I may have to go through, regardless of what may happen and occur in this world in the years immediately ahead of us, you don't ever, ever have to walk alone. You don't have to go through it.

   We don't have to be frightened and worried and anxious. David said in the 23rd Psalm, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil. Why? For you are with me.

   Your rod, your staff, they comfort me. We don't have to be afraid, not fearful, anxious about the events that are ahead. Yes, there are some terrible things that are ahead, but they're the prelude to this event that we're celebrating here today.

   We don't ever have to go through it by ourselves. We don't have to be afraid if we're walking with God. You're with me.

   Your rod, your staff, they comfort me. No matter how deep the valley and no matter how dark the shadow, because we serve the great God. The great God, as Psalm 104 describes, the great power and the greatness and the grandeur of the great God, the one who makes the clouds his chariot and walks on the wings of the wind.

   The Creator, the Lord High God, the Possessor of heaven and earth, our Father and our Elder Brother, our soon coming King and Savior, Jesus Christ. Brethren, we're here celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in anticipation of a new world is coming. And I'm here to tell you, we're on the brink of the events that will bring about that new world.