The Day of the LORD

The Day of the LORD — The Great Earthquake

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.

[Revelation 16:17-18]

In my last post, I established that the Day of LORD will be accompanied by signs and wonders on earth and in heaven.

Today I want to focus in on another great sign that is associated with the Day of the LORD — the great earthquake.

The Lord Jesus prophesied that the beginning of birth pains in the last days will be characterized by a growing frequency and intensity of earthquakes in various places throughout the earth, but He clearly said that “the end is not yet.”

But the Scriptures are clear that there will be a great earthquake associated with the return of Jesus Christ that will shake the very foundations of the earth. It is THE EARTHQUAKE of ALL EARTHQUAKES — the likes of which this world has never before seen. There is no Richter scale on earth that will be able to measure the magnitude of this monster quake.

As we dig into the prophetic Scriptures, we can begin to put pieces together that will help determine when this great earthquake will hit.

In my introductory passage above [Revelation 16:7-8], this great earthquake is connected to the 7th bowl judgement, in connection with the return of King Jesus from heaven to fight the battle of Armageddon. Let’s see what else we can learn.

Islands Removed and Mountains Thrown Down

“And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.”

[Revelation 16:20]

The first think I immediately pick up on is the language used to describe the aftermath of the great earthquake on the Day of the LORD. When interpreting Scripture, especially the prophetic and apocalyptic, it is imperative that we draw from comparative language throughout the Bible to gain a comprehensive picture of the event.

The 7th bowl judgment clearly says that the magnitude of this earthquake is so catastrophic that the islands “fled away” and the mountains were not to be found. Now this language could be hyperbole — using extreme exaggeration to make a point — or it could be literal. Either way, the message is clear. This quake is so devastating that the topography of the earth is permanently changed.

But this isn’t the only place we find this language depicting extreme devastation?

The Great Quake in the Old Testament

The Old Testament is riddled with language about such a great earthquake — an utter shaking of the earth — and these accounts are always connected to the Day of the LORD.

The Psalms

“Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.”

[Psalm 18:7-12]

THe Prophet Isaiah

“Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.”

[Isaiah 13:13]

“Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants … For the windows of heaven are opened,
and the foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.”

[Isaiah 24:1, 18-21]

The Prophet Nahum

“The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.”

[Nahum 1:5-6]

The Prophet Joel

“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 are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.

The LORD roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth quake.
But the LORD is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the people of Israel.”

[Joel 3:14-16]

The Prophet Jeremiah

“I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,
and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.”

[Jeremiah 4:23-26]

“But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.”

[Jeremiah 10:10]

The Prophet Ezekiel

“But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, my wrath will be roused in my anger. For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground.”

[Ezekiel 38:18-20]

The Prophet Zechariah

“Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.”

[Zechariah 14:3-5]

Of course these Scriptures are not exhaustive, but I wanted to show how the Old Testament prophets all predicted a great shaking of the earth in association with the Day of the LORD and His fierce wrath upon the wicked. All of these prophetic passages are describing the same GREAT EARTHQUAKE that will devastate the earth when the Lord Jesus returns in power and glory to wage war.

But as we will see, there are several other passages in the book of Revelation that describe this same great earthquake.

The Great Quake in Revelation

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

[Revelation 6:12-17]

The 6th Seal in Revelation ties everything together.

Notice how the language of the 6th seal is identical to the language in Revelation 16 and the 7th bowl judgment, as well as the Old Testament passages describing the Day of the LORD. Clearly these are the same events. Both refer to a “great earthquake,” which causes the mountains and islands to be removed from their place.

Furthermore, this language is repeated through the book of Revelation to give us a key to interpretation. Again, when the same language and description is repeated verbatim in the Scriptures, it is an interpretive clue to understand that those Scriptures are describing the same event. For example …

  • The 6th Seal = the great earthquake, every mountain and island removed, day of God’s wrath
  • The 7th Seal = “and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake” [Revelation 8:5]
  • 7th Trumpet = “There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail” [Revelation 11:19]
  • 7th Bowl = “And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake … And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe” [Revelation 16:18, 20-21]

Now I’m not the brightest man, but I am at least simple enough to understand that all of these Scriptures above are describing the VERY SAME EVENT. Just in case you missed it, I will recap.

When we put the 6th & 7th Seal, the 7th Trumpet, the 7th Bowl and all the Old Testament prophecies together, it is clear that they agree in the following details and provide an outline of the sequence of events leading up the final Day of the LORD and His return.

  • The Great Earthquake
  • Lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder
  • Severe Hail (Also See Ezekiel 38)
  • Mountains thrown down
  • Islands removed
  • Heavens opened — sky rolled back like a scroll
  • Jesus coming back on the clouds in glory
  • Host of heaven coming with Jesus
  • Jesus waging war on the nations at Armageddon
  • Final Wrath of God poured out on Antichrist and his evil armies
  • The wicked try to hide from the fierce anger of the LORD (see Isaiah 2:19-21 and Luke 23:29-30)
  • Jesus establishes His kingdom

There is only one GREAT EARTHQUAKE, and it will occur on the Day of the LORD when Jesus comes in wrath to judge the nations and wage war at the Battle of Armageddon. The Scriptures agree.

The Day of the LORD — Signs and Wonders

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“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”

[Joel 2:30-31]

The Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah, Joel, Zephaniah, and Zechariah, are expert witnesses when it comes to the Day of the LORD. Every New Testament reference to the last days and the Day of the LORD are built upon the imagery and information in these prophetic books.

The problem, however, is that the majority of believers are not well versed in the Old Testament, much less the prophets, which breeds much unnecessary confusion and misinterpretation of the end times and Day of the LORD.

In our introductory passage above, the prophet Joel says that there will be signs and wonders both in the heavens and on the earth leading up to the “great and awesome (dreadful) day of the LORD.” In other words, these signs and wonders will be seen just “before” the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven and comes back to earth to wage war against the ungodly.

So what are these signs? I’m glad you asked.

Signs on the Earth

I will begin by considering the wonders on the earth that will be connected to the coming of the Lord and His great Day of vengeance. Joel says that on the earth there will be “blood, fire, and columns of smoke” [Joel 2:30].

My first step in discerning the nature of these signs is to look for similar language and descriptions in the Bible that potentially provide a more comprehensive picture.

One obvious place to start is the book of Revelation — more specifically the trumpet and bowl judgments. As a matter of fact, the first two trumpet judgments in Revelation 8 are quoting verbatim from Joel 2.

“The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.”

[Revelation 8:7-9]

As we continue to work through the trumpets and bowl judgments, we see even more details about the signs on the earth before the great Day of the LORD.

  1. The 5th Trumpet — “He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.” [Revelation 9:2]
  2. 6th Trumpet — “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.” [Revelation 9:18]
  3. The Two Witnesses — “They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.” [Revelation 11:6]
  4. The 2nd, 3rd & 4th Bowls — “The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.… The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.” [Revelation 16:3-4,8]

All of these signs on the earth will intensify in severity and frequency the closer we come to the Day of the LORD. That is why this time of great tribulation and distress will be like no other and never again shall be.

Notice that all of these signs and wonders on the earth culminate with the gathering of the evil armies under the authority of the Beast (Antichrist) “to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty” [Revelation 16:14].

Interestingly enough, Joel and the prophets have much to say about this final battle for Jerusalem. This will be the futile attempt of the Antichrist to assemble all the armies of the earth to come against Jerusalem, only to discover that the King of kings has returned to the earth to utterly destroy him. [see Revelation 16:12-21, 19:11-21]

I plan to save the Battle of Armageddon for a later post, but for now, let us take a look at the heavenly signs that accompany the Day of the LORD.

Signs in the Heavens

“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 are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.”

[Joel 3:14-15]

From the very beginning, God created the celestial bodies to measure time, mark the seasons, and also for signs [Genesis 1:14]. At the same time God’s judgments on the earth are causing men’s hearts to melt with fear, there will be signs in heavens above that will be getting the world’s attention. The cosmic chaos before the Day of the LORD will warn all the inhabitants of the earth that the end is at hand.

What could these heavenly signs be and how should we interpret them?

I believe solar and lunar eclipses are in full view, as well as celestial conjunctions where stars and planets converge. I also believe these signs could include potential meteors and comets falling to earth [see Revelation 8:8-11].

The Scriptures also allude to billows of smoke causing the sun to be darkened in Revelation 9:2, and the 5th bowl judgment seems to supernaturally plunge the kingdom of the Beast into darkness, just like the LORD caused the plague of darkness to fall on Egypt while at the same time providing light for the Israelites [Exodus 10:21-23].

The prophet Zephaniah also alludes to the Day of the LORD as a day of thick darkness.

“The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there.
A day of wrath is that day,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

[Zephaniah 1:14-15]

Jesus Himself quotes directly from Joel 3 and speaks of the “sign of the Son of Man” appearing in heaven when He returns in power and great glory [Matthew 24:29-31]. There are multiple passages in both the Old and New Testament that emphasize these unique heavenly signs. I will share some of them here for context.

Old Testament

“Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.”

[Isaiah 9:9-13]

“For the LORD is enraged against all the nations,
and furious against all their host;
he has devoted them to destruction, has given them over for slaughter.
Their slain shall be cast out,
and the stench of their corpses shall rise;
the mountains shall flow with their blood.
All the host of heaven shall rot away,
and the skies roll up like a scroll.
All their host shall fall,
as leaves fall from the vine,
like leaves falling from the fig tree.”

[Isaiah 34:2-4]

“I will drench the land even to the mountains with your flowing blood, and the ravines will be full of you. When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord GOD.”

[Ezekiel 32:6-8]

New Testament

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

[Luke 21:25-27]

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

[Matthew 24:29-31]

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'”

[Revelation 6:12-17]

Conclusion

The Biblical authors have spoken and are clear. The Day of the LORD is the END. It is the final day of His vengeance upon the earth when He comes in power and great glory to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God.

There will be clear signs in the heavens and on the earth just prior to the epic moment the sky is rolled back like a scroll and the LORD is revealed from heaven in flaming fire. This is the day our Warrior King Jesus returns to the earth to wage war against the Antichrist and his evil hoards at Armageddon.

Jesus reminds His followers not to fear, however, because the Day of the LORD is the day of our ultimate redemption, when we receive our resurrected bodies and join the heavenly host in triumphant procession on the earth behind the King of kings. This why Jesus tells us …

“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

[Luke 21:28]

The Day of the LORD — A Day Like No Other

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

How awful that day will be! No other will be like it …

[Jeremiah 30:7 – NIV]

The testimony of human history is plagued with disaster, calamity, war, and devastation. Millions have suffered and died at the hands of their fellow man, as mankind has proven to possess the relentless capacity to bring the worst out in each other.

Countless more have perished in the indiscriminate wake of natural disasters, whether earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, or floods, and even more still have fallen victim to disease, plague and famine.

In the 20th Century alone, we witnessed some of the worst atrocities known to man. Multiple world wars, the Holocaust, systematic genocide, and abortion on demand just to name a few.

But lest we forget that no matter how bad things have gotten in the past, we still are awaiting a Day to come that will be like no other — the Day of the LORD. As difficult as it is to fathom, the Bible says that a Day is coming that will make all of the collective catastrophes of human history pale in comparison.

It is almost impossible to conceive of a scenario that could be worse than what we already have seen and experienced, and yet the Scriptures are clear. The Day of the LORD will be unique is scope, intensity, devastation, and distress. Jesus Himself makes this abundantly clear.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” 

[Matthew 24:21-22]

The Day of the LORD is a process of cataclysmic events that will end with the climatic and triumphant appearance of Jesus Christ. The Day of the LORD will be the greatest amalgamation and concentration of human wickedness, spiritual evil, satanic destruction, cosmic disintegration, natural disaster, and divine indignation that the world has ever seen.

The closest thing we have seen to the Day of the LORD was the global flood of Noah’s day, which is one of the primary templates to help us understand what is to come.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

[Matthew 24:36-37]

The Height of Spiritual Rebellion

There was a supernatural rebellion and heavenly mutiny in the days of Noah that led to one of the grossest forms of corruption the world has ever seen. The sons of God (angelic beings) willfully abandoned their proper position of authority in the heavens and came down to earth in an attempt to corrupt the human race, destroy mankind, and eliminate the potential for the Messiah to be born through the “seed of the woman” [see Genesis 3:15, 6:1-5].

This spiritual rebellion introduced all forms of perversion to mankind, resulted in the acceleration of evil on the earth, and forced God to intervene with an extreme act of divine judgment. We should expect, therefore, the Day of the LORD to be preceded by an even greater supernatural rebellion and satanic manifestation, as in the person of the Antichrist.

The Depth of Human Depravity

In the days of Noah, the wickedness of mankind had passed the point of no return. Of all the people on the earth in that day (which some have estimated to be billions) only Noah and his family were in right relationship with God.

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart … And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.'”

[Genesis 6:5-6, 12-13]

We can expect the Day of the LORD to be preceded by a comprehensive spirit of sinful rebellion, immorality, idolatry and violence on the earth. As Paul says …

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …”

[2 Timothy 3:1-4]

The DAY of Divine Judgment

As in Noah’s Day, the LORD determined to make an end of all flesh and bring swift destruction on the ungodly through a global flood. No flesh survived, save Noah and those on the ark. The global flood again is perhaps the greatest Old Testament prefigurement of the coming Day of the LORD. What makes the Day of the LORD so great and dreadful is that it will be the complete outpouring and exhaustion of the righteous indignation of a Holy God upon the earth.

As the Apostle Peter says, the Day of the LORD will be like the flood of Noah’s da,y, yet God will use different means having promised never to flood the entire earth again. The Day of the LORD will be a Day of fire instead, as our God is an all-consuming fire!

“That by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”

[2 Peter 3:6-7]

While the flood of Noah’s day may be the closest thing we have ever seen to the Day of the LORD, we still have never seen a Day like it and never will again. It is a Day like no other because it will be the Day that God Himself come in all His glory and take the stage for all the world to see!

As we will see next time, it will be a Day characterized by a series of unmistakable signs in heaven and on the earth.

An Introduction to The Day of the LORD

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

[2 Peter 3:7-8]

The Day of the LORD.

What exactly is the Day of the LORD?

It is a Day like no other … Unique … Set Apart … Unmatched.

It is a Day foreshadowed in the past yet anticipated in the future. It is a Day of great judgment but also of deliverance. It is a Day of final endings and new beginnings. It is a Day of divine wrath and also salvation. It is a Day of great fear but also a Day of hope.

The Day of the LORD is the culmination, the climax, the crescendo of all things, and it will be the end of the world as we know it — the end of this age.

Yet as with all things pertaining to God and His redemptive work, the Day of the LORD is riddled with nuance and mystery and is expressed through multiple layers of meaning. The Day of the LORD is rich with prophetic significance and fulfillment and can only be understood through the lenses of the holy Scriptures.

In light of this Advent season — which celebrates the Lord’s first coming — it is my aim to unpack the complex connections and discover the characteristics of His second coming, as revealed in the prophetic Word. A tall task indeed, yet one most worthy of pursuit.

Declaring the End from the Beginning

“Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.

Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
you who are far from righteousness:
I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay;
I will put salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.”

[Isaiah 46:8-13]

The LORD Himself reminds us through the prophet Isaiah of a very important principle and a critical key to understanding the Day of the LORD. We must remember the former things of old in order to understand the future things to come. We must be firmly grounded in our Biblical foundations and origins if we expect to be able to discern the times and understand the prophetic word.

Isaiah 46 is just one of countless prophetic passages that provides context to the coming Day of the LORD, and we are told that God has been “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” [Isaiah 46:10].

Of course we must remember that we are dealing in the realm of time when dealing with the prophetic word. The human experience is bound by time and we live our lives in a linear, chronological manner, whereas God transcends time and exists in the eternal present. Somehow God sees and experiences all things — past, present, future — at once. He knows the end from the beginning because He is beyond the boundaries of time.

Yet at the same time … [pun intended] God has uniquely created a universe in which He interacts with His creation within the realm of time and works out His purposes within the parameters of time. God even took on human form and was born of a woman in the “fullness of time” [Galatians 4:4] in order to accomplish His amazing work of redemption that was ordained before the very foundation of the world!

Now ponder that for a moment …

Even though time ultimately is irrelevant to God, it is not irrelevant to His creation and therefore God still interacts with us in the dimension of time. And in that respect, the entire creation is groaning and awaiting its final redemption — the restoration of all things — which will happen on that Day — The Day of the LORD!

The Day of the LORD, therefore, could be generally understood as God’s Time. God will have His Day and that Day is yet to come.

Back to the Beginning

If the LORD has declared the end from the beginning and hidden clues to the end times within the ancient times, then it doesn’t get more ancient than the creation of the world as recorded in Genesis.

What can we learn about the Day of the LORD from the creation of the world?

More than you may think.

“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

[Exodus 20:8]

Tucked conveniently within the 10 Commandments, the LORD does something profound when consecrating the Sabbath Day as the day of rest for His people. He connects our regular 6-day work week and 7th-day Sabbath rest to the original creation week.

In other words, just as we work 6 normal, 24-hour days and rest on the 7th day, so God created the universe in 6 normal, 24-hour days and rested on the Sabbath. God was setting a pattern for His people to follow in order to enjoy the fullness of blessing in relationship to Him.

But the LORD also was doing something else. I believe He was giving us a clue to the end of all things through the beginning of all things. Creation week and the subsequent Sabbath rest actually tells us something else about the Day of the LORD — the final Day of rest for God’s people.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”

[Hebrews 4:3-4]

So I have established that the original 6-day creation week and 7th-day Sabbath rest is a template of sorts that is somehow connected to the prophetic word and the coming Day of the LORD.

Interestingly enough, the Apostle Peter also makes a connection with the beginning at God’s creation and the ending at the Day of judgment.

A Day is as a Thousand Years

For the sake of context, I feel compelled to include a considerable portion of Peter’s prophecy to show how he connected the creation of the world to the coming Day of the LORD.

“You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” [2 Peter 3:2-10]

The Day of the LORD will come and nothing will stop it.

Although I plan to spend considerable time deciphering the details of the events leading up to and surrounding the Day of the LORD, I would like to propose a general overview of how the creation week in Genesis gives us a blueprint for God’s prophetic timeline.

Have you ever considered this correlation? If a day with the Lord is like 1,000 years, then perhaps we can view the entirety of human history and God’s prophetic timeline by using 1,000-year “days.” In other words, 1,000 years of human history can be understood as being equivalent to “one day.”

Let me explain.

From Adam to Abraham = approximately 2,000 years or 2 “Days”

From Abraham to the birth of Jesus Christ = approx. 2,000 years or 2 “Days”

From Jesus Christ’s Ascension to His second coming = approx. 2,000 years or 2 “Days”

All of human history and God’s prophetic timeline = 6 Days or an estimated 6,000 years, and therefore we have only one “Day” remaining on the prophetic calendar — the 7th Day or Sabbath Day of rest.

The Millennial Kingdom of Christ = 1,000 years or 1 Day — the Day of the LORD

This 7th Day — the Final Sabbath Rest — will be inaugurated on the DAY of the LORD, when Jesus Christ will return at the end of this age (6,000 years) and will usher in His 1,000 year rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

If this composite of the prophetic timeline is correct, then we must be approaching the very end of this 6,000 year age — an age where the devil and fallen man had their chance to rule. And if we are at the very end of this age, then that can only mean that the Day of the LORD — the 7th Day — is at hand, even at the very door. And what will follow is the 1,000 year kingdom of King Jesus!

The Day of the LORD is near. I can feel it. God’s people can sense it. The days are evil. It all adds up. And we must be ready.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

[Ephesians 5:16-17]

The Feast of Tabernacles Future Fulfillment

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

[Revelation 21:3]

It all started in the Garden. God creating man in His own image. Man dwelling with God in perfect harmony. God made His home with man. Man in right relationship with his Maker. It was paradise.

Then paradise was lost.

Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden — separated from God. The entire creation was cursed. The consequences of sin and death ensued, and the earth — man’s home — became the devil’s playground.

Ever since man was expelled from the Garden, he has been trying to do one thing — find a way back to God.

That is the essence of the gospel. Man could never make his way back into right relationship with God on his own. Man could never merit the privilege of being allowed back into the presence of a Holy God. That is why God had to initiate the plan of restoration and provide the only way of salvation by coming to us.

When it comes to the final fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, we must be reminded that God’s people are awaiting the Day when the dwelling place [tabernacle] of God will forever be with man!

The Word Become Flesh

The entire gospel story of God’s redemption hinges upon the restoration of God and man through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. As Peter says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” [1 Peter 3:18].

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator — God the Son — the Word become flesh. The good news is that God, in His love for humanity, chose to leave His position in heaven, temporarily laying aside His divine glory, and came to earth to “tabernacle” among us in human form [see John 1:1-14]. That is why He is Immanuel — God with us — and He came to provide mankind the only way back to God the Father.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

[John 14:1-6]

After accomplishing the work of redemption through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus spent valuable time teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God. Just before ascending to heaven, Jesus promised to tabernacle with His people in a new and living way — through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

[1 Corinthians 3:16]

In one very real sense God’s kingdom already has come in the Person and work of Christ, and God’s Spirit dwells within every believer. But in another sense God’s kingdom is not yet because evil remains at work in this world and the restoration of all things is yet future.

So how and when will the Feast of Tabernacles be ultimately fulfilled?

The Second Coming of Christ

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

[Revelation 11:15]

If we are following the prophetic timeline that God has established through His appointed Feasts, then we should remember that the first two fall feasts will be fulfilled at second coming of Christ. The Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled when the last trumpet is sounded and Jesus returns from heaven to earth on the clouds in power and great glory [see Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18].

The Day of Atonement will be fulfilled, as all Israel will be saved when Christ returns to punish the enemies of God and trample the Antichrist and his hostile armies surrounding Jerusalem.

Immediately after the Lord Yeshua defeats His enemies and liberates Jerusalem, He will be exalted as King of kings and take His place on David’s throne in Zion to reestablish His Kingdom Israel on earth.

Zechariah provides a glimpse into this awesome Day.

“Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him … And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.”

[Zechariah 14:1-6, 9]

Once King Jesus takes His place on the throne, God’s people will be invited to take part in the marriage supper of the Lamb, which will be the great victory banquet on earth celebrating the triumph of the King.

Jesus said … “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

[Matthew 26:29]

The Millennial Kingdom and the Feast of Tabernacles

Once Jesus returns to the earth as King, He will rule and reign His Kingdom from Jerusalem, and the saints will rule with Him. Many have called this the Messianic Age, or the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. The Kingdom will be God’s way of bringing paradise back to the earth. God will live in physical, bodily form in the midst of the earth, and we will dwell in the presence of Almighty God.

The Millennium will be a literal 1,000 year period for Christ to reign as King and for God to dwell with man. It will give mankind the privilege to enjoy an age of unprecedented peace, prosperity, knowledge, restoration, longevity, blessing, and beauty.

Interestingly enough, the Feast of Tabernacles will play a prominent role during this unique Messianic Age, as the survivors of the nations will be required to present themselves before the LORD each year to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

“Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.

[Zechariah 14:16-19]

The saints of the Most High will rule and reign with King Jesus and the nations will be subject to Him. There are a variety of passages that portray this unique Millennial Kingdom, but for sake of time I will only share one more from the prophet Isaiah.

“It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.” [Isaiah 2:2-4]

The New Heaven, Earth and Jerusalem

After the earth is allowed to experience this 1,000 year Sabbath rest of peace under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Bible then describes a New Heaven and New Earth, where God makes everything new and dwells with His people forevermore. Everything that was lost in the Garden will be restored and recreated, and there will be no more evil, no more sin, no more death, and no more suffering.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”

[Isaiah 65:17]

The Apostle John provides even more detail about the eternal state of man and God’s promise to tabernacle with mankind forevermore.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’ … And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.”

[Revelation 21:1-7, 22-26]
Artistic Rendering of the New Jerusalem

As you can see, the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the ongoing, perpetual state of Holy God dwelling with man. Just as God commanded Israel to set aside the 8th Day of rest following the Feast of Booths, He has set aside an eternal 8th Day — the Day of New Beginnings of Recreation — which will be the everlasting life we will experience through and with Christ in the New Heaven and New Earth!

The Feast of Yom Kippur {The Day of Atonement} Future Fulfillment

Marcus Walker Van Every3 Comments

“For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.”

[Isaiah 63:4]

As we discovered in my last post, the Lord Jesus partially fulfilled many of the specific elements of the Day of Atonement during His first coming. Yeshua is our Great High Priest who offered His own life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and entered the heavenly tabernacle by His own blood, preparing the way for us to approach the throne of God with confidence.

It is Yeshua who now is the Mediator of a new and better covenant in His blood, as He is seated at the right hand of God the Father in the throne room of heaven, making intercession for His people. Yeshua effectively tore the veil that once separated Holy God from sinful man and provided direct access to God for all who believe in Him.

The richness of the redemptive work of Christ is profound, as books could be written about the depth of the atonement.

This post, however, will consider how the Lord Jesus will ultimately fulfill the Day of Atonement during His second coming. I believe you will find these connections just as significant and worthy of our attention.

MOSES and the SINAI CONNECTION

As mentioned in my last post, there is a traditional connection between the Day of Atonement and the Mosaic Covenant at Mount Sinai. Moses ascended the mountain met with the LORD for 40 days on two different occasions. Moses supposedly descended the second time — face a glow — with the tablets of stone on 10th of Tishrei, which is the Day of Atonement.

Keeping these two distinct mountain top events in mind, I do see a connection representative of the two comings of Jesus Christ. The first descent of Moses from the mountain found the nation of Israel rebellious sin and idolatry, which is synonymous with the condition of the Jews when Jesus came the first time.

At the second descent of Moses, the Israelites were not in rebellion, and Moses’ face shone with the glory of God. Moses also brought the instructions for the tabernacle at his second descent, which correlates with the Feast of Tabernacles. This second descent points to the events associated with the glorious coming of Jesus Christ in all His glory, lighting up the sky from east to west!

Interestingly enough, Jesus also experienced His own 40-day mountain experience. After being baptized by John, Jesus spent 40 days of temptation in the mountain wilderness. Immediately after His 40 days of temptation, Jesus retired to Galilee and began teaching in the synagogue of Nazareth, His home town.

Jesus was given the scroll of Isaiah and He read it before the people, saying that He was the fulfillment of that very prophecy [Luke 4:16-30]. But Jesus purposefully stopped reading the prophecy at a specific point.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;

[Isaiah 61:1-2]

The Lord Jesus did not keep reading about the day of vengeance on this occasion because He came the first time to offer forgiveness and mercy through His own death on the cross. This dual prophecy in Isaiah contains elements of both His first and second coming, so Jesus was trying to make a point. He came the first time to offer grace. That’s why He stopped reading when He did. The Day of Vengeance is being reserved for His return to the earth.

The DAY

The Day of Atonement — Yom Kippur — is the highest holy day of the year and therefore became known simply as “The Day.” Unlike all the other appointed feasts of the LORD, Yom Kippur is associated with mourning and judgment and affliction and repentance.

“For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people.”

[Leviticus 23:29-30]

The future fulfillment of the Day of Atonement is directly connected to great ant terrible “Day of the LORD,” or Judgment Day. It will be both a Day of Vengeance and also a Day of Deliverance.

Vengeance on the Nations

When Yeshua Messiah returns in all His glory, He will judge and repay all of His enemies by treading the winepress of the fury and the wrath of Almighty God. All the nations who align themselves with the satanic forces of darkness and the armies of the Antichrist will be brought to nothing on that Day.

The Day of Vengeance is a Day of blood, and it is Jesus Himself who will be leading this great judgment of the wicked nations who will be united against God in the last days. Consider some of the primary passages that convey this coming “Day!”

Who is this who comes from Edom,
in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
mighty to save.”

Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone,
and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood spattered on my garments,
and stained all my apparel.
For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption had come.
I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
and my wrath upheld me.
I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

[Isaiah 63:1-6]

“Hasten and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O LORD.
Let the nations stir themselves up
and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.

Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
for their evil is great.

Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near
in the valley of decision.”

[Joel 3:11-14]

“The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there.
A day of wrath is that day,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

[Zephaniah 1:14-15]

“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

[2 Thessalonians 1:5-10]

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

[Revelation 19:11-16]

To summarize, Jesus is our Faithful High Priest, dressed in fine linen, is coming from heaven to earth in wrath, but as He comes to judge the nations, His pure white vesture is spattered in the blood of His enemies. This is a picture of the high priest entering the Holy of Holies and sprinkling the blood on the altar, which would have spattered on his all white garments.

The Day of Atonement will not be completely fulfilled until the Lord returns on that DAY.

Vengeance on Azazel — the Scapegoat

There is another connection that must be worth mentioning here, and it is associated with the scapegoat that was banished on the Day of Atonement. The Hebrew word for scapegoat is Azazel, which is also associated with the name of the devil himself.

The prophetic shadow picture is that once the guilt of Israel was transferred to Azazel, then he was banished to the wilderness to die, removing the guilt from God’s people. This is connected to God’s final judgment of Satan and the principalities of evil who are forever guilty for introducing sin and rebellion to mankind.

According to the Book of Enoch, Azazel is one of the leaders of the rebellious Watchers in the time preceding Noah’s flood [Genesis 6:1-5]. Azazel taught men the art of warfare and weaponry and revealed to the people the secrets of witchcraft and corrupted their manners, leading them into wickedness and impurity until at last he was bound hand and foot by the archangel Raphael and chained to the rough and jagged rocks of [Ha] Dudael (= Beth Ḥadudo), where he is to abide in utter darkness until the great Day of Judgment, when he will be cast into the fire to be consumed forever.

“The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.”

[1 Enoch 10:8]

The Bible confirms the Enoch account in 2 Peter and the Epistle of Jude.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.”

[2 Peter 2:4]

“The devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

[Revelation 20:10]

The condemnation of the scapegoat, or Azazel, was a reminder to God’s people year after year that the LORD would ultimately judge the devil and the spiritual forces of wickedness on that Day.

Time of Jacob’s Trouble

The day of Atonement is known for ‘the affliction of the soul’. Thus the Israelites would fast on this day and abstain from anointing their body and from cohabitation. The true affliction of the soul will come during the time of Jacob’s Trouble — the Great Tribulation — when God’s people will suffer persecution and affliction at the hands of Antichrist.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.”

[Luke 21:20-22]

Although it is my firm conviction that all the saints (the church) will be present through this Great Tribulation, it will be a unique time of testing and trouble for the Jews. Historically, the Jews have suffered more than any other people group in the world, and the time of Jacob’s trouble will be one final period of testing for the Jews. God, however, will use this great tribulation to bring them to true repentance so that they will never again rebel against the LORD.

“Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it … And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.“

[Zechariah 12:2-3, 10]

The time of Israel’s affliction will end when all the tribes of the earth see Yeshua coming on the clouds in great glory and realize that they have rejected their own Messiah.

All Israel Will be Saved — National Redemption

The Day Atonement more specifically is associated with the redemption and restoration of the entire nation of Israel. Whereas Passover emphasizes individual salvation, Yom Kippur is the Day of corporate salvation, as the high priest would offer an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all the people.

The future fulfillment of the Day of Atonement will also be a national salvation of all the survivors of Israel. As the Jews endure the Great Tribulation and God begins to bring them repentance through the time of Jacob’s trouble, all of Israel will be saved in the end at the second coming of Christ.

Romans 11, Zechariah 12, Jeremiah 30,

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

[Daniel 12:1]

Alas! That day is so great, there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.”

[Jeremiah 30:7]

 “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

[Hebrews 9:27-28]

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

[Romans 11:25-27]

The Feast of Yom Kippur {The Day of Atonement} – Part 1

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.”

[Leviticus 16:21]

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is the holiest appointed feast of the year for the people of Israel. Once a year, the high priest of Israel was to consecrate himself before the LORD on behalf of the nation by entering the inner sanctuary of the temple and sprinkling blood over the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. The sins of the entire nation were confessed before God, as the people sought mercy, forgiveness and restoration.

In studying the Day of Atonement, I have come to discover significant connections that are rich with meaning. Once I started pulling on this particular thread, it began to unravel deep prophetic mysteries that I had never seen before.

In short, this holy convocation — or annual rehearsal — provides the most comprehensive typological shadow picture of the Day of the LORD — that great Day of judgment for the whole world.

This initial post will attempt to lay the groundwork and Biblical backdrop of Yom Kippur.

Moses on the Mountain

Once the Feast of Trumpets was announced on Tishrei 1, the LORD instructed the children of Israel to enter into a 10-day period of self examination, fasting, fear, and trembling — called the days of Awe. These 10 days of repentance were to prepare the people of Israel for the Day of Atonement, which was appointed on the 10th of Tishrei.

Jewish tradition historically has associated the 10th of Tishrei as the very day Moses came down from Mount Sinai the second time after spending 40 days mediating between the LORD and the people. God’s anger burned against the children of Israel for their idolatry and rebellion with the golden calf, and Moses knew that something had to be done.

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

[Exodus 32:30]

When Moses came back down the mountain from having met face to face with the LORD, his face was shining before the people.

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” [Exodus 34:29]

From that point, Moses primarily would speak with the LORD in the tent of meeting — or tabernacle — and after communicating God’s word to the people with his face aglow, he would place a veil over his face.

The Tabernacle and Holy of Holies

As the children of Israel camped in the wilderness, the LORD instructed Moses to build an intricate tent for His own unique dwelling place in the midst of the people. The tabernacle was called the tent of meeting because it was the one place that the the LORD of glory would visit to meet with Moses.

The tabernacle was divided into three parts, and the inner sanctuary was concealed with a curtain and was the most holy place — the Holy of Holies. The inner sanctuary contained the ark of the covenant [which contained the 10 commandments] and the mercy seat, where the blood from the atoning sacrifice was to be sprinkled on behalf of the people.

Once a year, the high priest would consecrate himself and enter the Holy of Holies wearing only white garments to make atonement for the entire nation. If the high priest failed to approach the LORD in total observance to the law, he would be killed on the spot.

The Scapegoat and the Crimson Cord

The 16th chapter of Leviticus provides the detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement. The high priest was to sacrifice a bull for his own sin before entering the inner sanctuary, and then he was to bring a censor of burnings coals from the altar and incense to cover the mercy seat while applying the blood.

Then the high priest was to take one of two goats and cast lots for them. One goat was to be sacrificed on behalf of the entire nation and the other goat was to be the scapegoat — or  Azazel in Hebrew. The first goat was to be the atoning sacrifice, which temporarily satisfied God’s righteous anger toward the sins of the people. This conveyed the act of propitiation, where a substitute is sacrificed on behalf of another to punish sin and appease the wrath of God.

After making atonement for himself and the people, the high priest then was commanded to place both hands on the scapegoat and confess all the sins of the people over the goat, which effectively transferred the guilt onto the scapegoat and removed the guilt from the people. This conveyed the act of expiation, where guilt is transferred onto another and removed far away from the guilty. The scapegoat was then driven out into the wilderness, where eventually it would be forced off a cliff.

Jewish writings later reveal that the priests would tie a crimson thread both to the scapegoat and the door of the temple in order to determine if the LORD had accepted the sacrifices. If both crimson threads turned white, then the people took that as a sign that the sacrifices had been acceptable in God’s sight.

Interestingly enough, according to the Jerusalem Talmud, during the 40 years between the death of Yeshua and the destruction of the Temple (A.D. 70) the crimson cord never turned white.

“Forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the western light went out, the crimson thread remained crimson, and the lot for the Lord always came up in the left hand. They would close the gates of the Temple by night and get up in the morning and find them wide open.” 

[Jacob Neusner, The Yerushalmi, p.156-157]

Jesus Partial Fulfillment of Yom Kippur

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption … Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

[Hebrews 9:11-12, 25-26]

The book of Hebrews elaborates on the role of the high priest and the Day of Atonement, specifically how the Lord Jesus has entered into the very presence of God in heaven by His own blood on our behalf. When Jesus died once and for all as the atoning sacrifice for sin, the veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom, exposing the inner sanctuary. God was communicating a message that sinners now have direct access to the Father through the Son — our Great High Priest.

The Day of Atonement does find its partial fulfillment in the first coming of Christ, as He has made propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. The annual rehearsal on Yom Kippur was merely a shadow picture of the good things to come.

“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near … Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

[Hebrews 10:1, 19-22]

The Day of Atonement, however, will not ultimately be fulfilled until Christ comes a second time to bring judgment on His enemies, transfer the guilt of sin upon Azazel (the devil), forgive and save the nation of Israel, and completely pour out his wrath upon the wicked.

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him … But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.”

[Hebrews 9:27-28, 10:12-13]

Stay tuned for my next post — part 2 of the Day of Atonement.

Confusing Wrath with Persecution

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

[The Lord Jesus — John 17:15]

Having studied the different views on the timing of rapture for years, I would like to address one of the most common defenses for the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.

GOD’s WRATH

The pre-tribulation position proposes the following …

  1. the Bible clearly says that believers in Christ are no longer condemned and are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath. [Romans 8:1, 1 Thess. 5:9]
  2. The great tribulation is the ultimate outpouring of God’s wrath on the earth.
  3. Therefore, believers in Christ cannot be present during the great tribulation.

But does this logic hold up under closer examination?

I say NO. And here is why.

Confusing God’s Wrath with Satan’s Persecution

I am in 100% agreement that believers in Christ Jesus will never suffer God’s wrath. The Lord Jesus absorbed the full measure of God’s wrath upon Himself on the cross, taking the punishment and suffering the penalty for the sins of the whole world. All who have trusted in Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross are forgiven, justified, and forever free from condemnation and the fury of God’s wrath.

But the issue I have with the pre-tribulation position of the rapture is the common misunderstanding concerning the nature of the tribulation period. Nearly every pre-tribulation teaching on the rapture that I have ever heard confuses the wrath of God with the persecution of the saints.

The pre-trib position mistakenly teaches that God’s wrath is being poured out during the entire tribulation period (likely 7 years) or at least during the last half of the tribulation period — aka the great tribulation (3.5 years).

But a careful reading of the great tribulation passages teach no such thing. Instead, the Scriptures describe the great tribulation as a time of immense satanic deception, demonic activity, unrelenting evil, unparalleled suffering and even martyrdom for God’s people — both Jews and Christians.

As we begin to examine some of these key passages of Scripture, we can agree that no believer in Christ Jesus will ever suffer the wrath of God, but all believers are promised the be persecuted, attacked, taken captive, or martyred at the wrathful hand of the Antichrist and the devil Himself.

The Great Tribulation

There are several key passages in both the Old and New Testament that refer to the time knowns as the Great Tribulation. This is a time of unprecedented evil, demonic deception, and persecution of God’s people. Let’s review the Scriptures.

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

[Daniel 12:1]

Daniel is warning believers about the state of the world in the last days, or the time of the end. He provides one of the clearest descriptions of the Antichrist in chapter 11 and then says the great tribulation will happen “at that time.”

Jesus connects the Great Tribulation with the revealing of the Antichrist and the satanic activity on the earth in the last days. He says in Matthew 24:9 … “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake,” and then later in the same chapter, Jesus warns that the great tribulation will take place after the revealing of the Antichrist and the abomination of desolation.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

[Matthew 24:21-22]

Jesus, like Daniel, says that at that time God’s chosen people — whose names are written in the book of life — will be delivered out of the great tribulation when the Lord returns in all His glory! The great tribulation is cut short BECAUSE God’s people –Jews and Christians — are still on the earth.

The Apostle John is also given a glimpse of the Lord Jesus sitting on His glorious earthly throne in the millennial kingdom, as King and Shepherd of His people. Consider what John describes ….

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands … Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.”

[Revelation 7:9, 13-14]

There will be a multitude of believers who were persecuted, captured or killed during the great tribulation. Not only that, but Satan and his Antichrist will be given authority to make war with the saints — Christians alive on the earth during the great tribulation.

“Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

[Rev 12:17]

“Also it (the Beast) was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.”

[Rev 13:7]

“As I looked, this horn (Antichrist) made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom … He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

[Daniel 7:21-22, 25]

The saints in these passages are the true believers alive during the great tribulation — the church of God — those who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is clear that the Antichrist will have authority to pour out persecution and satanic wrath on God’s people for 3.5 years — which is the duration of the great tribulation.

There are so many other passages that confirm the church being present on the earth to face the Antichrist and suffer persecution during the great tribulation, but for sake of time, I need to move along. There is one more important truth to consider.

God is Able to Protect His People from Wrath

Many have said it is impossible for God’s people to be present at the same time He is unleashing His fury and righteous indignation on the earth in judgment. But is this true? Consider the following Biblical examples.

  1. God saved and preserved Noah and his family through the flood.
  2. God saved and protected Lot and his family by removing him out of Sodom, not by taking him out of the world.
  3. God saved and protected the Hebrews from the Plagues in Egypt while they were in the midst of the land.
  4. God kept safe many Jews with the mark on their forehead when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 9:4)
  5. God saved and protected the three faithful Jewish servants in the midst of the fiery furnace.
  6. God saved Daniel through the lion’s den.
  7. Jesus prayed for all disciples in His high priestly prayer … “I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.” [John 17:15]

My point is that the LORD, when He comes on that DAY to judge the nations and pour out His wrath on the earth, He will preserve and protect His people and direct His anger specifically on the Antichrist and his evil armies.

Besides that, it is apparent that all the saints will receive resurrected, glorified bodies at the coming of the Lord, during the first resurrection. This means that as Jesus comes in all His glory to the earth to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God (Rev. 19), all of God’s people will have been transformed — having received resurrected bodies, which cannot be hurt or die in any way.

Followers of Jesus Christ are promised persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

Jesus warned us that in this life we will have tribulation (John 16:33), and that the world will hate us for His name’s sake.

The Bible clearly states that the church will be on the earth to endure the great tribulation, but that time will be cut short at the coming of Jesus when we will delivered and saved once and for all.

Don’t confuse persecution and suffering for Christ with the wrath of God. God has preserved his wrath for the devil, his angels, and God’s enemies alone. The Apostle Paul could not have stated it any plainer. Our relief comes when Jesus comes. Jesus comes at the end of the tribulation to deliver us and rescue us once and for all.

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

[2 Thessalonians 1:5-10]

Ready for the Real ‘End Game’

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Then comes the end, when he (Christ) delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

[1 Corinthians 15:24-25]

The numbers are in and Marvel’s latest blockbuster film — Avengers End Game — has shattered all previous box office records, grossing well over $1 billion in it’s opening weekend alone. [https://www.cnet.com/news/avengers-endgame-breaks-global-box-office-record-for-biggest-opening-ever/]

Wooing the crowds with state-of-the-art special effects, epic battle scenes, and an overall lovable cast of characters, End Game magnifies everything about the human condition.

We all identify with the perpetual struggle between good and evil, and we inevitably cheer when good prevails in the end. We all possess the desire to be great — superhuman — and we secretly hope that we can live forever in the end. We all dream of a day when there is true peace on earth and goodwill toward men, and we wonder if any of us will live to see it before we meet the end.

The reason movies like End Game are so great is simply because the best movies tell the best story, and the best story is the story of God, who has provided a Savior for all mankind — a Savior who alone has come to conquer evil, provide everlasting life, and establish peace on earth once and for all. The reason we cheer for virtual heroes and lose ourselves in a virtual universe is because our Creator made us in His own image and has placed eternity within our hearts.

We know there must be something more — a real Hero, a true destiny — but think of how many lost souls walk away from the theaters empty and wanting in the end. The greatest productions and machinations that man could ever deliver will never come close to the real thing … the real End Game.

The Bible speaks of the real ongoing struggle around us — that which is beyond flesh and blood — between the spiritual forces of light and darkness. Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, came to reveal Himself to mankind and to redeem for Himself people for His own possession.

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

[Colossians 1:13-14]

The Bible speaks of the One True Hero of the world and Savior of mankind, Jesus Christ, who has proven His supremacy above all other gods and who is now seated at the highest place of authority in the universe.

“That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

[Ephesians 1:20-21]

The Bible speaks of the One and Only Giver of Eternal Life, the resurrected Son of God, who died and is alive forevermore, and who alone is able to give life to our mortal bodies.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”

[John 11:25-26]

And the Bible also speaks about the REAL END GAME, when Jesus Christ returns to destroy His enemies, crush the forces of darkness, judge the living and the dead, and establish His rule and reign as the King of kings and Prince of peace.

“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

[Revelation 19:13-16]

“Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

[Isaiah 9:7]

God has promised to bring all things to an end and place everything under the feet of Jesus when He comes. This is not a game. This is real life. This is real destiny. This is for all eternity.

And there is only one thing that will matter in the end …. is Jesus Christ returning as your Savior or as your Judge?

Is your soul ready for the Real “End Game?”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 

(1 Peter 1:3-7) 

Living for Christ in these last days is both challenging and encouraging at the same time. For those of us who have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” there is a sobering realization that we are witnessing the unfolding events of the last days. In the passage above, the Holy Spirit is speaking directly to our generation through the Apostle Peter to remind us of some very foundational truths that are essential to our faith. There is a residing anticipation in the heart of every believer for the coming revelation of Jesus Christ.

Our Salvation To BE Revealed

All true believers in Christ have been justified by faith and brought into relationship with the Father through the Son (Romans 5:1-2), and at the same time we have been regenerated — born again of the Holy Spirit. Both of theses aspects of our salvation are past tense and must be understood as having been settled once and for all. But there are two aspects of our salvation that have yet to be fully accomplished. These are God’s works of sanctification and glorification. Peter reminds all believers that there is still work to be done and that our full redemption will not take place until the day that Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven in all His glory.

Sanctification

God’s work of sanctification is the process by which God’s people are being conformed to the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Once a sinner is saved and justified before God and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit has brought resurrection life to our mortal bodies, God begins the gradual process of transforming us into the likeness of Christ. This is why it is so essential for every believer to resist being conformed to the patterns of this world, while at the same time being transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:1-2). The Apostle Paul reminds us that we have received the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), and therefore our growing process is learning how to believe, think, speak, talk and behave like Christ. Sanctification is a life-long journey that never ends this side of heaven. Thankfully, God has promised to finish this great work He has started “at the Day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). As Peter says, we” by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,” meaning God will keep us and see us through to the end.

Sanctification Through Suffering

The Scriptures are unambiguous in expressing the reality that suffering and tribulation are among the primary means that the LORD uses to accomplish sanctification in the life of a believer. Peter says we are able to rejoice in spite of the grievous presence of various trials we face in this world. Jesus says, “in this world you will have tribulation, but take heart for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Even if our faith is tested through the fires of persecution, we are able to trust that God is working everything together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. God never wastes suffering in our lives, using it to test our faith, purify us, teach us dependency, and keep us humble. Ultimately, suffering becomes the pathway that allows us to fully identify with Christ Jesus in His sufferings and become like Him even in His death. This is just one reason why I believe God will continue to use tribulation and persecution of the saints in these last days as the primary means to refine and reveal the true church.

Glorification

If our justification and regeneration are past tense and our sanctification is ongoing in the present tense, then there still remains one aspect of our redemption that will be revealed in the future — our glorification. The glorification of God’s people takes place at the coming of Christ Jesus, at the first resurrection, when all of God’s children will receive glorified bodies and be like Christ forevermore. I understand justification as the moment God declares sinners righteous by grace through faith in Christ, who fulfilled all God’s legal demands. I understand regeneration as the moment we receive new spiritual life in Christ and experience spiritual union with the Holy Spirit. I understand sanctification as the process of willfully dying to our sinful nature and being conformed to Christ. And I understand glorification as receiving new, incorruptible, resurrection bodies fit to inhabit the kingdom of God forever.

Perhaps no one describes our glorification better than the Apostle Paul. He says …

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:18-25)

With everything that is converging and accelerating in our world, there has never been a more urgent time for believers to be fully established in our faith and at the same time boldly sharing the gospel. When one adds the amount of intense persecution with the unprecedented spiritual deception of this age, it will be impossible to stand against the devil and the forces of evil without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ. Only those who hold to the testimony of Jesus and are found faithful in the end will “result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Even so Lord Jesus, come!