There is a lot of stuff going around about the end times. I'm part of many different groups and I see a lot of speculation on this subject. The most amusing thing is that it is all opinion without even a little Scripture to back it up. So, I figured I would post on this subject.
The image in Daniel 2 is a very interesting thing. It tells of our past history, Daniel's future history, and our future prophecy. The Bible tells us who the first 4 kingdoms are- Gold is Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, Silver is Media Persia, Brass is Greece under Alexander the Great, and the Iron is Rome. That is our past history. Daniel gives the translation of this in Daniel 2, 10, and 11. The toes are part of iron and part of clay, and this is our future prophecy.
Daniel 2:37-38- Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Daniel 10:20- Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.Daniel 11:4- And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
With this toes of iron and clay, this is referring to the AntiChrist's kingdom. He will have 10 kings that reign with him (Revelation 17:12- And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.). These ten kings are going to get together witht he AntiChrist and destroy Rome (Revelation 17:16-18- And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.). It is during this time that the covenant, spoken of in Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:22-32, will be established for 7 years. It is prophesied that the AntiChrist will break this covenant at the halfway point. We can really only speculate the terms of this covenant; we only know that it is suppose to bring peace to that region.
The AntiChrist is known as the son of perdition in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. This phrase is mentioned only one other time in the Bible- John 17:12- in reference to Judas Iscariot. Judas was a Syrian Jew (Iscariot means man of Kerioth, which is in Syria). In Revelation 13 the man of sin (human body which will become the AntiChrist) will be killed, and then Satan will enter his body and take over as the AntiChrist (Revelation 17); just like the devil entered into Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper and betrayed Christ- John 13:27. When he is killed, he will have 2 things happen to him, he will lose sight in his right eye and his ability to use one of his arms (probably the right one)- Zechariah 11:17- Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.. This all happens during the Tribulation period, also known as the time of Jacob's trouble; the church will be raptured out before this happens- as in the days of Lot and Noe (both men were removed from the destruction and brought to a place of safety; a picture of the chruch). The people who endure the tribulation must not only call on the Lord to save their souls by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, but the must also keep the laws of Moses- Revelation 15:3. They also cannot take the mark of the beast- Revelation 15:2.
Revelation 15:2-3- And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
The stone that destroyed them and then became a moutain is a reference to the Second advent of Christ destroying the armies of the AntiChrist, and then Christ setting up his Millenial Kingdom and ruling for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6) while the devil is chained in the bottomless pit. Christ will rule for a thousand years and then the devil will be set loose to deceive for one last time (Revelation 20:7-8- And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.). They will gather together at the battle of Armageddon to go against Christ, but He will wipe them out (Revelation 20:9- And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.). That's when God will judge the entire world's population throughout history against His word (Revelation 20:11-15- And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.). The old universe will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10,12- But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?) and a new one will be created (Revelation 21:1- And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.).
This is by no means an exhaustive study. There is much more. I recommend the book Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin for further study on this matter.
The end times may be near, but you do not have to go through the tribulation. You can avoid the time of Jacob's trouble by calling on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you while there is yet time. Do you know that you are a sinner? Sin is anything that we say, think or do that displeases God. It is what separates us from God. The Bible tells us that every person in this world has sinned.
Romans 3:23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Because we have sinned, the Bible tells us that we must be punished. God's punishment for our sin is death- Romans 6:23a- For the wages of sin is death. The payment for our sin is death. Because of our sin we deserve a terrible place called hell.
Romans 5:12- Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by son; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
God must punish sin. God is holy and perfect.
Matthew 5:48- Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Only a perfect and holy person can enter into heaven. But the Bible tells us that every person is a sinner. Who then can meet God's standard? Although God hates sin and must punish it, He loves us. He loves us so much that He is willing to offer us eternal life in heaven in place of eternal punishment in hell. God can do this because of what Jesus did.
John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God proved His love for us through Jesus Christ. He took our punishment for our sin. I Peter 2:24- Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...
Jesus is the only way that we can come to God. Only through Jesus can we be forgiven of our sins by God. John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This means that you are unable to do enough good things to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way.
God is offering us a gift. A free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's a free gift received by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Acts 16:31- Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
Here's what you must do. You must make a choice to confess that you are a sinner; turn from your sin; place your faith in Jesus Christ alone; and ask Jesus to save you. Or you can make the choice to trust yourself.
Romans 10:9, 12- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
All you have to do is to tell God the best way you know how that you are a sinner and you understand that you cannot make it to heaven on your own merit. Tell him that you accept the payment Christ made on Calvary for your sins.
If you meant what you prayed, then you are now a member of the family of God. Salvation doesn't make your life easier. It won't make everything perfect. It just means that when you go through troubles you won't go through it alone. And when you're life is over you'll go to heaven instead of hell.
It's your choice. Choose wisely.
