Soon!-The Great Tribulation (Pt.2)

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”-2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

During this seven year period known as the Great Tribulation the Anti-Christ will exercise tremendous control over multiple arenas including the world’s economy (Rev. 13:16-17), religion (Revelation 13:8), governments (Rev. 17:12-13), and military (Daniel 7:8). Once he reveals his true nature, he will attempt to annihilate the people of God; Jew and Gentile:

“And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.”-Revelation 13:7

It is during this seven year period that God will begin to execute judgment upon the earth. The judgments will become increasingly more devastating midway through the tribulation period. The remaining 3 1/2 years are referred to as the times of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7).

The judgments consist of 7 seal judgments which release conflict upon the earth, scarcity/famine, widespread death, increased martyrdom and cosmic disturbances (Revelation 6:15-17). Revelation 9:20-21 describe for us the trumpet judgments that are responsible for the destruction of 1/3 of the vegetation, seas, fresh water, and the heavens. All of these still yet to be followed by the bowl judgments that conclude God’s wrath upon the earth with loathsome sores, the sea and fresh water being turned to blood, men scorched by the sun, intense darkness/pain, earthquakes and massive hailstones (Revelation 16:21).

However, despite the severity of these judgments, Scripture tells us that the people of this world will blaspheme God because of the these plagues; but refuse to repent and give God glory.

Yet, in the midst of all these things, God continues to extend His hand of mercy towards those who have rejected Christ.

We see His mercy extended in several ways throughout the book of Revelation. In Revelation 7:3-4 we see that God seals 144,000 Jews (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel). They are a mighty witness of God’s faithfulness on the earth during the tribulation period. We also read about two witnesses clothed in burlap who are given the power to prophecy for 3 1/2 years. They will boldly proclaim the glory of God before they are ultimately martyred and then raised from the dead for all to see. However, if that isn’t enough, Revelation 14:12-13 declares that God in His great mercy will send forth an angel to declare the gospel to all nations, tribes, and peoples; so that all might hear the truth of God’s goodness:

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.”-Revelation 14:6

Knowledge of these events can be very overwhelming, however, they are not intended to instill fear, but rather to incite faith. How do we respond to such treacherous times? By placing our faith in Christ:  “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”-Revelation 14:12.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

Soon!-The Great Tribulation (Pt.1)

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city,
to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.
“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”-Daniel 9:24-27

This amazing prophecy was given to Daniel while he was in exile in Babylon. It speaks of three specific spans of time two of which have already been fulfilled, the third is yet to come. The prophecy speaks of 70 sets of seven years totaling 490 years. There are seven sets of seven  totaling 49 years and 62 sets of seven totaling 434 years; followed by one set of seven years.

The first set begins wit the decree that was extended in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. The second set concluded with Jesus’ triumphant entry to crucifixion. The third set is initiated when a coming prince or ruler establishes a seven year treaty with Israel. This has yet to be fulfilled. However, on May 14th, 1948 Israel, after nearly 2,000 years, once again became a nation; making this a possibility once again!

Daniel describes this coming prince in Daniel 9:27:

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4 describes him as the son of perdition, who opposes an exalts himself above all that is God:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

He will establish a peace treaty with Israel that will usher in the times known as the tribulation period. It is during this time that the Anti-Christ will begin to leverage his power, he usurps kingdoms and authorities, and will ultimately attempt to exalt himself as God in the temple in Jerusalem.

“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.”-Daniel 11:36. 

Eventually he will break the covenant with Israel. He will be assisted by a false prophet who will do his bidding; causing many to follow him using signs an wonders.

Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church

Soon!-The Catching Away (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2) 

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”-1 Thessalonians 5:9

With the sounding of the trumpets we begin a season of feasts that include the Day of Atonement. It is a time of divine judgment upon the world, at which time the wrath of God will be meted out on all the ungodly; but what about you and I? How do we as believers factor into the equation.

According to 1 Thessalonians 5, we learn from the Apostle Paul that God did not appoint us to suffer wrath. That does not mean that as believers our lives will be free from trials and troubles. We will certainly suffer the wrath of men and Satan, but according to this passage we will not suffer the wrath of God.

In Revelation 3:10, John writes: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

John makes two very important observations in this passage. First, there is an hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth and secondly, those who persevere will be kept from it. This idea of keeping people from judgment is in keeping with God’s character. We see it displayed when God protected Noah and his family in the Ark, keeping them from the judgment of the flood and we see it again at Sodom & Gomorrah when God brought Lot and his family out before raining down judgment on those wicked cities..

In fact, Jesus, Himself, after describing the signs of of the times and the end of the age declared: “Watch therefore, and pray, always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”-Luke 21:36

According to Revelation 6:17, the great day of God’s wrath is coming. However, some time prior to the judgments of God being revealed, the Body of Christ is taken out of the way. I believe that it is this event that will trigger the period we know as the Tribulation; the beginning of which is marked by the signing of a  seven year covenant with Israel that is brokered by a man we know simply as the Anti-Christ (Son of Perdition).

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.-2 Thessalonians 2:1-8

When will all this take place? We do not know!

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.-Mark 13:32

That is why it is so important that we live each day in expectation of the Lord’s coming!

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

Soon!-The Catching Away (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”-Titus 2:11-14

As we continue our study on the last days and the second coming of Christ, it is hard not to watch the news and wonder just how close are we to His return. As followers of Christ we must be ever watchful of all these things, but we must also remind ourselves of some precious promises that God made to those who have placed their faith in Christ:

In Titus 2:13, Paul encourages believers to live sober, righteous, and godly in this present age as we look forward to the blessed hope and His glorious appearing. It is my contention, for this study, that these two things (the blessed hope and His glorious appearing) are two separate events. The blessed hope referring to the catching away of the church and the glorious appearing to His second coming.

Today we want to focus on the Blessed Hope. In John 14:1-3 Jesus comforted His disciples with these words:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Prior to Jesus, the concept of the rapture was a mystery. We see types and shadows of it in the Old Testament, but it is the Apostle Paul that begins to shed some light on this prophetic event. Two passages in particular give us some amazing insight into it:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”-1 Corinthians 15:51-53

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”-1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

The phrase “caught up”, used here by the Apostle Paul, is derived from the greek word Harpazo from which we glean our understanding and use of the word rapture.

Something very interesting about these passages is their mutual use of trumpets. The use of trumpets is significant when you consider the feasts of Israel. Their are seven primary feasts of Israel that God instructed Israel to keep; four spring feasts and three fall feasts. Through His death, burial and resurrection; Jesus fulfilled all four of the spring feasts: Passover-His death, Unleavened Bread-His burial, Firstfruits-His Resurrection, and Pentecost-Sending of the Holy Spirit. The next group of feasts include the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles. Each of these correlate with prophetic events yet to be fulfilled: Trumpets-the catching away, Atonement-Armegeddon/Christ’s second coming, and Tabernacles-The millenial reign of Christ.

Because of the accuracy in which Jesus fulfilled the spring feasts, we can be confident that He will fulfill the fall feasts as well. The Feast of Trumpets is interesting because it is the only feast given two days to celebrate. That is because it is the only feast in which the arrival is dependent upon the confirmed sighting of the new moon before it can officially begin. So it is said that no man knows the day or the hour of its beginning!

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church