The Apostles once asked Jesus, "‘What will be the sign of Your coming and of the ‘End of the Age’? (MT.24:3) Jesus proceeded to answer with some signs common to most centuries, like, coming false Messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences. But then He followed with some very specific signs like the setting up of the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in the Holy Place (Temple grounds), and heavenly signs like the sun and moon being darkened, and stars falling from heaven. While these more specific signs become key markers in the Biblical prophetic portrait, they don’t tell the whole story of what is to come.
But if you search the rest of Scripture, you’ll find a sequence of events leading up to the Battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ, some of which give us a countdown of days to the culmination of this present Age.
In the past decade, we’ve seen 2 ‘End Time’ prophecies fulfilled. The rise and fall of ISIS as foretold in the first chapter of Habakkuk, and the ‘whole earth resting quietly’ (Zechariah 1) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemice shutdowns all over the world. I explain both of these prophecies in detail, in my book entitled: FORETOLD: The Covid-19 Effect (which you can purchase on Amazon - or get a free copy by texting your address to Tony at (916) 696-1299).
The next major prophecies to be fulfilled are the war against Iran (JEREMIAH 49:35-), and the subduing of 3 kingdoms by the Little Horn (DANIEL 7:8,20,24) both of which I’ve explained in detail in previous blogs. The Little Horn, modern day Turkey, will pluck up and subdue 3 nations (Iran, Iraq & Syria) when Shia Iran is attacked by the Sunni nations all around her. This war may be prompted by Iran getting more involved in the Israeli-Gaza conflict we see unfolding before our eyes! When it happens - Israel will help the Sunni nations against Iran, leading to a 7 year treaty with Israel that begins the 70th week of the ‘70 Weeks Prophecy” (DANIEL 9:27) And that’s when the ‘Countdown to Armageddon’ begins!
The book of Daniel shows the 70 ‘Sevens’ prophecy to span both comings of Messiah: “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for Your people (Israel) and Your holy city (Jerusalem) to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Christ), the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ (49 years in rebuilding Jerusalem) and sixty-two ‘sevens’ (558 years till Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey wiith shouts proclaiming Him a King - LUKE 19:38). It (Jerusalem) will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble (from peoples now living there - EZRA). After the sixty-two ‘sevens’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler (The Beast) who will come will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the End, and desolations have been decreed. He (The Beast) will confirm a Covenant with many for one ‘seven’ (the last 7 years of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy). In the middle of the ‘seven’ (3 1/2 years into Covenant) he (The Beast) will put an end to ‘Sacrifice & Offering’ (allowed to start up again because of the Covenant). And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the End that is decreed is poured out on him.” (DANIEL 9:24-27 NIV)
This final ‘seven’ of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy is a period of seven years, or 2520 Days. About 220 days into this ‘Covenant period” begins the 2300 Days Prophecy (DANIEL 8:8-14), when war breaks out in heaven between Angels & Demons: “It (the Little Horn, the Beast) grew until it reached the host of the heavens (Angels - I KINGS 22:19), and it (Satan, the power behind the Beast (REV. 13:2) threw some of the starry host (Angels) down to the earth and trampled on them. It (Satan) set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord (Michael the Archangel); It (Satan, through the Beast) took away the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ from the Lord, and His sanctuary was thrown down (REV.11:2). Because of rebellion,- the Lord’s people and the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ were given over to it (Satan & the Beast). It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. Then I (Daniel) heard a holy one (Angel) speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled - the vision concerning the ‘Daily Sacrifice,’ the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary (Jerusalem) and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?” He said to me, “it will take 2300 evenings & mornings (days); then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated (Done by Christ - ISAIAH 4:2-4)
This Angel-Demon war is also described in the book of Revelation: “Then another sign appeared in heaven: An enormous red dragon with 7 heads and 10 Horns and 7 crowns on its heads (showing Satan’s influence behind the 7 kingdoms of the past represented by the 7 headed Beast). It’s tail swept a third of the stars (Angels) out of the sky and flung them to the earth (same as we just read in DANIEL 8:10)… Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan), and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.” (REVELATION 12:3,4,7,8)
When does this Angel-Demon war in heaven end? We don’t have to guess, Scripture tells us: “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel & the grafted in Church) who had given birth to the male child (Christ). The woman was given the 2 wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time (1260 DAYS - REV.12:6 - halfway through the last prophetic week of 2520 Days). This means that the epic battle in heaven between Angels & Demons lasts about 1040 days (2300 minus 1260 remaining days of the 2300 days prophecy = 1040)
After Satan is cast down to the earth, “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” (REV.12:12) So he stirs up the ‘King of the South’ (Egypt), to attack the ‘King of the North’ (Turkey), but the King of the North overwhelms Egypt and takes over many Countries of the Middle East including Israel (DANIEL 11:40-42). The King of the North who is now ‘the Beast,’ sets up the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in Jerusalem’s Holy Place (Jesus: MT. 24:15) - An event that the prophet Daniel is told occurs 1290 days before the end of Gentile rule in Jerusalem. The ‘Daily Sacrifice’ is also taken away at this time. The Gentiles we’re told will reign for 42 months over Jerusalem (1260 Days - REV.11:2). The 2 Witnesses begin their witness to the world of God’s true religion (also 1260 Days REV. 11:3) The Church is taken into the wilderness at this time - and protected for 1260 Days (REV.12:6,14) Jesus warns that when we see the Abomination of Desolation set up (1290 Days), the ‘Great Tribulation’ begins, a time of unparalleled trouble in Human History because of the reign of the Beast.
Then the 5 Seals are opened (REV.6) and the 4 Horsemen ride resulting in the death of 25% of Humanity by war, famine, pestilence and wild beasts (REV.6:8). When the 5th Seal is opened, it results in the martyrdom of many Saints - individuals who did not have enough oil in their lamps (MT.25) to be taken into the wilderness for protection from the Beast (REV.12:14-17)
But approximately 2 1/2 years into the ‘Great Tribulation,’ the tide turns, and God’s vengeance against the Beast begins with the opening of the 6th Seal (REV.6:12-17) - A time called the ‘Day of the Lord’s Vengeance’ and the ‘YEAR of Recompense for the cause of Zion (Jerusalem - ISAIAH 34:8). During this final year of the reign of the Beast, the 7th Seal is opened, resulting in the 6 Trumpet plagues being poured out upon the Beast and its followers (REV.8 & 9). Nevertheless, “…the rest of Mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent…” (REV.9:20)
Then the 7th Trumpet is blown and an announcement is made to Mankind by Angels: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord (God the Father), and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” (REV.11:15) This is the culmination of the 1260 Days of Gentile rule over Jerusalem. This last trumpet blast also results in the Angels gathering the Saints from all over the earth (MT.24:31) to rise up in the 1st Resurrection (I CORINTHIANS 15:50-55 & I THESSALONIANS 4:13-18) and ascend to the throne of God where they sing the song of Moses, while standing on the Sea of Glass (REV.15:2) - awaiting the vanquishing of the Beast, and the Marriage Supper (REV.19:7-21)
Finally, the 7 Bowls of plagues are poured out by Angels upon the Beast and its followers (REV.16). But God in His graciousness accompanies these last plagues with 3 successive Angelic messages preaching the Gospel to the Beast’s followers (REV.14:6-10), warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…” (REV.14:9,10) Then the Beast gathers armies at Megiddo to battle Christ, where they are defeated in the Battle of Armageddon (REV. 16 &19).
After Daniel was told by Michael the Archangel that there would be 1290 Days from the time the Abomination of Desolation was set up till the end of the Gentile rule over Jerusalem, he is told by Michael: “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the 1335 Days.” (REV.12:12).” This would suggest that the pouring out of the 7 bowl plagues, accompanied by the Angelic final warning, and the Battle of Armageddon - is a period of about 45 Days - and those who Humanly survive it, or are at the Marriage Supper in heaven - will truly be BLESSED!”