Introduction
I have been studying the end times ever since a revelation from the Lord at the very beginning of 2020. The Lord pressed upon my heart some things that were coming to pass as I was reading the book of Daniel. While reading this book of the Bible, I saw the inside workings of an old clock in which the old gears began to turn. The Lord made me know that what was ‘coming to pass’ had to do with deception and we were now in the end times, meaning the end of the end times.
Before we get into prophetic information and timelines, however, I think it is important to note how crucial it is to pray for discernment before trying to understand the Lord’s prophetic timeline. There is always a danger of getting wrapped up in secular numerology or star mapping to try to determine the times. God gives very stern warnings (Galatians 5:19-21) to turn away from sorcery and wordly predictions and practices. I am not doing predictions here, I am only presenting what I have learned through God’s Word and prayer. We each are responsible, as followers of Christ, to ask, seek and knock with our questions (Matthew 7:7).
I highly encourage you to do your own research, pray and seek the TRUTH of God. It is our responsibility to personally cling to God. No Pastor or leader can have a personal relationship with Jesus for you. Jesus wants a personal relationship with each and every one of us that we engage in.
That being said, I believe God is more complicated than we can fully understand and He has woven many mysteries within His Holy Bible. His fingerprints and presence are everywhere. We can only strive to understand His beautiful complex ways.
Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?
Job 26:14
Overview
This video link is an introduction to a series of videos on the end times as laid out in our Bible. First I am going over some background to set the foundation. And to go over the first way I believe God has revealed a bit of His end time plan to us.
One thing to note is, when studying, Jewish rabbis read beyond the text when they taught the Bible. They would tell stories and ask questions to make you think, and use imagery to help understand concepts, much like Jesus did. They also would look for remez in the text. Remez in Hebrew means hint. We can learn a lot from the way they taught. If we look beyond the text we can see that there are patterns in the Bible relating to prophecy. These patterns and word references connect to each other to help us understand God’s word in a deeper manner.
One example of a pattern in the biblical text would be comparing Adam before a tree, he and Eve committing sin and changing history to Jesus being on a tree, taking our sins upon himself and changing history.
There is also a pattern of sin and unity with God. Many refer to this as the sin cycle. Sadly we tend to stay in this cycle.
In the past (Old Testament), sin was often measured or seen by the physical worship of idols made from materials of the earth, like metal or wood, of which the Lord is the creator. Now, in our time, we risk worshiping spiritual idols such as money, lust, pride and control. These are the things that are not seen but are just as detrimental to our walk with God.
THE CREATION STORY SETS THE TIMELINE
The first way we are going to look at the end times is through the idea that the timeline of man is 7000 years as laid out in the creation story. Most Biblical theologians believe the creation date of man was sometime around 4000 BC. Many also believe that the timeline set out for man is approximately 7000 years in length.
If this is the case, there appears to be a 2000 year division between main events in the Bible.
Adam – Abraham = ~2000 years
Abraham – Jesus = ~2000 years
Jesus – Millennial Age = ~2000 years
Millennial Age = ~1000 years
Adam, is the first man, formed by God from the Earth and is the father of mankind. Abraham, was chosen by God, and became the father of nations. Jesus is the son of God and He is King!
As you can see from the chart, if there are approximately 2000 years between each of these events, we are near the millennial age as described in Revelation 20.
As you know, from the book of Genesis, the world was created in 6 days and on the 7th day there was rest. What if the timeline of man is also ‘6 days’ meaning 6000 years? Often days are referred to as years and often a number is divinely multiplied by 10s.
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 3:8
Biblically, this story about creation may be the key to understanding the timeframe of the latter days. As you know, the sabbath day reflects the rest given on the 7th day of creation.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that He had done in creation.
Genesis 2:3
There are three types of sabbaths listed in the Bible. The weekly 7th day of rest (Genesis 2, Exodus 12, Leviticus 23), the periodic 7th year of rest, where you let your land rest from planting and harvesting (Exodus 23) and the Jubilee which is 7 periods of 7 years (7×7=49 and then the entire 50th year is the Jubilee). The jubilee is a special time where the captives are set free and debts are forgiven (Leviticus 25).
SETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE
Going back to the sin cycle for a minute, often we subject ourselves to slavery because of our sins or our refusal to confront sins in our lives. Jesus proclaimed that He would set the captives free in Luke 4:18-19. This is a reference to Isaiah 42:7 and 61 and we see similar language in other places in the Bible such as Psalm 146.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Luke 4:18-19
The key to being set free is abiding in Jesus. We must submit our lives to Him so we can be set free. But there will come a time when we will be released as prisoners of the flesh.
The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Psalm 146:7-8
We also see similar freedom language in Leviticus 25:5 a portion of which is literally written on our liberty bell in the United States. Leviticus 25 also talks about the jubilee.
And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.
Leviticus 25:10
Sadly, these days of rest, such as resting the land and honoring the jubilee, were not always followed by the Jewish people and was part of their downfall resulting in the exile of Jerusalem (as described in Leviticus 26).
Saint Paul had this to say in regard to our waiting for freedom:
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Romans 8:20-22
DAY OF REST
The 7th day is referenced in other places as well in the Bible, such as the 7th day the Lord called Moses within the cloud.
The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
Exodus 24:16
What if God was using the typical 40 days of testing (such as the time in the wilderness, Noah’s arc, Jesus’ testing, as described in Matthew 4) and the jubilee as part of His divine timing? This would result in 2000 years in between each main Biblical character – Adam, Abraham and Jesus.
The 7th day or 7000th year is the Sabbath, the ‘day’ of rest or the millennial age. Just as the Israelites were released in the 70th year after their exile in Babylon (Daniel 9).
Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6
It’s possible that God’s divine plan was laid out at the very beginning of creation. Praise God that He will soon set the captives free!
Check out the next upcoming video when we talk all about Moses and how he brings light to the end times.
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