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March 17,2021 |
| Can't Miss End-Times Events | ||
Prophecies range from "very clearly written" to "totally obscure." Most people do not or cannot put the effort into understanding them. The ones that are obscure cause their eyes to glass over and they miss the ones that are clear. Also, they can't tell which ones are clear and which are obscure.
This means that most people in the church have little understanding of coming prophesied events. This puts them in danger of being deceived.
This study is targeted to that group. It lists the events that "can't be missed", i.e. a person who is alive at the time will have no doubt that a prophesied event has occurred.
The event descriptions in the list can be clicked to see details of the event and the Bible verses that speak about it.
This table does not use the common description "anti-Christ" because it confuses many people. Anti-Christ does not mean "against-Christ" as many think. It means "False Christ." Instead, this table uses the description "False Messiah" which is the description Jesus used.
Note: the ˜ means approximately.
| Years Before Jesus Returns | Event Name | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| ˜25 | The World Order Changes | The current world order consists of one major country, 2 secondary countries, a weak conglomeration of European countries and many lesser countries. The new world order will consist of 10 regions that are roughly equivalent. These regions will have rulers and governing bodies. |
| ˜25 | The False Messiah Begins | While this is not a "Can't Miss" event, the False Messiah is part of later "Can't Miss" events. So it's good to know where he comes from. At first he will be a person who promotes peace. Then he will begin to demonstrate amazing powers. Then he will begin to call himself God. |
| ˜25 | Ezekiel's Battle | People who come from regions that are now Muslim see that Israel has no protector and coordinate to attack Israel. A great earthquake occurs that causes a failure in their weapons and they are destroyed by their own weapons. Israel spends many months finding all the body parts and putting them in a mass burial site. |
| ˜7 | The Tribulation Period Begins | |
| The 7 Year Agreement is Signed | The False Messiah is on the scene by this time but he is not known to be the False Messiah yet. He is known as a peace-maker and has worked himself into a position of power. He makes an agreement that allows Israel to have a temple on the temple mount and to begin sacrifices there. | |
| ˜3.5 | The Great Tribulation Period Begins | |
| The Army of the False Messiah Attacks Israel | The armies of the False Messiah surround Jerusalem, conquer it, put an end to the sacrifices, and the False Messiah enters the temple, does something that defiles it, and seats himself there, proclaiming himself to be God and greater than God. | |
| The Mount of Olives Splits in Two | God steps in to preserve some of his people by splitting the Mount of Olives into two halves, one of which moves north and the other moves south. The purpose of this is to provide an escape route for Israel. | |
| The Two Witnesses Come on the Scene | Two people that God has chosen begin a world-wide ministry to call people back to God. It appears this is not just to the unbelievers but also to the Christian churches. | |
| < 3.5 | The False Prophet Comes on the Scene | This person and his organization works for and is empowered by the False Messiah. He will also demonstrate amazing powers. |
| The False Prophet Implements the Mark of the Beast | Christians must not take this mark. Taking it requires a sin that will not ever be forgiven. Without the mark it will not be possible to engage in commerce or have a job. Many Christians will be executed. | |
| 3 days | The Two Witnesses are Murdered | The False Messiah is finally able to kill these two. Their bodies are brought into Jerusalem and lay there. The world celebrates their deaths because they have been pronouncing curses on countries that have rejected them and their message |
| 0 days | The Two Witnesses Come Back to Life | Immediately they ascend. It isn't clear if this happens slightly before the resurrection or if it is part of the resurrection |
| The Messiah Returns |
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Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 And just as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong, and part of it will be fragile. 43 In that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in their descendants; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not combine with pottery. (Daniel 2:40-43)
In these verses and in those around them, Daniel interprets the meaning of a dream God gave the King of Babylon. The dream was of a statue where the golden head represented the king and his empire. Down through the feet, a succession of metals and finally clay represent major kingdoms that were yet to come. These are all ultimately destroyed by the kingdom of God, represented by a stone broken off from a mountain, but not by [human] hands.
The verses here describe a fourth kingdom that becomes, not so much a new kingdom, as a weakening of the fourth kingdom. It is weakened by something new in the people that splits them into two groups that are irreconcilably unable to work together.
It seems certain that this division has already begun. It would be incorrect to call it Liberalism, though it comes out of that idea that "I am good and wise like God". There have been earlier examples in history of what we now call Liberalism. It shows up in extensions to that idea such as "I am wise enough to understand the problems of the world" and "I am wise enough to control the world" and even "I am wise enough to correctly understand the word of God."
This is different, a step further. Where there have been small regional groups who accepted this idea previously, it gained control of a few countries. Once in power, its ideology shifts, or perhaps can be fully seen, and becomes "I am a good and wise God." With that power, it becomes absolutely intolerant of other ideas and it becomes impossible for its adherents to work with those with different ideologies.
This is a fragile ideology though, due to its unrealistic focus on self. Not everyone can be God. As soon as they find success they begin to eat each other. Infighting tends to factionalize them and they shatter.
In our time this ideology has been accepted by a large segment of many populations on a world-wide scale. The very last change in Daniel's statue is the 10 toes. These, we are told represent 10 groups within the kingdom. From other prophecy we can be certain these are geographic kingdoms that have borders and governments. The division between iron and clay seems to exist within most, if not all, of the toes.
Daniel has a vision that describes some of the future of these toes, but now a different system of representation is used. We only see part of it on Daniel. The rest of it appears in Revelation. In this system, a single beast represents this last kingdom of man. A head represents governments. Each head has a horn, which represents the leader of that government. Each horn has a crown, which represents authority to rule.
After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7:7)
This verse doesn't mention the heads or crowns, but only horns, because it is going to focus on the leaders. We see here this kingdom referred to as the fourth kingdom in both the statue and this verse. The iron teeth also connect it back to the iron in the statue. This kingdom is also said to have 10 horns, which are leaders, the leaders of the countries represented by the 10 toes on the statue.
Revelation repeatedly mentions this beast, with its heads and horns. It describes it a little differently though because it has changed under the False Messiah.
And I stood on the sand of the Sea, and I saw a beast ascending from the Sea, which had 10 horns and seven heads, and upon its horns, 10 diadems, and upon its heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)
Here we see it has been reduced to 7 countries but still has 10 leaders. That might seem strange until we see that 3 of the leaders have given control to the False Messiah. He has merged the three countries into one but has allowed their leaders to continue in their roles.
The verse doesn't apportion the horns, with their diadems (crowns), to heads, but we understand one of the heads has 3 horns.
Daniel only refers to the beast and its 10 horns. There is a reason for that. God is going to describe the evolution of the False Messiah, who begins as a little horn who comes up among the other horns.
While I was thinking about the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the previous horns were plucked out before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like human eyes, and a mouth uttering great boasts. (Daniel 7:8)
The False Messiah causes three of the other kings to give their authority to him. Thus he becomes the ruler of 3 of the 10 regions.
Next the verses above describe some important characteristics of this leader: he has eyes like a man and a boastful mouth. Eyes represent the ability to "see" in the sense that a seer or prophet "sees" more than can be seen. Here, instead of saying the horn has many eyes in all directions, the verse says it only has the eyes of a man. Which means he has no more insight into the future than any other man.
That is an odd statement because it seems pointless. Why bother saying he is just like any other man? A few possibilities are:
Other verses are going to describe some other oddities about him.
The verses above also describe him as being boastful. In other prophecies, we'll see that he is boastful in a way that offends God. Ultimately he will claim to be God or even greater than God.
I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21-22)
After a time he will begin to fight against the people of God, Jews and Christians, and continue to do so until Jesus returns.
As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will humble three kings. 25 And he will speak against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time. (Daniel 7:24-25)
Here we see another statement that he is different from all the other kings.
We also see that he is trying to make changes. In the context of "wearing down the saints", this can only mean that he is trying to make changes to Biblical law and God's appointed times.
The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army - your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. (Ezekiel 38:1-2)
Note what the Lord plans to do to him. "I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army". The Lord plans to create circumstances that will cause Gog to choose to bring out his army when he wouldn't have otherwise chosen to do so … and he will come with them.
While it was expected of leaders long ago, the leaders of countries in our time rarely go into the battle field for the battle. God is planning to get him and is going to drag him out of the safety of his country to do it.
Ezekiel describes an army of horses, horsemen, shields, and swords. The people of Ezekiel's time would not have even had words to use to describe the weapons of our time. God has given Ezekiel the names of weapons from the military of his time, that are the equivalent of the weapons of the time of the fulfillment of this prophecy.
But who is Gog? And where is Magog? Gog is probably not actually a personal name. It is more likely a title or some other reference. The Hebrew word has been lost in time and we can't know exactly. We do know we are looking for a "prince" who will arise in the land of Magog, a geographic territory in the ‘remote parts of the north (38:15)'. The country farthest north from Israel is Russia.
There is additional support for this in the Biblical names Gomer and Magog. The people of Gomer are believed to have moved first to what is now Turkey and later to what are now Gaul and Spain. the people of Magog, his younger brother, moved to what is now Russia.
There is additional evidence to support the idea that Magog is Russia in the names Meshech and Tubal. There is a Tobol River in Siberia near to a city called Tobol'sk, known for oil production. Meshech may be a reference to Moscow or perhaps the root word for that name. More than likely the names Tubal and Meshech were the names of tribes and the areas where they lived.
Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops - the many nations with you. (Ezekiel 38:5-6)
This is the list of present day countries that are include in these verses.
| Magog | Russia |
| Gomer | Turkey (later may have moved to Germany and perhaps as far as Gaul (France) and Spain) |
| Persia | Iran |
| Cush | Ethiopia and Sudan (and perhaps Eritrea) |
| Put | Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Beth-Togarmah | Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan |
| "many nations with you" | probably covers countries or peoples that could not be described to Ezekiel |
It is just as interesting to see who is not on the list. Ezekiel would have known of Egypt. Because it is not on the list we have to believe they are not involved. They have had a long standing peace agreement with Israel and seem to be happy with that.
Iraq is not on the list. In the current time it isn't hard to imagine why - they have no military strength.
It is worth noting a common characteristic to all the players, but to a lesser extent Russia and Germany - Islam.
After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.
As Ezekiel writes down this prophecy, southern Israel has just been conquered by the Babylonians and God is telling them they will return to the land in 70 years. God is not talking about that return but about their return after almost 2000 years.
Is the reference "recovered from war" a reference to the death camps of World War II or a reference to the more recent wars between Israel and her neighbors? Most likely it is a reference to 1967 but because Ezekiel says "a land that has recovered from war" it's possible that Israel is recovering from a recent fight with Hamas or even a war that is yet to come, we can't tell.
You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people - all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." (Ezekiel 38:11-12)
They see Israel as an unprotected target and want to steal everything she has. Israel is described as:
Right now, no one would think of Israel as an unprotected country. Something must change in the future. One possibility is that the collapse of the old world order has so weakened the US that it is unable to (or unwilling) to support Israel. Truly, this would very likely be the case. When a world order changes, the ones at the top often disappear.
You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. Ezekiel 38:16)
God shows here why he is doing this "so that the nations may know me."
This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. (Ezekiel 38:18-20)
Main points:
I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man's sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 38:21-23)
Main points:
Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. (Ezekiel 39:3)
We know this doesn't refer to real arrows but we don't know what it refers to.
On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 39:3)
I'll summarize the following verses that describe the results of this failed attack. For seven years Israel will use the weapons for fuel. The bodies of Gog and all his hordes will be buried in a valley in Israel that will be called Hamon Gog which means "the people of Gog". This will go on for seven months.
After that they will carry out a more detailed search. As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it for others to collect it and bury it.
Notice how the bones are marked; a marker is setup beside it. That would have been useless, even a century ago. Who could find the marker later on? In our time, GPS positioning makes it possible.
Now God describes other things that are going to start happening as a result of this.
Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. 26 They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. 28 Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD. (Ezekiel 39:25-29)
Many Jews have returned to Israel. Many remain in foreign countries and have no interest in returning to Israel. Many of those don't really believe in God. Ezekiel's battle is God's way of showing Israel that they are still his people, that he still cares for them, and that he plans to keep his promises to them.
Phrases here like "not leaving any behind" sound like the result of this event will be a mass migration of the remaining Jews to Israel. Why wouldn't they? God has just demonstrated, as in olden times, that he is still on their side. Also, "gathered them from the countries of their enemies" sounds like they are leaving the countries where they had lived, because those countries participated in or supported this attack.
It is also God's plan to reveal himself to the world through this battle. It seems to me, this event is the kickoff for the end times. After it, there is a lengthy lull while people adjust to this new reality - the deaths of massive numbers of mostly Muslims and the, hard to dispute, evidence that there is a God. After that lull, things really get going.
This return to Israel by all the tribes is covered in other prophecies. Summarizing those, God says I won't do it because you've done such a great job while in exile, but to glorify my name.