All Christian traditions wait eagerly for a literal return of Jesus the Messiah in fulfillment of our hope of eternal life with him in heaven. The disciples were very interested in these things.
"Tell us," they said, "when will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?" Matt 24:3
Yet many traditions have little to say about prophetic descriptions of events connected with his return. Some deal with the issue in simplistic terms suggesting that Jesus could return "any minute". Is this what the scriptures proclaim or do they speak of certain prophetic requirements which must be fulfilled first?
The "premillenial" believer awaits for a literal historical fulfillment of "Last Days" events as described in figurative prophetic language in the Bible. This often involves speculation as to the times and seasons for these events. Many dates have been set in the past for the beginning of the end. As of now, all have proven to be in error. Though we do not know when these events will occur, all Christians believe that they will occur in some shape or form. Is there a Biblical basis for speculating about these things? The Bible describes a divine blueprint. This blueprint we usually called prophecy. When Jesus came to earth at the end of the 4th Biblical millenium he began to fulill many of the divine realities predicted "on paper" in the Old Testament.
It is understood that, at the time of his earthly ministry, Jesus, the Passover Lamb, made known to the world many of the realities described in the Law and Prophets including those rehearsed in the Passover Feast. For a complete discussion see: The Passion Week Table of Contents On the Day of Pentecost that year, God fulfilled the symbolism of the "Feast of Harvest" by pouring out the Holy Spirit on 120 Jewish souls. He began his great harvest we know as the "Church."
The Gospels show clearly how Jesus fulfilled the Spring feasts of Passover and Pentecost. So what about the Fall Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles? Do they also represent divine realities which must be fulfilled in future historical terms? Certainly Jesus provided an intermediate fulfillment of the feast of tabernacles as he "tabernacled" among us during his ministry but this feast will be finally fulfilled when God tabernacles with men forever in a "new heaven and a new earth" (Rev 21).
Jesus gave his disciples insight into the types of things that must occure before he would return. His descriptions tie into may Old Testament prophesies. Jesus specifically ties these events to the teachings of the prophet Daniel. The prophesies of Daniel predicted in advance the literal historical kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome and the "king who exaults himself"(11:36) and the kingdom of heaven (2:44). The figurative language known as "apocalyptic" is similar to that found in the book of Revelation.
Some suggest that speculating about "last things" is presumption because Jesus himself said that "No man knows the day or hour." The problem with this conclusion is that it directly opposes the conclusion which Jesus himself makes. Jesus said "No man knows the day or hour...THEREFORE keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
The parable of the 10 virgins in Matt chaper 25 is given in the context of "last things" and has the same conclusion: keep watch. If you don't have "oil" for your lamp you will not be prepared when the bridegroom comes. It is interesting to note that all the brides were virgins, all had burning lamps but the foolish ones had no extra oil. These were beleivers who somehow missed the boat. That is a strong message! We need to know what this oil is and have plenty on hand. Whithin the context of "signs and seasons" and "watching", I believe this "oil" is an understanding of the Signs, Times and Seasons immediately preceeding Jesus' return. The conclusion of the matter in 25:13 is "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
So how do we get some oil? We need not be in the dark because God has told us so many things in advance through scripture. Although there are many, many differences of interpretation, one basic pattern emerges from a premillenial viewpoint.
Biblical prophecy speaks of a short period of time at the end of the age known as the "time of tribulation." This period is expected to last some 7 years consisting of two 3 1/2 year phases.
During this 7 year period, the world is increasingly plagued by natural disasters, wars, tribulations and woes. The scriptures depict these as divine judgements from heaven on an unrepentant earth.
The first 3 1/2 years are initiated by a war in Israel, after which construction of a new Temple begins and Oblation sacrifices are reestablished. (These are thanksgiving sacrifices, not sin sacrifices).
The second 3 1/2 years are intitiated by the self elevation of the anti-chirst (man of lawlessness and the "abomination that causes desolation) who sets himself up as God in Jerusalem and terminates the sacrifices. During this period the Beast(A worldwide government) and False Prophet (A worldwide religion of a false Messiah) rule with terror and force. Also during this time two witnesses preach the Gospel from Jerusalem and are not vulnerable to the authorities.
At the end of this seven year period, Christ arrives and defeats the anti-christ army in the battle of Armageddon. Christ then rules on the earth for 1000 years in anticipation for the "final battle" and the "Judgement."
As far fetched as this scenario may sound, this is what the Bible seems to teach. Many more details are available for the serious Bible student.
The bottom line or theological point in all "last time" scenarios is to avoid worship to an earthly Messiah no matter how good he looks. If indeed a literal "Anti-christ" he will act like a "Messiah" and look good enough to deceive "even the elect if that were possible". (Matt 24:24, 2 Thes 2:5-11) Whatever we believe about such things depends largely on our basic assumptions. If we do not know what our base assumptions are we have no way to understand our belief paradigm. The views here expressed are based upon the following assumptions?
Assumption #1 - Biblical prophecy always finds fulfillment in literal terms. Most Christians expect to dwell with the Lord in literal terms. Jesus was certainly literal and historical. He was the "lamb of God" and the literal fulfillment of the Passover symbolism.
It is artificial to make a distinction between "spiritual" and "physical" because all things eventually become "reality" in Christ. It is simply consistent reasoning, then, to interpret prophesy in "real time" historical terms. The prophetic events depicted by the Fall Feasts may, therefore, be fulfilled in a literal way consistent with how the Spring feasts were fulfilled.
Assumption #2 - 2 Peter 3:8 is more than a vague notion that God is patient but rather infers a literal correlation.
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day." 2 Peter 3:8
This assumption agrees with the the rabinical approach to time. That is, man's time on earth is prophesied in Genesis. The prophetic fulfillment of the 6 days of creation represent man's time or six thousand years. The 7th day or Sabbath day is symbolic of the "Day of the Lord" or the millenium of the Lord. This may help to explain the description of a "1000 year reign" of Messiah in Revelation 20. Assumption #3 - We are at or near the end of the 6th millenium. Most Biblical scholars, based upon the Biblical text, place "creation" at about 6000 years ago. I know science places "creation" much earlier. However, we are discussing here a prophetic blueprint for the time of God's chosen people not the age of certain base elements. In any event, I wasn't there, so for the sake of argument, let us assume the text is accurate in the sense God intended it to be accurate.
Assumption #4 - There is an abundant amount of prophecy which describes the "last days." Taken together with the prophetic symbolism in the Fall Feasts it is possible to understand with some accuracy the events which prophetically must occure prior to and in conjunction with the return of Jesus Christ our Lord. Just for Fun Scenario
The following illustrates a scenario which looks interesting if the above assumptions are correct. The summary is brief, but is sufficient to give you enough information (oil) to know it if you see it. I like this view because it takes into account the symbolic importance of the Feast days of God as he gave them to his people and fits the premillenial view within this framework.
By some estimates, October 28, 2000 is Tishri 1, 6001. What does this mean? Maybe nothing. On the other hand this could be the most significant date this generation has ever known. We may watch for the following -
Tishri 1, 6001 (October 28, 2000?) - The Feast of Trumpets
The Covenant with death annulled - the Gog/Magog war
Tishri 10 (Monday - November 6) - Yon Kippur or the Day of Atonement (National atonement as opposed to Passover -personal atonement) The Covenant Confirmed (The Ark of the Covenant is revealed?)
Tishri 15 - 21 (November 11-17) Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles
Tishri 22 - (November 18) "The Last Great Day"
The "later rain" out-pouring of the Holy Spirit
Kislew 25 (62 days later) Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah)
The alter dedication is initiated
Tevet 3 (8 days later)
The Oblation sacrifice begins (2300 evenings and mornings)or 1150 days
Adar 11 (37 days later)
7 months to cleanse the land for Passover
3 1/2 years later the "man of lawlessness" enters the city on the 10th of Nisan and sets himself up as God on Passover of that year (6004?).
For the next 3 1/2 years the saints are called to "patient endurance" as they wait for the Lord's return.
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