Earthquake & Sky Signs in Jerusalem

SEARCHING

FOR THE TRUTH

AN EARTHQUAKE & SKY SIGNS IN JERUSALEM.

This is a Biblical Study, of an important subject based on the whole
Tanakh/ O.T. & also using the New Testament with quotations in Italics.
However this can only be a brief summary, of a BIG subject!

INTRODUCTION
Historical significance of the City of Jerusalem.
From very ancient times in history, the land now known as Israel, has featured in even the very earliest recorded literature, (sometimes under different names).
The Hebrew Bible records (around 2100 years BCE), the encounter of Abraham, the Patriarch with “Melchizedek, King of Salem” in Genesis chapter 14. Then, throughout Biblical & secular histories, many references abound to this Land, and often to Jerusalem, which was specifically nominated as the center of worship by the God of Israel. It was also called ‘Zion’ and we can refer you to our article on “Biblical Zion”, & also to a historically significant calendar, called “Jerusalem Dates” for other aspects.

There is no way any honest person can diminish or ignore the special importance of this City, out of all the cities in the world historically or otherwise. Some, such as Damascus and Jericho are as ancient, many are much more influential in modern times, some have religious significance as Rome to Catholicism, and Mecca to Islam, but none has been or will become more influential than Yerushalayim/ Jerusalem in Israel. Not only has it been important historically - it has spiritual meaning.

Therefore for the Eternal God and His chosen people -
Jerusalem is the central focus!

Present-day Significance.
Any widely read person, and especially Bible reading Believers, such as frequent this web site will have a real interest in the present and future significance of Jerusalem. Nations, international and powerful religious groups have their opinions and designs – some times for division or domination of this ‘key’ City. Therefore there is a wide range of views regarding it, and these can be considered, but above all, a genuine love for the God of Israel and the Bible, must form the guidelines to any conclusions that are made. It is in this spirit that we offer some of our own conclusions, in consultation with Bible versions and commentaries, plus modern sources of information about events as they occur. Understanding why Jerusalem is unique in End Time events is helpful.

The Spiritual & Prophetic Significance of Jerusalem.
This is a very big subject! About as big as the whole Bible – the Tanakh (O.T.) & the New Testament put together. The KEY FACT is that it was meant to be a place where the paramount focus was not on its geographical or political or international or religious importance! Not on any of its spectacular buildings, nor even a Temple (when there was one) - BUT on the Sovereign ADONAI Who chose it as His Place to be! In fact, even before God had actually brought the Israelites into the Land that He had promised them, He had already, (through their special Prophetic Leader, Moses/Moshe), given them instructions about the place that was to be the only center of worship!

The whole of Deuteronomy chapter 12 is devoted to this subject. “You are to seek the Place the LORD your God will choose… to put HIS Name there.”
This means - it does not matter what the UNO says, or what Christians or Jews say, (based on their opinions), or any claims other Religious groups in the world might demand, it is word of The Almighty GOD of the universe, the Holy One of Israel, the Eternal God alone - that matters!

This does not mean, however – that God would never allow destruction or disaster for this City.

The reality is that this City has seen more wars and disasters than almost any other City on Earth. It would seem that even the loss of the beautiful Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in AD 70, was a significant act allowed by God! The very fact that no genealogical records of Jewish tribes and families, or actual complete artefacts from the second Temple period have been proved to have survived, inspite of conjectures of many people, is very important. We refer to furniture such as the Menorah, Ark of the Covenant & other Temple treasures; or even ‘hard-copy’ pieces of other sacred historical items, and no written records survived.
This tragic loss, remembered each year on the 9th of Av, suggests that God Himself did not want the Jewish Faith to survive on things – icons or relics - which can become a focus of worship, but on a spiritual and inward recognition of ADONAI Himself as The Holy One of Israel.

- How else could we understand the terrible history of the rape & pillage and destruction for 2000 years of this ancient, but battered City?

Fortunately, the written records of contemporary historians, both Jewish, Christian and secular writers confirm without a doubt, the true importance and significance of Jerusalem!

- But this only emphasises the requirement of an intelligent trust, on our part, in the evidence of the proven accuracy of theWord of God, the holy Bible.

Yet God Who made Mankind, is the greatest Communicator of all time. He has always been available to speak, act, or demonstrate His love and His justice in many Sovereign ways, often focused on what could be visibly witnessed by people. This is why He chose a nation of People, a Land, and a City to be the ‘stage’ on which He could convey His most important messages.

- This explains Israel, the People, the Land and the City of Jerusalem and lays the legal and ethical base for finding the Truth of the One True God.

In addition to the wars and manmade destruction, God has also allowed earthquakes, or a deep un-natural darkness over the City, to emphasise His direct responses to very significant events. Therefore we read of the 3 hours of darkness at the time of Yeshua/ Jesus’ death, and the earthquakes that marked both His death and resurrection. Matthew, a Jewish eye-witness records, “From noon until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, all the Land was covered with darkness… But Yeshua, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. At that moment there was an earthquake, with rocks splitting apart.” (Ch. 27: 45 & 51.) In much more recent times we find a note in the Int’l Study Bible Encyclopedia, with this information. “ Many destructive Earthquakes have been recorded in history mostly in Syria in the north, but rarely in Jerusalem. The last Earthquake felt in Israel was in 1837, near Mount Hermon in the north, but felt even [down] in Hebron. The region is just on the edge of the great earthquake circle whose center is Armenia, which is liable to earthquakes – perhaps more frequently in Bible times.”
[See www.bible-history.com]

Yes! The City of Jerusalem, for millennia, has been, now is,
and always will be very, very significant!
Understanding this will shape our thoughts and even attitudes.

A. SPECTACULAR ‘UN-NATURAL’ EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUTURE.
Many parts of the Bible give specific events in the future associated with the End of this present Age of man’s rule, and the Second Coming of Yeshua/ Jesus.

PROPHESIES OF EARTHQUAKES & SKY SIGNS, AFFECTING THE WHOLE WORLD.
For a number of years Bible believing Watchmen have commented on various significant astronomical events, especially in the sun and the moon. We are right as ‘watchmen’ to consider changes in our universe. However it is the un-natural ones, which are ‘signs’.

This is because of 5 main Scriptures. (We list them here with some notes.)
Some of these are clearly speaking of still future events.

1. Jesus Messiah’s words in Matthew 24:29. “And immediately AFTER the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened & the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will shake.”
These events would seem to indicate an unusual set of events - not normal cyclical events like a lunar or solar eclipse, but rather unique and devastating calamities in the sky. It would seem the whole of our universe and even ‘space’ is involved! Christian scientists of repute believe the Earth suffered in a serious event – perhaps like this – at the time of the Flood and subsequently causing the whole Globe to change radically.

2. Isaiah 13: 10 says, “See, the Day of the LORD is coming, a cruel Day with wrath and fierce anger – to make the Earth desolate & destroy the sinners within it. The stars of Heaven & the constellations will not show their light, the rising sun will be darkened & the moon will not give its light.”
In some of our studies we have made notes on the term (meaning – ‘periods of time’), called “the Day of the LORD” – 8 in total. The suggestion is that the 7^th & 8^th ‘Days’ (the last of the 8), could be the Days of judgement of the Earth during the final out-pouring of the 6^th & 7^th ‘Bowls of God’s Anger’, & the ‘Battle of Armageddon’, which is “The Day, the cruel Day” described in the Scripture above.
[See ‘God’s Plans for the M.E. Part 1.’]

3. Acts 2:19 is Peter’s well-known sermon at Shavuot/Pentecost, “I will show wonders in the Heavens above & signs on the Earth below; blood & fire & billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness & the moon to blood BEFORE the Coming of the great & glorious LORD”.
There was a great event on that Day, but it was not in the skies! It was the wonderful fulfillment in part only –of the spiritual effect of the coming of the Ruach Ha Kodesh – the Holy Spirit of God on the 120 Jewish people who had waited for this Day as Yeshua had asked them to. Therefore Peter in his first evangelistic sermon, remembered the words of Joel chapter 2. It was because of the amazing experience they had just known, “Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole building where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach Ha Kodesh & began to talk in different languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.”

Now Peter was explaining to the huge crowd of several thousand people, what God was doing as a result of people believing in God’s Holy Son, & accepting that it was for their sin that God allowed Him to be crucified, but had also raised Him from the dead, so that now He was in the Presence of God, in Heaven! He quoted, “I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” This was that Day & this account is one of the most exciting chapters in the Bible!
It was an even more significant event, coming on the celebration of ‘Shavuot’ -the giving of the Sacred Law, God’s Word now being written in the hearts of His People, a miracle that can never be fully appreciated – as the birth of the New Covenant People of God, as Jeremiah had portrayed in the 31st chapter of his book! “I will put My Law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, I will be their God, & they will be My People.” Verse 32.

4. However, Peter went on to quote – the part of the prophecy - which did not happen in AD 33. Joel 2:30: “I will perform miracles in the sky above & signs on the Earth below – blood, fire & thick smoke. The sun will become dark & the moon, blood, before the great & fearful Day of ADONAI comes.” Jewish N.T. “And then, whoever calls on the Name of ADONAI will be saved.”
So the LORD’S call to repentance (12- 17) & the LORD’s promises of blessings FOR ISRAEL, including great spiritual blessings BEFORE the great & terrible day of the LORD will still come true, exactly as foretold. We pray constantly for that time! [We believe this is as in Ezekiel 39.]

5. The fifth specific reference is to an event involving the 3 frightening seismic events for the whole world in the future. It is Revelation 6: 12, “Then I watched as He broke the 6^th Seal, & there was a great earthquake, the sun turned black as sackcloth worn in mourning, [a rough goatskin cloak,] and the full moon became blood red.”
We believe this could be a separate event – initiating/ starting off - a series of other End-time events, (as in Revelation 10 – 18) which will happen some years later on, but before the final, actual Coming of Jesus, as described in Revelation 16 –19.

A possible link (between Revelation 6:12) to the record of a serious earthquake
(in Ezekiel 38/39) that God will use to save Israel from annihilation.

Here is where we offer our thoughts on the possible link between the earthquake at the breaking of the 6th Seal and the earthquake described in Ezekiel chapter 39: 18 – 23. [Our full studies on this can be found here.]

“This is what will happen on that Day: ‘When God attacks the Land of Israel, My hot anger will be aroused’ Declares the Sovereign LORD. ‘In MY zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the Land of Israel’.” [We believe ‘the Land’ is the north part of Israel - promised, but never yet fully possessed, but now in today’s ‘Syria’.] ‘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, & every wall will fall to the ground’.”

Whenever God orders this huge and spectacular earthquake, accompanied by “plague & bloodshed… torrents of rain, hailstones & burning sulphur…” it will be in Israel’s defence. So this also fits with Micah’s words in chapter 3: 14, [although this could also be at the later battle of Armageddon.] “For the Day of the LORD is near in the ‘Valley of Decision’ – the sun & the moon will be darkened & the stars no longer shine, The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the Earth & sky will tremble.” This is not a small local event –but the whole Earth & sky will tremble!

We want to emphasise, we do not know the timing of any event exactly, but we believe God has placed these prophecies in the Bible for our warning to prepare for His total acts of justice. We can be sure “He will be faithful & just to forgive us our sins, if we confess them to Him” in repentance, & accept His Son’s death in our place. See 1 John chapter 1.

EXAMPLES OF ECLIPSES OF SUN & MOON IN THE M.E. IN 2005 WHICH WERE NEAR JEWISH FEASTS.
[We are sharing these Scriptures & brief comments, partly because there were those who seemed to believe the ‘Rapture’ could have happened in 2005, because of expected eclipses of the sun and the moon in October. The fact that it did not happen needs to make us all very, very careful in our expectations, while we consider many Scriptures together! ]

However it is of real interest that several times, especially since Israel has become a nation, there have not only been eclipses of the sun and the moon – but they have been very near to some of the “Jewish Feasts”. This was true for the year of 2005.
It did not mean the Coming of Jesus/ Yeshua was immanent. It does mean, “Keep watching in a humble spirit of prayer!” Like Miriam/Mary, the mother of Yeshua/ Jesus, it is good if “we keep/ treasure these things in our hearts.” Luke 2:51.

Rosh Hashanah or Feast of Trumpets/ Yom Teru’ah, fell on the eve of October 3rd / Tishri 1st the year, and it was projected that - that was the time of a partial solar eclipse of the sun on the same date. It did occur & was visible from the Middle East and parts of Europe.
After Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement October 13th /Tishri 10 five days later came Sukkot/ The Feast of Tabernacles on October 17th/ Tishri 15th of the Jewish year. At that time, the moon was ‘eclipsed’, (becomes darkened as the Earth comes between it and the light of the sun) which is the only way the moon can show light, as it has no light of it’s own.

IN 2006 a total eclipse of the Sun on 29th March brought darkness in the late morning over much of the Middle East. This was the day after the Israeli General Elections when Kadima, under Ehud Olmert was later asked to form a new Government.
It does not seem that there will be any normal eclipses again until a lunar one in March 3rd 2007 (near Purim) and a total Solar eclipse of the sun August the 1st 2008.
For more details of astronomical events see: www.ldolphin.org/quake.html or www.seismicity.segs.uwa.edu.au giving facts & information, and measurements possible.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ALL THESE EVENTS IS TWO-FOLD.

1. It would seem to emphasise what we already know, that ADONAI, the God of the Bible, and the Holy One of Israel is also ‘The Potentate of Time’. He alone is the great Eternal God of Creation who also sustains the Earth! Only HE can determine the timing of small or great ‘natural’ events such as the movements of the stars and planets, & our moon. No human power can control the movements of our great ‘star’ we call the sun, nor of the moon that circles the Earth at exact times and distances!

2. So-called ‘Natural Disasters’, we believe are not always sent by God, (though some in the days of the Bible were, and in the final End Times will be), but He also allows disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or torrential rains or droughts.
[Of course man has often contributed to the last two, by unwise and greedy use of natural resources.] However the ferocity and increased frequency of extreme weather and other events must be significant! These can even happen in Israel though earthquakes, torrential rain, or droughts, though not without their problems, have not been as disastrous as in other places. The Scriptures do tell us of future very serious events for Israel which we will now consider.

-Our conclusion is that these tragic forces are not sent by God,
but allowed by Him, above all to
turn our thoughts to Him and the destiny of each life with,
or without Him! He longs for each one of us to
“call on His Name in repentance and trust in His way of being saved”.

It is well explained in the letter to the ‘Romans’ in the
New Testament of the Bible. Please read it for yourself!
These FACTS need to be humbly acknowledged and bring us to
our knees often in worship of ADONAI, but also that they may
be used to bring some people to know God.

B. WILL THERE BE ANY ACTUAL EARTHQUAKES IN JERUSALEM?
Please note, we are not writing a comprehensive article about Biblical Earthquakes in general, only the ones specific to Jerusalem.
However, it is right that prayerful Believers consider some questions honestly.

1. Has Jerusalem ever been affected by earthquakes in the past?
We are indebted to good information gleaned from various sources.
See www.bible.ca/pre-earthquakes-history-data.html

Very briefly, yes there are careful records of these. In the recent past, there was an earthquake on February 17th 2004, which shook part of the “Western Wall’, which is the ancient retaining wall around the Temple Mount. At the present base of the wall, which was cleared by the Jewish authorities, following the 1967 war, there is a sacred gathering place of prayer, part of which is for men and part for women. So some stones from the wall crashed onto the women’s section. At the same time the ‘Mosque of Omar’ suffered some damage to the Dome, but the crack was repaired by donations from the UAE.
A knowledgeable source writes,” a large amount of unrelieved stress (~10 metres) along ‘The African Rift Valley’, implies that a major earthquake is long overdue in the Holy Land.”
[See www.bible-prophecy.com]

2. Does Scripture give any specific prophecies of an earthquake in Jerusalem?
A very significant Scripture in Revelation 11: 13 gives amazing detail of a horrific event in Jerusalem, in the future, at the time of the False-messiah’s (Antichrist’s) world rulership.
It is not hard to imagine the headlines describing this event!

HUGE EARTHQUAKE IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL.
ONE TENTH OF THE CITY DESTROYED.
Death toll tops 7000, thousands more injured.
Previous days of celebration turn to shock and confusion.
Awe-struck Israelis & residents of Israel give “glory to the God of Heaven.”

This is the event described in Revelation chapter 11: 13.
“In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were awestruck and gave glory to the God of Heaven.”

3. What are the background factors to this event?
Since the political collapse of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, and the successful military campaigns by the British Empire (or Commonwealth as it later became) in 1918, at the close of the 1st World War, the question of who should occupy, and even more, who should control the City of Jerusalem has been difficult and divisive. There is massive written material on the subject, which we cannot cover here. However readers will probably be familiar with the sequence of events as given in our article “Jerusalem Dates.”

a) UNO votes for the partitioning of ‘Palestine’ between Jews & Arabs 1947.
b) Israel declares itself as an independent Nation on May 14th 1948.
c) Jordan to control Jerusalem including the Temple Mount on behalf of Islam.
d) Israel captures the City in the short war of 1967, and reclaims the Temple Mount.
e) The Muslim Quaff is granted a continuing presence and partial control of the Temple Mount & the Arab East quarter of the city.
f) 1980 Israel officially declared Jerusalem to be the ‘eternal, undivided Capital of Israel’, on July 30th.
g) Inspite of concerted efforts to settle the over-all questions of the future of the region for 60+ years no resolution has been reached about the full control of Jerusalem, and especially the Temple Mount Area.

4. Would the Sovereign ADONAI, the Holy One of Israel allow His City to be divided?
It seems amazing that God might actually allow the division of this specially chosen City! Yet we have to remind ourselves, that while God does have HIS Sovereign Plan, He also works – even through the foolish or plain evil decisions – of people. In this case His own Jewish People! However we must recognise several facts as Bible Reading Believers!

a) God has allowed the continuity of Israel as a Nation, since 1948, inspite of 6 specific wars against her. Also the ongoing terrorist attacks by the Palestinian Muslims, in deathly ‘Intefada’ operations, & Israel’s specific responses, for the best part of the last 18+ years! The numbers of dead and injured on both sides is horrific.
b) Yet a semblance of order and democracy has made Israel a viable Nation in many ways, with duly elected Leaders, however strong or weak, right or wrong they have been. The population has grown amazingly, with advances in technology to match.
c) But the mounting death & injury tolls & changes in Leadership on the Palestinian side have brought Israeli people to a state of mixed weariness over all the tensions within, the criticisms of the world and the ongoing pressures of powerful nations, both Western & Islamic, for Israel to concede even more demands to the hostile forces, than ever before. Inspite of dark times, even as recently as mid-2006, some see a two-year window of faint possibility of peaceful solutions to be taken soon. A ‘false peace’, to be sure!
d) Therefore in the 1st decade of the 21st century, the prospect of a Government decision to even allow the Palestinian Authority Government to have one of their major claims! The division of Jerusalem, with Muslim occupancy & control and the naming of East Jerusalem, as the capital of Palestine is a strong possibility! Even so - do not panic - God will have the ‘last word’!

THIS IS WHEN WE BELIEVERS NEED TO BE DILIGENT IN PRAYER AWARE OF GOD’S POWER TO OVER-RULE FOR GOOD!

We do not need to throw up our hands in any sense of defeat
nor should we plead ignorance of God’s over-all Plans for His own Jewish People!
We simply MUST stand with the prophet Habakkuk, who having seen the sovereignty of God on behalf of His Jewish People, accepted what God was allowing.
> God will not fail to bless Israel or to act at the right moment on their behalf!

HOWEVER, BY ASKING MORE QUESTIONS WE CAN CONSIDER REVELATION CHAPTER 11, & THE MEANING OF ITS REPORT, TODAY.
[Please read this chapter through for yourself.]

1. How does this earthquake relate to the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem?
The 1st verse of Revelation 11; verse 1, sets the scene as John the Beloved continues to write what he sees and experiences, “I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, ‘Go and measure the Temple of God, and the altar and count the worshippers there. But exclude the outer court, because it has been given to the Gentiles.”

Clearly you cannot measure something with a rod/ruler that does not physically exist. The rebuilt Temple has to be an actual, literal building for a number of reasons. Paul told the Believers in 2 Thessalonians, that one day ‘the Lawless one’, (clearly meaning the ‘False-messiah’/antichrist), would set himself and his abominable statue in the Temple, in Jerusalem.
[Biblically speaking there is only one building deserves to be known as ‘The Temple’ – God’s Temple. The first Temple, built in the time of King Solomon, then a Second Temple, was rebuilt in the time of Ezra & Haggai, (Ezra 6: 14), which later underwent a ‘makeover’ by Herod in the time of Jesus. Matthew 24:1.]

However it is clear from this Scripture and others, that a future, Third Temple will be built in Jerusalem, before the second Coming of Yeshua /Jesus Messiah.
[We plan to write about this later.]

2. Who will be the main residents in Jerusalem at that time?
We believe that all Jews will become Believers in Yeshua after the ‘Ezekiel War’, and about this time the Antichrist will arise & make a treaty with all nations to come under his control. However, Israel - who now are all Believers ask for a separate agreement, not to be under his control. He will grant this, on the condition that all Jews return to Israel, (Ezekiel 39: 28.)
Therefore at this future time, most residents of Jerusalem will be Jews.
[See our article on the Sequel to the ‘Ezekiel War’ Pt 2.]

However it seems possible that the Arabs, who have lived in East Jerusalem & will have demanded to be allowed to stay there, will be permitted to continue there. But we are not dogmatic about these things, only God knows.
One of our beliefs is that many Gentile Christians will be welcomed into Israel, at which time there will be a real ‘oneness’ between them & the Jewish Believers, like never before! These are the people who are worshipping there. “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar and count the worshippers there.” These will be Jews only in the main Temple area & the Inner Court.

3. What does it mean about the “Outer Court being given to the Gentiles”?
Revelation 11 continues with the instructions to John, “but exclude the outer Court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.” We believe many Christian Gentiles will be glad to worship there! (See Zechariah 8:23.)
Our prayers for Jerusalem’s “righteousness to shine out like the dawn, and her salvation, like a blazing torch,” will be partly fulfilled, as “nations see her righteousness and kings, her glory!” It would be greatly honouring to God for this to be true even in this world, still under the rule of evil leaders. God could do this!

4. Who else will visit the City & the Temple?
Verse 2 also says, “They [the Gentiles] will trample on the Holy City for 42 months.” May we offer an explanation that fits well with the over-all understanding given above? The usual explanation of this is, that the City of Jerusalem will be over-ridden by armies, especially those of the Antichrist. But we believe in this context it just means large numbers of people visiting the City during the [first part] of the Antichrist’s rule, as tourists, in such large numbers, that they will be seen as they are even now – coming in such large tourist groups that if you see a group coming towards you, you quickly flatten yourself against the nearest wall so as not to be ‘trampled on’! This will be for “forty-two months.” We do not believe the City will be taken over by evil army forces at this time. Certainly, the Antichrist is going to bring his world army against the City, out of sheer jealousy, but at a later date, not at this time, but he will then be soundly defeated & destroyed! [Revelation 19; 19 – 21.]

5. In what way does the earthquake relate to the deaths of ‘the Two Witnesses’?
The next verses outline the same period of time during which God will have two special human ‘Prophetic Witnesses’ ministering from Jerusalem. God will enable them to re-enforce their messages against the evil time of the Tribulation in the rest of the world, with miraculous powers, which, like those of Moses & Aaron match the first 4 Trumpet plagues on parts of the Earth.
“Also I will give power to my two Witnesses; and they will prophecy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth… They have the authority to shut up the sky, so that no rain falls during the period of their prophesying; also they have the authority to turn the waters into blood and to strike the Earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.” See Revelation chapter 8: 1 – 12.
Because of these plagues, but perhaps even more for their messages, the Antichrists regime will hate them & try to kill them. But they are preserved for the full period of 1,260 days, equal to 42 months. Finally by a direct act of the Satanic power in the Antichrist, he will be able to kill them.

“When they finish their witnessing, the Beast that came out of the Abyss, will fight against them and kill them.”
This will bring great rejoicing throughout his kingdom, for 3.5 days, during which time their bodies will lie exposed to the gaze of the whole world, [probably using modern media – indicating that this is still a future event.] However while their deaths are a great cause for rejoicing by the world’s unbelieving followers of the False-messiah, they will be vindicated for their ministry, where they have stood true to their crucified Lord.
[We will offer a fuller study of this chapter elsewhere.]

6. So what happens immediately before the massive earthquake in Jerusalem?
Clearly, God’s superior power will be demonstrated in the miraculous scenario of verse 11. “But after 3 & a half days a breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and terror struck those who saw them.” No wonder! But this is not all! “Then they heard a loud voice from Heaven, saying to them, ‘Come up here’. And they went up to Heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.” The False prophet will have nothing to match such a special event! And the whole world will see it clearly!

7. Can we doubt the seriousness of the immediate events?
Verse 13 says: “At that very hour there was a severe earthquake, and a tenth of the City collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of Heaven.” There have been, & maybe even more deadly earthquakes around the world, but it seems as if the surrounding events to this earthquake, are more than significant! The events in Jerusalem over several years are to be the catalyst now, for even greater End Time events, as the next verse of this chapter says: “The second ‘woe’ has passed; see the third ‘Woe’ is coming quickly.”

[Just so as to not leave you guessing as to our understanding, it seems that the final triumphant verses of this chapter 11, give a ‘fast-forward’ insight to the ‘end of the story’, which is enlarged on in chapter 19. In short - Victory “to our LORD God & His Messiah Who will reign for ever and ever!”]

SO, HERE ARE SOME SERIOUS CONCLUSIONS TO CONSIDER.

Jerusalem is God’s chosen City, for which He alone is responsible.
Only the true God of Heaven can foretell and depict clearly events in the future.
Each specific description in the 11th chapter of Revelation has serious meanings.
God has always used human men of God to speak for Him, against Evil.
Notice too, the time of Tribulation, under the Antichrist is of special concern to God.
He has always been very slow to anger, as the time factor here shows.
But in the right time, before the whole world - God will act very decisively.
These events are available for anyone – especially involved with Jerusalem, to know.

How should Bible-reading Believers react to all these things?
BY PRAYING WITH WISDOM & DISCERNMENT ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL!
Recent events, especially major disasters, are always the ‘stuff’ of prophetic explanations, which may or may not be true. Ordinary, Bible reading believers need much wisdom-to discern not only how to pray, but also to see God’s hand of Love, & of justice – correctly correctly. Maybe we should not always pray for our idea of sweet blessings – if God, as in the time of Habakkuk has other plans. [See article – ‘My Country is in Big Trouble.’]

Again, we do not write these studies to be ‘right’ about events of the future,
but to those who will receive these thoughts, we would like them to be greatly encouraging!
You see, yes we do believe in a ‘Post-tribulation Coming of Yeshua/ Jesus’,
but not without real joyful hope for all Jewish people, & many Gentile Believers
who love them and are supporting and praying for them now.
We are among many thousands who do this. Read Psalm/ Tehellim 125!

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So ADONAI surrounds His People,
Both now and for evermore…
The sceptre of the wicked will not remain over the Land
allotted to the righteous.Shalom / Peace be upon Isra’el!”

Site menu:

Please feel free to send us any comments about this article: