By Douglas Blakemore, Ph.D.

Edited and approved for posting by Pastor David Alderman

If you are watching events unfold that seem to line up with Biblical end times events as I am, it can become overwhelming! A huge sign happened (I believe) on May 14, 1948 when in just one day, Israel became a nation again after nearly two thousand years of absence!  Since then, despite overwhelming odds - literally impossible odds except through God’s help, they not only have survived but have grown larger and stronger with each attack on them.  Regardless of your feelings about that, it is a historical fact.  God does not seem to be done with the Jews and with the state of Israel.  Not only are they a thriving country, Hebrew is their official language after being declared a dead language for hundreds of years.

Every year, Facebook, Youtube and a host of other apps and papers have been full of people trying to make sense out of where we are on God’s time clock.  When will the rapture happen? When will the 7 year tribulation spoken of in Daniel and Revelation happen or has it already started?  Dozens of prophecies, dreams, visions and predictions have been made - many falling way short of happening in the way and timeline predicted.

If this is the case then What should I do?  

This brief paper is going to help you deal with this question.  I not going to make any predictions or try to uncoil a lot of dates, predictions and so on.  This is just a straightforward approach to how to respond.

Starting out, I want to take you on a somewhat strange side journey.  I will be using the NIV Bible from the Blue Letter Bible app for all scripture references.  Note the following verses:

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[fn]

Isa 61:2

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

Now take a look at the New Testament verses when Jesus read these verses in the temple in Jerusalem.

Luk 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,

Luk 4:19

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Compare Luke 4:18-19 to Isaiah 61:1-2.  Notice similarities?  Notice differences?  When Jesus read the verses, he STOPPED ½ way through verse 2 in Isaiah 61!  Historically, Israel was under Roman rule at the time.  What they thought they knew about the coming king was that He was going to set them free from Roman rule and bondage.  No one even had any idea or thought that there would be about two thousand years between the first half of Isaiah 61:2 and the second half talking about God taking vengeance and comforting all who mourn.

No one realized that Jesus was not going to come back at that time as the great military leader to free the Jews from the Romans.  What does that have to do with end times?

Understanding a little bit about how God works is an important step.  They were looking forward in time concerning events coming up, studying scripture (the Old Testament).  As Jewish scholars, they would devote their life to memorizing scripture and trying to understand what God is doing or more importantly, what God is about to do.  They didn’t have computers or any of the technology that we have today but they were very very good at studying the Old Testament!  Who would have guessed that half way through a verse there would be such a long delay?  

Consider another example, where (on Earth) did Jesus come from?  The Old Testament scholars probably had fun with this one two.  He was born in Bethlehem:

Mic 5:2

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[fn] of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

And yet He came from Egypt after hiding there from Herod when he wanted to kill Jesus and indeed killed all the male children in Bethlehem 2 years old and younger:

Mat 2:13

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Mat 2:14

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

Mat 2:15

where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

And yet, Matthew also states that He will be from Nazareth:

Mat 2:23

and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

So, in reading about Jesus, just using the Old Testament, you can imagine that the scholars would argue for days, months or even years where their messiah would come from.  You would have the camp that said strongly “He must come from Egypt” but I would imagine how they could possibly justify an Egyptian savior.  Then of course there would be the camp of Him coming from Bethlehem.  And still others that would focus on those sources that stated that he was a Nasarene so He must come from Nazareth.  And so the arguments probably continued.  And yet, when Jesus came, it can truly be said that He came from all three places!

What does all this have to do with end times?  Strategy!  Understanding how God has done things in the past is a good indicator of how He is doing things now.  Any time we are dealing with the future, we are dealing with an imposed veil that God has put on our eyes.  As we have seen by the above examples, God leaves a few things undiscovered until the right time.  Some things we can know, some things we can know in part and many things will remain a mystery as to how they are fulfilled in the future.  Rest assured, every word spoken in the Bible either has happened exactly as he said or will happen exactly as He says - even though we do not understand exactly how or exactly when.

1Co 13:12

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Paul, the apostle states that while we are here in this body we know only parts of God’s plan.  That was the problem with understanding when Christ would come as the conquering hero and the problem with understanding where, in this world, He came from.

Apply this same line of thinking to end times events.  In studying Scripture, we can know a lot about what happened and what is soon to happen.  We know almost nothing of how it will all work out and just as importantly we know nothing definite about when certain things will take place.

As I mentioned above, the prophecies in Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Zechariah and other Old Testament books as well as a good number of New Testament books will come to pass.  Exactly in God’s time and in exactly God’s way.  We know these things among many others will happen in our future:

• 7 years of tribulation spoken of by Daniel chapter 9

• 7 seal judgements spoken of by Revelation 6

• 7 trumpet judgements (tied to the last seal judgment)  spoken of by Revelation 8

• 7 bowl judgements (tied to the last trumpet judgment)  spoken of by Revelation 16 

• Damascus will be utterly destroyed spoken of in Isaiah 17

• Israel will wake up and realize Jesus, whom they crucified is their savior Zechariah 12

Every day we get a little bit more insight into these and other end times events but we are still looking through the dim glass of that veil over the future. Things we don’t know yet (a few of the many many things):

• When will the seal judgements begin?

• Will they all last the same amount of time?

• Will they overlap each other or will there be gaps between them?

• The same questions can be asked for the trumpet and bowl judgements

• Who destroys Damascus and when?

• When will Israel accept who Christ is?

There are so many people speaking on these issues, pointing to one event or another and one Scripture or another and making excellent, insightful points regarding current events and how they might line up with end times Scripture.  There are too many for me to list but if you have examined this topic at all, you will know what I mean.  We can know a lot about each of these coming events, but the exact details will remain a mystery until Christ fully reveals them.

We are not alone in this quest.  The early Christians had end times frenzy at least as much as we do now.  After all, Jesus had been with them and had promised to come back “quickly.”  So they decided “what do they need with Earthly possessions” and sold all they had and basically hung around the temple and shared Christ wherever and whenever they could.

Act 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Act 2:43

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

Act 2:44

All the believers were together and had everything in common.

Act 2:45

They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Act 2:46

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Act 2:47

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Just as the Jewish scholars did not know there would be a massive pause between Isaiah 61:2A and 61:2B, these believers thought they only had to hang on just long enough for Jesus to come back.  Here we are, now nearly two thousand years later.  The Jews are back in their land, Many potential end times events seem to be lining up and again the frenzy of when will Christ return is captivating our thoughts and studies.

Some of the popular theories about the fulfillment of future prophecy are:

• Pre-tribulation rapture

• Mid-tribulation rapture

• Post-tribulation rapture

• No rapture

Rapture (also called harpazo)  is the snatching away of believers from this world.  For a reference, look up Genesis 5:24.  This is where Enoch, in the Old Testament, was taken up to heaven by God without dying.  Basically this would be called being raptured (meaning “taken up”).  This world will go through a 7 year period of judgment by God as foretold by Daniel.  Reading the book of Revelation gives you a glimpse of the horrible things that happen during this time.  Just as, when God protected Noah and his family during the world wide flood in the Old Testament, God indicates that He will call up the believers in Christ to heaven  prior to all or at least all the most severe judgements on the Earth.

But, now that I know this, what does all this mean for me?  I believe Luke 21 has a clue for us:

Luk 21:36

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

So, step 1 that we are to do is to watch.  There is no requirement that we figure this all out.  I have seen dozens and dozens of intricate charts, graphs and lists with arrows pointing everywhere detailing exactly how all this is going to unfold.  Some of them I like and I read and re-read for understanding.  But are they correct?  Remember where we started, remember the discussions about the conquering king and about where in the world Jesus came from.  God is a master strategist - no, He is THE master strategist.  He does have an advantage though living outside of time and space and knowing the end from the beginning.  We can agree with some studies and think they are most likely correct - or strongly disagree with other studies.  In the end, it really is behind the veil of time and we have to watch. The other part is step 2 - to pray.  Pray for Israel to come to know Christ as savior.  Pray for people in Gaza and other war torn places around the world that they become safe and accept Christ as their savior also.  It looks like God really is restoring Israel to their land but at the same time, God is calling every single person, nationality, color, age etc. to come and accept Him and join Him in eternity with Him.  This is not only a healthy thing to do, watching and praying is what we are commanded to do!

The way I look at it is to take all the latest things I have learned, study them carefully and then if they have not happened yet, take those theories, regardless of how much I agree or disagree with them, and put them on an imaginary shelf in my mind.  This does not mean forget them.  Just allow things to work out exactly as God has predetermined them to when He has decided to do them.

If I believe that there will be a pre-tribulation rapture and God has it planned differently than I think, do you  imagine that He is going to change His mind and do it the way I or any one else thinks?  When put that way it sounds sort of silly doesn’t it.  

The most important things to remember are these:

• God does not require us to figure anything out

• His promises are true and faithful

• One of our jobs is to study to be approved (2 Timothy 2:15)

• Watch

• Pray

• Share His gospel with all that you can

So how do the “professional” prophecy teachers and prophets do it?  Easy, go look at any one of them that has a web site.  Look at their upcoming events list.  Even though some of them will take the plunge and start naming dates for various things (although many of the better end-times teachers don’t fall into the trap of declaring a date), they always have a full calendar of planned events long after the dates they are predicting.   Why?  Because they know that there is a very strong chance that they won’t get it completely right and want to continue sharing until Christ returns.  In other words, as much as they hope they have things figured out, they have learned that it is important to just “put it on the shelf” in their mind and watch, pray and wait to see when God does something.  Most are careful about not specifically naming dates and how things will work out.  Almost all of them are very sincere about their understanding of future events but in the end, God, not wanting to give any extra advantage to his adversary the devil, holds his council very close and only reveals to us what we need to know.  

When people try to discern the timeline of end time events, starting with current events, they are in danger of going to current events to interpret the scriptures.  Scripture can speak into current events clearly.  Trying to use current events to nail down every point of end-time events always leads to much confusion and error.

In the end, it is good to study prophecy and all other Bible topics.  It is very important and you can gain a lot of insight into your Bible studies.  Always remember that it will work out in God’s timing and in His ways.  Don’t get too hung up or dogmatic on topics that have not happened yet.  Guard your heart, open your mind to God’s Word and be prepared to give an account of your life in Christ to anyone that asks.  He is an amazing God and we are living on the doorstep of eternity.  Don’t fail to see the power and majesty of God working today because we are arguing about what we see through a dim glass.