Sample reading from

‘BIBLICAL END TIMES’

ARRIVAL & SURVIVAL GUIDE

[CHAPTER FOUR]

‘WHAT JESUS KNEW’

About the ‘Time of the End; How about you?

Much has been written about the Time of the End. So much, that it almost has become
wearisome to most readers. It becomes a real burden to sort through hours and hours of
opinions as to what the time of the End means to true Christians. While this vast sea of
information might make for good discussion, or even for lively debate, the only valid
opinions on the time of the end should be the opinions of Jesus Christ himself, what he
personally knew and handed down to his apostles and what they revealed to future believers.
That Jesus was well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures is evident by the number of occasions
he quoted from them and the familiar phrase “It is written” which he used frequently; He
was fully aware of things contained in the Hebrew Scriptures as were many of the Jews in
the audiences he spoke to. Therefore, it is to our advantage to familiarize ourselves with
some of the high points given about “End Times” in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The prophet Daniel was one of 4 Major Prophets to shed light on the time of the End;

Daniel’s End times prophecies:

Daniel wrote exactly what he was directed to write by YHWH God, yet he really did not
fully comprehend the importance of what he was told. His writings prophesied
unknown future events. The full meanings of his writings were not made known to him
at the time he wrote. While YHWH’s meaning was understood by Jesus in his day,
portions of Daniels writings still remained sealed to believers at large, since they were
for a later time which had not yet arrived by then. Since that time has now arrived the
book of Daniel has been unsealed and we may begin to understand more fully what he
was given in revelation about our own day and age.

Daniel 12:8 I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked,
"How will all this finally end, my lord?" NLT

Daniel 12:9 'Go, Daniel,' he said. 'These words are to remain secret and sealed until
the time of the End. NJB
Daniel’s accurate prediction for the Messiah’s first earthly appearance:

The bible book of Daniel provides a series of prophecies which pinpointed a future time
for the first arrival of the Messiah on earth. It also describes a procession of nations
which would precede the Messiah’s second coming.

Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city until
the measure of transgression is filled and that of sin complete, until iniquity is
expiated, and eternal righteousness ushered in; and prophetic vision ratified, and the
Holy of Holies anointed. JPS

Daniel 9:25 "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the
command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah (anointed one) the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and
the wall, Even in troublesome times. NKJ

Daniel 9:26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for
Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations
are determined. NKJ

In Daniel 9:24-26 The following terms are crucial to our deciphering a meaning from
the prophecy:

"Anointed one" is the Messiah that the Jews were waiting for. Messiah; (being Hebrew
for Anointed One), “flood’ is an overwhelming event, “Cut off" always refers to killed in
the O.T., and "Weeks", or "Sevens" (depending upon translation) is the Hebrew word
Heptad. Heptad is used to mean either a period of seven days or a period of seven years
(Comparable to our use of "decade" for ten years). This passage is stating that 69 times
seven years after the decree to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the Messiah would be
killed for his people.

The Hebrew calendar consisted (and still consists) of 12 months of 30 days each,
resulting in a 360-day long year. The conversion from that calendar to ours is as follows:

1. 69 X 7 = 483 Hebrew years

2. 483 X 360 = 173,880 Days
3. 173,880 / 365 (Days in our calendar year) = 476 Years in our calendar after the
decree to rebuild Jerusalem the Messiah will be cut off.
In Nehemiah 2:1 we read that in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes the decree was
given to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (vv 2-9). King Artaxerxes is a historical figure
whose reign secular historians say began in 464 B.C. Twenty years from that date would
be 444 B.C. when the decree is issued. Traveling forward in time 476 years brings one to
33 CE. (Remember that there is no year 0. The year after 1 BCE. Is 1 CE.

The general agreement among historians, whatever opinion they hold of Jesus, is that 33
CE. Seems to be the year that he was put to death. That makes this an amazingly accurate,
incredible specific fulfilled prophecy with WRITTEN BY GOD as the only plausible
explanation. For the Messiah arrived on the scene exactly as was prophesied. The earlier
stage fulfillments of this prophecy would prove to be faith strengthening for those living
in that time of the end. The reliability and accuracy of those earlier features would be in
harmony with God’s standards for verifying a “true prophet” from one who was not sent
by him. Daniels words were fulfilled with the accuracy one would expect from a legitimate
prophet of Jehovah.

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh and the thing does
not happen and the word is not fulfilled, then it has not been said by Yahweh. The
prophet has spoken presumptuously. You have nothing to fear from him.' NJB

In a later stage fulfillment of his prophecy, Daniel also goes on to describe in advance,
a stream of world powers affecting God’s people. They would appear in succession to
each other from his day forward until the time of the end. He describes them according
to a series of dreams (visions of the night) which he relates.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream:

The first prophetic dream, which is recounted in Daniel chapter two, sets the broad
framework for the rest of the prophecies. In this chapter, Daniel is called to reveal the
interpretation of a dream that has been troubling King Nebuchadnezzar. As the king
slept, he saw a great statue with a head of fine gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly
and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and partly of clay. (Daniel 2:31-35
But then, as King Nebuchadnezzar watched, a stone was cut out of a mountain
"without hands" and struck the image on its feet, breaking the statue in pieces:

"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and
became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so
that no trace of them was found. “And the stone that struck the image became a great
mountain and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:35).

What a strange dream? Was Daniel left to speculate about it? He is not left to guess.
Daniel is given the following help in translating the dream into words: The four parts
of the statue - the gold head, the silver bust, the bronze belly and thighs, and the iron
legs - are four kingdoms. Those kingdoms are as follows:

Daniel identifies World Powers before their ascendancy:

1. The first kingdom is King Nebuchadnezzar's own kingdom of Babylon for, Daniel is
told, "the God of heaven has given [Nebuchadnezzar] a kingdom, power, strength, and
glory" (Daniel 2: 38).

The Babylonian kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar reached its peak during Daniel's time.

After Babylon "shall arise another kingdom, inferior to yours..." (Daniel 2: 39).

2. This was Medo-Persia, which conquered Babylon in the fifth century B.C. The story
of the conquest is told in the fifth chapter of Daniel, in which King Nebuchadnezzar's
successor, King Belshazzar, sees mysterious fingers writing on the wall. Daniel is called
to read the writing, in which God rebukes King Belshazzar for his pride and commits
the kingdom of Babylon into the hands of his enemies, the Medes (Daniel 5:1-26). It is from
this story that we get the phrase "the handwriting is on the wall."

After the second kingdom, Daniel is told shall arise "...another, a third kingdom of
bronze, which shall rule over all the earth" (Daniel 5: 39).

3. This prophecy was fulfilled approximately three centuries after Daniel's death. At this
time, Medo-Persia was conquered by Greece, which rose to worldwide power in the
third century B.C., Just as Daniel foretold. This third kingdom was known for its
extensive use of bronze.

4. The fourth kingdom is somewhat different from the previous three:

Daniel 2:40 "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron
breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will
break in pieces and crush all the others." NKJ

While not specifically identified, there is little question that this kingdom is Rome,
which by 30 B.C. had conquered all of Greece, it world power predecessor. At its height,
the Roman Empire comprised almost the entire western world known at the time,
including most of Europe, the Middle East, Egypt, and North Africa. In addition to its
size, Rome was notorious for its cruelty. It had an “iron like” presence whenever and
wherever it conquered.

Portions of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Yet to Come

Now we turn our attention to the portions of this prophecy that have not yet seen
fulfillment. It is important to keep in mind that, because the early parts of this prophecy
were fulfilled so precisely, we can expect the latter portions to be fulfilled just as
precisely.

First, the stone; God tells Daniel that this represents a fifth kingdom, a kingdom that is
God's alone. This kingdom will arise at the end of world history and, in one powerful
stroke, smash all worldly power and bring the earth under God's sovereign control:

Dan 2:44 "And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" NKJ
Note that God's kingdom brings down the demise, not just of Rome, but of all the
kingdoms before and after it. Working backwards, we recall that Rome swallowed
Greece, which swallowed Medo-Persia, which swallowed Babylon. Thus, when the
kingdom of God brings down Rome - which the bible prophesied would be revived in
the future as a confederation of modern nations (kingdoms), it will bring down the
nations that once comprised ancient Greece, ancient Medo-Persia, and ancient Babylon
as well. A confederation of nations which comes out of the of the Roman Empire will
be the final entity God deals with before “The Great Day of God Almighty” during which
he destroys the wicked and redeems all the righteous on the earth.

Daniels prophecy contained all this information, and much more concerning the Time of
the End. Jesus was very conversant with the Hebrew Scriptures and he would have been
fully aware of events and details included in what Daniel was inspired to write about. He
would likewise be knowledgeable about what other O.T. Prophets had to say about the
“Time of the End”

Isaiah was another one of 4 Major Prophets who shed light on the “Time of the End”.
Examples of Isaiah’s prophetic references to the Time of the End follow;

Isaiah’s End times prophecies:

Speaking of God’s chosen city Jerusalem (the administrative center of God’s chosen
people)

Isaiah 1:21-23 See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of
justice; righteousness used to dwell in her- but now murderers! Your silver has become
dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, companions of
thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the
fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

Isaiah was given not only a vision of conditions prevailing at the time of the end but
also a fore gleam of the solution God would provide as a remedy for those conditions.

Isaiah 2:1 The thing that Isaiah the son of A'moz visioned concerning Judah and
Jerusalem:

2 And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the
house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the
mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations
must stream.

3 And many peoples will certainly go and say: "Come, YOU people, and let us go up
to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us
about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Zion law will go forth, and
the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. 4 And he will certainly render judgment among
the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to
 beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will
not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. NWT

The identity and nature of mountains Isaiah spoke about is clarified by the prophet
Ezekiel;

Ezekiel 36:1 "And as for you, O son of man, prophesy concerning the mountains of
Israel, and you must say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of Jehovah. NWT

The word mountain is used symbolically here in referring to governments. In Isaiah’s

prophecy, God’s government will have a ruler ship above all other governments. The
entire world will be subject to God’s word and his laws and the Messiah King will be the
final authority over their administration. Psalm 2:9 says that He’ll rule with an iron
scepter and will tolerate no dissent.

Psalm 2:8,9. Make your request to me, and I will give you the nations for your heritage,
and the farthest limits of the earth will be under your hand. :9 They will be ruled by you
with a rod of iron; they will be broken like a potter's vessel. BBE

Isaiah also portended a call to lasting peace during the Millennium, saying the Messiah
will settle disputes between nations, making war unnecessary.

Isaiah 2:4 Thus He will judge among the nations And arbitrate for the many peoples,
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war. TNK

Part of this verse is carved over the entrance to the UN building in New York. When the
Messiah comes in the time of the end, the UN will perish, but God’s promise will remain
and will finally come true. The earth will indeed experience peace under the messianic
government (the mountain of Jehovah) God almighty institutes under his Messiah king.

Ezekiel’s End times prophecies:

Ezekiel was another of the four Major Prophets concerned with the time of the end. He
was taken captive to Babylon before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
in 606 B.C., at which time the typical kingdom of Israel was overthrown.

As was the case with other Old Testament prophets, much of what Ezekiel wrote was
directed to the natural house of Israel, and to a large extent, in the nature of reprimands
for the sins of the people. In the beginning of his book special attention is given to this
aspect of his forthcoming ministry in God’s outline of Ezekiel’s commission.—Ezek. 2:1-
5

Ezekiel 2:3 He said, 'Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to the rebels who
have rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been in revolt against me up
to the present day. NJB Ezekiel 2:5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they
are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. ESV
Yet, in addition to those prophecies which had a local setting, Ezekiel was also used by
God to forecast important events in the future outworking of God’s divine plan for the
recovery of mankind from sin and death. Thus, ancient Israel pictures God’s people far
beyond the time in which Ezekiel lived and wrote. One of these long-term prophecies
assures us that the people of Israel, of Sodom, and of Samaria, are to be released from
their captivity in death.—Ezek. 16:53

In this prophecy it is revealed that the Israelites as a whole—all who were not, as
individuals, faithful to the God will be much ashamed when awakened from the sleep
of death. This will be true of the people of other nations also, but far more distressing
for those who, in their present life, profess to be the people of God.—Ezek. 16:54-59;
Dan. 12:1, 2

Daniel 12:1,2 "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation,
will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first
came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written
in the book will be rescued. NLT :2 "And many <07227a> of those who <03463> sleep
<03463> in the dust <06083> of the ground <0127> will awake <07019a>, these
<0428> to everlasting <05769> life <02425b>, but the others <0428> to disgrace
<02781> and everlasting <05769> contempt <01860>. NAS

Ezekiel reveals that the purpose of delivering the Israelites and people of other nations
as well from their captivity in death is that they might be brought into a covenant
relationship with Jehovah. (Ezek. 16:60-63). This prophecy is one of the definite proofs
given to us in the Word of God that those who die in wickedness will have an
opportunity to reform and turn to Jehovah after they are awakened from the sleep of
death in the great resurrection day of the future.—Rom. 11:26,27

Ezekiel 16:60-63 yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I
will establish for you an everlasting covenant ESV.:61 And you for your part will remember
your behaviour and feel ashamed of it when you receive your elder and younger sisters and
I make them your daughters, although this is not included in my covenant with you.:62 I
shall renew my covenant with you; and you will know that I am Yahweh,:63 and so
remember and feel ashamed and in your confusion be reduced to silence, when I forgive you
for everything you have done -- declares the Lord Yahweh." 'NJB

Romans 11:26, 27. and this is how all Israel will be saved. As scripture says: From Zion
will come the Redeemer, he will remove godlessness from Jacob.Romans NJB 27 For this is
My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."NKJ

Jeremiah’s End times prophecies:

Jeremiah was a fourth one of the mentioned major prophets who wrote of conditions
in his time while also prophesying concerning conditions in the “End Times” during
which we live. Jeremiah prophesied about what God saw wrong with his people, and
also how God would fix it.

A sampling of some of Jeremiah’s prophetic revelations follow;

Speaking to Jeremiah, God said;

 Jeremiah 6:2,28 I have made you an assayer and a tester among my people. You will
know and assay their course of life.« 28 All of them are stubborn rebels. They go about
telling false stories. They are copper and iron. They are all corrupt, all of them! NSB

Jeremiah 7:4,8 Do not trust in deceptive words. They say: ‘This is the Temple of
Jehovah, the Temple of Jehovah, and the Temple of Jehovah. . . . 8You are trusting in
deceptive words that are of no value to you. NSB

Jeremiah 8:5,6 The people of Jerusalem turned away from me without ever returning.
They still cling to deceit. They refuse to return. 6 I paid attention and listened, but they
were not honest. They do not turn away from their wickedness. They do not ask: ‘What
have we done?’ They go their own ways like horses charging into battle.’ NSB

Jeremiah 9:4 -6 Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor. Do not trust any
brother because every brother deals craftily (cunningly), and every neighbor goes
about as a slanderer. 5 »Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They wear themselves out committing sin.
6 »You live in the middle of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know me,« says

Jehovah. NSB

Of God’s own people he told Jeremiah to write;

Jeremiah 9:13-15 Jehovah said: »They have forsaken the Law I set before them. They
have not obeyed my voice nor walked according to it. 14 »They have walked after the
stubbornness of their heart and after the Baals as their fathers taught them. 15
»‘Therefore Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold! I will feed this people
with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.’ NSB

Jeremiah 10:1 Hear the word that Jehovah has spoken against YOU people, O house
of Israel. NWT

Jeremiah 23 :14 – 16 Say this about the prophets of Jerusalem: ‘I see something
horrible. The prophets of Jerusalem commit adultery and live a lie. They support those
who do evil so that no one turns back from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to
me, and those who live in Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.’« 15 This is what Jehovah of
Hosts says about the prophets: »I will give them wormwood to eat and poison to drink.
The prophets of Jerusalem have spread godlessness throughout the land.« 16 This is
what Jehovah of Hosts says: »Do not listen to what the prophets are saying to you.
They fill you with false hope. They speak about visions that they dreamed up. These
visions are not from Jehovah. NSB

Jeremiah 23 :30 – 32 I am against those prophets who take each other's words and
proclaim them as my message.« 31 »I am also against those prophets,« says Jehovah,
They speak their own words and claim they came from me! 32 Listen to what I,
Jehovah, say! I am against the prophets who tell their dreams that are full of lies. They
tell these dreams and lead my people astray with their lies and their boasting. I did
 not send them or order them to go. They are of no help at all to the people. I Jehovah
have spoken NSB

What God promises to do about the situation is disclosed in the 24th Chapter of
Jeremiah;

Jeremiah 24: 1-4 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep
of my pasture!« Says Jehovah. 2 This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says
concerning the shepherds who are tending my people: »You have scattered my flock
and driven them away. You have not attended to them. I am about to attend to you for
the evil of your deeds,« says Jehovah. 3 »Then I will gather the remnant of my flock
out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture.
Then they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 »I will also raise up shepherds over them who
will tend them. They will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be
missing, proclaims Jehovah. NSB

In a direct reference to the Messiah, Jeremiah was commissioned to write;

Jeremiah 24: 5 The days are coming,« declares Jehovah, »when I will raise up for David
a righteous Branch. He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness
in the land. 6 »In His days Judah will be saved. Israel will dwell securely. NSB

Jeremiah adds an observation of his own;

Jeremiah 24: 9 My heart is broken within me. All my bones tremble! I have become like
a drunken man, even like a man overcome with wine. This is because of Jehovah and
because of his holy words. 10 The land is full of adulterers! The land mourns because of
the curse. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course also is evil and
their might is not right. 11 »The prophets and priests are godless. NSB

Then Jehovah adds his thoughts again;

Jeremiah 24: 11,12 Even in my Temple I have found them doing evil,« declares
Jehovah. 12 That is why their own way will become like a slippery path in the dark.
They will be chased away, and they will fall down in the dark. I will bring disaster on
them. It is time for them to be punished, proclaims Jehovah. NSB

And so, YHWH prophecies affliction on his people, yet with a favorable final outcome;

Jeremiah 30:7 In all history there has never been such a time of terror. It will be a time
of trouble for my people Israel. Yet in the end, they will be saved! NLT

Jeremiah 30:1-3 1 Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah: 2 This is what Jehovah the
God of Israel says: »Write in a book everything that I tell you. 3 »The days are
coming,« says Jehovah, »when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from
captivity. I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will
take possession of it. NSB

Other End Time prophets:

An entire book could be written on all the things the Bible discloses in just the Hebrew
Scriptures, about the time of the End. A small sampling of things the four Major
Prophets related gives us some idea of how much was already known when Israel was
Israel was taken into captivity by Babylon. In Jesus day the accounts of the so called
minor prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi confirm what others had written and also
disclosed additional information on the “End Times” or “Last Days, immediately prior
to the “Great Fear Inspiring day of Jehovah”. We say “minor prophets, for this is how
they are known to us. Their writings are by no means of minor importance, as they fill
in additional details theretofore unknown. An example of one of the so called minor
prophets is found in Habakuk;

Excerpts from Habakkuk concerning the time of the End;

Habakkuk 2:2 Then Yahweh answered me and said, 'Write the vision down, inscribe
it on tablets to be easily read. NJB

Habakkuk 2:3 But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily,
surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait
patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. NLT

Habakkuk 2: 4 "Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are
crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith. . . . . . In their greed they have
gathered up many nations and peoples. 6 But the time is coming when all their
captives will taunt them, saying, 'You thieves! At last justice has caught up with you!
Now you will get what you deserve for your oppression and extortion!'

Habakkuk 2: 7 Suddenly, your debtors will rise up in anger. They will turn on you
and take all you have, while you stand trembling and helpless. 8 You have plundered
many nations; now they will plunder you. You murderers! You have filled the
countryside with violence and all the cities, too. . . . . .

Habakkuk 2:11 The very stones in the walls of your houses cry out against you, and
the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.

Habakkuk 2:14 For the time will come when all the earth will be filled, as the waters
fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the LORD.

Habakkuk 2: 15, 16 "How terrible it will be for you who make your neighbors drunk!
You force your cup on them so that you can gloat over their nakedness and shame.16
But soon it will be your turn! Come, drink and be exposed! Drink from the cup of the
LORD's judgment, and all your glory will be turned to shame.

Habakkuk 2: 18, "What have you gained by worshiping all your man-made idols?
How foolish to trust in something made by your own hands! What fools you are to
 believe such lies! You ask speechless stone images to tell you what to do. Can an idol
speak for God? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless NLT

Jesus Christ, when he walked the earth and taught the truth of God’s word, was fully
aware of all the things written in those prophecies. The information he would disclose
to his followers would be a combination of things they knew from the prophets and new
things which he revealed to them through God’s Holy Spirit. Those followers would
pave the way for us who are living in this time to have a comprehensive picture of what
the bible reveals about our time.

What Jesus taught his disciples about the “Time of the End”.

Let us now analyze verses in which Jesus discloses his thoughts on the “Time of the End”
to his Apostles, his disciples, and by extension to us who would be their long-term
progeny.

[Continued in Complete Book Version]