Jesus is coming soon Are you

Jesus is coming. . . soon! Are you ready?

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. . ”

“And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the Living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea. . . ”

“Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. ” Rev. 7: 1– 3

This part of the prophecy is parenthetical and fits into place between verses 13 and 14 of chapter 6. It occurs just before our Lord returns in glory. And it parallels what John recorded in 14: 1– 5.

• Heaven rolled up like a scroll as it opens for Christ to come with His angels • All the wicked of the earth flee to the rocks and mountains for safety • Great earthquakes move every mountain and island out of its place

In 6: 17 the question was asked— “Who shall be able to stand? ” when God’s day of wrath is come upon the earth

“Who shall be able to stand? ” Chapter 7 gives the answer

Series of “FOURS” Four angels represent divine agencies in the world holding back the forces of evil until the work of God on human hearts is complete and the people are sealed in their foreheads (cf. Rev. 14: 1; 15: 2 -4)

Series of “FOURS” The “four corners” denote the four points of the compass and the symbol here means that the whole earth is threatened cf. Isa. 11: 12; Jere. 49: 36; Eze. 7: 2; Dan. 8: 8; Mark 13: 27; Rev. 20: 8

Series of “FOURS” The “winds” are symbols of strife and war Clearly these “winds” symbolize destructive forces about to consume the earth Jere. 25: 32 -33, Dan. 7: 2

The “ 144, 000” who are sealed Who are they?

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 1. This is a symbolic prophecy Elsewhere in sections of the Book of Revelation names are used symbolically Ephesus Jezebel Babylon Smyrna Balaam Euphrates Pergamos Sodom and Egypt

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL The very name “Israel” is symbolic, it means “God rules” Psalm 73: 1 – “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart” When Jacob received his new name, it was said that he prevailed against adversity

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 2. If the number is literal, then it means that ONLY 144, 000 persons will be able to stand in that last terrible trial that will soon come upon the whole earth

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 3. If we take this as literal, then it means that ONLY 144, 000 Jews (descendents of Jacob) will be able to stand What are the odds of EXACTLY 144, 000 – EXACTLY 12, 000 persons from each Jewish tribe – being saved?

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 4. If the prophecy is literal, then it means that not a single soul from the tribes of Dan or Ephraim is saved; neither are named in the list of tribes here given

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 5. If the prophecy is literal, then it does not follow the names of the tribes as they occupied Israel after they came from Egypt Joseph and Levi were not allotted any land in their names, but here are named

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 6. History since the dispersion does not record the existence of twelve literal tribes as having survived

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL There are prophecies in the Bible that foretold of the tribes being gathered back to Palestine

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “And it come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt. . .

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. ” Isaiah 11: 11, 12

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. ” Jeremiah 23: 3

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “This land, promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was theirs forever through the unconditional and unbreakable blood covenant expressed in Genesis 15: 18 -21. ”

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “Israel and its Holy City, Jerusalem, hold the keys to the future. What happens in the Jewish state affects what God is doing with the rest of the world. ”

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “Prosperity or punishment depends on how we treat Israel. . . God will answer every act of anti. Semitism with harsh and final judgment. . . The quickest and most effective way to be on God’s side is to stand with the State of Israel and the Jewish people in their hour of need. ”

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL Jerry Falwell: “Without a State of Israel in the Holy Land, there cannot be the second coming of Jesus Christ, nor can there be a Last Judgment, nor the End of the World. ”

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “The massive support extended to the State of Israel by millions of Christian supporters of Zionism is overtly motivated by a single consideration. . .

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL “. . . that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land will be a prelude to their [the Jews] acceptance of Christ or, for those who fail to do so, their physical destruction. ” Yakov M. Rabkin, Professor of History University of Montreal

7 REASONS THE 144, 000 ARE NOT LITERAL 7. The biggest reason that this prophecy does NOT indicate a literal number of Jews is because the Bible says that the nation of Israel has no more place in prophecy

But. . . What about that “unconditional” covenant that God made with Abraham?

Is the covenant God made with Israel REALLY unconditional? What does the Bible say?

“I will establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you. . . This is the token of the covenant I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth. ” (Gen. 9: 8 -17)

“Now therefore, IF ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, THEN ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people. . .

“. . . And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. ” Exodus 19: 5, 6 “And [He] hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father. ” Revelation 1: 6

“IF ye be willing and obedient, THEN [implied] ye shall eat the good of the land, but IF ye refuse and rebel, THEN [implied] ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. ” Isa 1: 19 -20

“ They say unto Him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons. ” Matt. 21: 41

“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. ” Malachi 3: 6 “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. ” Lamentations 3: 22

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. . .

“Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers. . .

“Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. ” Acts 7: 51– 53 Can God save those who continually rebel against Him?

The BIG question is: Who is Israel? Is “Israel” a political nation, or something else?

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy SEED, which is Christ. ” Gal. 3: 16

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. ” Gal. 3: 29

“. . . For they are not all Israel which are of Israel: neither, because they are of the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. . . ”

“ They which are the children of the flesh, these are NOT the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for seed. ” Rom. 9: 6 -8

“This text alone should forever set at rest the speculations about the return of the Jews to old Jerusalem, in order that God’s promises may be fulfilled. ” Waggoner on Romans, p. 154

“Christ is the stumblingstone over which all stumble who regard the promises to Israel as made to a certain earthly nation, to the exclusion of all others. ” Waggoner on Romans, p. 160

Who ARE the “ 144, 000” who are sealed? ?

“These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ” Rev. 7: 14

Names Denote Character Judah = “praise the LORD” Reuben = “one who sees the son” Gad = “armed and prepared” Asher = “one who blesses” Naphtali = “one who struggles” Manasseh = “forgetfulness”

Names Denote Character Simeon = “one who hears/obeys” Levi = “one attached to God” Issachar = “there is a price” Zebulon = “exalted habitation” Joseph = “may He increase” Benjamin = “son of my right hand”

Names Denote Character Dan = “one who judges”; “serpent by the way, and adder in the path” Ephraim = “double fruit”

Names Denote Character Dan = “one who judges”; “serpent by the way, and adder in the path” Ephraim = “double fruit”

Names Denote Character Ephraim’s name was eventually associated with the whole of the ten northern tribes who went after false gods, and were destroyed by Assyria

Names Denote Character Ephraim’s name was eventually associated with the whole of the ten northern tribes who went after false gods, and were destroyed by Assyria

Names Denote Character The 12 names are inscribed on the 12 gates of the New Jerusalem, and the redeemed will enter the city through the gate that describes their character.