Random chaos in the world or:
The Prophetic Steppings of God

In the study of Bible prophecy there are two prominent approaches. One is called Historical, which teaches that the Book of Revelation and the prophetic parts of the Book of Daniel have been in the process of fulfillment since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

The other is called Futurism. This view is held by many very sincere Christians. Actually, John Darby back in the mid 1800s sold his Futurist "seven-year tribulation" concept to a minority of Fundamentalists. But they are a vociferous minority. During the balance of the 1800s up until 1948 they taught that Jesus could return any day. They claim that after Christ’s ascension there is no prophecy that has to be fulfilled before the rapture when Darby claimed Christ will momentarily return in fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 and rapture the Church. Scofield, a Darbyite, confirmed this in a footnote in his Scofield Bible. Is Darby’s concept correct? To determine this we will trace in broad strokes a New Testament prophecy.

2 Thessalonians 2:1,3 NASV.

Verse 1—Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him.

Verse 3—Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy [Strongs #646, deflection from the truth] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.

These verses clearly prove that at least two prophetic events must occur before Christ can return. First. Before Christ can return there must be a great deflection into doctrinal error. History reveals that during the first three centuries, Christians wearied by Pagan persecution, compromised doctrine. Thus, the Catholic Church with all its errors developed.

Second. The "man of sin" would be revealed. The only thing that saved the Christian Church from falling into complete apostasy was the Reformation, which rebelled against many of the errors of the Catholic Church.

Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Carlstadt, etc., separated from the Catholic Church and Protestantism was born. These Reformers had some differences between themselves, but one thing they all agreed on was that Papacy (the Catholic church-state system) was the "Man of Sin"—Antichrist. They were firmly united on this. For example, Luther, the father of the Reformation, said, "We are convinced that the Papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist." (What Luther Says, ed. Ewald M. Plass, Vol.1,34) Protestants would do well to think twice before rejecting this fundamental Reformation doctrine. That is, Papacy was the Antichrist/"Man of Sin."

In Bible symbolism the true Church is referred to as the "Bride" of Christ. The false or nominal church is called a "harlot" or "whore" in Revelation 17:1,4,5. Therefore, in Revelation 21:2 the true Church (Bride of Christ) will be the "holy city," sharing with Jesus as the government in the Thousand-year Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:6). However, Papacy is now the false city of Revelation 17:18—"And the woman ("harlot" vss. 4,5) which thou sawest is that great city, which [has and will] reigneth over the kings of the earth."

End Times

Passing down to our era, End Times. Dallas Theological Seminary, with its President, John F. Walvoord, became the main exponent of the seven-year tribulationists. On May 14, 1948, a prophetic miracle happened—the rebirth of the State of Israel in its ancient homeland. Hal Lindsey, a student of Walvoord and author of the best seller The Late Great Planet Earth, unwittingly destroyed the "eminent coming" theory. He admitted in his book—"The one event which many Bible students in the past overlooked was this paramount prophetic sign: Israel had to be a nation again in the land of its forefathers."

What a blow to the seven-year tribulationists! Their basic concept was wrong! Remember, seven-year tribulationists believed that after Christ’s resurrection no prophetic event had to be fulfilled before the rapture. Lindsey unintentionally proved that he and the seven-year tribulationists were wrong. Why? Israel did become a nation before Darby’s rapture concept materialized. Actually, many other Bible prophecies have been fulfilled also.

The Seven-Year Tribulation Unscriptural

The "seven-year tribulation" concept rests solely on an inconsistent application of Daniel 9:24-27, which speaks of a seventy-week period determined upon the Jewish people. Seventy weeks equals 490 days. All agree, upon the basis of Ezekiel 4:6—a day for a year—that this seventy weeks equals not 490 literal days, but 490 years. (On the basis of Ezekiel 4:6 why do the seven-year tribulationists insist that the 1260 days are literal days and not symbolic years?)

Again, there is unanimity that the 69 weeks of Daniel 9:25 marks a period from a decree issued in Nehemiah’s day to the first advent of Christ. Verse 26 states that "after" the 69 weeks "shall Messiah (Christ) be cut off." Verse 27 shows that "in the midst of the [70th] week he [Christ] shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." Christ’s death abolished the necessity of the further offering of typical sacrifices by Israel’s priesthood.

Note well that Daniel 9:26 states "after" the 69 weeks "shall Messiah [Christ] be cut off." The Hebrew word achar means after. It does not mean in or during. Yet those who advocate the seven-year tribulation say that Messiah was cut off in or during the 69th week. This is a mistranslation of verse 26 which plainly states "after" the 69 weeks Christ would be cut off. The 70th week immediately follows the 69 weeks and verse 27 clearly shows it is in the midst of the 70th week that Christ died.

This has been the historic position of Protestantism for 300 years since the Reformation. But in the 19th century, Darby and his followers came along and said, "Not so, there is a parenthesis between the 69 weeks and the 70th week. This gap is the period between the first advent and the rapture." Unbelievable! What an arbitrary, baseless interpretation. Then, they say, the 70th week, seven years that begins to count after the rapture is the seven-year tribulation. The mere fact that this gap is purely an assumption, not founded on Scripture, proves the seven-year tribulation.

I have occasion to spend time with hundreds of seven-year tribulationists. They are wonderful. They love God’s Word and are very supportive of Israel.

A Great Earthquake

Inspired by the Reformers’ recognition of Papacy as the "great [false] city" of Rev. 17:18, Robert Fleming, in the 1701 edition of his acclaimed book Rise and Fall of Papacy, observed how mainline Protestant scholars began to analyze the meaning of the "tenth" part of the city in Rev. 11:13. They came to a remarkable prediction of what would happen.

Revelation 11:13 YLT— "And in that hour came a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell and killed in the earthquake [revolution] were names [titles] of men—seven thousands, and the rest became affrighted."

Between AD 1630 and AD 1700 the probing of these scholars resulted in the prediction that France as the "tenth part of the city [Papacy]" would be hit by a symbolic earthquake— a revolution. During this revolution seven thousand titles of nobility would be slain or destroyed. And the nine-tenths remnant of Christendom would be terrified. Sure enough, the French Revolution took place as predicted and Christianity in France suffered a long setback.

Remarkable! God provided this key to understanding that in addition to literal earthquakes, the Bible at times refers to symbolic earthquakes. The symbolic earthquake that will finally destroy Babylon, the false Christian church united with governments, is described in Revelation 16.

Revelation 16:18: "…there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided in three parts, and the cities [governments] of the nations fell: and great Babylon [false churches united with the governments of the Christian world] came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."

Christendom’s complete destruction will occur during the time that all nations are destroyed as we will see in Haggai 2:7.

Chaos of Our Time

Some of the chaos of our day, which is actually the prophetic steppings of our God, includes: Arab revolutions, and the Japanese tsunami precipitated by a huge literal earthquake that killed over 30,000 and severely damaged three nuclear energy plants, releasing radiation reaching to the United States. With over 118 nuclear plants throughout the world, what a colossal carnage potential! Aftershock earthquakes are still further devastating Japan. Luke 21:11. It is interesting to note that many Israeli Biblical Zionists believe in what they call "God’s measured judgment." That is, God is now punishing Japan because Japan has aggressively pursued UN sanctions against Israel and opposed Israel’s building on the "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria).

Further Seeming Chaos in Our Time

"Data from the UN World Food Program shows that seven hundred children die every hour around the world from hunger or diseases related to food sources." Experts predict mass hunger in the coming decades due to world population growth and climate changes that will expand arid areas and reduce the available land for agriculture.

Then there is a "super bug" bacteria that has developed immunity to any antibiotic, while thousands lie on hospital beds without hope. The list of seeming chaos appears endless. Stop looking for a future seven-year tribulation. Remember, the seven-year tribulation is not scriptural. We are now living in the "time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation," Dan. 12:1, and it will become even more severe (Matt. 24:21,22) resulting in a great loss of human life.

But remember, "As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive." I Corinthians 15:22. All mankind are already condemned to death whatever the process. The question of a future life will be dealt with later.

Prophetic Stepping of Our God

Luke 21:11: ESV "There will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and pestilences and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven."

These earthquakes of Luke 21:11 are literal. (H.G. V.1 p.397) Some are so strong that they have cause tsunamis. The famines, pestilences, and super immune bacteria that are terrifying many are not random chaos. Luke 21:11 reveals they are the prophetic steps of God to destroy this "present evil age" (Galatians 1:4, NAS).

In contrast, Haggai 2:7: "And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come…" is a reference to symbolic shakings or earthquakes, which are revolutions. Remember, Revelation 11 and Revelation 16 described symbolic earthquakes, revolutions that would destroy the governments of so-called Christian nations and degenerate into general anarchy.

Many other nations are united with religion. All the Arab nations actually claim to be one nation unified by one religion—Islam. We are witnessing the first of the earthquake tremors, revolutions, which scripturally will gradually destroy the Arab block of nations. Many are hoping for democracy. A noted Arab commentator observes:

"Is the Arab world ready for democracy? As horrendous and inappropriate this might sound coming from an Arab, I say NO, we are not ready for democracy; we do not have the cultural and economic prerequisites or the political maturity for democracy."

China stands by fearfully watching. Russia is apprehensive. However long the Lord intends to take, Haggai 2:7 shows that all nations will succumb to this destruction by revolutions that will degenerate into general anarchy.

Then what happens? Some people of these nations remain. Notice they are just called people, not saints, and the desire of these people will come, that is, will be fulfilled in Christ’s 1,000-year Kingdom. That glorious Kingdom that you have so frequently read about in our newsletters.

Send for your free copy of "Can We Identify the Antichrist?" It also deals with Antichrist’s part in End-Time events.