God’s Amazing Story Problem!
As incredible as it may seem there is math in the Bible. God made at least one story problem, which has component parts in several different books in the Bible. Even knowing the component parts of the story problem, it still takes some meditation to realize that there is a mathematical problem to solve. It is amazing to realize that the solution to one mathematical equation can identify a specific group of people that will be sealed by God and mark the very day they have the opportunity to begin to worship God in His very Temple.
Before we get to the mathematical story problem one must understand that there will once again be a Temple in Jerusalem and that this Temple never gets destroyed. Although at the beginning of the Tribulation the Temple will be captured and used by the false prophet (the Antichrist). For a detailed account of this prophecy read: The Two Witnesses and End Time Prophecy.
The Two Witnesses otherwise referred to in the Bible as the Two Lampstands, the Two Anointed Ones, and Zerubbabel and Joshua build the Temple. If you choose to believe the following verse literally as it is written, you will see that Zerubbabel will lay the foundation of the latter Temple and he will finish it ... later after the Tribulation is over.
[All Bible verses come from the World English Bible WEB unless otherwise noted. The WEB is used because it is free of copyright restrictions.]
The WEB does use the word Yahweh for the name of God. I do not agree that this is His name. Actually, I think that it can be proven that Yahweh is not His name but that is a subject of another article. Therefore, whenever the WEB uses the word Yahweh, I have deleted that name and put in brackets [Yehovah’] which is His name.]
The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?" I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it; 3 and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it." 4 I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?" 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?" I said, “No, my lord." 6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is the word of [Yehovah] to Zerubbabel, saying, ’Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says [Yehovah] of Armies. 7 Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’" 8 Moreover the word of [Yehovah] came to saying, 9, and me “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that [Yehovah] of Armies has sent me to you.10 Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of [Yehovah], which run back and forth through the whole earth (Zechariah 4:1-10).”
Zerubbabel and his partner Joshua build the Temple. I plan on helping them construct it. This Temple will get built before the Great Tribulation begins. After the Tribulation is over Zerubbabel will complete its construction, which will include a second massive outer court, which will be nearly a square mile big. Read the last nine chapters of Ezekiel for the details of Temple worship and the specifications of the Latter Temple’s configuration.
The Bible teaches us that the Temple will be built. It also shows us that the Temple will be military taken over and defiled.
The male goat magnified himself exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable [horns] toward the four winds of the sky. 9 Out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious [land]. 10 It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.11 Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual [burnt offering], and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.12 The army was given over [to it] together with the continual [burnt offering] through disobedience; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did [its pleasure] and prospered.13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, How long shall be the vision [concerning] the continual [burnt offering], and the disobedience that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary [Temple].14 He said to me, To two thousand and three hundred evenings [and] mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed (Daniel 8:8-14).
This is a vital piece of information. I like some of the wording better in the NKJV so I will include it here.
Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?"14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed (Daniel 8:8-14 NKJV).
Therefore this little horn also known as the false prophet will be given an army. The beast will most likely be the ruler who will give him the army. With this army he forcibly stopped Temple worship and the morning and evening sacrifices. This is the abomination of desolation spoken of in Daniel chapter 11 and Matthew chapter 24.
Forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual [burnt offering], and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.32 Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. 33 Those who are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, [many] days (Daniel 11:31-33).
Now Matthew chapter 24:15-16:
When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, [Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11] which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15-16).
2 Thessalonians 2:4-8 explains what the Abomination of Desolation is.
Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, 2:4 he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. 5 Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6 Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
When the false prophet takes over the Temple and stops the morning and evening sacrifices he sets up a throne in the Temple of God and declares that he is God. This is the ultimate abomination.
The angel, whose words are recorded in the book of Daniel, gives us the exact amount of time the Temple will be in this abominated state. There will be two thousand three hundred “days” and then the Temple will be cleansed (Daniel 8:14). If your Bible is like my Nelson Study Bible there is a little * by the word days. The footnote shows that it literally means morning and evenings. The Web bible quoted above has this correctly translated. Therefore, there will be exactly two thousand three hundred missed sacrifices and then the Temple will be cleansed. This is a significant part of the story problem and we will come back to this.
The Bible also reveals how worship will be conducted in God’s Temple during the abomination of desolation in Ezekiel chapter 8.
It happened in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord [Yehovah] fell there on me. 2 Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire; and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.3 He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner [court] that looks toward the north; where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. 4 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain. 5 Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and see, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. 6 He said to me, Son of man, do you see what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you shall again see yet other great abominations. 7 He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8 Then said he to me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had dug in the wall, behold, a door. 9 He said to me, Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and see, every form of creeping things, and abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall. 11 There stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand; and the odor of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then said he to me, Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? For they say, [Yehovah] doesn’t see us; [Yehovah] has forsaken the land. 13 He said also to me, ‘You shall again see yet other great abominations which they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of [Yehovah’s] house, which was toward the north; and see, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then said he to me, Have you seen [this], son of man? You shall again see yet greater abominations than these. 16 He brought me into the inner court of [Yehovah’s] house; and see, at the door of the temple of [Yehovah], between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward the temple of [Yehovah], and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said to me, Have you seen [this], son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations, which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and behold, they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore will I also deal in wrath; my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
Ezekiel, our on sight reporter, shows us that during the Tribulation, when the Temple is in its abominated state, that Israel will do all sorts of pagan practices from worshipping the sun in the east, to worshipping Tammuz. Tammuz is a fertility god of gardens and is another name for Nimrod and or Nimrod’s son. Nimrod along with his wife Simmeramis was the founder of the original Babylonian Mystery Religion. Their worst offence is that they will even deny that Christ will ever come back, “He does not see us. He has forsaken the land.”
Ezekiel chapter nine reveals another interesting fact. There are people in Jerusalem that are horrified by the abominations. These very people receive a special mark on their foreheads by an angel and will be spared the attack, which the pagans receive when the angels cleanse the Temple and slaughter in the city. These people who receive the mark on their foreheads figure significantly in the story problem.
Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar. 3 The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn by his side. 4 [Yehovah] said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst. 5 To the others he said in my hearing, Go through the city after him, and strike: don’t let your eye spare, neither have pity; 6 kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house. 7 He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth! They went forth, and struck in the city. 8 It happened, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord [Yehovah]! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem? 9 Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion: for they say, [Yehovah] has forsaken the land, and [Yehovah] doesn’t see. 10 As for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head. 11 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded me (Ezekiel 9:1-11).
Ezekiel chapter nine shows how the Temple will be cleansed. All those priests and other heathen worshippers in it are going to be killed. After the pagans in the Temple are killed, more pagans in the city of Jerusalem will be killed. Now those who have the mark on their foreheads from the angel are free to worship in the Temple after they bury the dead.
Ezekiel chapter ten describes some of the angels that are doing the capital punishment. Four of them have four faces: one of a man, one of an eagle, one of an ox and one of a lion. These are the very same angels that surround Jesus Christ’s throne mentioned in the book of Revelation.
After the execution of the Pagans and the recapturing of the Temple, God and his angels leave.
The glory of [Yehovah] went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of [Yehovah´s] house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above (Ezekiel 10:18-19).
It is okay that He leaves the Temple because it is not time for His highly public return as King of kings and Lord of lords, which is often erroneously referred to as the Second Coming. It is not His Second Coming because here is example of a return to Earth that most people do not know about.
Interestingly enough the book of Joel describes theses true believers worshiping in the cleansed Temple during the Tribulation.
At the appointed time during the Great Tribulation the Temple gets cleansed and can once again be used to worship the true God. A careful reading of the book of Joel supports this position. Rather than pasting the whole book in this article, I will excerpt key verses to explain how I came to this conclusion. Afterwards, you can verify the facts by reading the book of Joel on your own.
Joel chapter one sets the beginning of the stage. Jerusalem is invaded. Chapters two and three are definitely prophetic since they depict the Day of the Lord, which is a prophesied event moreover these chapters give added details on the enslavement of the twelve tribes of Israel, which will happen during the Tribulation.
Joel 1:4-20 illustrates the dismal situation that Zion is in:
What the swarming locust has left, the great locust has eaten. What the great locust has left, the grasshopper has eaten. What the grasshopper has left, the caterpillar has eaten. 5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. 6 For a nation has come up on my land, strong, and without number. His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a lioness. 7 He has laid my vine waste, and stripped my fig tree. He has stripped its bark, and thrown it away. Its branches are made white. 8 Mourn like a virgin dressed in sackcloth for the husband of her youth! 9 The meal offering and the drink offering are cut off from [Yehovah’s] house. The priests, [Yehovah’s] ministers, mourn.10 The field is laid waste. The land mourns, for the grain is destroyed, The new wine has dried up, and the oil languishes. 11 Be confounded, you farmers! Wail, you vineyard keepers; for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field has perished. 12 The vine has dried up, and the fig tree withered; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all of the trees of the field are withered; for joy has withered away from the sons of men. 13 Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from your God’s house. 14 Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders, and all the inhabitants of the land, to the house of [Yehovah], your God, and cry to [Yehovah]. 15 Alas for the day! For the day of [Yehovah] is at hand, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty. 16 Isn’t the food cut off before our eyes; joy and gladness from the house of our God? 17 The seeds rot under their clods. The granaries are laid desolate. The barns are broken down, for the grain has withered. 18 How the animals groan! The herds of livestock are perplexed, because they have no pasture. Yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. 19 [Yehovah] , I cry to you, For the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burned all the trees of the field. 20 Yes, the animals of the field pant to you, for the water brooks have dried up, and the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness (Joel 1:4 -20).
These verses depict a time when Israelites are worshipping God in the Temple under adverse conditions. A great army has attacked Jerusalem. Verse four talks about chewing, swarming, crawling and consuming locusts eating the fields. These insects are referring to invading armies lead by their commanders and generals. Nahum 3:14–17 defines who they are.
Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong. 15 There the fire will devour you. The sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the grasshopper. Multiply like grasshoppers. Multiply like the locust. 16 You have increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips, and flees away.17 Your guards are like the locusts, and your officials like the swarms of locusts, which settle on the walls on a cold day, but when the sun appears, they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
The pastures are burned up, the brooks are dried up, and the sheep and cattle are starving. This happens after the abomination and desolation has taken place and during the Tribulation; yet God’s children still have access to the Temple! However grain and drink offerings have been suspended. They are suspended due to lack of food, not due to the false prophet’s military occupation of the Temple. The false prophet would not willingly give up that Temple let alone let his enemies have control over it. Yet these verses are depicting such a scenario. This is why I think God allows some of the repentant captives of the Tribulation back into the Temple before the Tribulation is over.
Chapter two depicts a different situation. A scenario that is much better for Israel. It also depicts a time when Israel’s captors are in trouble.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of [Yehovah] comes, for it is close at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations (Joel 2:1-2).
The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 11 [Yehovah] thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of [Yehovah] is great and very awesome, and who can endure it? (Joel 2:10-11)
These events announce the soon coming Day of the Lord. The Great Tribulation being just about over! It also coincides with the sixth seal of Revelation chapter six.
I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. 13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. 16 They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand (Revelation 6:12-17)?
Yet even now," says [Yehovah], “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning." 13 Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to [Yehovah], your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity. 14 Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to [Yehovah], your God. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. 16 Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, and the bride out of her chamber. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of [Yehovah], weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, [Yehovah], and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God (Joel 2:12–17)?
Verse seventeen is interesting we have priests weeping between the porch and the alter praying to God. The nations of Israel are still being oppressed because the Tribulation is still in effect. Yet again we have priests in the Temple asking God to spare His people.
Verses eighteen through thirty-two are beautiful! God answers their prayers and Israel is being blessed.
[Yehovah] answered his people, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.20 But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things. 21 Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for [Yehovah] has done great things (Joel 2:19-21)!
God’s people during the Restoration of Israel will now be blessed with grain and new wine and oil and the northern army, which is the beast’s army, will be driven to the sea. Note it is not the Jews that will be driven to the sea—it is the beast’s army.
These verses further elaborate upon the newfound blessings that the Children of Zion will now receive.
Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for [Yehovah] has done great things. 22 Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. 23 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in [Yehovah], your God; for he gives you the former rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before. 24 The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:21-24).
Verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine show that God pours out his spirit at this time. This is the New Covenant. For more information on the New Covenant read Jeremiah chapter thirty-one.
It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. 29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit (Joel 2:28-29).
Verse thirty-one is important. Some theorize that the entire book of Revelation is about the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord does not begin until the Seventh Seal is opened. This verse alone proves this theory is false.
“The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of [Yehovah] comes” (Joel 2:31).
The sun and the moon go dark right before Christ returns. As was established earlier, this happens during the sixth seal. The Day of the Lord is the seventh seal.
If the Children of Zion have not yet repented they have an open invitation. It would be best to repent at this time, before God renders judgment.
It will happen that whoever will call on the name of [Yehovah] shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as [Yehovah] has said, and among the remnant, those whom [Yehovah] calls (Joel 2:32).
Chapter three recaps the events elaborated upon in chapters one and two. The nations of Israel are captives in the Great Tribulation and God is about to free them. For more information about the nations of Israel and their modern day Identities read: “The Time After Jacob’s Trouble”. Also read: The Symbols Of Our Celto-Saxon Heritage, by W. H. Bennett. This book is obtainable from: Canadian British Israel Association 1361 Ouellette Avenue Windsor, Ontario Canada N8X 1J7.
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have divided my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink (Joel 3:1-3).
The nations who enslaved Israel are instructed to prepare for war.
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’ 11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together." Cause your mighty ones to come down there, [Yehovah] (Joel 3:9-11).
The nations are in big trouble! The Day of the Lord is here!
Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the surrounding nations.13 Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great (Joel 3:12-13).
These verses should be compared to Grapes of wrath of Revelation chapter seventeen.
Another angel came out from the temple, which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. 18 Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!" 19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 The winepress was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.{1600 stadia = 296 kilometers or 184 miles} (Revelation 14:17-20).
The Grapes of Wrath are part of the seventh trumpet blast. The seven trumpet blasts are part of the seventh seal, which is the Day of the Lord.
The rest of the chapter describes further blessings for Israel and additional consequences for Egypt and Edom.
Joel is a fascinating book, which summarizes major end time events. It starts with the Tribulation and ends with the Day of the Lord and the Restoration of Israel.
Immediately after the one thousand two hundred and sixtieth day of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ returns triumphantly. He returns on the Feast of Trumpets and it is an Earth shattering event.
Behold, a day of [Yehovah] comes, when your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then [Yehovah] will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. [Yehovah] my God will come, and all the holy ones with you [Zechariah 14:1-5].
The group of people that receive the mark on their forehead and are spared extermination during the day the Temple is cleansed of pagans are the same people that run through the valley that used to be the Mount of Olives at Christ’s return.
Who are these people? What part do they have in prophecy? There is a mathematical formula, which identifies who these people are and the exact day the Temple is cleansed. All of the scriptures mentioned above are significant to the formulation of the story problem. Now we need to find the numbers to make the equation. Lets first go back to Daniel 8:13-14.
Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?" 14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed (Daniel 8:13-14).
As explained earlier two thousand three hundred days is really referring to two thousand three hundred mornings and evening sacrifices being forcibly kept from taking place in the Temple while it was in enemy hands. When that countdown comes to an end six angels (Jesus Christ is likely with them making seven) commit a sacrifice of pagans and lay their dead carcasses in the Temple. After God angels slaughter the pagans he allows the righteous inhabiting Jerusalem to clean up the mess and to worship in the Temple again.
Now the Tribulation is three and a half years long or 1260 days. This is based on a 30-day monthly calendar and a 360-day year. Now when we divide the actual number of sacrifices missed by 2 we find the actual number of days it takes to perform the total number of missed sacrifices.
The following verses in Revelation and Daniel give the number of days of the Tribulation.
They worshiped the dragon [that is Satan], because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear (Revelation 13:5-9).
Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side. 6 One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, how long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 7 I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished (Daniel 12:5-7).
Forty–two months is another way of saying time, times, and a half. That is three and a half years or 1260 days.
Here is how we get the first number of the equation:
2,300 (sacrifices missed) ÷ 2 = 1,150 (total days taken to miss 2,300 sacrifices)
1,260 (Total days of Tribulation) – 1,150 = 110 (remaining days of the Tribulation)
This means that with 110 days of the Great Tribulation remaining the Temple will be cleansed of pagans and the righteous who received the mark on their foreheads will be allowed to worship the true God in the Temple without any repercussions from the beast or false prophet. It is these very righteous that run through the valley that used to be the Mount of Olives at Christ’s return.
Now we have the first number to use in God’s amazing story problem, 110. Now how do we use this number? God gives us a clue on the day that commemorates His triumphant return as King of kings and Lord of lords. Let’s count it out on the calendar. Leviticus chapter 23 shows us where to start.
[Yehovah] spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no regular work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to [Yehovah] (Leviticus 23:23-25).
Seventh Month
The first day of the month is the Day of Trumpets. Christ returns on this day as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Sixth Month
Let’s begin counting backwards 110 days from the last day of the Great Tribulation.
The day labeled 110 is the first day of the sixth month.
30 Days in each month
Fifth Month
The day labeled 80 is the first day of the fifth month.
30-day month
Fourth Month
The day labeled 50 is the first day of the fourth month.
30-day month
Third Month
The day labeled 20 is the first day of the third month.
30+30+30+20 = 110 days
Count 50 days
Second Month
Now we are counting forwards. The day labeled 10 is the first day of the month
30-day month
First Month
Now we are counting forwards the day labeled one is the first day of the month.
Some scriptures are from the "New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved." “Bible text from the New King James Version® is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000."
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