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Bibleline, Bibleline, hear God’s word on Bibleline, hear God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

You and I know we are living in some very exciting days. You just watch the news and you always wonder when’s going to be the next war. We know there either going to be a peace treaty or there’s going to be an all out war and then a peace treaty. But we know that with Israel there has to be a peace treaty made. We also know that Russia is going to come down against Israel. We know that there’s going to be about 200 million soldiers coming from the east toward Israel.

So the lot of things that we do know, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together is a little bit more difficult. When Jesus was here, He talked about the last days. They came to Him and asked Him, when are these things going to take place? So there is a prophecy concerning the last days, and we believe that those days are right ahead of us, many of these. Now he says in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 1, this know also that in the last days perilous time shall come.

Now we believe that we are living at a time when things could turn ugly very, very quickly all over the globe. The Bible describes a big famine that’s going to take and hit the world. It talks about war and bloodshed that’s going to be taking place all over the world. This is found in the book of Revelation in chapter 6 and the opening of those first four seals. So there’s a lot of things that are going to take place and could happen very quickly.

We know we talk about the Second Coming of Christ. when he comes to the earth, we also talk about the rapture where Christ comes back for the believers and it gets a little bit on the difficult side trying sometimes to put all these things together in the right sequence. So hopefully we’ll accomplish a little bit of that today. A large percentage of the Bible is pre-written history, about a fourth of the Bible, pre-written history, history written before it takes place.

That’s what makes the Bible so interested in so exciting. Prophecy demands a study of the book of Matthew in chapter 24. So as we study some of these things about the future, you always seem like you’ve got to go to Matthew 24. So I want you to go ahead and take your Bible and be looking there and understand that the resurrection of Jesus Christ and fulfilled prophecy are two of the most powerful proofs that the Bible truly is the Word of God.

The resurrection Christ coming back from the dead and prophecy that is fulfilled even though the resurrection is part of prophecy. But a lot of things have already been fulfilled but there are still a few things yet in the future that’s going to take place. Now in Matthew chapter 24 we’re going to start there in verse one and read a few of these scriptures, just the first eight verses for right now, because to understand prophecy, you need to go to Matthew 24 and see how it’s laid out, because it’s laid out very beautifully.

Look there in verse one. And Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. So we know the temple was standing in the days of Christ. Now when we read the book of Daniel in chapter 9 it says that the temple at that time was destroyed because the children of Israel had been taken captive into Babylon. But after After 70 years they would go back and rebuild the temple and they would rebuild the temple.

And then the Messiah would come and then the temple would be destroyed. You and I are living when the temple has been destroyed. But in Christ’s day it was here. But the Bible prophesied almost 700 years in advance that once Jesus Christ comes he would be crucified, cut off, but not for himself. And then the temple would be destroyed again. Well since the temple has been destroyed the Messiah must have already come. So he says here in verse 2, Jesus said unto them, see you not all these things, verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

That’s prophetic. And as he set upon the Mount of Olive, the disciples came unto him, privately saying, tell us, when shall these things be? What shall be the sign of thy coming? And of the end of the world, or the end of the age. Now his answer is not to the church. The church did not exist at this time. His answer is to the nation of Israel, is to the Jewish people because this period of time, remember this, the Bible prophesied that there would be 70 weeks of Daniel, 70 weeks of sevens, which would be 490 years from the time the prophecy was given.

And so up until the time of Jesus Christ when He was cut off was the end of the 483 years, which left seven years. Christ is now going to explain those seven years. Those seven years are yet in the future. But whenever it gets here, this is the layout of what’s going to happen doing that seven-year period of time. So when you look there at verse 15 and he says, when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, this is in the middle of the tribulation period when the Antichrist causes that sacrifice that has been offered now in the new temple that’s going to be built.

This is in the middle of the last seven year period of time. So the church is not written in these verses at all. And this is why so many people get the rapture of the church in the wrong place. I want to try to help you today to understand that. So he says here in verse 4, and Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that ye no man deceive you. Many shall come in my name, say, and I am Christ, shall deceive many.

And ye shall here of wars and of rumors of wars, see that you be not troubled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. When he says there’s going to be, many are going to come in the name of Christ and so forth like a woman, these disciples didn’t fall for that because the disciples, they were well grounded and they knew who the Messiah was. So this has to be talking about some people that are going to be living in a future date, which It’s just what it is.

And there will be wars and rumors of wars. Down in verse 7, for nations shall rise against nation. Well this wasn’t in time of the twelve disciples, no. Nations shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and they shall be famines and pestilence and earthquakes and diverse places. Verse 8, all these are the beginning of sorrows. Now I want you to know when he says in Matthew 24 verse 8, all these are the beginning of sorrows, this is the beginning of the seven years.

This is during that seven year period of tribulation that’s coming up on the world. And there’s a lot of wicked things that are going to be taking place, but it begins with a peace treaty that will be made with Israel, even today. And all president seems like trying to find a way to have a peace in Israel. One one day it will happen and it’ll be a time when Russia is going to want to come down against Israel. The world is choosing sides.

We’re living at a very interesting and exciting period of time upon the earth. Now what we call post rapture condition means those things that happens after the rapture takes place. Now the next thing to happen according to timetable is for us to be caught up out of here. Then intense pressure of things that’s going to take place upon the earth. So it is after the rapture takes place. Now the rapture is where all those who have trusted Christ’s Savior will be changed in a moment the twinkling of an eye caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Now that will take place before the seven years began. So this first period of time is called the beginning of sorrows. In the book of Jeremiah, it’s called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. Remember, when we talk about Jake, we’re talking about the 12 tribes of Israel. We’re talking about the nation of Israel. And it’s prophesied that whenever God gave that prophecy in the Old Testament, about the 70 weeks to Daniel, you’re talking about upon thy holy people, and upon thy holy city, upon Israel, and upon Jerusalem.

So that’s the main focus of the tribulation period of time. The church is not found in these scriptures. So the Bible says, then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. This is during this period of time the signs that are leading up to the return of Christ to the earth. Now remember when Christ was there, He never talked to them about the rapture. He did talk to them a thing that were mentioned in the Old Testament about Christ coming in power in great glory and about every eye will see him and that he is going to come back.

So when Christ comes back, he comes back here to the earth at the end of the tribulation period, this tribulation that’s coming upon the earth. That’s why it’s called tribulation because it’s the worst period of time that the world has ever known. So when he says, when ye, that’s the Jews, not us, not the church, when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, that’s during the tribulation period. That’s in the middle of the tribulation period. But the first part of the tribulation period is the beginning of sorrows.

This is where the Antichrist takes over the power, he promises peace, safety, abundance, prosperity, all of that, and comes into power and people will give their power unto this man, and in the middle he is going to break this peace treaty and claim to be God himself and begins to destroy and goes after the Jewish people to totally annihilate the Jewish people. Now there’s a lot of people even in the United Nations that would love to see the nation of Israel totally destroyed.

But this is what’s coming, but this is going to midpoint of the tribulation period. This is your verse 15 of Matthew chapter 24. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet sent in the holy place. This is that period of time and this is where that takes place. Now I want us to take our Bible and turn to the book of Matthew chapter 24 and look there in verse 9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

So we know this in the future when Christ gave this because all this didn’t happen to the apostles that were right there at this time. He says, and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. The only ones that will live unto the end of the tribulation pair are going to be believers, But there’s two ways they will be left alive at the end of the tribulation period because there’s great persecution and there’s going to be many of the Jews annihilated but there will be some that will still be left alive and they will go into the kingdom and become the seed by which God is going to build the greatest nation on the face of the earth which will be the nation of

Israel. That’s hard for people to believe but it is still true. The Word of God is true. So then He makes this statement And verse 14, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the income. Now when we read in the book of Revelation, where he talks about how that yes there’s going to be 144,000 Jewish evangelists that will be preaching during that period of time.

And then also about the angel having the gospel of the everlasting kingdom preaching all over the world and so there will be people from every nation, every tongue that will trust Christ as their Savior during the tribulation period. Multitudes will be killed. It will be the worst period of time that the world has ever known. Now when you get into the book of Revelation in chapter 6, when they said, and the souls of them that were in heaven said, how long, oh Lord, will thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth.

And he says, rest yet a little while until they are going to be killed as you were. So a lot of people are going to be killed during the tribulation period. And then the Bible makes a statement that yes, he’s going to come back in power and great glory. But first of all, he says, now here’s your cue. This is when you’re to run and get out of Jerusalem. And verse 15, when you see this, when you see the Antichrist who is an abomination haha, going to the temple and desecrate the temple, claiming to be he is God, he says, then you get out of there, don’t look back, don’t take anything with you just this flee for your life.

And so he says here in verse 16, then let them which be in Judea flee unto them out and those that be in Judea. So we’re not talking about those that be in Tampa, Florida. It’s not talking about them. It’s talking about a certain group of people. Now get this, let him which is on the house top, not come down to take anything out of the house, neither let them which be in the field, return back to take his clothes, whoa under them that are with child unto them that give suck in those days, but pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day, for then shall be great tribulation, which was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be.

Great tribulation. This is why we have the beginning of sorrows. The last half is the great tribulation. is because of the anti-Christ in verse 15 that says that He is going to rule the world. He breaks the covenant, the peace with Israel. Then He says in verse 22, and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. But for the elects say those days shall be shortened talking about the children of Israel. He says, then if any man shall say unto you, low here is Christ or there, believe it not, for their shall arise false Christ and false prophets and shows signs, great signs, wonders, and so much that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect, talking about the children of Israel.

Behold, I have told you before, wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert, go not for it, behold he is in the secret chambers, believe it not. So how would we know who’s the right one? He says, I’m going to tell you how you recognize when I come back. So you’ll know I’m the right one because see, this antichrist claims to be Christ and he will deceive the whole world. But Christ said, now here’s how you can tell if it’s the right one or not.

So now he describes him, and he says he gives you the sign. You see there in verse 27, for as a lightning cometh out of the east, shineth even unto the the West, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Now, worse, whoever the carcasses there were the eagles be gathered together. You’ll know when I’m coming, because you’ll see me. And every eye will see me. And I’ll be coming from out of the sky. And he says, and it’ll be as far as the east is to the West, you’ll be able to see me bright.

He says also, and worse, whoever the carcasses there were the eagles be gathered together, immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, moon shall not give her life, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven shall be shaken.” He says, this is a good clue, right? When you say this is a good clue, this would be a good sign. When this happens, you’ll know this has got to be the right one.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.” So he says when I come he says you’ll know you know when I’m coming and anybody who does it before that he says not the right one their imitations their false.

So we know the Lord is coming back he promised that he’s going to come back for as the lightning cometh out of the east shining even unto the West, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. This is when He’s coming back at the end of the tribulation period because they’re about ready to totally annihilate the nation of Israel. And if God doesn’t intervene, there’ll be none of them left alive. They’ll finally be able to achieve their goal.

So here comes Christ, the knight in shining armor, deliver them from the iron heel of the antichrist. It’s going to happen. God has promised now. He says, for the lightning cometh out of the east, shine its even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Mamie. His coming is the sign. This is how it’s going to be. Now if you look close, I’m on the horse right behind him. You didn’t see that. And he shall send his angels with a great son of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, which I believe is a reference to the children of Israel.

And they all see him and they will see the one that they have pierced because he says in the book of Zachariah that they will say, where did you get those wounds that are in your hands? And he says, I got them in the house of my friends. He came the first time, but He’s coming back. It’s a prophecy. Most of these things are prophetic, history in advance. It’s like somebody went forward in time, and then came back and wrote about it.

You see, you don’t have to watch some movie about that stuff. Just read your Bible. It’s more interesting, more exciting, and it’s the truth. God tells us what’s gonna take place. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven. and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. You see when he comes in the rapture you don’t see all of this. Because see the rapture is only for those believers who have trusted Christ’s Savior and are alive at that moment which if he was to come right now every person in here who has trusted Christ’s Savior will be changed in a moment the twinkle of an eye and caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

That is not the same as the revelation of Christ coming to the earth, and we’ll show you that in just a minute. Warning, warning, warning. So many people get this all messed up. Do not put the teaching of the rapture of the church-aid believers into the book of Matthew. It’s not there. And that’s why whenever they read Matthew 24, he talks about two shall be in the field, one taken one left, two shall be in the bed, taken one, that’s not the rapture.

They didn’t know anything about the rapture. That’s not a description of the rapture. We’ll get into that at another time. Matthew is about Christ as the King of the Jews, not as the head of the church. And there is a difference. The rapture, well this is the living and the dead, believers in the church aid. So when Christ comes back for you and I. The dead bodies are going to be resurrected. The dead in Christ shall rise first. And then those who are alive are going to be changed in a moment, the twinkling of an eye, and will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air.

Now, the revelation of Christ when He is revealed in power and great glory in every eye will see Him. That takes place at the end the tribulation period. So those that are alive at that period of time and those who have been martyred, as he says in Revelation chapter 20, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the cause of Christ. He says, and they shall live and reign with Him for a thousand years, so that’s a thousand year reign after this.

But after the rapture, it’s not the thousand year reign. After the rapture is the tribulation period, two different things. Otherwise, we would would be looking for what comes in here instead of what over here. We are taken out of this world seven years before this. I’ve had people say, don’t you know there’s other views in your, yes I do. And I’ve studied every view I can think of from all different people and sources and books and so on. And when they get to heaven, they’re going to agree with me.

You say, why don’t you agree with them? Because then we’d both be wrong. The three main rapture reviews we hold to the pre-trib. You see, some people believe that the rapture takes place back here before the tribulation is called pre-tribulation. Then you have those that are mid-trib. Well, he comes in the middle right before the great wrath upon the earth. That’s another view. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that God will take his bride and push into the tribulation, period and beater to half the death before he takes her home.

Over here we have the post-tribulation view, which means he comes back at the end and so the rapture and the second coming is all the same thing. No, it’s not. So I wanted to make sure you understood that I understand there’s other of yours and which one’s right, the pre-tribulation rapture. That’s the correct position. thought I’d just let you know that. Why we believe in a pre-trib rapture? Let me tell you, since you wanted to know. Because the 70th week of Daniel is seven years.

There were 70 weeks total, which would be 490, because each week was seven years. So 490 years total are determined upon, and it says, upon thy people, Israel, and upon thy holy city, Jerusalem. All 70 of these weeks are about that. And that’s what it’s for. Now, he says, no therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem onto the Messiah of the Prince shall be seven weeks. That’s 49 years. That’s how long it took him to get back to the land and to build the temple that would back in Ezra near my his day.

So the temple was built 49 years. Then he says, and after three score and two weeks, four hundred and three score. 34 more years after the temple shall Messiah be cut off. You write these scripture references down, and when you get home you look them up, and you’ll find out, man, I can believe the Bible. You sure can. He prophesied how long, even to the year, up until the Christ would be cut off, but it says this. He wouldn’t be cut off because of anything he’s done.

But whenever he dies, that ends that 69th week. But there’s one more week left. You see, 49 years and 434 years is a total of 483 years. It’s supposed to be 49 yet. So that means there’s seven years left. After the crucifixion, there were seven years, one week, left to complete the prophecy before Christ would reign upon the earth. That’s that’s what he promised, and I believe it’s going to happen. So when Christ mentions this in the book of Matthew in chapter 24, He’s explaining that 70th week, and He’s telling you that there is going to be seven more years, but it’s out there in the future.

But He says, now this is what’s going to happen, because He says in the book of Daniel, there’s going be a covenant made. He shall confirm the covenant with many one week. And in the midst of the week it calls the sacrifices to cease. That’s why in the book of Matthew chapter 24 and verse 15 in the midst of the week, according to Daniel chapter 9 verse 27, in the midst of the week. That means in the middle of seven years, through and a half years the antichrist comes, stops the sacrifices, destroys the temple and claims to be God and wants to annihilate the Jewish people.

It’s mentioned in the book of Daniel, verified again by Christ in the book of Matthew chapter 24, and then laid out in detail in the book of Revelation. So this week is upon Israel, not the church, because this seven years belongs to the nation of Israel, and that 70 weeks is upon them. It’s not upon the church. The church was not even mentioned in the Old Testament. There’s types that we can apply, but it’s not talked about and there’s no rapture.

There’s types about the rapture and it was caught up. Then Elijah was caught up in the fiery chair and all that. But this is different. This is your invitation to join us for our third Sunday dinner held in the Florida Bible College of Tampa building on the Calvary Community Church Campus. The dinner is a family-style, covered-dish dinner and a great way to showcase your favorite dish and pick up new recipes. Each month you have the opportunity to invite your family and friends to join us for our Sunday morning service at 1030 and then stay for our third Sunday dinner immediately following noon.

Third Sundays at Calvary Community Church, where you’ll be fed spiritually and physically. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed. caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.