7 Keys.578
SEVEN KEYS - SECOND COMING
Ref. 578
The Word of our God is the only guide to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Although we do not know the day or hour when He will come, yet from the information given in Scripture, we can draw but one conclusion, and that is, that the day of His coming is very close. We read: MARK 13:32 “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” On the other hand we read: 1 THES 5:4 “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”, and again in REV 3:3 “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
Let us briefly look at Seven Keys to this coming:
KEY NUMBER ONE (Dispersion)
Students of prophecy are of the opinion that the Jewish dispersion for sin and idolatry amongst the nations of the world was to be for a period of 2520 years, after which they were to be restored to their own country - Israel, prior to, and in readiness for the coming of Lord to reign as King.
It will be seen from Leviticus 26 that God would punish them for “Seven Times” LEV 26:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
LEV 26:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
LEV 26:24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
LEV 26:28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
In these verses God speaks of punishment and chastisement for “Seven Times” and not for 2520 years. How therefore do we arrive at the fixed period of years?
KEY NUMBER TWO (What is a time)
The twelfth chapter of Daniel reveals that a terrible time of persecution awaits Israel, DAN 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Daniel was told to “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end” and then a very significant “sign” was given, DAN 12:4 ......many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
As Daniel looked, he saw two men standing one on either side of the river, and one said to the man clothed in linen, DAN 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
In giving this answer the man clothed in linen held up his right hand, and then his left hand toward heaven, so that it appears by this action of raising his two hands he doubled the time period, thus making it “seven times” in agreement with LEV 26:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. A reference in REVELATION 12:6 will throw further light on the word “time” it says: “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”, and 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” It will be seen from verse 6 that 1260 days are mentioned in relation to the woman, whereas in in verse 14 in speaking of the same woman, the writer uses the term “time, times, and half a time”. If we divide 3« times into 1260, which are the two sets of figures quoted, we arrive at 360 `something’ but what? From a study of the history of the Jews since their dispersion, we can conclusively state that it does not refer to days, weeks or months, because they are still in dispersion, therefore it must mean years; i.e., that they were to be scattered throughout the Gentile Nations for a period of 2520 years.
KEY NUMBER THREE (The beginning of these years) Seeing that we have such remarkable data to work upon, viz., that they were to be scattered throughout the world for `seven times’ or 2520 years, and at the end of that period would be regathered, prior to the coming of their Messiah as King, can we ascertain when these `Times’ began, if so, surely we can then know the approximate time of His coming, or their ending. It is generally accepted by students of Scripture that the times of the Gentiles began during the reign of Nebuchadnessar, and from the chronological dates given in our authorised Bible, it will be seen that these `times’ began about 606 B.C., with the first onslaught on Israel. The final overthrow of the Jews however did not occur until about 586 B.C. If we add 2520 years to these dates we get 1914 and 1934 respectively.
Did these years bring with them the end of their dispersion? No! but in 1914 the First World War began, which in turn brought about the deliverance of the Jews in Israel, (then called Palestine) from the Turks in 1917, and since that date under the terms of the Balfour Declaration the Jews have been returning to their National home from all corners of the earth, so that it appears as if we have reached the end of the `seven times’ or 2520 years. Chronologically our dates as given in the authorised Bible may not be reliable; this would throw students of the Bible out in any attempt to ascertain with accuracy the end of the `times’, but without doubt the end is rapidly approaching, and the King is soon coming.
THE FOURTH KEY (The First Advent) The first advent or coming of our Lord was revealed to Daniel by the Angel Gabriel in the following words: DANIEL 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
We find three decrees in scripture, where commandments went forth, viz. EZRA 1:1 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,” by Darius also to build the house of God:
EZRA 6:12 “And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.” The whole of Chapter 6 deal with the ratification to rebuild the Temple by Cyrus many years before, but in Neh.
2:1-8 we find that the decree very clearly stipulates that it was to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” so that this last decree meets the conditions of Daniel 11:25, which are both convincing and interesting:-
The commandment went forth on the 14th March 445 B.C. Our Lord was crucified on the 6th April 32 A.D. The total period between these dates was 476 solar, or 483 prophetic years of 360 days each.
Solar years 476 X 365 = 173,740 days
March 14 - April 6 24 days
Add for Leap years 116 days
173,880 days
Prophetic years
483 X 360 = 173,880 days
It will be seen from these figures, that in both methods of reckoning, we find to a `day’ that our Lord was crucified and the prophecy was fulfilled in accordance with the revelation made to Daniel. Wise men from the East, as well as Simeon and Anna, in all probability, based their calculations and expectations on this prophecy, and awaited His appearing. cf. MAT 2 and Luke 2.
KEY NUMBER FIVE (The Seven Churches) In the Second and Third chapters of Revelation we find a preview of the entire Church Age from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost until the Rapture, when the Church shall be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. In the seven churches portrayed in these two chapters we find the past present and future of the Church. It is generally accepted by Biblical students that we are now in that period of the Church as depicted in Chapter 3, viz., the Laodicean Church, which is neither `cold nor hot’; it is to this church that it is said:
REV 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” It is also to this church that our Lord says: REV 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” That is where our Lord Jesus is standing today, at the hearts’ door of men and women, `knocking’, How? By the numerous signs that His coming is drawing near.
KEY NUMBER SIX (The Lords own Key) In Matthew 24 and Luke 21 we find our Lord’s own key, the signs that were to be the sign of His coming again. Many people say, “We have always had these signs”. It is safe to say that never before in the history of the world have we had all the signs in such evidence as we have them today, and this is one reason for the greater interest, on every hand, in the study of eschatology.
It will be seen from the chapters quoted above that our Lord called attention to certain `signs’ that would indicate His coming again; viz., False Christ’s, wars, rumours of war, famines, pestilence’s, earthquakes, false prophets, failing them for fear, and Jewish signs.
Besides the signs given in these two chapters we have the following in other scriptures:-
a. Travel and knowledge increased. b. World-wide re-armament. c. Rich men heaping up treasure. d. Perilous times. e. Apostasy. f. Spiritism and other Isms. g. Revival of the Roman Empire. h. Peace Conferences. i. Mechanical Transport. j. Unemployment. k. Strikes etc. etc.
KEY NUMBER SEVEN (The Return of the Jews.) Of all the keys, this is one of the most important, for it is given a greater place in Scripture, both the Major and Minor Prophets write of their return to the Holy Land and their re-settlement in the land of their fathers.
This return began in real earnest under the terms of the `Balfour Declaration’ in 1922, and since that date Jews have been returning from all corner of the earth, and they continue to go back in fulfilment of the Prophetical Word, and in preparation for that great and terrible day, which is spoken of as `the day of Jacob’s trouble’ soon after which, REV 1:7 ................. every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” LUKE 21:28 “And when these things...”
