The Events During Daniel's Seventieth Week (Great Tribulation)
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday August 5, 2007
The Day of the Lord: The Events of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Great Tribulation)
Lesson # 4
Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation 13:1.
This morning we will temporarily suspend our studies in the book of Romans by continuing our series dealing with the prophetic subject called “the Day of the Lord,” which I will conduct each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
“The Day of the Lord” is “not” a literal twenty-four period but rather is an extended period of time beginning with God’s dealing with Israel after the rapture at the beginning of the tribulation period and extending through the 2nd Advent and the millennial age unto the creation of the new heavens and the new earth.
The “Rapture” of the church triggers the beginning of this period called the “Day of the Lord.”
The “Rapture” refers to the resurrection of the church, which is imminent, invisible to the world, and terminates the church age and will take place in the earth’s atmosphere when the Lord Jesus Christ will suddenly and forcefully remove the church from planet earth in order to deliver her from the Tribulation period.
The Rapture is immediately followed by the Tribulation period, which is also known by students of prophecy as, “Daniel’s Seventieth Week.”
Daniel’s 70th week refers to a 7-year period that extends from the rapture of the church to the 2nd Advent of Christ and is concerned with the nation of Israel exclusively and will be the worst period in all of Israel’s and the world’s history.
This 7-year period is divided into two three and a half year periods with the first three and a half years characterized as a cold war (Mt. 24:6) whereas the last three and a half years are characterized as a hot war (Mt. 24:21-22).
The church age takes place between Daniel 9:26 and 27 and was a “mystery” (Eph. 3:9) meaning it was not known to Old Testament prophets such as Daniel.
God has temporarily set aside Israel because of her rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah (Rom. 9-11) in order to form the church and so therefore, the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy have yet to be fulfilled but will be fulfilled after the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
The Bible also teaches that the church is delivered from the wrath to come during the Great Tribulation period.
1 Thessalonians 1:10, “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This morning we will study the events during Daniel’s Seventieth Week, which is also known by students of prophecy as the “Great Tribulation.”
Events in the 1st half of the Tribulation:
(1) The Rise of the Ten Nation Confederacy called the Revived Roman Empire at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week (Dan. 2; 7).
(2) Antichrist rises to power as the King of the Western Confederacy in Europe (Dan. 7:20, 24; 9:27; Rev. 13:1-10).
(3) The formulation of a false religious system under the false prophet at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week (Rev. 13:11-18).
Revelation 13:1, “And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.”
Revelation 13:2, “And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.”
Revelation 13:3, “I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast.”
Revelation 13:4, “they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’”
Revelation 13:5, “There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.”
Revelation 13:6, “And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.”
Revelation 13:7, “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.”
Revelation 13:8, “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 slain.”
Revelation 13:9, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”
Revelation 13:10, “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”
(4) Antichrist makes a 7-year covenant with Israel to protect her (Dan. 9:24-27; 1st seal Rev. 6:1-2).
(5) Israel living in peace in the land (Ezek. 38:8).
(6) Temple rebuilt in Jerusalem and sacrifices instituted (Rev. 11:1-2; 2 Th. 2:4).
(7) World-wide apostate church dominates (Rev. 17).
(8) The pouring out of the judgments under the seals (Rev. 6).
(9) 144,000 Born-again Jews evangelize Israel and the world (Rev. 7:1-8).
Events in the middle of Tribulation:
(1) Satan is expelled from heaven by Michael and the elect angels and cast down to earth (Rev. 12:1-17).
Revelation 12:7-8, “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.”
Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”
Revelation 12:10-11, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.’”
Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
Revelation 12:12, “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Revelation 12:13, “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.”
Revelation 12:14, “But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”
Revelation 12:15, “And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.”
Revelation 12:16, “But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.”
Revelation 12:17, “So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
(2) Gog and her allies invade Israel from the north (Joel 2:20; Ezek. 38-39).
(3) Gog and her allies are destroyed by God (Ezek. 38:17-23).
Events in the 2nd half of Tribulation:
(1) Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and puts an end to sacrifices in temple and declares himself as God (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:4).
(2) Antichrist becomes world ruler as a result of the power vacuum in the world caused by the destruction of Russia’s military (Rev. 6:1-2; 13:5, 7; 17:12-13).
(3) War, famine and death (2nd, 3rd and 4th seals, Rev. 6:3-8).
(4) Martyrdom of both Jewish and Gentile believers who don’t receive mark of the Beast (5th seal, Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-14; Mt. 24:9).
(5) Jerusalem overrun by Gentile armies (Rev. 11:2; Lk. 21:24).
(6) 2 Witnesses (Moses and Elijah) killed and raised from the dead (Rev. 11).
(7) Image of Antichrist worshipped by the world (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; 2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 13:14-15).
Revelation 13:11, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.”
Revelation 13:12, “He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.”
Revelation 13:13, “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.”
Revelation 13:14, “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.”
Revelation 13:15, “And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”
Revelation 13:16-17, “And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”
Revelation 13:18, “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.”
(8) Worldwide deception by false prophets and Antichrist (Mt. 24:11; 2 Th. 2:9-11).
(9) Gospel proclaimed worldwide (Mt. 24:14).
(10) Worldwide disasters from divine wrath (6th seal, Rev. 6:12-17).
(11) Worldwide persecution of Israel (Jer. 30:5-7; Dan. 12:1; Mt. 24:21-22).
(12) Trumpet Judgments (Rev. 8-9, 11).
(13) Bowl Judgments (Rev. 16).
(14) Antichrist destroys the worldwide apostate church (Rev. 17:16-18).
Events concluding Tribulation:
(1) Signs appear in the earth and sky (Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:10; Mt. 24:29).
(2) Christ returns to deliver Israel (Rev. 19:11-19; Mt. 24:27-31).
(3) World’s armies unite to fight Christ at Armageddon and are destroyed (Joel 3:9-11; Rev. 16:16; 19:17-19).
(4) Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20).
(5) Satan imprisoned for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-3).
(6) Judgment of Israel (Ezek. 20:33-38).
(7) Judgment Gentile nations (Mt. 25:31-46).
(8) Resurrection of Old Testament and Tribulational martyrs (Dan. 12:1-3; Rev. 20:4-6).
(9) Marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9).
(10) Millennial reign begins (Rev. 20:4).
This leads us to the communion service and so therefore, could we have the deacons pass out the communion elements and let us take a few minutes to meditate upon the Lord and prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper is a commandment given by the Lord Jesus Christ to every church age believer to bring into remembrance His Unique Person and Finished Work on the Cross, both of which serve as the basis for fellowship with God and each other as members of the Body of Christ.
In the communion service, the bread portrays the sinless humanity of Christ, which was sacrificed for us and the wine portrays His spiritual death as our Substitute, both of which serve as the basis for fellowship with God and each other.
Luke 22:14, “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.”
Luke 22:15-16, “And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’”
Luke 22:17-18, “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.’”
Luke 22:19, “And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”
Luke 22:20, “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”