Daniel 11.40-45; Revelation 12.6-17-World-Wide Persecution Of Israel And The Occupation of Jerusalem By Gentile Armies
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday August 10, 2008
The Day of the Lord: Daniel 11:40-45; Revelation 12:6-17-World-Wide Persecution Of Israel And The Occupation Of Jerusalem By Gentile Armies
Lesson # 16
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 11:40.
As is our custom the first Sunday of every month, we will temporarily suspend our current studies in the book of Romans to continue with our studies of the prophetic subject called “the day of the Lord.”
“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.
We are currently studying the “Tribulation” portion of this prophetic subject, which is also known by students of prophecy as, “Daniel’s Seventieth Week,” which refers to the last seven of the four hundred ninety prophetic years of Israel’s history, which is called by students of prophecy, “The Seventy Weeks of Daniel” and is recorded in Daniel 9:24-27.
A “week” in the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 refers to seven prophetic years of three hundred sixty days; therefore, the prophecy of the seventy weeks of Daniel refers to four hundred ninety prophetic years of Israel’s history.
“Daniel’s Seventieth Week” refers to a seven-year period that extends from Antichrist’s peace treaty with Israel after 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 (Daniel 9:24-27).
This seven-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).
This period will end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, which is the visible return of Christ to planet earth with the elect angels and the Church in order to deliver Israel from her enemies and establish Jesus Christ’s millennial reign (Dan. 2:44-45; Zech. 14; Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 1:7; 19:11-21).
The Bible also teaches that the church is delivered from the wrath to come during the Great Tribulation period.
1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The following is a chronology of events that we have studied thus far in relation to Daniel’s Seventieth Week:
(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 rise of the revived form of the Roman Empire under Antichrist during the first three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week will be accompanied by the formulation of a false religious system under the false prophet (Rev. 13:11-18).
(4) Antichrist’s peace treaty with the leadership of Israel, which takes place after the rapture of the church and actually begins Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Toward the middle of Daniel’s 70th week, Michael the archangel and his legions of elect-angels will expel Satan and his legions from heaven (Rev. 12:7).
Once Satan is thrown down permanently on the earth, he will inspire the leader of Russia and her allies to invade Israel during the midway point of Daniel’s Seventieth Week according to Ezekiel 38-39.
Ezekiel chapters thirty eight and thirty nine reveals that the Lord Himself will destroy this invasion by Russia who will be accompanied by Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia, Sudan and Libya.
The next major event will be Antichrist breaking his treaty with the Israel.
The Russian led invasion of Israel will cause the Antichrist to break his treaty with Israel and occupy Israel according to Daniel 11:41.
As a result as a result of the power vacuum in the world caused by the destruction of Russia’s military, the Antichrist will become a world ruler (Rev. 6:1-2; 13:5, 7; 17:12-13).
Antichrist will receive will be worshipped world-wide (Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15) and during this time Jerusalem will be occupied by Gentile armies.
The prophet Daniel predicts that Antichrist will enter Israel and occupy it during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Daniel 11:40-45, “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”
The prophet Zechariah speaks of the occupation of Israel during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Zechariah 14:1-2, “Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.”
The occupation of Jerusalem during the last three and half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week is predicted in Revelation 11:1-2.
Revelation 11:1-2, “Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”
Accompanying this occupation of Israel and her capital Jerusalem will be a great world-wise persecution of the Jews inspired by Satan himself.
Anti-Semitism will be at its height.
“Anti-Semitism” is opposition to, prejudice against, or intolerance of the Jewish people.
However, as we noted in our studies in the book of Genesis, the term “Semite” encompasses much more than just the Jews.
The term “Semite” refers to those peoples that are descended from one of Noah’s three sons, “Shem” the other two sons were “Japheth” and “Ham.”
In the book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles 1-2, the names of children are listed in the order in which they were born, thus, the phrase “Shem, Ham and Japheth” appears in Genesis 5:32, 6:10, 7:13, 9:18, 10:1 and 1 Chronicles 1:4, indicating that Shem was the oldest followed by Ham and then Japheth as the youngest.
The fact that Shem is the older brother of Japheth is confirmed in Genesis 10:21.
1 Chronicles 1:5-7 lists the descendants of Japheth and then 1 Chronicles 1:8-16 lists the descendants of Ham and lastly 1 Chronicles 1:17-27 lists the descendants of Shem up to Abraham and then only the line of Shem continues forward.
1 Chronicles 1:28 records that Abraham had two sons Isaac and Ishmael.
1 Chronicles 1:34 records that Isaac had a son called Israel who is also known as Jacob.
1 Chronicles 2:1-2 records the twelve sons of Israel from whom the nation of Israel originates.
The descendants of Shem are recorded in Genesis 10:22-31, and 1 Chronicles 1:17-27.
Noah’s prophecy in Genesis 9:26 records that God elected the line of Shem to rule the earth and that the line of Shem would produce the promised “Seed” and fulfill the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 to crush the head of the serpent, Satan.
In His human nature, Jesus Christ is descended from Shem and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and is from the tribe of Judah.
Therefore, the Jews are but one branch of the Semitic peoples, which include the Arabs, Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians.
Revelation 12 predicts that Israel will the face the worst persecution in her history during the last three and half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
This chapter also teaches that “Anti-Semitism” is Satanic in origin since it teaches that Satan has persecuted the nation of Israel throughout her history because the Messiah would be a Jew.
Revelation 12:1-5 refers to the history of the nation of Israel from its inception to the ascension and session of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:1-5, “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman (Nation of Israel) clothed with the sun (Represents Jacob), and the moon (Represents Rachel and Leah) under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Represents 12 Sons of Jacob) and she was with child (Represents Jesus Christ); and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon (Represents Satan) having seven heads (Represents 7 great Gentile world empires: (1) Egypt (2) Assyria (3) Babylon (4) Medo-Persia (5) Graeco-Macedonia (6) Rome (7) Future Revived Roman Empire) and ten horns (10 Ten European Confederacy, i.e. Revived Roman Empire), and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven (Represents fallen angels) and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child (Jesus Christ), who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne (Ascension and Session of Jesus Christ).”
Revelation 12:6-17 refers to the last three and half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Revelation 12:6-17, “Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days (Last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week).”
Revelation 12:7-9 refers to Satan being tossed out of heaven during the midway point of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Revelation 12:7-9, “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. 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 12:10-17 refers to Satan’s persecution of the nation of Israel during the last three and half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Revelation 12:10-17, “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. 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. 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.’ And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 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. 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. 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. 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.”
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of this greatest persecution in Israel’s history.
Jeremiah 30:5-7, “For thus says the LORD, ‘I have heard a sound of terror, of dread, and there is no peace. Ask now, and see if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale? ‘Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's distress, but he will be saved from it.’”
In His great Olivet Discourse, in Matthew 24:9, the Lord Jesus Christ predicts this great persecution of the nation of Israel.
Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”
This leads us to the communion service and so therefore, could we have our ushers 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.
1 Corinthians 11:23, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread.”
1 Corinthians 11:24, “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”
1 Corinthians 11:25, “In the same way {He took} the cup also after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink {it} in remembrance of Me.’”
1 Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.”