The book of Daniel was written in Babylon in two different languages: Chaldean, the popular language of the day in Babylon, and Hebrew. The book of Daniel did not come by the will of man, but by the will of God through the Holy Spirit. One entire chapter, the fourth, was by the Gentile King Nebuchadnezzar, telling how he was brought to God. His conversion demonstrated God’s love for the Gentiles. But before Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself in the sight of God, there was the incident of the three Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace. How does the fiery furnace fit in with Daniel’s little horn? The fiery furnace is a type and shadow of God’s delivering power for the Jews during the cruel reign of the little horn of prophecy.

The Fiery Furnace

Nebuchadnezzar had seen the hand of God bring great miracles. One mighty manifestation came in response to Nebuchadnezzar’s decree that a golden image must be worshiped when the sound of music was heard. And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth…should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace (Daniel 3:11). Three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, would not bow to this image. Like steel rods, their knees refused to bend. Love kept them upright.

Their faith and loyalty to God infuriated the people, who then protested to the king: Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:10-13).

The king gave them another chance. Bow, he said, or be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? he asked. But the three Hebrew boys didn’t hesitate: O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up (Daniel 3:15-18).

Music was played expressly for the three Hebrew boys. The special treatment didn’t puff their egos, for these young men had the truth of God in their hearts, and they still refused to bow.

Nebuchadnezzar went into a rage. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God (Daniel 3:19,20,22-25). The fourth man, Jesus, had joined them. Jesus always joins people who won’t compromise with the world. The Lord will never fail to be with you in all your furnaces of affliction as long as you stand for truth. Truth brings Jesus to you. He said, I am truth. Embracing the truth is embracing Jesus of Nazareth.

The book of Daniel tells of the wonderful way God was able to work for Daniel and his three friends. It goes on to reveal prophecies that were later fulfilled and prophecies extending into our day and beyond.

Daniel Foretells Medo-Persia’s Defeat

Chapter eight of Daniel gives details concerning the kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece and leads into the prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes who persecuted the Jews unmercifully around 168 B.C. At the time of this vision, the present kingdom of Babylon was nearing its end. And I saw in a vision…and, behold, there stood before the river a ram [representing the Medo-Persian kingdom] which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last (Daniel 8:2,3). A likeness of the Medo-Persian ram was displayed on a banner from this period. In the beginning, the Medes were stronger than the Persians; then Persia gained the upper hand. Persia was the higher horn that came up last. Daniel’s Persia is Iran of today. Iran/Persia will play a great part in the prophecy of this last hour. She is filled with unreasoning hatred for America as well as for Israel.

Daniel continues the prophecy: I saw the ram [Medo-Persia] pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. And as I was considering, behold, an he goat [Greece] came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him (Daniel 8:4-7). The goat introduced here represents the Greek kingdom under Alexander who came forth with great power against Daniel’s ram with two horns, the Medo-Persian kingdom. The notable horn, Alexander, swept everything in all directions into his hands, conquering the known world of his time. For a period there seemed no way of stopping him. We are told that he sat down and cried because he had no more kingdoms to conquer. There was no power in the ram [Medo-Persia] to stand before him [Greece], but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand (Daniel 8:7). No one could be delivered out of the hand of Alexander at that time. Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven (verse 8). The great horn was broken—Alexander died—and four generals took his place, the four notable horns.

The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power (Daniel 8:20-22). After his death, Alexander’s territories were divided into four nations, ruled by four of his generals. One of those conquered kingdoms, Syria, later produced Antiochus Epiphanes, a type and shadow of the Antichrist.

Two Little Horns

The two little horns in the seventh and eighth chapters of Daniel are significant in understanding Bible prophecy; one represents the Antichrist; the other, Antiochus Epiphanes who was in power from 175 B.C. until 164 B.C. Study chapters seven and eight of Daniel until you can separate the two little horns.

In chapter seven, God didn’t tell Daniel about the first little horn; he went right to the second, representing the Antichrist. Seeing a beast with ten horns, Daniel said: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things (Daniel 7:8). The horns of the beast represent kingdoms—ten horns, ten kingdoms. The little horn in the seventh chapter of Daniel, the Antichrist, will uproot three of the ten kingdoms in the latter days. The remaining seven kingdoms will deliver their power into the Antichrist’s hands.

In a vision two years later, recorded in chapter eight, God told Daniel about the first little horn, Antiochus, and explained its meaning to him. Then in the twenty-third verse, the prophecy turns to the latter days and the reign of the Antichrist.

Antiochus Epiphanes

Let’s find out more about Antiochus, that first little horn: And out of one of them [one of the four generals who came to power after Alexander] came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land (Daniel 8:9). This little horn came forth while Greece was in power; and so we know it could not be the little horn of the Antichrist of the final hour, but rather the little horn of Antiochus. At the beginning of his reign, Antiochus was accepted by the Jews who thought they had a benevolent prince. He seemed to show them love. By peace he swept them into his control. The little horn [Antiochus] waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them (verse 10).

Babylon had great power, the Medes and the Persians, the Greeks; but here is a ruler more cruel than the others. Up until this time no king is described as having such power. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down (Daniel 8:11). This is Antiochus desecrating the temple of Jerusalem. He enraged the Jews by setting up a statue of Jupiter in the temple’s Holy of Holies, by robbing the temple, forbidding circumcision, destroying all the sacred books that could be found, and commanding the unholy sacrifice of swine. In the latter days, the Antichrist will also desecrate the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered (Daniel 8:12). Antiochus practiced, prospered, and showed great power. When the real Antichrist comes forth, he, too, will practice and prosper, sweeping nations into his arms, his will.

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days (Daniel 8:13,14). What does this period of time represent? The reign of the ferocious, devilishly cruel Antiochus Epiphanes. This first little horn of chapter seven refers to Antiochus Epiphanes, for that number of days, 2,300, fits nowhere else in the Scripture.

Antiochus Epiphanes did the very same thing that Daniel said the Antichrist would do in the Tribulation Period. He spit in the eye of God, set himself up as being God.

Antiochus Defeated by the Maccabees

The book of the Maccabees tells of the deliverance of the Jews from Antiochus. Judas Maccabeus fought and finally retook Jerusalem, purified the temple and restored daily sacrifice. After Antiochus desecrated the altar of God in 168 B.C., 2,300 days passed before Judas Maccabeus and his brother delivered the Jews. This was fulfillment of the prophecy telling that the sanctuary and the host would be trodden underfoot for that length of time, and then God’s house would be cleansed (Daniel 8:14).

Judas Maccabeus is a type of the Savior, the Deliverer to come at the end of the age when it will seem to the Jews that all is lost. Just as Judas Maccabeus came on the scene to deliver the Jews from the tyranny of Antiochus, Jesus will come to deliver them from the Antichrist; but this final deliverance will last an eternity.

The Jews, having survived the reign of Antiochus as well as many unspeakable horrors down through the years, are preparing for the real Antichrist whom they will mistake for their Messiah—at first.

We must look at chapters seven and eight of Daniel as a double prophecy, or we will miss what God is trying to tell us. These prophecies are (1) for the period of time of Antiochus Epiphanes and (2) for the period of time of the Antichrist, the end of the Gentile age.

And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground [Daniel was in the Spirit]: but he touched me, and set me upright. And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be (Daniel 8:15-19). We expect the soon fulfillment of Daniel’s turbulent endtime prophecies, for when we look back in history we see all his prophecies of earlier times fulfilled. One of those prophecies of Jewish tragedy came to pass soon after the time of Christ.

Jerusalem Destroyed in 70 A.D.

God revealed to Daniel some of the horror his nation Israel would endure at the hand not only of Antiochus and the Antichrist but of another dictator.

And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city (Daniel 9:26). Who does this prince refer to? Not the Antichrist. Not Antiochus; he had been dead a number of years. Daniel is now speaking of a third dictator, a man with the same spirit of Antichrist, the same spirit that has been in all the world kingdoms. He is the Roman Titus, the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined (verse26). This destruction of Jerusalem took place in 70 A.D. Titus swept down upon the land of Israel and destroyed the city. The Children of Israel were scattered everywhere—those who survived. It was a terrible time.

God told Daniel that the Holy City would be destroyed, that there would be wars, wars, wars. Wars have been waged throughout history, but the war of Armageddon in the Jew’s seventieth week will be more horrible than man could ever imagine.

Seventy Weeks of Years

Daniel sought God much in fastings, in prayers. Daniel, a captive in Babylon, lived among people lost and undone without God. Daniel knew his people had failed; he confessed their sins, interceding for them, pleading with God to forgive, to bless and help. Daniel prayed for understanding and light for his people. He wanted God to move. As he was seeking God, tarrying before the Lord, this message of seventy weeks of years came: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (Daniel 9:24). Those seventy weeks are no ordinary weeks, but weeks of years. Seventy weeks of years—seventy times seven—is 490 years. Four hundred ninety years are given the Jews in which to make an end of sin and bring in the everlasting righteousness.

It was common in Israel to call seven years one week. In Genesis 29 we find Jacob working at his father-in-law’s house seven years for Rachel. But when the time came for Jacob to claim his bride, his father-in-law double-crossed him by marrying him to the older daughter, Leah. His father-in-law’s reasoning? It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week (Genesis 29:26,27). What was the week to be fulfilled? Not a week of seven days, but a week of seven years. If you do not understand the seventy weeks of years, you do not understand the book of Daniel.

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 [of years, 49 years], and threescore and two weeks [of years, 434 years] (Daniel 9:25). Two different time periods are mentioned in this verse—49 years and 434 years—that would transpire from the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem until Jesus was cut off. When did the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem take place? The only decree in the Scripture authorizing the rebuilding of the city and its wall is recorded in Nehemiah: In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes [445 B.C.] (Nehemiah 2:1). Four hundred forty-five B.C. marked the beginning of the seventy weeks of years. Nehemiah, Zerubbabel and Ezra took part in restoring the city and walls of Jerusalem. History and the Bible agree that these periods of time were fulfilled exactly as the Lord prophesied them through Daniel.

The Interruption in the Seventy Weeks of Years

And after threescore and two weeks [434 years] shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself (Daniel 9:26). The Cross of Calvary interrupted this 490 year period promised the Jews seven years short of completion. Jesus did not die for Himself but for others, and the Lord set the nation of Israel aside almost as if it didn’t exist. God had done everything He could do at the time. It would take scattering, chastising His chosen people just like He promised, to bring them to the knowledge of the truth. God keeps His promises, for good or for bad. He told Israel that if they didn’t obey Him He would scatter them among all nations, but He also promised to gather them back. When the Jewish dispensation was cut off seven years short of the completion of their 490 years, the Gentile church came on the stage of action.

From Christ’s side came the church, a part of Jesus; and the Lord started dealing with the church. The Jewish people were put on hold because they had rejected their Messiah.

Now for almost 2,000 years, civilization has lived in the church age. Remember, 483 years of this last 490 year period promised to the Jews were completed when Jesus was cut off. Seven years of the Jewish 490 years are awaiting completion.

In Review

The Lord through Daniel the prophet said that seventy weeks were declared upon the Jews, not ordinary weeks but weeks of years. Sixty-nine weeks of years have been separated from the final seventieth week—seven years—for almost 2,000 years when at the death of Christ, the Jewish dispensation suddenly came to a halt. The Jews as a nation rejected their Messiah, and that rejection closed their dispensation. The Lord turned to the Gentiles.

This 490 year period can be divided into three parts, the first lasting seven weeks of years, or forty-nine years; the second lasting sixty-two weeks or 434 years, the two equaling 483 years. Four hundred eighty-three years of this time period have elapsed, and only the seventieth week remains to be fulfilled, one week of years, seven years.

The Lord told Daniel that the Antichrist would then come on the scene and make a covenant with the Jews for one week—seven years. But in the middle of the week—the middle of the Tribulation Period, after three-and-a-half years—the covenant would be broken, and the Jews would know the Antichrist was not their Messiah.

People today are being conditioned to accept the Antichrist’s kingdom. Through suffering wars and persecutions, Israel will be ready to welcome a leader who offers a reasonable-sounding peace. Through peace the Antichrist will destroy many. He will come forth as a king of peace, just like Antiochus, in chapter eight of Daniel, came forth from Syria offering peace and love. Today many are fooled by hopes of peace, but their hopes rest in a false, deceitful promise.

The Great Tribulation of the Last Seven Years

The last week of seven years will be those in which God deals with the Jewish people before He sets up His Kingdom here on Earth, and will complete the 490 years prophesied to the Jews through Daniel. Those last seven years will be the seven year period of the Great Tribulation. God then will deal with the Jews as a nation. He is not dealing with the Jews as a nation at this time as He once did, although He is moving to draw them all back to the Holy Land, getting them ready to be in place when the prophesied time arrives. Just before the last seven years, the Bride of Christ will be taken out, marking the close of the church dispensation and the resumption of the Jewish dispensation.

Some think the church will go through part of the Tribulation Period, but not so. The church age will not close and leave the church—those truly born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit—behind for all or part of the Tribulation Period. The Bible definitely teaches that the church age will close with the Bride of Christ being taken out at the Rapture. Then suddenly the last week of seven years that has been on hold for almost 2,000 years will begin.

The Antichrist

The Antichrist, the false christ of Revelation 6, will burst on the scene as a rider of peace on a white horse. White is a symbol for peace. Deceiving the Jewish nation, he will make a covenant with them for seven years, or for that one last week of the seventy weeks of years. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (Daniel 9:27).

The world is ready for the Antichrist right now. America as a whole would accept him. I mean by that, they would reach out to him, recognize him to be someone great.

The Antichrist is coming in splendor, with all the answers. He will appear as a crowned king, not in the humility of Jesus but with a show of worldly power, offering everything to Israel she could possibly want: peace, deliverance. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches (Daniel 11:24). The Antichrist shall divide the spoil among the people. No other dictator has ever done that. Believing his promises, Israel will make a covenant with him—and be betrayed.

I believe the Antichrist is on planet Earth now, that he was born in the sixties. The world has never been the same since the sixties. We are living in days like those of Sodom and Gomorrah and the days of Noah. The filth, the dirt, the slime, the unholy living of today is the same as it was then. Desolations are determined until the end of the world. There will be trouble, trouble, wars, desolations and more wars.

The Antichrist Will Fascinate Many

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up (Daniel 8:23). This king, the Antichrist, will have unusual power, unusual intelligence—demonic intelligence. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. This power is the devil’s. And he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people (verse 24). The Antichrist will “destroy wonderfully,” in such a great way that people will be fascinated by it.

We saw some of that fascination in Hitler’s day. Hitler took over one country after another. Many were intrigued by his charisma. Nations at first watched and did nothing; so will it be in the end-time age. Already evil takeovers have occurred on smaller scales; they came fast, descended upon the world. The intelligence and understanding to bring them about was from Satan.

Antiochus gave himself completely over to the devil, and the devil used him one hundred percent as his tool the way he would use any demon. Yet Antiochus was a man. The Antichrist will be a man used by the devil just like the devil uses demons today. The devil will control the Antichrist’s mind, be his general, feed him words to say, acts to perform—demonic control.

All that Antiochus did prospered for a time. Nothing could stop him. It will be the same with the Antichrist. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many (Daniel 8:25). With fascinating speed and swiftness the Antichrist will sweep in, demonstrating great understanding, giving answers to things that man never had answers to before.

Many are seeking that kind of person in the occult right now. When they find someone who will tell them a little about themselves, they are ecstatic. Instead of seeking God, they look for a person who will reveal their future. If a psychic can bring up something from their past, they are convinced he knows all. He takes the place of God in their lives.

Israel has fought hard to return to their homeland, suffered seemingly endless persecutions; and when at last they think they have found their Redeemer, he will be this: A vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people (Daniel 11:21-23).

The Jews will discover just what sort of demonic ruler they have allowed to deceive them: And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all (Daniel 11:36,37). Isn’t this what the devil did when he fell from grace—magnify himself? Hasn’t he sought to do this ever since he has been on Earth? The devil wants to be the god of this Earth and of Heaven, too.

In the middle of the week, after three-and-a-half years, the Antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Daniel 9:27). We read in II Thessalonians 2:4 that the Antichrist will be one who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. The Jews will turn from the Antichrist when he reveals who he really is, and they will flee into the wilderness. Multitudes of Jews will be killed during this time.

The Antichrist, the devil’s man, will be on the throne as nations bow down to him; but in the middle of that seventieth week, or after three-and-a-half years, the eyes of the Jews will be opened, and the Jews will flee from him. When he sets himself up as God, they will recognize him to be what he really is, an impostor. They thought Jesus was the impostor, but the impostor is the one they will accept first, rejoicing, thinking surely their troubles are over. Not until the Antichrist sets himself up in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God and defiling the holy altar in the manner of Antiochus Epiphanes, will their eyes be opened.

The Mark of the Beast

The Antichrist will insist on his image as well as himself being worshiped. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (Revelation 13:15-18). The image will have power to speak, and people will bow down before this image. Death awaits those who refuse the mark of the beast. The Antichrist will decree that no one should live without his mark; but taking his mark means they must worship him, and thus lose all chance of reaching God’s Heaven.

Had the Jews known who the Antichrist was, they would not have made a covenant with him in the first place. Jesus said, I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive (John 5:43).

The Deliverer Will Come

Just as Judas Maccabeus and his brother defeated Antiochus after he had killed, robbed, blasphemed, desecrated, destroyed, defiled, Jesus will come with deliverance. But this deliverance will last, this deliverance Jesus will bring with Him at His third coming.

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one (Zechariah 14:3-5,9).

Two-thirds of the Israelite people will be destroyed in the Tribulation Period. We are told that just one-third will be left, the third who accept Jesus Christ. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God (Zechariah 13:8,9).

Although the Jews recognize Daniel as a prophet, a shadow obscures his prophecies for them. They can’t see what is about to happen, nor do they understand their place in history. Why? Because the nation of Israel as a whole has not accepted Jesus Christ as their Redeemer. Until they do, the veil will not be lifted from their eyes. Not until Jesus’ third appearance will they recognize who He really is: They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:10,11).

Israel’s troubles will not end until they look upon Jesus, recognize Him, and receive Him into their hearts to become new creations. Anyone without Jesus is in trouble, Gentile and Jew alike. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). At last the Jews will see their Redeemer. It’s strange how spiritual darkness can blot out so much knowledge from the mind and heart. Spiritual darkness is the worst kind. When it settles down, blessings and even salvation are lost.

The Wicked Will Not Understand This Hour

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased (Daniel 12:4). When did the time of the end begin? With Christ’s death and resurrection, with the church age. The conclusion of the time of the end is now, the time referred to in Revelation 22:10: Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

John the Revelator lived in the period of Jesus Christ, the beginning of the church. He was told to not seal the prophecies. Daniel, on the other hand, was told to seal the prophecies because the understanding would not be given, for he did not live in the church age. The understanding the Lord gave Daniel was for him personally at that time. The understanding given John was for all the church.

None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:10). The wicked do not understand this hour. There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (II Peter 3:3,4,10). The wise shall understand. Who are the wise? Those who accept the Lord. Those who have the light of the Cross of Calvary in their lives. You cannot afford to be without understanding in this final hour.

The foolish five virgins of Matthew twenty-five didn’t have light. The wise virgins understood. The wise today have the Holy Spirit bubbling in their hearts, the wise ones without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. They are wise enough to know that what God has said is true. Jesus is coming for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.

It’s a wonderful, glorious hour, an hour to be excited about, an hour to have great vision from the Lord God of Heaven, an hour to know that your Lord will come. Two supernatural powers are working today, the power of Lucifer to the left and the power of Almighty God to the right. The earth is one great spiritual battlefield. We are in the midst of it, the war between God and the devil with human souls as the prize. As the devil takes over minds, preparing them to accept the rule of the Antichrist, God is preparing the obedient for His second coming when He will take them from the face of the earth before the Great Tribulation sets in. The Bride of Christ is being made ready for the Rapture.

End-time Signs Are All Around Us

Jesus pointed to the endtime signs of our day in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:5-8).

Luke tells us of endtime signs that are being fulfilled in our generation: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken (Luke 21:25,26).

As world conditions worsen, the disobedient will grow more disobedient, the ungodly more ungodly. In this final hour, if people do not accept Jesus Christ they will continue to degrade themselves, taking others with them as they sink deeper and deeper into sin. Sin will flourish. People without God are wicked, ungodly, untrustworthy. Lacking God’s holiness, no one shall see His face. But know that redemption draweth nigh for those who are walking with God in all obedience, filled and thrilled with His Spirit, yielded completely to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives and dwells within those running after Jesus, separated from the world.

One flight out. The children of God—the true believers, those who are ready—will be taken out when Jesus comes. Babies missing throughout the whole earth will be only a part of the great calamity for those left behind. Unimaginable disorder, uproar, fear, doubts, frustrations will cause many to commit suicide. The ordeal will be too much to bear. And there you are in Daniel’s seventieth week. The midnight cry has come to close out the church age.

Then exciting news spreads: the new wonder-man is here on Earth, a great one with all the answers! He can explain it all. He has made a covenant with Israel, sweeping whole nations into his arms. If you have missed the Rapture, you will look on in horror. The one the world is embracing is the Antichrist. You will have never known fear like the terror of that moment when you at last realize you are in the Tribulation Period. How tragic that you did not let the Holy Spirit provide your way of escape before it was too late!

Thus Saith the Lord in End-time Prophecy

Thus saith the Lord: I have promised judgment again and again, and I always keep my promise, saith the Lord. I have prophesied the judgments to come, and they will come. I will rain them from the skies. I will destroy multitudes, multitudes, multitudes—there will be no way for man to number them. I will bring great calamity. I will bring great distress. I will bring great fear, and I will bring great darkness.

I have called and called to the peoples on planet Earth. I have called again and again, and been rejected and been rejected and been rejected. I call with love. I call with forgiveness. But on tomorrow I will call with judgment.

Seek me while you can find me. Put your hand in mine while I am reaching out to you because one day my hand will not be there, saith the Lord. Cry unto me while I have ears to hear you because one day I will refuse to hear you. Yield to me in this hour of forgiveness and receive my salvation because the time will come there will be no salvation offered you.

This is your hour of deliverance, and I offer you freedom and liberty from all sin. I offer you my deliverance. I offer to set you completely free and to give you strength to stand upright, to walk in holiness and righteousness the rest of your life. I offer you salvation. You won’t always turn me away. One day you will be turned away, saith the Lord.

The Sinners’ Prayer

Lift up your heart unto the Lord if you want Him, and mean this prayer as I pray with you: Oh, God, I come to you. Please help me. I need you. I want you to help me, I really do. Forgive me for every sin. I am so sorry that I have failed you, that I have sinned against you, but I have come home. I’m going to serve you the rest of my life. I believe Jesus died for me, and I will live for Him. I believe that the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus, come into my heart!

If you meant that prayer, He has come. Lift up your hands and thank Him for His shed blood. Thank Him for coming into your heart, for salvation, deliverance, for the blood that brings liberty and freedom for all and to all, the blood that stained the Old Rugged Cross; and go on to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Read your Bible more than you ever have. Pray, fast. Be mindful of the Lord and let nothing discourage you. Fight the discouragement, depression and oppression that come against you, that prevail in this old world. Reach out every day for armfuls of God’s love, for His peace. Have the determination in your heart to meet Jesus in the air. Yield to the Holy Spirit so He can make you ready for Jesus when He comes.

Jesus loves you; He loves you, and you can make it to Heaven, you can make the Rapture because His love will go all the way with you through the power of the Holy Spirit. His love will never fail you. You’ll be closed in with Him in His arms of love and understanding as you draw near to Him in this last and final hour.