INTRODUCTION
The Book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that has a numbered, chronological presentation of prophecy. Why?
Is it possible that the Book of Revelation ends all debate regarding the chronological sequence of end-time events?
Why else would Christ number the prophecies but to show us the chronological order of end-time events?
Is it possible that all pieces of the end-time prophetic puzzle given throughout the Old and New Testaments are in harmony with the Revelation framework?
Christ’s final revelation to John marks the last book of the Bible, but it is the first place we look to understand how all pieces of the puzzle given by both prophets and apostles fit together. In other words, Revelation explains the relative nature of what the prophets and apostles said about Heaven’s intervention into earthly affairs—which is known as “the day of the Lord.” In essence, Christ’s final revelation to us is the key that unlocks the entire Bible regarding “the day of the Lord.”
“The day of the Lord” includes the time that Christ shall descend from Heaven to save the church, and when he shall descend from Heaven (at a later time) to save Israel. This presentation begins with Christ’s descent for the church.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
On the first day of the church, Pentecost, Peter spoke forth the following prophecy about the “day of the Lord”: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:20, 21).
Who are those who “call on the name of the Lord”?
Those who “call on the name of the Lord” are those who make Jesus their Lord—just like Peter. When the sun turns black and the moon turns blood red, Christ shall descend from Heaven for the followers of the New Covenant, the church. According to Christ’s revelation to John, it is the time of the sixth seal.
REVELATION: THE SIXTH SEAL: SALVATION EXCLUSIVE TO THE CHURCH
John: Revelation: 6:12-14; 7:9-17.
John: “I [John] watched as he [Christ] opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red” (Rev. 6:12).
Peter: “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
According to Christ’s revelation, what does it mean that we who call on the name of the Lord will be “saved”?
Christ’s revelation—given to us after he ascended into Heaven—revealed the fullness of our salvation.
Paul: “According to the Lord’s own word . . . the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:15-17).
“According to the Lord’s own word,” the transformation of the church is the salvation of the church. This is what it means to be “saved” (in the future). The church shall be gathered into Heaven, and thereby, the church is automatically “saved” from the wrath that is to come on the Earth.
Paul: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation [gathered into Heaven] through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him” (1 Thess. 5:9, 10).
Paul: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom. 5:9).
Paul: “[A]nd to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thess. 1:10).
After the church is gathered off the Earth into the clouds, what happens next?
John: “The sky [filled with those who call on the name of the Lord] receded like a scroll, rolling up [to Heaven]” (Rev. 6:14).
What follows is the vision of the church standing before the throne of Heaven:
After this I [John] looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Rev. 7:9-12)
What will we declare in Heaven?
“SALVATION BELONGS TO OUR GOD, WHO SITS ON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
That’s us!!
This is what we as Christ’s church will proclaim when we stand before the throne of Heaven!!
This is what Peter meant on Pentecost when he said we will be “saved.”
The sixth seal marks the resurrection of the followers of the New Covenant. How else can all of Christ’s church stand before the throne of Heaven unless the dead in Christ were first resurrected?
After Christ descends from Heaven to transform and transport the church, then comes the seventh seal. It is the time of wrath foretold by the prophets and apostles.
REVELATION: THE SEVENTH SEAL: THE WRATH
John: Revelation: chapters 8 – 19.
This is the time of “Jacob’s [Israel’s] trouble” (Jer. 30:7 KJV)—not the church’s trouble. How can the church get into trouble? It’s in Heaven.
DANIEL’S SEVENTIETH “WEEK”: ISRAEL ON THE EARTH
It is also the time of the fulfillment of Daniel’s seventieth “week” (Dan. 9:27). The “week” refers to seven years.
During this “week,” the world shall witness three and a half years of God’s prophets and then three and a half years of Satan’s prophets.
GOD’S PROPHETS
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. (Rev. 11:3)
SATAN’S PROPHETS
The beast [the Antichrist] was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. . . . Then I [John] saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. (Rev. 13:5, 11)
This seven-year prophecy of John expounds upon the revelation first given to Daniel. This is the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy decreed for Daniel’s people, which is Israel (Dan. 9:24).
While in the Holy Land, Christ himself foretold of this future time:
Matthew 24:21-28.
From Heaven, Christ gave revelation to Paul about this time:
2 Thess. 2:3, 4, 9-12.
THE “BRIDAL WEEK”: THE CHURCH IN HEAVEN
While seventieth “week” is fulfilled for Israel on Earth, the “bridal week” (Gen. 29:27) will be fulfilled for the church in Heaven.
John: “For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints)” (Rev. 19:7, 8).
Following the fulfillment of the “bridal week,” Christ shall descend from Heaven with his church to save Israel.
REVELATION: THE SEVENTH SEAL: SALVATION EXCLUSIVE TO ISRAEL
John: Rev. 19:11-21.
John: “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. . . . Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:14, 8).
We are the saints and we shall descend from Heaven with our Lord to destroy the Antichrist and rescue Israel. Revelation about this prophecy was given to a number of prophets and apostles, including:
Isaiah: 66:15, 16.
Joel: 2:32b, 3:1-16.
Zechariah: 14:3-5.
Paul: 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2:8.
Jude: 14, 15.
Luke: 17:22-37.
Matthew: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 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 [armies] with a great sound of a trumpet [the great trumpet], and they shall gather together his elect [Israel] from the four winds [of the Earth], from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:29–31 KJV).
In Christ’s revelation to Matthew, he referenced prophetic statements given by the following prophets: Daniel (Dan. 12:1), Isaiah (Isa. 13:10–13; 27:12, 13), and Moses (Deut. 30:3–5). In essence, Daniel, Isaiah, and Moses testify that Christ’s prophecy in the Gospel of Matthew speaks of gathering Israel—not the church. The context of Christ’s prophecy is God’s judgment (the seventh seal), and salvation exclusive to Israel that will follow (Isa. 14:1-3).
Whereas the sixth seal marks the resurrection of the followers of the New Covenant, the seventh seal marks the resurrection of the followers of Old Covenant (Dan. 12:2), as well as those martyred under the beast (Rev. 20:4).
CHRIST’S CHURCH: OUR SALVATION
Finally, Christ’s church is fractured along so many different lines. Imagine for a moment that we all embrace Christ’s final revelation to John: the church is in Heaven after the sixth seal opens. If we as Christ’s church believe Christ’s revelation, we could finally speak with one voice—Christ’s voice—on the subject of our own future salvation.
God bless.
