The Times

I watched the old black and white Sherlock Homes mysteries at the movies when I was a kid and even then I was amazed by the perception of Homes. The attention to detail drew me and I took that concept and built on it as I grew and aged. Many people can look at the same thing and report no end of different things.

Later on when I became a Christian the prophecy attracted me and I was fascinated by the large amount of prophetic writings in the Bible. I suppose the mystery of the scripture may have keyed my interest but I was definitely into the book! I spent decades studying the book and I have learned now to watch the TV or read the newspaper and relate an event to one that was prophesied in the Bible. The amazing thing that I have found out is that all of the writings in both old and new testament that relate to the end times are written about MY generation!

A clock was started thousands of years ago in the bible. Here is the timer:

Daniel 9:24 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 9:25 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.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of 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.

[PAUSE]

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: 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.

The explanation of the term seventy weeks of years is the term used at that time to speak of a large number. The number would be seventy (weeks) or seventy times seven or 490 years. I will skip over the many accurate events that came to pass exactly on that time schedule but they did including the birth of Christ and the destruction of the temple and city by Rome. They happened exactly as foretold! You will notice the [pause] inserted into the timeline. This represents the age of grace since Christ. You will notice that this coincides with the gap while the Jews were dispersed over the nations and the clock will start moving again after the temple is restored in Jerusalem(everything is already in place for the new temple). After Israel was destroyed by Rome two thousand years ago the Jews fled to many countries all over the world. This was foretold in the Bible before it happened. Also the Bible spoke many, many times that the Jews would be restored in Israel again one day:

Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Jeremiah 23:3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Jeremiah 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make [him] afraid.
Jeremiah 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:

This is but only a few of the scriptures that related to Israel being regathered from the nations back to their native land. It happened in May 14, 1948 and I read about it and watched the news reports about it.

All of the time in the 490 years has run down to seven years which is the rule of antichrist upon the earth and the tribulation. Much was prophesied about the times we now live in:

Daniel 12:4 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.

This means at the time of the end that travel will be increased as we can all attest to and that knowledge shall be increased and this has increased without measure within only the last century and is expanding currently at a incredible rate. This means that we are most surely at the time of the end! We have also seen that people have become harsh and mean spirited:

II Timothy 3:1-3:5 know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

This is clearly evident and happening everywhere today. Note another sign of our times:

I Timothy 4:1- 4:5 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. for every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

See how it is clearly the thinking is today as many of the people that I know are vegetarians and eat no meat and they act as if it were a sin to eat meat! A great many children are born out of wedlock and people mostly just live together in sin and tell everyone else to do so also! These scriptures written thousands of years ago are absolutely true and happening right now!!

Hosea 5:15 - 6:3 I will go [and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.

The line about "After two days will he revive us" relates to two thousand years that would occur between the time of where Rome destroyed the temple driving the Jews from the land , and the time that they would return, and indeed it has been two thousand years. The Jewish calendar is different from our current calendar and the days in a year are a bit less than ours.

II Thessalonians 2:1- 2:4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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.

This means that before the tribulation, in this time that we are now living, there should be a falling away of believers. I understand this to mean that a great many believers in God, pastors and priests will fall away. I saw it happening in the late 80's and early 90's when great men of God fell from the faith and many churches were becoming empty as people fell from their belief in Christ. Only a remnant remains of the many who once believed. And you will see that this is the ONLY preceding event before the antichrist declares himself to be God. This means we are standing at the door of the tribulation even as I write this. Nothing else to happen with the exception of Christ catching up the true believers before the time on earth known as the great tribulation.

You might remember where I inserted [PAUSE] and the scripture just following that:

This means that the antichrist will make a treaty, or peace pact for one week, or seven years during the time of the tribulation. This is the last "week" or seven year period until the return of Christ to rule the earth as King. When the antichrist stands in the new temple in Jerusalem he will declare himself to be God and that is the abomination of desolation.

Matthew 24:31-24:34 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

You might have thought that this was one more dry bit of scripture and have been bored reading it but anyone can see that things are going to change quickly. In only a flash everything you have known will be gone and the last seven years of time before Christ rules the earth will be so bad that most will die or take the mark of antichrist and be damned. As I write this I doubt that anyone reading it will come to Christ because of the evil times. I wish that we would not have lost so many in the falling away but the scripture has been fulfilled and become part of our history. I sat and watched only a few days ago at the Jewish New Year as Ariel Sharon, a Jew, ascended the temple mount which was forbidden among Jews. The Palestinians threw rocks and some were shot by the police. This was a clear attempt to declare that the Jews should control the old temple mount and I think to clear the way so that the new temple can be rebuilt soon. Watch your TV and read your newspapers until you read someday soon that the Rabbi's have their old temple standing once more on that age old mount! Christians who find themselves in the tribulation will be killed. Satan will appear to win the earth but then you can read the rest of the story for yourself......

The OldSalt

I wrote this article mostly from memory in only a short time. I will gladly accept corrections to any mistakes that I may have made. For those who will not believe, don't bother commenting on this article since you didn't believe the Word of God you cannot accept any of it and I understand your position.