Daniel and Matthew 24 Prophetic Commentary

Daniel and Matthew 24 Prophetic Commentary

This prophetic commentary starts off with Matthew 24 and the other gospel accounts of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, then progresses into a commentary on Daniel, then proceeds with producing a timeline of eschatological events combining Daniel and the gospel accounts with Zechariah and others.

A large portion of this commentary is simply me working through my thoughts on this subject to find answers, and writing is how I do that. I certainly do not have every answer figured out and nor do I have perfect logic. However, the thoughts that I work through here demonstrate the thought processes from a futurist who lost the argument about the definition of “this generation” in Matthew 24. The futurist says that it is the generation that begins to see the signs while the preterist says that it is the generation that was present during the time of Jesus (Mt 11:16; 12:41-42, 45; 23:36).

What does “all these things” mean? And how do we harmonize the gospel accounts?

Here is my propositional statement: I concede that “this generation” does indeed refer to the generation present in Jesus’ time. But, the reference to “all these things” is about the Jerusalem destruction in AD 70, not the signs of the Son of Man in the sky.

It should be noted that of all the gospel writers, Luke was the closest one we have to a modern-day historian, and his account is the most detailed regarding chronology. He specifically says that he investigated everything carefully, so that he would write everything out “in consecutive order” (Lk 1:3). His book of Acts was also a very detailed historical account with the same ordered style. Therefore, if there is anyone we can rely on the most for the chronology of events regarding the destruction of the temple and the return of Christ, it would be Luke.

Matthew, on the other hand, was more of a thematic writer. Matthew makes categorical groupings in his writings, making it more difficult to understand chronological sequence. On the other hand, Luke is very clear and direct with the sequence. We should keep these things in mind when examining Jesus’ prophecies and opt for the clearer reading when ambiguity exists.

Notice that the disciples asked specifically about “these things” (Mt 24:3; Lk 21:6-7) for their specific question regarding the destruction of the temple. Thus, Jesus answers them, prophesying the destruction of the temple in 70AD. But notice that in Mark and Luke’s account, the disciples only ask about the destruction of Jerusalem, they don’t ask the other two questions that we hear of in Matthew’s account.

Let’s first examine the progression of Luke’s account for this:

Luke 21:8-24 is Jesus’ answer to that fulfillment, except for the times of the Gentiles being fulfilled part. That’s a time-gap which then leads to the next event to occur, which is the celestial signs and the appearance of the Son of Man coming in the clouds. Verse 28 is then in reference to the heavenly signs taking place as the marker for when to “straighten up and lift up your heads,” this this is when their redemption draws near, the resurrection of the dead/rapture event where they will be rescued.

Then there is the fig tree parable which is about looking out for the signs of the times for when Christ will return. 70AD was a window where that could have happened because many things matched and led up to it, but God decided not to return at that time. Thus, we must look again to examine the signs of the times when the harvest looks to be near.

To reinforce this future coming, verse 31 says, “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.” When Jesus said “these things,” in this particular verse, He could have been referring to the destruction of the temple, but since that did not actually lead to (1) Jerusalem’s deliverance from the trampling of the Gentiles, (2) the coming of Christ, (3) the rapture/resurrection of the dead, and (4) the coming of God’s kingdom (‘the kingdom of God is near’), then we have to conclude that the kingdom of God did not come at that time in 70AD, and nor were these previous verses fulfilled yet (v. 25-31).

Then verse 32 says, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.” Which things? The things just previously mention of which not all were fulfilled? Obviously not those things. From here, we must connect “all things” in verse 32 with “all things” in verse 22. The “all” is not in reference to everything Jesus had previously said. Rather, the “all” is in reference to “all things which are written.” That is, those things which had previously been written in the Old Testament regarding the coming destruction of Jerusalem and regarding the disciples’ specific question. Note that Jesus is not speaking about the New Testament here, since it was not written at the time Jesus spoke these words (note: ‘are’). The subject that the disciples prompted Jesus on was also about the temple.

The referent here is also about the “days of vengeance.” All the Old Testament Scriptures that specifically speak on that part of Jerusalem’s destruction are the “all things” that would be “fulfilled” (v. 22), and were the “all things” (v. 32) which did take place in that current generation, even as Jesus promised it would.

So then, what are these “days of vengeance”? It is not a global vengeance upon the world on behalf of those who come against Jerusalem. Rather, it is vengeance upon Jerusalem itself for the guilt she stored up for herself in spilling the blood of the prophets, the Christians, and their Messiah (see Matthew 23). In Isaiah 61:2, the favorable year of the Lord was the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But day of vengeance was the destruction that came upon Jerusalem in 70AD.

The “things” referent being discussed is “these things which you are looking at” (v. 6), the temple.

Other interesting observations to take note of:

Luke does not write about (1) the full three questions in Matthew’s account that the disciples asked Jesus, (2) the abomination of desolation, (3) the signs and wonders of the false Christ’s and false prophets, (4) Daniel, (5) the worst distress to ever come upon the people or that ever will come.

But Luke does mention that (1) the people of Jerusalem will be led captive into all nations, (2) the coming of Christ will be something that will come upon the whole world, not just Jerusalem, (3) the celestial signs will precede the coming of God’s kingdom that will bring redemption, (4) after the distressing times of all those things, the end result for the believer is to “stand before the Son of Man.”

Some of these inclusions and exclusions are not relevant for my argument. I’m just making observations. However, many of these do lead me to conclude that about half of the chapter is a futurist reading.

For all these reasons, it is most reasonable to place Luke’s account of Jerusalem’s destruction in the past while placing everything past verse 24 into the future.

Now to Mark’s Account and its Progression:

Mark’s account starts out with Jesus’ disciples looking and marveling at the temple and Jesus tells them it will all be torn down. Then His disciples asked Jesus privately two questions, (1) “when will these things be?” (2) “what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” (Mk 13:4). Which, in a sense, it is just one question regarding the temple that they want to know everything about. “All these things” are in reference to the complete destruction of the temple. Then Jesus tells them a bunch of wars, earthquakes, and famines will take place, along with their personal martyrdoms (v. 5-13).

Then the abomination of desolation (AoD) is mentioned according to written prophecy and in reference to Judea and by implication, Jerusalem. The AoD is said to be “standing where it should not be,” probably implying that it is a thing, rather than a person. Then a time of tribulation is mentioned as worse than it ever has been or ever will be (v. 19). But God will cut short the tribulation of those days. After that time, false Christ’s and false prophets would arise and deceive many, performing signs and wonders.

Right after this, verse 24 says, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened…” In the context, “those days” refer to a future time period characterized by the events Jesus has just been describing (false Christs, false prophets, and deception). Some eschatological day after those days of deception and distress, the Son of Man will return in great power and glory. This is still future.

Perhaps the “tribulation” was referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, or perhaps the tribulation simply refers to an ongoing time of distress for the world. Maybe we’re currently living in the tribulation. Or maybe the worst of it is behind us. Either way, the return of Christ shall only come “after” that tribulation.

Whenever Jesus is using the phrase “in those days,” in this chapter, He is referring to a future eschatological time from the time that He spoke those words. For us looking back, part of that was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem or Jerusalem’s destruction fulfilled prophecy as a type of the big one to come later. However, when Jesus has “those” (v. 24) in His mind, He is only looking forward to something remote in the future, as this is prophetic language. This is consistent with the use of the Greek word, ἐκεῖνος, rather than the use of the word, οὗτος. Therefore, verse 24 is a shift from one event to another more distant in the future.

For whatever interpretation we take here, verse 19 needs to be explained. Daniel 12:1-4 may also indicate that we are currently living in times of tribulation, but that we will be rescued out of it through a resurrection/rapture event and the Lord returning to destroy all those who come against His kingdom.

In verse 26, the Son of Man comes in the clouds with great power and glory, then He gathers together His elect from across the earth (‘the four winds’), wherever His elect people can be found. This is the rapture/resurrection of the dead event. Whether you’re in a plane, an astronaut in space, or a diver in the ocean, you’re going to be gathered. This is the harvest of the wheat and the tares. Or, if we use the imagery of this chapter, it is the harvest of the figs from the fig tree. Why figs? Because Jesus is going to have some delicious pickins gathering up His elect people.

But yes, the main point of the fig tree example is to recognize the leaves to tell when summer is near. That is, to see when the harvest is about to come based upon the signs of the times.

Then verse 29 says, “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” What do “these things” refer to? It refers to every single thing that has been mentioned so far. All those things must take place and be fulfilled or happening, all the way up to the celestial and supernatural signs of the cosmos. Then Jesus will come. With the culmination of all those signs, His return will be “near.”

Verse 30 says, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” If we are to be consistent with Matthew’s definition of “generation” being the present generation living during the time of Jesus, then what does this verse mean? What are the all things that must take place before that generation passed away?

Is it referring to (1) the sun darkened, (2) the moon not giving light, (3) stars falling from heaven, (4) the Son of Man coming in clouds with power and glory, (5) angels gathering the elect, and (6) the end of the age? Well, none of these have occurred yet, so we either have to understand “this generation” differently, or understand “these things” differently. Or, we would have to allegorize the sun, moon, stars, Son of Man, and angels. But in my opinion, to allegorize those things would be a worse solution than to say that “this generation” applies to a future prophetic generation to see the signs of the times.

So then, what are the “all things”? I will refer back to Luke for that one, as he recorded everything with the most detail and precision. It is about the prophetic days of vengeance which are the “all things” which will be fulfilled (Lk 21:22). This was specific for Jerusalem, and those living in that past generation did see its destruction. But if we are to use Mark’s account alone for his own interpretation, “these things” refer back to only the question that the disciples had about the temple (Mk 13:4). Remember, it was only in Matthew’s account that they also asked about the end of the age.

Now to Matthew’s Account and its Progression:

In Matthew’s account of the discourse, Jesus walks out of the temple and pointed out to those in His presence, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down” (Mt 24:2). Then the disciples asked Him privately on the Mount of Olives, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (v. 3). Notice that the disciples ask Jesus two additional questions that are not recorded in the other gospel accounts. That is, they’re not just asking about the temple this time, they are also asking about the sign of Christ’s coming and the end of the age. They want to know about the end of all things.

But as we will notice later, Jesus said that in order for the listener to understand what He is talking about, they need to read the book of Daniel (regarding the abomination of desolation). However, if Jesus had that specific subject in mind, how much else in the book of Daniel do you think He had in mind while giving prophecies? Perhaps it was in the disciples’ minds as well. In reference to this phrase, “the end of the age,” it is word for word in Daniel 12:13 which says, “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.” This is speaking about the very end, which culminates with the resurrection of the dead.

After the disciples ask their three questions, Jesus starts explaining the things to come.

The Things to Come in Matthew’s Account

Distressing times of false Christs and false prophets, natural disasters, wars, martyrdom, believers falling away, and the gospel of the kingdom being preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. After these things, the end would come. But that part is just a summary of the tribulation times. Next, Jesus talks more about the specifics of what would happen during that time, which is the abomination of desolation. Then He picks up the discourse again speaking about false Christs coming. Then right up to this, He speaks of the coming of the Son of Man. Then He says, “immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened…”

For Matthew, the last few things that were mentioned before the sign of the Son of Man coming and the end coming were the false Christs and the gospel being preached to all nations. And in the midst of that, there would be natural disasters and wars which would incrementally increase as time progresses closer to the consummation of the age (Mt 24:8; Ro 8:19-22). All those events seem to be included as the time of tribulation. Then when Jesus says that immediately after the tribulation of “those days,” He is speaking forward, not backward. Meaning, He is not referring specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem as a backwards referencing point as immediately after that point. Instead, He is speaking of a future day even further out but which comes immediately after the false Christs and the gospel being preached to all nations (which includes martyrdom). Those things must be fulfilled first before the end comes.

Matthew 24: What do we do with this word, “Immediately”?

In contrast to Luke, Matthew uses this word much more often, and he does it often for dramatic effect to be punchy, vivid, and have narrative compression (3:16; 14:31; 20:34). It’s a stylistic choice of his which isn’t always meant to be understood as a chronological time reference. Additionally, in prophetic contexts, “immediately,” or “near,” often means “next in prophetic sequence,” not “next in chronological time.” Take for example Joel 2 where Joel prophesied that the day of the Lord was “near,” yet if AD70 is the prophetic fulfillment of that, then that is a time-gap of over 650 years. If it wasn’t fulfilled in that date, then we are waiting thousands of years later. Note that Isaiah 13:6 is another example of that kind of prophetic language.

Now contrast that to what Luke says. He says to not go after certain people and do not be misled when they say, “the time is near.” He says, “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately” (Lk 21:8-9). I’m not sure how to reconcile that with other biblical prophecies that say the time is near, but that is what Jesus said in Luke’s account. Luke seems to shy away from these words, “near” and “immediately,” probably since his aim is more towards a Gentile audience who probably don’t understand all that Jewish prophetic lingo.

What does all this mean? It means that when these distressing events culminate to a certain point, the next stage is the cosmic signs. It does not mean that when the oppression of Rome ends, the cosmic signs will happen right away.

Note that according to Daniel and John, the tribulation/time of distress is not necessarily a 7-year period, as John says he was already living in the tribulation (Rev 1:9; Dan 12:1). It just means to live in troubling and distressing times.

Matthew 24: The Fig Tree Signs of “all these things”

In verses 32-35 in the parable of the fig tree, the “all these things” are referring back to every sign that has happened so far as Jesus said it would. Once those things take place, Jesus’ return is “near,” “right at the door.” But this does not mean in relation to time but rather, in relation to prophetic sequence. If all those things become fulfilled, then the only thing left is the return of the Son of Man.

Another way to look at this for the phrase, “all these things,” is to see what the book of Daniel has to say. It’s actually kind of neat what happens if we pay close attention. It’s almost as if there is a re-enactment here. It says that there were two individuals standing across from each other on the bank of the river. One asked the other one, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” and then the other one swore by the One who lives forever and ever that “it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” (Dan 12:7). One asked how long it would be until these things, just like the disciples asked Jesus. Then that individual swore, just as Jesus also swore that these things would be fulfilled. Then the individual says that all these things will be completed, even as Jesus said that all these things will take place.

Since Jesus told us to reference Daniel to understand what He was talking about and these phrases that Jesus and the disciples spoke match up so similarly to how it is recorded in Daniel, it seems too coincidental for it to be a coincidence.

Matthew 24: All the Tribes of the Earth, verse 30

When Jesus returns, “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” when they “see the Son of Man coming” in the clouds. This strongly implies that it will not be a local event confined to Jerusalem, since the tribes are spread out across the world. It also says that they will all “see” Him. Not just the people in Jerusalem will see Him, but all the tribes would see Him. But not only will they mourn, they will repent, and they will confess that Jesus is the true Messiah. When Jesus was on the earth, He spoke to the Israelites saying that the next time Israel would see Him, they would say, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mt 23:39). This event is still future. Jesus certainly wasn’t speaking about 70AD, since only judgement came upon the people. The Jews would not have said “blessed” anything, much less bless Jesus, if their judgement was coming to them from Jesus. Therefore, if we take Matthew 23:39 and 24:30 together, they are incompatible with the Preterist interpretation, since 23:39 is describing a rescue mission for Jerusalem, not a judgement one. It will be judgement for the rest of the world but salvation for Israel and the people of God when Christ returns.

Revelation 1:7 also speaks of a global coming of Jesus in the clouds, that “every” eye will see Him, even those who “pierced Him,” referring to the guilt of Israel who crucified their Messiah. Then again, it mentions the tribes that will mourn over Him, even as Matthew’s account had mentioned. But Revelation was written well after 70AD according to the early church, so this is still a future coming event. John even clearly states, “so it is to be,” indicating that Jesus had not yet come in the clouds when he wrote those words. Therefore, to place that event in 70AD would contradict John’s clear statement of putting it in the future. Furthermore, it would be upon the Preterist to prove that Jesus visibly returned to Jersualem in 70AD so that every eye saw Him and mourned for Him to repent from rejecting Jesus to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Speaking on Matthew 24:15-22, Chrysostom said, “But mark thou, I pray you, the dispensation of the Spirit, that John wrote none of these things, lest he should seem to write from the very history of the things done (for indeed he lived a long time after the taking of the city), but they, who died before the taking, and had seen none of these things, they write it, in order that every way the power of the prediction should clearly shine forth.” (Homily 76).

What Chrysostom is saying here is that he rejects the idea that John’s apocalyptic vison was mentioning past events. John’s apocalyptic visions prophesied of future things. The Gospel of John also excluded the destruction of the temple part, since that was long after his time. But it was before Mathew, Mark, and Luke’s time, and that is why they wrote about the prophecy and the destruction of the temple while John didn’t.

Chrysostom believed that the destruction of the temple in 70 AD was a fulfillment of the prophecies written in the Gospels. Yet, he still believed that after this, the Antichrist would come. He also put the sign of the Son of Man in the future from this time as sequentially following times of tribulation where there would be false Christs and false prophets. Thus, it is about prophetic sequence of the next things to happen (as events) rather than a temporal (time) sequence. Chrysostom still anticipated the return of Christ.

Daniel: The Son of Man

Let us explore the book of Daniel to see if we can find clues tying back to Matthew 24.

The title, “Son of Man” is found directly in Daniel.

In Daniel 7 it says, “One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days” (v. 13). What happens in this context? He (Jesus) is given dominion, glory, a kingdom, so that all the nations of every language might serve Him. It says, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (v. 14).

But right before this future vision of the Son of Man, what does the text say before that? It says that the arrogant and boastful little horn would be slain and consumed by fire, while the dominion of the other beasts were also taken away. What does this mean? This little horn is who Paul refers to as “that lawless one” who would be revealed in his time and “whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” (2 Thess 2:8). This is the same appearance of His coming that Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; and Luke 21:25-28 all speak about and it lines up perfectly with Daniel 7 and 2 Thessalonians 2. They’re all talking about the same event.

There may even be a connection here for the Hebrew word “come, arrive,” 'ăṯâ in Dan 7:13, and the Greek word for “presence, coming, arrival,” parousia in 2 Thess 2 and Matthew 24.

Now understand these things from the gospels. Matthew says “recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Mt 24:33; Mk 13:29). Meanwhile, in the same place, Luke says, “when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near” (Lk 21:31).

Jesus being near to come is the same thing as the kingdom of God being near, and they both point towards that time when Jesus will slay that lawless one with the breath of His mouth by the appearance of His coming, as prophesied in Daniel. But the reason the kingdom of God is said to be near is because the kingdom of God is not yet (not physically, that is).

First, the kingdoms of this world must be conquered by Christ by the appearance of His coming. It is only then that Jesus is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, so that all the nations of every language might serve Him (in physical bodies on the earth). Once the Son of Man receives the kingdoms of this world, we will reign with Him as it says, “the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come” (Dan 7:18, 22, 27). But until “all the dominions” and kingdoms of this world serve and obey Him, this time has yet to be fulfilled. But this is what we are waiting and longing for at the appearance of the Son of Man who will come in the clouds with power and with the glory of His presence. Note that the Scriptures say, we “will” reign with Him, as it is still future (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 5:10; 11:15-17; 20:4-6; 22:5). Daniel’s vision also “pertains to the time of the end” (Dan 8:17).

The Preterist Problem of 70 AD

In Daniel 7:11 it prophesies that the beast with the little horn will be “destroyed and given to the burning fire.” However, this is a problem for the Preterist viewpoint because the beast is not the Jewish people of Jerusalem. It is Rome. But Rome was not destroyed in 70AD. It continued to exist for many years later. However, all the previous beasts in Daniel’s vision were destroyed and had their dominion taken away. This means that Preterists have to believe that Rome’s dominion wasn’t taken away literally like the previous beasts, and now their interpretation of the fourth beast’s destruction suddenly shifts direction in their applied hermeneutic. It’s a very inconsistent and vague position that lacks evidence. Why did Rome continue to exist after 70AD if this was the supposed fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy about the beast? If they answer by saying that this is all about spiritual dominion in the spiritual kingdom of God overcoming Rome, then how does that play out? State-sponsored Christianity did not exist until many years later. Furthermore, after 70AD through Emperor Domitian, the church was still overcome by great persecutions to the degree that the early church said Domitian was like a second Nero. In what way was this beast destroyed? When did this transition take place between the little horn “waging war with the saints and overpowering them” and the transitional contrasting phrase “until,” … “the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom” (Dan 7:21-22)? That word “until,” implies that the saints were no longer having a war waged against them or being overpowered because they were now the ones in control. If we apply this to Christians in 70AD, then their persecution and martyrdoms continued from the Roman empire beast (so that doesn’t fit). If we apply it to the Jews, their persecution was even more with the destruction of the temple (so that definitely doesn’t fit). Currently, all evidence points to the opposite direction to say that the fourth beast, Rome, was not the same beast that was destroyed in the fire in 70AD. Now, Rome was eventually destroyed and taken over by the Ottoman Empire, and then later the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Yet, here we are, the world just keeps on spinning and the eternal state of the new earth has not started yet.

My suggestion is that Rome was the fourth beast but it was the ten horns that came up later with the little horn that will be thrown into the fire to be destroyed, and this has yet to happen because “all the kingdoms under the whole heaven” have not yet been given to the saints with the manifested result of all dominions serving and obeying God (Dan 7:26-27). Though they were boastful men, neither Nero nor Domitian were the little horn (antichrist). Though, they were types of antichrists.

Daniel: The Stone Cut Without Hands

Let’s continue learning about the book of Daniel so that we might find more clues that could tie back to Matthew 24.

Daniel 2:34 says “a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them.”

What is this stone cut without hands all about? The stone cut without hands refers to the incarnation of the eternal Word who was with God in the beginning. It is speaking about the incarnation of God through Him taking on human flesh through Jesus. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The stone originated not from this world, but from the mountain of God. That is, the Son came from the Father.

In the vision, the stone cut from the mountain smashes the foundation of the statue that was made with iron and clay, pulverizing the entire thing so that there was nothing left. Then afterwards, the stone becomes a great mountain which filled the whole earth (2:31-35). In the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the Babylonian empire was the head of gold. The chest and arms of silver was the Medo-Persian empire. The bronze belly of the statue was the Greek empire. Then the legs of iron were the ancient Roman empire.

After this comes the feet partly of iron and partly of clay as a mixed empire. It tells us that “they will combine with one another in the seed of men,” indicating to us that this empire will not be a well-defined and fixed geographical location. The implication of this is also that the empire will be a mixture of different people, and not a formal empire. Even as it says, “but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery” (2:43). Who is “they”? It is the people who will not mix. Does that not sound like what is happening in our day, the Middle-Eastern Islamic people mixing in together with the European people? Their cultures are incompatible together, yet they live among each other.

Then Daniel 2:44 says, “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”

So here is the picture: The stone cut without hands crushes all these other kingdoms so that only the kingdom of God will remain unto the end and into eternity. Even as the previous kingdoms were physically conquered throughout history, so also Jesus will come one day to physically crush that final kingdom and all dominions upon the earth. When these things are fulfilled, there will be no contesters in that day.

This verse also says, “in the days of those kings” and “will set up,” indicating that this time has not yet come, even though Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges himself that there was a present spiritual dominion of God’s rule upon the earth (Dan 4:34-35). It is a kingdom already but not yet. It exists spiritually but waits to be fulfilled physically. But since the kingdom of God was already spiritually ruling during the time of Daniel, the time Jesus came was not its fulfillment. Jesus Himself said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36). This Jesus was indicating that at the present time, His kingdom was not of this world, even after His death and resurrection, His kingdom is not of this world.

However, when the resurrected and glorified Jesus entered into the heavens, He sanctified it with His blood. The devil and his rebellious angels were evicted from the divine counsel (which is in the lower heaven). Then at this time, a loud voice in heaven said, “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” (Rev 12:10).

This happened at the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, and it was a new kind of spiritual rule of God’s kingdom that was set up. But we must understand that at this time, the kingdom of God reigns over the earth but that does not mean that the stone cut without hands has crushed the kingdom of this world yet. It does not mean that the kingdom of this world has become God’s yet. That full ownership and authority have not yet taken place, but it will in Revelation when Jesus comes a second time.

Once Jesus comes a second time, He will crush all the kingdoms of this world, and just before the final judgements are poured out on the earth, the saints and angels in heaven will already triumphantly declare victory, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15).

To be clear though, the seventh trumpet is part of the ongoing Second Coming of Christ. This is not when He first appears. The seventh trumpet also contains within it the seven bowls of wrath. And when it says that the time came for judgement and reward, it is speaking of when all these bowls are completed. But notice there is a difference here between God reigning over the kingdoms of this world and the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdom of God. This second idea is what it means for the stone cut without hands to completely pulverize all the kingdoms. We are still waiting for that future fulfillment.

The Jews did not understand this at the time, and that’s why they rejected Jesus as their Messiah. They thought that the Messiah was supposed to physically come and overthrow their oppressors, but since Jesus didn’t do that, they rejected Him. But their error was in thinking that everything had to happen immediately. They did not understand that the spiritual had to come first before the physical could come and become everlasting. They were right in how they interpreted the prophecies as literal, but they were wrong about its timing.

The Final Beast Empire from the Book of Revelation

Let’s learn more about this final beast from the book of Revelation that will be crushed forever.

The final beast which comes up from out of the sea is said to have been slain but his fatal wound was healed (Rev 13:3, 12, 14). He is said to speak arrogant words and blasphemies against God, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven (v. 5-6). When John saw the woman who carried the beast that had seven heads and ten horns, he “wondered greatly” (17:6).

Here is the mystery of the Beast and the Antichrist:

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction” (v. 8, 11). This is the final beast empire. In John’s day, it existed in past history, but also did not in his present day exist, but would also come back into existence at a later time. This means that the beast was not ancient Rome, and the prophecy of the final beast was not fulfilled in his present day, since the angel told him that the beast “is not.”

We must make a distinction here between the beast and the head. One is the kingdom and the other is the king. Revelation does not tell us that the antichrist king will die and then be resurrected from the dead. That is a misunderstanding. It only tells us that the beast will die and then be resurrected, referring to the kingdom, not to the man.

Correlating this with Daniel’s account, he also mentions that the little horn and/or beast is slain (Dan 2:34-35, 44-45; 7:11, 21-22, 26; 8:25). Now compare that to 2 Thessalonians 2 (too much to quote here, so you can read it in your own Bible).

Also, a quick question for the Preterist: did Nero perform miraculous signs and false wonders? Was he killed immediately by Jesus when Jesus came in 70AD? Or did he rather kill himself by suicide two years prior, having never seen the coming of Christ? Also, for the partial-preterist: how is this the apostate Jewish leadership if the “man” of lawlessness is a singular guy? And how did the proclamation of the gospel “slay” and bring an end to the Old Covenant and temple if it was the Romans who destroyed the temple, not the gospel, and not the Christians?

Continuing our study, Revelation 17:9-10 says, “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.” Heads represent people while mountains represent power and authority. Therefore, the seven heads are seven kings or rulers. During John’s time, five of those kings had already died while one king was still living. Then, another king would come after that king but his reign would be very short. This could mean that the seven heads are seven kings which existed in John’s day. This was ancient Rome (‘one is’) and we might say this part has been fulfilled. Though, it might be debated if the seventh king was a past Roman ruler if he is still yet to come.

Another way to interpret this is that the head only correlates to the exact empire ruling at that time. So, there could be multiple kings in one empire, but only the present king living and reigning at any given time in history over that kingdom is what the head is represented by. If we understand it this way, then for every beast kingdom, there is only one representative head. Therefore, seven heads are really just seven empires. From this understanding, we would conclude that “one is” means that one of the empires are currently reigning (ancient Rome) as the sixth empire in John’s day. Then, another empire would later come as the seventh. But this might be difficult to interpret as the Ottoman Empire, since it says that it only remained for a little while. The Ottoman Empire lasted for about 623 years, far longer than a little while. Another interpretation here could be that this seventh beast was the Nazi Germany Third Reich, which lasted for twelve years. That is a very short time for any kingdom. But here’s the plot twist: when the text says that it will only remain for a little while, it is speaking about a king, not a beast. Therefore, it is still permissible for the Ottoman Empire to be one of the beasts.

We must keep in mind that whatever our interpretation, we must understand the beasts as persecutors and oppressors of Israel. If we come up with some other strange sounding theory, then that is not consistent with the book of Daniel or Revelation, and the previously identified beast characteristics. Some might also suggest that the beasts start all the way back to the beginning of history in relation to Israel’s oppressors.

Therefore, beasts would be in this order: (1) Egyptian, (2) Assyrian, (3) Babylonian, (4) Medo-Persian, (5) Greek, (6) Roman, (7) Ottoman Empire or Nazi Germany, (8) The last Beast, which is also one of the seven which comes back to life.

The four beasts that Daniel mentioned began with Babylon, then Persia, and then Greece. Those were specifically mentioned while Rome was the fourth beast in Daniel that was still a mystery at the time. However, Revelation mentions eight beasts total, which includes the four that Daniel mentioned, plus four more.

The consistent pattern that we see here in Daniel is that one beast conquers another beast and then that beast reigns until it is overthrown by another beast. Therefore, if we apply that methodology and fill in the gaps for the previous beasts, we come up with Egypt and Assyria as the first two of the eight beasts. Then there is the four that Daniel mentions. Then after that, there are two more beasts after the time of John’s revelation.

Since Revelation mentions “one is,” then I think we can confidently say that the sixth beast was ancient Rome. At this point, we have a great deal of certainty regarding the identity of beasts 1-6. However, if we were to say that the beasts were merely kings, then we would be inconsistent with Daniel, throwing out his whole understanding of what beasts actually are. For this reason, the beasts must be kingdoms/empires, not just kings.

So, back to the beast that has seven heads and ten horns. At this point, I would interpret all the seven heads as Roman kings. At our point in history, they have all come and gone.

Revelation 17:11 then says, “The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.”

The beast empire spoken of here “is not,” meaning, it did not exist during John’s day. Though, he “was,” meaning, it existed previously. But it is also one of the 1-7 beasts, of which, the seventh beast (or seventh king?) did not exist yet in John’s time.

Thus, the final beast existed previously (‘was’ of the beasts from 1-5), did not currently exist (‘is not’ the 6th beast in John’s day), but would exist in the future (as the 8th beast—being of the 1-7 beasts). And since there will be an eighth beast, and the seventh was mentioned, we know that there is a seventh beast that we have to identify, along with identifying the eighth.

Since the text says that the beast “is not,” we can say for certain that it was not the ancient Roman empire in John’s day. Otherwise, it would be present but it is said to not be present. Therefore, Rome was not a fulfillment of this prophecy.

At this point, you might think I’m contradicting myself, but I’m not. Just hang tight. What we have established so far is that the seven kings are the ancient Roman kings in John’s day. At least one of them had to be since it says, “one is” (v. 10). [unless kings are just current representatives of their kingdom]. These kings are all part of the sixth beast in John’s day, as there were seven kings ruling the beast. They are the seven heads and seven mountains on which the woman sits (v. 9). Heads = kings. But then in verse 11, it switches over to talking about the identity of the beast (not the kings). In totality, you could say that the beast represents all the kingdoms of the world that have come against God’s kingdom (‘of the seven’). There are eight of them total. But the specific beast being spoken about in verse 11 is a beast kingdom that has existed multiple times.

Remember, the identity of the beast pertains specifically to the vision of what John was seeing. For this reason, it would be accurate to say that the beast both is and also is not in existence when John saw these things. Just put yourself in his shoes.

Sorry if I’m repeating myself so many times, but this is complicated stuff. Besides, I’m sure the repetition is helpful with this deep subject. Continuing on…

This kingdom “was,” (a previous empire or empires), “is not” (the beast in the vision is not the same one that was reigning in John’s time. At least, not in its full form or of its total substance), “is himself also an eighth” (this is the beast’s true identity as the eighth which will be destroyed at the Second Coming of Christ), and the beast “is one of the seven” (which is just repeating what was just said that it “was,” but now adding more clarity as to this being a resurrected kingdom from the past once the future comes). The word “one” isn’t actually in the Greek text, so I crossed it out.

Thus, the final beast will be composed of previous beast/s, along with the current beast, Rome, but also not the current beast of Rome (meaning, not the current Roman Empire of John’s time), as the Roman empire would be historically destroyed. Then after Rome there is a seventh empire (which we have speculated to be the Ottoman Empire or Nazi Germany).

Revelation 17:12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.”

As a memory refresher, John saw a vision of a woman riding a beast. This beast had seven heads and ten horns. Up to this point, we have established that the seven heads are seven Roman kings. We have seen the number 7 as representing heads/mountains/kings. We have also seen the number 8 as representing 8 kingdoms/empires. Now we have the number 10 to represent 10 future kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will reign with the beast for one hour in that eschatological day. That short time in which they reign as the last and final eighth beast empire will be when God’s wrath will be poured out upon them swiftly. The eighth beast is prophetically called Babylon the great, and in one hour, her judgement will come (18:10). Or at least, the beast is composed of Babylon or is symbolically represented as a type of Babylon.

Therefore, the eighth beast is a coalition or confederation of peoples and nations, as Revelation has described to us, and as Daniel has also described to us. It is this final kingdom that makes war against the saints, and martyrs them (17:14-18; 18:24; Dan 7:21). This has been going on since the beginning of the world through every beast empire there ever was that came against God’s people; then in John’s day, the seven heads of Rome; and then into the future somewhere, ten kings who will persecute God’s people for a short time until Christ comes in the clouds in all His power and glory to put a final end to all these kingdoms that rise up against His kingdom, and which spill the blood of His people.

The Final Beast According to Daniel

In Daniel 2:34-35 the King’s dream was that the statue made of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold would be crushed all at the same time. But the stone cut without hands is aimed at and strikes the statue on its feet which were mixed with iron and clay. This causes the whole statue to come pummeling down and to be completely destroyed so that nothing remains. Then that stone which destroyed the statue, becomes a great mountain which will fill the whole earth.

Here is the meaning for these last times: the iron itself is Rome, and is John’s sixth beast. But the iron mixed with clay is the final eighth beast empire, as it takes its stand against God. In His Second Coming, Jesus will come to destroy the final beast, which is not just iron and clay, but all people and nations that join themselves together with the iron and clay kingdom (2:43). God will destroy them all—the whole statue will fall.

The iron and clay kingdom is symbolically represented by “Babylon the great” in Revelation because it is alluding to the mixed nationalities in Genesis at the city of Babel in Babylon who were building a tall idol worshipping tower. It was the climax of the nations rebelling against God and where God disinherited the nations. But through Jesus, He will re-inherit all the nations, and rule them with a rod of iron until all things are put in subjection under His feet. The cross-book Daniel to Revelation imagery is that Jesus with His rod of iron will crush the Babylonian statue which represents all nations in rebellion against God. But since the nations are still in rebellion against God, the statue has not fallen yet.

Daniel says, “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever” (2:44). In the days of “those kings,” could be interpreted as the Roman kings or the final ten kings of the last beast empire.

In that time during the Roman empire, Jesus came and set up a spiritual kingdom “which will never be destroyed.” And in the end, it will overcome all the kingdoms of the earth, as Jesus said of the church, “the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Mt 16:18). Though kings would spill the blood of the saints, it would only make this kingdom stronger, and they would overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.

The text says, “it will crush and put to an end.” There is a sense here in which it is the saints who are living in the kingdom who might be said to be doing the crushing but we know for sure it is Jesus who will be doing the final crushing. So the kingdom being set up could be speaking of during the time of the Roman empire, or it could be speaking of when all empires are finally destroyed. I could see the textual interpretation going either way.

My take on this is that the inauguration of the kingdom happened during the time of Christ and up to the destruction of the temple. But this was not the crushing of the beast kingdoms. It was the establishment of a new kind of rule that will continue to progress and break into the physical world until the physical world is taken over. The physical world will be taken over by the kingdom of God when Jesus returns, and this is when the crushing of Nebuchadnezzars statue happens and when the beast is thrown into the fire.

From here on out, let’s continue throughout the rest of the book of Daniel and his visions to understand the rest of the prophecies that may relate to Matthew 24.

Daniel 7: The Antichrist and The Little Horn

Where does the Antichrist fit in?

Daniel 7:23-27 tells us about Daniel’s fourth beast, which is John’s sixth beast, Rome. The Roman Empire would devour the whole earth—they would conquer many kingdoms. Out of Rome, ten horns (ten kings and/or kingdoms) would arise [Daniel uses kings and kingdoms interchangeably or seemly interchangeably sometimes]. After these ten kings, another would arise after them (the little horn that arrogantly boasts). This last king will subdue three kings, “he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever” (7:25-26).

After him, there are no more kings that will exalt themselves above God, for he is the last, and once he is destroyed, the next thing to happen is that “the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (Dan 7:27).

Interpretative notes: Is verse 27 a general statement or an exclusive statement regarding the extent of the kingdom of God? If it is exclusive, this refers to the Second Coming of Christ. If it is only general and can be proved to not have any possible interpretation for exclusivity, then this probably refers to the first Advent of Christ. In other words, I’m asking: Is Daniel 7:27 describing a general, ongoing spiritual kingdom (first advent)? Or an exclusive, final, universal dominion/control over all other dominions (second advent)?

Daniel also says that once the little horn is destroyed, the rest of the beasts will also have their dominion taken away, while those kingdoms would also continue living for a period of time: “but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time” (7:12). The rest of the beasts, meaning, the three or four beasts mentioned in Daniel.

Also, be careful to catch this switch. At first, Daniel mentions “the horn,” and then he says “the beast.” Does this mean Daniel is using these two words interchangeably? Or is he saying that the antichrist will destroy the kingdom that he rules over? Or is it saying that the antichrist will be slain along with the beast/kingdom? The indication I think is the latter.

But as for the rest of these 3-4 beast kingdoms, their authority was taken away but they continue to exist as kingdoms until the appointed time. Or, their “extension of life” means that they will be revived at a later time. This may have been referring to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, that their kingdoms or people would still exist, or their society would exist as an influence after they were conquered, but only until a certain time. What is that time? Was it up until Rome? Or is it up until our present day where they will all join together as iron mixed with clay for the final kingdom?

In response to my previous interpretive question of inclusivity and exclusivity on Daniel 7:27, here is a full workup of the options and considerations from AI:

Option A — General Statement (First Advent)

If v.27 is general, then:

• The kingdom is inaugurated spiritually

• The saints receive spiritual authority

• Christ’s dominion grows gradually

• The nations do not literally serve Him

• The “everlasting kingdom” begins at the resurrection/ascension

• The little horn’s destruction is symbolic/covenantal

• The fulfillment can be placed in 70 AD

This is the preterist reading.

Option B — Exclusive Statement (Second Advent)

If v.27 is exclusive, then:

• The kingdom is fully manifested

• Dominion is literally transferred

• All nations serve and obey Christ

• The saints possess the kingdom visibly

• The little horn is literally destroyed

• The event is final, climactic, and eschatological

• The fulfillment cannot be 70 AD

This is the futurist reading.

How to Determine Which Interpretation Fits the Text

Here are the five exegetical tests that decide the issue.

Test 1 — Scope of Dominion

Daniel 7:27 says:

“All the dominions will serve and obey Him.”

This is universal, not partial.

• Not “many dominions”

• Not “some dominions”

• Not “spiritual dominions”

• All dominions under heaven

This cannot be a general statement. It is maximal, total, and exclusive.

Test 2 — Nature of the Kingdom

Daniel 7:27 calls it:

“an everlasting kingdom”

In Daniel, “everlasting” is never used for:

• partial fulfillment

• spiritual inauguration

• covenantal shifts

• symbolic transitions

It is used for final eschatological realities.

Test 3 — Timing Structure (“after him”)

The text says:

• The little horn is destroyed

• After him the kingdom is given to the saints

This is sequential and final.

There are no more horns after the little horn. There are no more beasts after the fourth beast. There are no more dominions opposing God.

This cannot be 70 AD.

Rome continued. Persecution continued. Dominions continued. [The saints did not receive any dominion or more dominion over the kingdoms of the world in 70 AD. The gospel was already in full force and the New Covenant had already existed for quite some time before the destruction of the temple].

Test 4 — Parallel with Daniel 2:44

Daniel 2:44 says:

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom… it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms.”

Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 describe the same event:

• destruction of the final kingdom

• transfer of dominion

• establishment of the everlasting kingdom

Daniel 2 is violent, total, and visible. Daniel 7 is violent, total, and visible.

Neither fits 70 AD.

Test 5 — The “until” structure in Daniel 7:21–22

The saints are:

• persecuted

• overpowered

• oppressed

until the Ancient of Days judges.

After the “until,” the saints:

• are no longer persecuted

• are no longer overpowered

• possess the kingdom

This did not happen in 70 AD.

Christians were persecuted more. Rome expanded. Domitian intensified oppression. The saints did not possess anything.

4. Decisive Conclusion

Based on the text itself:

Daniel 7:27 is an exclusive statement, not a general one.

It describes:

• the final destruction of the last evil ruler

• the final transfer of dominion

• the final establishment of the everlasting kingdom

• the final universal obedience of all nations

• the final cessation of persecution

• the final exaltation of the saints

• the final eschatological reign of God

This cannot be:

• 70 AD

• the fall of Jerusalem

• the end of Nero

• the end of the Old Covenant

• the spiritual inauguration of the church age

It is the Second Coming.

Daniel 8: The Ram and the Goat

Daniel 8 also speaks of a little horn. Is this the same little horn? Or is it a different little horn?

Here in Daniel 8, we see the beast and the little horn again. This time, it seems like he mentions 8 kingdoms. But does he?

The vision begins with the ram and the goat. There was a ram with two horns which conquered many kingdoms. Then there was a male goat that came from the west and he had one horn between its eyes. Then the goat charged at the ram and utterly destroyed him. Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly but as soon as his kingdom was mighty, the large horn he had between his eyes was broken off, and in its place came up four horns across the earth.

Daniel 8:20-22 tells us the interpretation: “The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.”

Here is what we can know so far:

The ram = the kingdom of Media and Persia
The two horns of the ram = the kings of Media and Persia
The goat = the kingdom of Greece
The large horn of Greece = a mighty king
Horns = kings
Animals / beasts = kingdoms / empires

The goat had a horn that broke off = the king of Greece died or was removed from power
In the place of that broken off horn, four horns/kings arose in its place

The four horns of the goat = four kingdoms which will arise from that nation
“toward the four winds of heaven” = in all directions of the earth; four kings/kingdoms gained authority over the earth

Other interpretive concepts:

A longer horn may mean more power/authority or pride
A horn coming up later/last means this king rose up later than the first
Ram butting may mean battling and taking authority over the earth
The beast magnifying itself could mean pride but could also refer to being unchallenged

The goat traveling across the whole earth without touching the ground may indicate that he took authority over the earth through sea battles. This is also implied because the goat defeats the ram who is standing in front of a canal. So, the obvious question is, how does the goat reach the ram standing by the canal? By water. How does the goat travel without touching the ground? By water.

Note: I am coming to these conclusions through Bible meditation and have not read commentary on these things for writing about the book of Daniel, and I do not have much historical knowledge of the kings who have existed or what they did. But it will be interesting to see if my interpretations match up well.

My interpretation so far:

The ram and the goat are not specifically called beasts here but they are in actuality beasts/creatures, and that is implied by verse 4 in which it says that no beasts could stand before him. They are kingdoms/empires. But though the four horns that come from the goat are said to be four kingdoms (v. 22), they are not (v. 8). At least, if we understand kingdoms in the sense of empires like Babylon, Greece, or Rome. But the horns are kingdoms because the text says they are, so that means they are sub-kingdoms, as they are derived from the beast. As the text says, the horns are kings (v. 20, 23), and these kings (v. 21-22) represent sub-kingdoms of Greece. These sub-kingdoms are the rule and reign of these four kings that arise after the first and mighty king of Greece dies or is removed from power.

Here is what the text says, “Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven” (v. 8).

Interpretive note: these words in italics are how NASB1995 has it, and it does that when these words are not in the original text. Though, I am not saying I disagree with those word insertions.

The text does not tell us how the horn of the goat beast/kingdom was broken. It just says that it was. It might be inferred that either (1) Greece fights another nation and loses the battle, (2) the king that ruled Greece is killed or deposed, or (3) that Greece still exists as the world power but is either divided or the authority of its rule is spread out across the world, or (4) there is a one-by-one succession of kings ruling Greece.

While the text infers that the king of Greece dies or is removed, it does not necessarily say the goat kingdom of Greece is destroyed. Previously, however, when the goat of Greece fought against the Ram of Media and Persia, it says that the goat “shattered his two horns” and he “hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power” (v. 7). This implies that the Ram was overwhelmingly conquered and defeated. Meanwhile, when the goat was fought against, by presumingly another beast, it just says its horn was broken off. This could possibly imply a military battle in which the king was defeated. Or maybe it just does not use all that heavy language of defeat for the sake of brevity.

Daniel 8: The Little Horn

Going back to where we left off: the little horn in Daniel 8:9-14

Out of one of these last four horns which are kings and sub-kingdoms of Greece, as was previously mentioned, now comes a little horn.

It “grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.” Then the horn is described as growing up to the host of heaven. I take that to mean that this very small horn exalted himself above all others, even making himself equal to God. This is about his arrogant pride. As it says, he magnified himself to be equal to the Commander of the host.

The stars falling to the earth could mean that he convinced angels to worship him so that they were evicted from heaven (Rev 12? Ezek 28?). Or, the host of heaven could mean the holy people, Israelites or Christians. The stars falling down to the earth to where they were trampled down by the Little Horn, could mean that they would be persecuted or killed by him. Daniel 12 does mention stars when it speaks about the time of the end. Once the rescue and the resurrection of the dead happen unto everlasting life, those people would shine like stars. Therefore, it seems most likely that stars in this context refer to Daniel’s people and them being persecuted by the little horn.

As for the imagery here: Imagine a small horn on an animal growing and growing and growing so tall that it reaches up and past the clouds. I think that’s the idea being conveyed here.

This little horn, which could be a king or a kingdom at this point (or both), made great boasts, “removed the regular sacrifice from Him [God], and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper” (v. 11-12).

One angel asked the other angel, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?” The other angel said, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored” (v. 13-14).

Then the angel Gabriel tells Daniel that this vision pertains to the time of the end (v. 17). And again, about “what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end” (v. 19). Then Gabriel says, “in the latter period of their rule…”

What does he mean by latter period? What does he mean by “time of the end”? And why does he use the plural pronoun “their”? Gabriel must be referring to the four horns which would arise from the kingdom of Greece. During the latter time of that rule, towards the end, “a king will arise.”

If this means during the later period of those four sub-kingdoms, then that would mean that this little horn comes up at the end of the Greek empire or sometime in the future after the Greek empire. But we need to pay very careful attention here because this could be where someone’s eschatological viewpoints are either made or broken.

Verse 9 says, “out of one of them came forth…” Out of one of what? Out of one of the four horns. This strongly implies that one of the four horns is the little horn.

Verse 22 tells us that these four horns will arise from the nation of Greece, but not by their own power. Then verse 23 mentions a king arising in the latter period of their rule, and verse 24 repeats the same phrase, that he would be mighty, “but not by his own power.” It is saying that this little horn is one of the four kings of Greece.

Notice also the imagery: when the original one horn of the goat is broken off, there is no horns on the goat, but then from the place of where the broken horn used to be, four horns will grow or arise out of the goat’s head. One of those four horns is the Little Horn.

Gabriel explains,

In the latter period of their rule,
When the transgressors have run their course,
A king will arise,
Insolent and skilled in intrigue.
(Daniel 8:23)

Who are these “transgressors”? Notice, they come before and progress for a time period before this king arises. The time of transgressors must first run their course in doing their sins until this king comes up. This probably refers to the Jews who rejected their Messiah, broke the covenant, rebelled against God, and spilled the blood of the saints. Once those sins have run their course, this king will arise.

Notice the following descriptions of the little horn:

His power will be mighty, but not by His power
He will destroy to an extraordinary degree
He will destroy mighty men and the holy people
He will destroy many while they are at ease
He will oppose the Prince of princes
But he will be broken without human agency

Now, before we get some strange ideas of who we personally think the Antichrist might be, we need to look at these descriptions and see if they fit. Otherwise, that person is not the Antichrist. But we should also question: is the little horn spoken of here the Antichrist?

When it refers to “he will be broken without human agency” (8:25), this sounds like it is referring back to the stone cut without human hands that smashed the statue in the king’s vision. This seems to be an indication and overlapping data point that the little horn is speaking about the same person and/or kingdom here. But is that the case?

From what we have covered earlier, this little horn king clearly comes up from Greece, and history tells us it was Antioch IV Epiphanes who was an antichrist prototype. He greatly persecuted the Jews, put a stop to sacrifices, desecrated the temple, and died suddenly (not in battle / without human intervention). Thus, Daniel 8 seems to have a dual prophetic nature: a prophecy fulfilled in 167-164 BC by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and another fulfillment regarding the future characteristic nature of the coming Antichrist.

Daniel 9: Background and Prophecies

Daniel picked up some books from the words of Jeremiah the prophet and read about how long the desolations upon Jerusalem would last for his people who were suffering in that day. The prophetic words from the book said that after seventy years, the desolations would be completed (9:1-3). Then Daniel humbled himself before God, confessing his sins and the sins of his people that God might show mercy upon them. Daniel acknowledges that a great calamity had fallen on Jerusalem and upon those of Isreal who were exiled because Israel transgressed against God, and did not keep His covenant. Therefore, according to the oath which is written in the law of Moses, the curse had been poured out upon them (v. 11, 13). But Daniel pleads with the Lord to show mercy and compassion to hear his prayer, to forgive, take action, and to not delay (v. 18-19).

Now while Daniel was praying these things, the angel Gabriel came to him in response to his prayer to give him “insight with understanding” (v. 22). Gabriel instructs him to listen to him “and gain understanding of the vision” (v. 23).

What “vision” is he referring to?

Daniel 8:26 says, “the vision of the evenings and mornings,” which “pertains to many days in the future” (NASB default italics). This vision was in chapter 8 about the little horn and the temple (8:9-14; 21-27). Which, as I have said, it pertains to the Greek ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Daniel 9:24-27 then speaks about “seventy weeks,” not to be confused with what was said earlier in the chapter about “seventy years.”

The seventy weeks has to do with Daniel’s people (‘your people’), and the “holy city” of Jerusalem. It’s a prophecy about their future “to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place” (Dan 9:24).

Are these all in sequential order? Or are they in random order? First, let’s see if we can contextually understand any of these things.

To finish the transgression
To make an end of sin
To make atonement for iniquity
To bring in everlasting righteousness
To seal up vision and prophecy
To anoint the most holy place

Daniel 9: To finish the transgression

The word “transgression” or other forms of it are mentioned four other times in this book (8:12, 13, 23; 9:11). Which, according to 8:26, as I have mentioned, it’s about the little horn and the temple, the vision of evenings and mornings which pertains to many days yet future. This is what Gabriel is giving Daniel more understanding about. Thus, if we know what was being talked about there, then we can figure out what it means “to finish the transgression.”

Daniel 8:12 says, “And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice.” What is likely happening here is that the little horn is given power and authority over the holy people, or rather, the people who are supposed to be holy unto the Lord. But because of their transgression against God, He gave them over to the power of the little horn so that they lived under his oppression, and the regular sacrifice was taken away from them. Meaning, they could no longer offer sacrifices to God. Therefore, to finish the transgression means that in order for their suffering to end, they must return to the Lord. But by the end of the seventy weeks, they would return to the Lord, since that has been decreed.

Note: read Dan 9:1-19 to understand what repentance is about.

Daniel 8:13 says, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”

The transgression that causes horror is the transgression of Israel. It causes horror because it is either a terrible thing to do against God, or because of the effects that transgressing against God has in bringing curses upon themselves, as it is written in the law of Moses. Their transgression brings them into this terrible place of being oppressed by the little horn. That is what the trampling is about, oppression, which is persecution and can also be death. The word “trampled” is also used here because we’re talking about a beast, and that’s the effect of a beast like a goat having dominance over another.

Daniel 8:23 says, “In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.” In the latter times of the rule of the four kings/sub-kingdoms of Greece, a king (the little horn) will rise up. But he comes into authority once the transgressions of Israel have run their course and built-up sin upon their own heads. Daniel 9:14 is a good example, describing this thought regarding the present Babylonian captivity, “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice” (cf. 9:11).

Daniel 9: To make an end to sin

“Sin” is only mentioned in one other verse in the book of Daniel (9:20), which does not give us any special clues about what this means. Maybe it just means for Israel to stop sinning—to turn back to God.

Daniel 9: To make atonement for iniquity

This sounds like the atonement of the Messiah, Jesus. But let’s see if there might be an alternative interpretation. Daniel does not mention atonement elsewhere but Ezekiel mentions atonement, and it was a prophecy regarding the restoration of Israel after the Babylonian captivity (Ezek 39:25-29), a vision of the temple of the Lord being rebuilt and God’s glory filling it (Ezek 43:1-12), and a vision about after these things take place, they would dedicate the temple. Ezekiel 43:26-27 says, “For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they consecrate it. When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall offer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,’ declares the Lord God.”

Or could this be about anointing the most holy place?

Daniel 9: To bring in everlasting righteousness

This seems to be a direct reference to Daniel 12:3 “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Everlasting righteousness also sounds like the work Jesus accomplished to give us His righteousness that will last into eternity.

But what is being described here? The starting of it or its completion?

Daniel 9: To seal up vision and prophecy

Daniel 12:4 says, “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:9 says, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.”

Does sealing up vision and prophecy mean to close the books and keep them until the time and need for them arises in the latter days?

Does it refer to the completion of the Old Testament? The completion of the New Testament?

We know that Jesus referenced Daniel in Matthew 24, so were these visions and prophecies unsealed at that time? Or perhaps do they become unsealed in the writings of Revelation?

Does sealing up vision and prophecy mean to hide it or to do away with it?

Daniel 9: To anoint the most holy place

Maybe this is actually in the section of making atonement for iniquity, in reference to the temple, like the inauguration ceremony of the temple when it is rebuilt and dedicated to God.

Maybe it is not about the temple at all. Verse 25 only mentions the rebuilding of Jersualem, not the temple, though rebuilding the temple could be the implication.

Maybe it is referring to the High Priestly work of Jesus.

The word “place” is not in the original text. Maybe it means to anoint a people group. Maybe this is about Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who is called, The Anointing.

How do we even know that this list is supposed to happen in chronological order?

Daniel 9: The Seventy Weeks

62 weeks + 7 weeks = 69 weeks + 1 week = 70 weeks ?
62 weeks + 1 week = 63 weeks + 7 weeks = 70 weeks ?

Daniel 9:25-27 says,

So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.

Here is the timeline that the text itself reveals:

The timeline starts when the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem is spoken. This happens after the Babylonian captivity, of which we can read about in the book of Nehemiah.

From the time Jersualem begins rebuilding, there will be 69 weeks. Or, maybe it is saying that there will be 62 weeks, which then puts a time gap between the 62 and 7 because after 62 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. Is this cutting off referring to a destruction of the temple? Or is it referring to the destruction of the temple of Jesus’ body?

Then, after these 62 weeks and cutting off happens, the people will destroy the city and sanctuary. This seems to be a clear descriptor of Jerusalem and the temple building.

Then it says, “the people of the prince who is to come.” Who is this prince? Is it the same prince just mentioned? Or is it a king? I doubt it is a king, because the book of Daniel does not shy away from using the word “king” when it means “king.” Therefore, if it is an earthly ruler, it is either a religious leader like a high priest, or a Roman prefect. Could it be Caiphas or Pontius Pilot?

In the book of Daniel, “prince” is used for “the Prince of princes” (8:25), governors (9:6-8), rulers, maybe even spiritual beings (10:13, 20-21; 12:1). Right now, I’m leaning towards the most likely fit being “the prince of the covenant” (11:22). But I have not studied that part yet.

My next question is: are these “people of the prince,” meaning, they are on his side? Or, are these just “people,” and then the text is referring to “the prince who is to come”? Meaning that the people are not necessarily for the prince, but they will be the people existing during the time of this prince who is to come?

It seems like the text reads that seven weeks comes first, then sixty-two weeks, then one week, and all that is when the Old Covenant will be over. Or, is it saying that it is the end of Israel’s history because it will be the end of the world?

In verse 26, it seems like it is the prince’s people, warriors, or governors who act on his behalf that will destroy the city and the sanctuary.

“a flood” is not literal here. It just describes a devastating wipe-out or destructive event. It can be synonymous with an event of divine judgement, alluding back to the worldwide flood as an event of God’s judgement.

War will continue on until the city is made desolate.

“abominations” is not singular here as we’re used to seeing it, but it is plural.

The one who makes desolate could be the prince to come or the prince’s people.

But the one who makes desolate will himself be made desolate. He will be utterly destroyed.

Daniel 10-11

Daniel received another vision but we are not told what he specifically saw, only that he had a significant amount of understanding about the vision of a coming time of great conflict. It shook him to the core so that after he had seen the vision, he mourned for three entire weeks. He fasted from pleasurable foods until the three weeks were done.

While he was on the bank of the Tigris River, he had a vision of a man dressed in linen and with many other amazing and frightening qualities of the man’s appearance that Daniel described. Then he told Daniel, “I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future” (10:14).

Then he says, “I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth” (10:21). Not sure what that means… Maybe a decree of God that he is now speaking from to declare what will be.

Then we get to Daniel 11 where the man dressed in linen tells Daniel how to understand the vision he saw. He said that “three more kings are going to arise in Persia” (v. 2).

From all that I can understand, it seems like this man dressed in linen is a Christophany. That is, it is Jesus being revealed during a time before His incarnation. This messenger to Daniel was at the time helping king Darius, the Mede, encouraging and protecting him against the Persians.

The man in linen proceeds to tell Daniel the order of when all the kings will arise.

The order starts with Darius the Mede. Then three kings are mentioned in passing who will be Persian kings. Then the fourth Persian king will become very wealthy and strong, and will arouse the whole Persian empire against Greece (v. 2). It is unclear who won that battle in verse 3. The text does not specifically say.

Then in verses 3-4, a mighty king arises with great authority, but only for a short time. His kingdom will be divided up across the land. But his descendants will not rule the throne. Instead, multiple other people will have rulership over the land, but not with the same level of authority.

Is verse 3 speaking of the last Persian king arising? A Greek king arising? Or some other king arising in the future?

It is Alexander the Great, the first Greek king. This matches historical records.

Verse 5. The king of the South will grow strong, but then one of his princes will take his throne.

Verse 6. Some years later, the North and the South will make an alliance. One person is the prince just mentioned who took the king of the South’s throne. The king of the South formed a marriage alliance with his daughter and the other king. However, neither of these two people will retain power in their kingdoms. The alliance will not go exactly as planned because the daughter would lose influence over the king, and would be neglected.

Verse 7. One of the descendants of her line (the South royal line, a man who is her cousin) will rise against the North with armies, and will gain ascendancy to the king of the North’s throne. At this point, the South has control over the South along with the North.

Verse 8. It is implied that the king of the South here is the king of Egypt. He won the battle against the North and took a bunch of loot with him to Egypt, but would avoid attacking the king of the North for some years. This also implies that though the South won the battle, the king of the North retained his power to some degree. Or, perhaps they replaced the king of the North with a person of their choosing.

Verse 9. Then the latter (the king of the North) “will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land.” This implies an attempted military campaign against the South but he returned to his own land because the battle was unsuccessful.

Verse 10. “His sons” are referring to the king of the North. The king of the North’s sons will mobilize an army against the South right up to the fortress. A siege of a city might be implied here, and if that is the case, famine would be a result.

Verses 11-13. However, the king of the South will fight against the North and will seem to prevail for a time as he has inflicted many casualties. The king of the South won that battle but when round two comes from the North (or during a long military campaign), the North will raise up an overwhelming force against the South, and will overcome his armies.

Verse 14. “in those times,” probably referring to the times of that military conflict, “many,” (the North armies?) will rise up against the king of the South. Additionally, “the violent ones among your people [Daniel’s people] will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.” So far during this conflict, the king of the South is holding his ground really well.

Verse 15. But after the king of the South warded off and defended himself against all these armies (perhaps coming from everywhere), then the king of the North will come again and will use siege ramps to capture a well-fortified city, and that city will be taken.

Verse 16. The one who comes against the king of the South will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to defeat him or overcome his forces. The king of the North will stay in (reside in or have a military occupation in) the Beautiful Land (Jersualem), “with destruction in his hand.” He will rule with oppressive force or will bring destructions upon Jerusalem.

Verse 17. “He” (likely the king of the North) has a genius plan to offer his whole kingdom as an alliance of peace which is proposed to “him” (king of the South?). The peace deal goes into effect. It is an alliance of peace through the marriage of his daughter (‘daughter of women’). But it is a deceptive plan because his daughter was placed there in an attempt to corrupt and ruin that kingdom. But either his daughter stands up for her father (the king of the North) or does not. It is unclear who “his side” is. But I am inclined to believe that it means the daughter does not do what her father wants her to do, so the original plan to ruin the South kingdom fails.

Verses 18-19.

Option 1: The king of the North will take dominion over the coastlands. But one of his commanders who feels underappreciated and derided (scorned) by the king, will decide to do something about that. The commander will attack the fortresses of his own land (of his and the king’s), but he will not prevail but will die in his pursuit of gaining recognition.

Option 2: Alternatively, these verses mean that the king will turn his armies against the coastlands, but then a commander within those coastlands will put an end to the king’s insolence, causing him to retreat into his own land in shame. Then the king will be deposed, or die from his own wounds.

The first option is what I inferred from looking at this in the NASB; the second option is what NLT more or less conveys. I’m going with option 2 here.

Verse 20. Where the king of the North once stood in authority, will arise a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor of the kingdom. But within a few days, his reign will be shattered and broken, though not in anger or in battle.

Verse 21. Then a despised/despicable man will take his place. He will rise to authority not because of royal lineage, but will seize the kingdom by intrigue (influence) in a time of peace (or by the means of peaceable action).

Verse 22. A wave of overflowing forces will come up against him but they will be swept away like a flood, along with the prince of the covenant.

Verse 23. After someone makes an alliance with him, he will use his influence and deceit to gain authority over a small people/nation who will listen to him and follow after him.

Verse 24. He will come in peace (or in a time of peace) to the richest areas of the realm, and will loot and plunder them in order to give that loot to his followers. But that is something his fathers or ancestors had never done. Then he will plot to overthrow strongholds, but that plot will only last for a time.

Verse 25. This man (of intrigue), will stir up the strength and courage of his people that he won over through influence, and face the king of the South with a large army. The South will be defeated because the king of the South had schemes (or plots) devised against him.

Verses 26-27. Those closest to him (the king of South) will cause his downfall; his armies will be overrun, and many slain. These two kings will plot against one another at the same table to deceive each other, yet their lies will not be successful. But the end will still come at the appointed time.

Verse 28. After this victory, the king of the North will journey back to his own land with the many riches that he plundered, but on the way, he will set his heart against the holy covenant people, will take action against them, and then return to his own land.

Verses 29-31. At the appointed time, he will bring his army back again to fight the South but it won’t go as planned. The ships of Kittim (the western coastlands) will intimidate him and scare him away; and so he will return to his land but will vent his anger out on the people of the holy covenant, and will reward (or esteem) those who forsake the covenant. His armies will desecrate the sanctuary (temple/Jerusalem), abolish the regular sacrifice, and set up the abomination of desolation (sacrilegious object).

Verses 32-33. By smooth words, he will convince people to act wickedly against the covenant. But those who know their God, will fight back (or resist him). Those who have insight, will share their instruction and understanding among the many; yet these will fall by the sword, will be killed with fire, taken to prison or captivity, or have their possessions plundered.
See Dan 12:3; Mt 24:12; Lk 21:24; 2 Tim 3

Verse 34. Under this persecution, little help will come to them, and there will be those who join them secretly to root them out.
See Mt 24:9-10; Mk 13:12-13; Lk 21:16-17

Verse 35. Some of those who have insight will come under this persecution in order to be refined, purged, and made pure until the end time; because the appointed time is still to come.
See Dan 12:10; Mt 24:13; Mk 13:33; Lk 21:19, 36
Some translations suggest that the wise will have their wisdom/understanding fail them.

At this point, from verses 36-45, scholars are in agreement that these descriptions do not match anyone in history. Also, notice the continuation of this king as the subject starting in verse 36 and the pronouns remaining the same (e.g. he, him). This means that verse 40 is speaking of the same king as was first mentioned in verse 36. There is no break in subject. This is a continuous progression of the same end time event. Thus, there is no time-gap between verse 36 and verse 40 of an extended period of time in history. It is a continuous account of events.

Verses 36-37. Then the king will do whatever he wishes, exalting himself above every god, speaking monstrous things against the God of gods, and he will continue to prosper until the appointed time of the indignation is finished, until that which has been decreed is done. He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors, nor for the god loved by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above them all.

Verses 38-39. Instead of this, he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know. He will call upon the aid of this god through giving him many expensive gifts. Then he will attack the strongest fortresses and subdue them. Those who honor him and submit to his authority will be given positions of power and the wealth of lands.

Verse 40 gives a very clear transition to some other time.

Verses 40-41. At the end time (or possibly, at the end of the appointed time), the king of the South will attack his armies in battle. But the king of the North (the man of intrigue?), will come against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships; and invade countries like a flood. He (the king of the North) will even enter the Beautiful Land (Jerusalem), and many countries will fall. Though these will escape: Edom, Moab, and distinguished people from the sons of Ammon.

Alternatively: At the end time, the king of the South and the king of the North will both attack him (the antichrist), and he (the antichrist) will overflow all of them and pass through. If this is a possible interpretation, then the king of the North from here on out is just the antichrist, not actually the king of the North.

Verses 42-43. Then the king of the North will extend his power over many countries, even Egypt (the South) will not escape. He (the North) will loot the treasures and take the wealth of Egypt, the Libyans, and Ethiopians, and they will be in servitude to him.

Verses 44-45. But he (the king of the North?) will hear reports from the East and from the North that will disturb him, and so he will go out with great anger to destroy and annihilate many. He will set up tents between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; but he will come to his end and no one will help him.

From what I can gather so far:

The king of the South is Egypt.

The king of the North is Syria.

The man of intrigue is the king of the North, who is an antichrist prototype. Scholars identify him as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He was a Seleucid king.

The antichrist himself, dies in Israel. Or at least, that is the last place he was known to be.

All of the military conflicts are described as taking place in the Middle-East, even verse 36 and onward. Therefore, there is a strong argument for the antichrist to come out of the Middle-East, not out of Rome.

If we follow the consistent sequence that the book of Daniel has presented to us so far, there is always one king or kingdom that takes over another one. This happens in direct succession. There are no time-gaps except from verse 36 and onward, as scholars cannot match those descriptions of conquest with any historical king.

Throughout Daniel, kingdoms and kings consistently follow one another in direct historical succession with no gaps — until Daniel 11:36. From 11:2–35, every king and kingdom can be identified in history. But from 11:36 onward, scholars cannot match the descriptions to any historical king, which signals a transition to the final eschatological ruler.

Since the resurrection of the dead has not taken place yet according to Daniel 12:1-4 and the end of time in 12:4 is directly correlated to the end time in 11:40, we can at least conclude that those events go together and both have not happened yet.

Notice also all the personal descriptors of who the antichrist is, that he exalts himself, speaks monstrous things, rejects the gods of his fathers, etc. This indicates that the antichrist will be a person, not just a kingdom. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul also calls him “the man of lawlessness,” which is probably one of the strongest arguments that he will be a person. Also, Daniel describes the antichrist as the little horn. Whenever he uses the word “horn,” he is referring to a king. Whereas, when he uses the word “beast,” he’s referring to a kingdom. Thus, the antichrist will be some kind of king or ruler.

The antichrist must also die in Israel according to Daniel 11. Then 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says that in the appearance of Christ’s coming, He will slay the lawless one with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end. Paul also says that he must take “his seat in the temple of God,” and so some form of God’s temple is needed to do that, and the temple of God would naturally be in Jerusalem in the latter days, where the antichrist will also die. Additionally, if Antiochus IV was the antichrist prototype who did these things in desecrating the temple, then it would also make sense that the real antichrist would follow the same pattern.

A rebuilt Jewish temple would be the most likely option here. The second would be that the antichrist would declare himself to be God in the Dome of the Rock where the temple used to sit. The temple mount (the land there) is still considered a holy site for both Jews and Muslims.

I’m not sure how flexible prophetic fulfillments can actually be. See the example of Zechariah 12:10 about looking on Him whom they had pierced and weeping bitterly over Him and compare that to John 19:36-37 which says that the death of Jesus was this prophecy fulfilled. Then compare that to Revelation 1:7 which points towards this prophecy still being future from the time John received the apocalyptic vision. However, the broader context of Zechariah 12 is in Jerusalem being attacked but the Lord rescuing them from that attack to defeat their enemies. Though Jerusalem was attacked in 70AD, they were not delivered from that attack; but rather, they succumbed to it. Therefore, 70AD cannot be the fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10 and Revelation 1:7. Unless, it was only a partial fulfillment as a prototype event of the full event to come later.

Side by Side Comparison Mapping the Revelation 6 Seals to Daniel 11-12 and the Gospel Accounts

There are parallels between Daniel 11, Revelation 6, and the distressing events in the world that Jesus talks about in the gospels. Let’s review them really quick. I also have a fuller version of this comparison if you click HERE, which also includes Pauline and non-Pauline accounts.

First seal: White horse – Conquering through influence

Daniel account:

A king rises without open war, using flattery, deception, alliances, and smooth words.

This is conquest without arrows — victory through influence

Jesus’ account:

False prophets, false Christs, religious and political deception, rumors, fake news

Second seal: Red horse – Peace taken & War

Daniel account:

Great armies being mobilized and flooding through the surrounding countries.

Betrayals during peace agreements and widespread war.

Jesus’ account:

Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

Third & Fourth seals: Black & Pale horses – Famine, scarcity, sword, famine, pestilence

Daniel account:

More war and the effects of war upon the world: cities being sieged, plundering, looting, confiscating people’s property, oppression of the population; and dead bodies from war could cause diseases.

Jesus’ account:

Famines, earthquakes, and plagues.

Fifth seal: Martyrs & Persecution

5th Seal: Daniel account

Those at one’s own table speaking lies and betraying one another.

Persecution against the people of the holy covenant.

Lawlessness increasing because the king convinces people to forsake the covenant.

Abomination of desolation (11:31).

Some will rise to take action against the king, while others will die another way (11:32-33; Rev 13:10).

Martyrdom by the sword, by flame, and into captivity.

Possessions being stolen.

Having insincere people join your group to take advantage of you or to root you out.

“A time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (12:1).

“He [the lawless one] will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done” (11:36).

The refining of the faithful through suffering (11:35; 12:10).

Persevering until the end (12:12).

5th Seal: Jesus’ account

Jerusalem surrounded by armies

Abomination of desolation

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Mt 24:21).

“these are the days of vengeance” (Lk 21:22).

“for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people” (Lk 21:23).

Being delivered over to tribulation, being killed, and hated by all.

Being flogged and imprisoned

Many falling away, betraying one another, and killing one’s own families

Lawlessness increasing, and people’s love growing cold.

Persevering until the end.

Notes on the tribulation:

As Jesus said, everything before the abomination of desolation is all just the beginning of the birth pains. And Paul would add: “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God” (Ro 8:19).

Luke phrased it: “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately” (Lk 21:9).

The birth pains begin small and then they work their way up until the coming of the Son of Man and until the sons of God are revealed in glory (Ro 8:22).

“I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 1:9).

“they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Lk 21:24).

“And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.’ 27 This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Heb 12:26-27).

What John and Jesus call “tribulation,” Daniel calls “a time of distress” (Dan 12:1).

I believe that we are in the tribulation now in our present day, just as John was in the tribulation in his present day. The tribulation is the birth pains of the earth and the wrath of mankind, which are all characterized by seals 1-6. I have not seen any convincing evidence to conclude that these seals must take place in a specific order or at specific times, as these trying times of tribulation have occurred all throughout history and they repeat themselves. When Jesus spoke of them in the gospels, they seemed to be randomized events. However, He did communicate them in ascending order of severity (birth pains).

Sixth seal: Terror of the supernatural, celestial, and Son of Man

6th Seal: Revelation account

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” (Rev 1:7).

Great earthquake, sun darkened, moon turns to blood, stars of the sky falling to the earth like unripe figs, sky split apart like a scroll, mountains and islands moved out of their places.

Kings and commanders, the rich and strong – hiding themselves from the wrath of the Father (Him who sits on the throne) and of the Son of Man’s (the Lamb) wrath.

“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.’” (Rev 7:1-3).

The sealing of the 144,000 from every tribe of the sons of Israel (7:4-8).

A great multitude in heaven standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white, from every nation, tribe, language and people group (7:9-17). “Where have they come from?” (v. 13), “these are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation” (v. 14), “they will hunger no longer […] and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (v. 16-17).

6th Seal: Daniel account

Michael the archangel will arise to come to the aid of God’s people, “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise” (12:1).

It will be a time of great distress such as there has never been since there was a nation until that time.

“At that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued” (12:1).

Read Zechariah 12; Revelation 1:7; Daniel 12:1; and Revelation 7:1-18 altogether to have more understanding on the 144,000.

The man of lawlessness “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” (11:45).

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt” (12:2).

“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (12:3).

“How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” (12:6), “it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” (12:7).

“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age” (12:13).

6th Seal: Jesus’ account

“What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:3).

Visible and obvious return of Jesus which comes after false Christs with false signs (Mt 24:22-28; Mk 13:20-23).

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give it’s light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken” (Mt 24:29).

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened…” (Mk 13:24).

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory” (Mt 24:30).

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mk 13:26).

“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Lk 21:25-26).

“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk 21:28).

“And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Mt 24:31).

“from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven” (Mk 13:27).

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Mt 24:32-33).

“Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Mk 13:29).

“Then He told them a parable: ‘Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near’” (Lk 21:24).

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left” (Mt 25:31-33).

“all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk 21:36).

Connecting all these together, we know that at least one of the angels that will be gathering together the elect will be Michael. This gathering together of the elect is the resurrection of the dead and rapture event. It’s the harvest of the wheat and the tares, of the righteous and the unrighteous. This rescuing event that Daniel speaks of is the rapture and resurrection of the dead, along with physical deliverance from armies that surround Jerusalem. Notice in Zechariah 12 it has all these elements: Jerusalem surrounded by armies, physical and supernatural deliverance from those armies, God destroying all the nations that come against Jerusalem, then they will look upon Him whom they have pierced (cf. Rev 1:7). Daniel 12:1 goes right along with this, as he rises to the aid of Daniel’s people.

For Old Testament References concerning the last days, see Dan 12; Joel 2; Zech 12, 14; Mal 4; Jer 30; Ezek 37-39; Isa 2-3; ;11; 24-27; 63:1-6; 65:17-25; 66:18-24

Daniel Chapter Twelve Commentary

Daniel 12:1

“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.”

“Now at that time,” referring to a time previously mentioned by the angel, which is, “at the end time the king of the South will collide with him…” (11:40). Once Daniel 11 is well-understood, this end time can find a place on the prophetic timeline, as the events in Daniel 11 lead up to Daniel 12.

The angel Michael is said to be a great prince (ruler) over Daniel’s people.

The semantic range of this word, “arise” in the book of Daniel could mean rise up in/to power, withstand (to stand against), or to stand on behalf of, or to simply stand (to do nothing, refrain). It is also the same word “stands” when it occurs the first time in this verse. “guard” is not in the original text, but that is the interpretation of what this kind of standing is. However, this Hebrew word is also the same one used in 12:13 for “rise.” That is, for Daniel to rise up from the dead at the end of the age.

The word “over” is often used in Daniel to communicate power “over” someone, power higher than another, or “against” someone.

With this Hebrew understanding, it could go either way. Either Michael is standing up on behalf of Israel, or he is standing against them. The most natural and more neutral understanding of this verse might be: “the great prince who stands as a higher power over the sons of your people, will rise up in power.”

From this point, there are two contrasting sentences. The first is about a terrible distress to come upon Israel. The second is about rescue from that distress. So then the question naturally is: Does Michael cause the distress? Or does he save Daniel’s people from the distress?

Contextually, up to this point in reading the book of Daniel, there is no indication that Michael would stand against Israel. Michael is the one who comes to the aid of Daniel to give him the interpretation of some of his visions. Therefore, Michael seems to be an ally to Daniel’s people. Another supporting clue is that Michael was previously fighting against the prince of the kingdom of Persia (10:13), not against Jerusalem at that time, further making Michael a positive ally figure. Furthermore, if Zechariah 12 is describing the same event here in Daniel, which is likely the case, then this is about rescuing Daniel’s people.

Therefore, Michael is coming to the aid of Jerusalem in 1:1. The distress comes, but then Michael helps rescue Israel from that distress. It will be a period of distress at that time, worse than it ever has been for any nation. But notice here, it does not say, “nor ever will be,” speaking of no greater distress to ever happen again.

It is unclear though as to whom this time of distress is specifically referring to. Is it distress upon Israel or Jerusalem only? Or is it a time of distress upon the whole world? The past referent indicator is “the sons of your people,” implying that the distress is specific to them, and not necessarily for the whole world. It also says, “since there was a nation,” indicating that perhaps we are comparing one nation with another nation. Then later, it says, “your people,” another reference to whom specifically will be under distress. The weight of all these indicators point to this prophetic time being a specific time of distress upon Daniel’s people, but Michael will come to their aid to save them from it.

However, since Daniel 11 is the context of “the time” being spoken of for this distress, we can determine that it will be a time of distress upon many nations, as there will be many wars.

Note for the prophetic timeline: This event in Daniel 12 must happen at a time which is (at the very least) worse than any other previous occurrence against Jerusalem. Therefore, the prophetic event of Matthew 24:20 is either the same event, or the one in Matthew is more future than the one spoken of here in Daniel. That is, if we take the sentence literally. Alternatively, it could be hyperbole or some idiomatic phrase used in prophetic language to communicate the total terrible nature of such event, kind of like saying, “this is the worst day ever!”

Now for the second occurrence in verse one, it says, “at that time,” indicating we are still speaking of the same time period, that time of distress. Thus, the rescue of Daniel’s people happens during that time of distress so that they are saved from it.

“The book” is the book of life. Everyone who is currently alive and of the true faith, are in that book.

“rescued” also means to be saved, delivered, or escape. It is used one other time in the book of Daniel: “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” (11:41).

But since this is the same time of distress being spoken of in Daniel 12, it seems most likely that Michael will help Israel escape/be rescued from these armies.

However, the rescue seems to be more than just deliverance from physical armies, as not only is the book of life mentioned here, but also the resurrection of the dead.

After I made all these logical deductions, I went back to read the book of Revelation and noticed a strong correlation. I believe Revelation 7:2-3 is Michael. It says, “And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.’” Right after this, the sealing of the 144,000 of Israel takes place, and then a great multitude from the tribulation can be seen, which sounds like the rescue that the book of Daniel speaks of. Then right before the angel appears, there are a bunch of wars and distressing times upon the world in both Daniel and in Revelation. I don’t think that is coincidence. The order of these events all line up so perfectly similar.

Daniel 12:2

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”

“sleep” is a euphemism for being dead. Jesus used it, and even Paul used it.

“awake” is synonymous with being resurrected from the dead.

Those whose names are in the book, awake to everlasting life.

That is, those who are already alive spiritually because of their connection to God, have their names in the book of life, and when they die, they will later rise up from the dead to everlasting life; even as Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (Jn 11:25).

Those whose names are not found in the book, are looked down upon (‘disgrace and everlasting contempt’).

Here is the prophetic imagery:

All kinds of people are dead in their graves. But when this time comes, those whose names are in the book of life will sit up, stand up, and rise up from the ground from where their grave was.

Those whose names were not found in the book of life, are viewed with disgrace and everlasting contempt. Why? Because they are still in their graves, and the righteous ones, since they are now above the graves, they are looking down upon the graves of those who did not rise up.

It is a disgraceful and contemptful thing to be a rotting corpse, and to turn to dust. The word “disgrace” also means reproach, scorn, shame, and embarrassment.

The word “contempt” is used one other time in the Hebrew, and that is in Isaiah 66:24 where it says, “they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.” In that context, it is speaking of rotting corpses that have worms to completely consume the bodies so there will be nothing left, and the fire not being quenched is a symbolic concept to the phrase “fire and brimstone,” as an image of complete judgment that forever destroys, like the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah—there was nothing left. Brimstone cannot be put out—but will completely consume its fuel contents. This is divine judgement imagery to communicate that whatever is put into the fire, will not be able to escape, it will be completely consumed until there is nothing left. The worms communicate the same thing. That is why it is such a disgraceful or abhorrent thing to look upon (symbolically, that is). The reason it is not only contemptful but also “everlasting contempt,” is because those not in the book of life, their final destiny will be in the dirt forever. Generations upon generation of people will stand and walk above them, and thus, they are always beneath, they are always looked down upon in that sense.

Compare that to Malachi 4:1-3

For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.

“ashes under the soles of your feet.” This is the everlasting contempt. Since they will return to the dust from where they came, they will forever be walked on and walked over. That is their everlasting contempt punishment. There is nothing in these Old Testament imageries of judgement that include eternal conscious torment. Instead, the symbolic fire of God’s divine judgement will consume the wicked to ash.

However, some might think that when Jesus came, He revealed clarity to final judgement, and somehow that clarity is eternal conscious torment. But why God decided to never be crystal clear about the true punishment for sin in the Old Testament, I don’t know; beats me. Why be so obscure about a punishment and torment that would last forever? I just doesn’t make sense, does it? That’s because Jesus did come up with anything new. His teachings about eternal judgement pulls from Daniel 12:2. The wording is slightly changed because He’s not speaking in Hebrew, but it’s the same general idea. Jesus says, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Mt 25:46). “Eternal” relates to the final judgement that you can’t come back from. The “punishment” is the same as the dishonor of “disgrace and everlasting contempt.” The “eternal life” is the same as “everlasting life.”

Other verses similar to Daniel 12:2 are John 5:29, which contrasts a resurrection of life to a resurrection of judgement, and Acts 24:15 which says that “there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” Also, Paul’s whole point in 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 8:1-11 is that in order to be raised to life, one must be united to Christ’s life through faith. Otherwise, the perishable does not inherit the imperishable (1 Cor 15:50). Death is only swallowed up in victory for only those who know Jesus. Contrary to this, the definition of “death” is not a continued forever existence as many claim. The purpose for Jesus’ resurrection certainly was not to raise the wicked just so they could go to eternal suffering. However, if Christ were not raised, then neither the righteous nor the wicked would be raised. That is the argument Paul was making—there is no resurrection from the dead apart from Christ. Therefore, we must conclude that the resurrection of judgement for the wicked means to be raised for the purpose of facing their judgement sentence to then go back to non-existence from the dust that they came. Whereas, the resurrection of those who have faith in Jesus results in immortality—and that’s why it’s called “eternal life.”

Daniel 12:3

“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

“Insight.” Daniel was described as a man with great insight, illumination, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom (5:11-14).

In Dan 11:31-35, it also speaks of those with “insight,” and they are contrasted with those who act wickedly. This is also in the context of the abomination of desolation, the transgression against the covenant, war, persecution, and tribulation. These are all the things Jesus was talking about in Matthew 24.

The prophetic and symbolic imagery here is that all those who are in the book of life and have insight, they will arise from their graves and shoot up towards space and shine like stars. The entire sky will be filled with hosts of stars, which represents celestial/spiritual bodies. They will illuminate the entire sky and echo forth the promise God made to Abraham.

The reason I used the word “host” is because I believe Dan 8:10-13 is speaking of the same group of people—God’s people. This passage seems to be a direct correlation to Dan 11:33-35.

To be clear though, I’m not saying that we will literally become stars. But I do believe our resurrected bodies will have a luminous quality as we shine forth the glory of God, which will be a visible manifestation of His glory.

“everlasting life” and “forever and ever.” The Greek word for “eternal” (aiōnios), as in John 3:16 “eternal” life, is the same Greek word used in the LXX for “everlasting” in the book of Daniel. In the Greek world, eternal has more of a temporal understanding of time as a sequence of things happening on and on. But in the Hebrew understanding, the word everlasting is more non-linear, and conveys this idea of without beginning of days nor end of life.

Jesus was a thoroughly Jewish man, and I believe that He was pulling language from the Old Testament symbolic language to communicate these things to people. Therefore, when Jesus said something like, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Mt 25:46), He was thinking and speaking from a Hebraic perspective about judgement. He wasn’t making up new phrases or new thinking, He was bringing forth what was already communicated through the Scriptures in the past. Therefore, “eternal life” was not a new concept in His time, and nor was “eternal punishment.” Those who were familiar with the book of Daniel would have understood this as equivalent to “everlasting contempt,” or as the final judgement which happens at the end of the age. Note that life is contrasted with punishment, as the punishment is the absence of God’s life to continue being dead in the grave eternally.

The end of time and the end of the age

“But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase” (12:4).

“Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time” (12:9).

“Go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age” (12:13).

Daniel was instructed to put away this book of visions and prophecy that he had just written because the visions pertain to things much later in time. In verse 13, Daniel was instructed to continue on with his life, doing whatever it is he was doing before, and just keep living till the end of his life (‘to the end’). Then he would enter into rest (die), and then be raised to life for the treasures God had in store for him at the end of the age.

This was one of the questions Jesus’ disciples asked him about, when “the end of the age” would come (Mt 24:3). Jesus said that “the harvest is the end of the age” when speaking about the kingdom of heaven (Mt 13:39). It is the harvest of the wheat and the tares, “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous” (Mt 13:49).

Jesus also spoke of “the age to come” when speaking about eternal life (Mk 10:30; Lk 18:30).

Hebrews speaks of “the powers of the age to come” (Heb 6:5).

The rule of Christ’s authority, power, and dominion would continue in the age to come (Eph 1:21).

The angel told Daniel that he would rise again at the end of the age. He didn’t say what age, but it might be implied that it would be the age of time that he was in.

The word “age” is most often translated as “days” in Hebrew. This same word is in Dan 10:14. If it is used in a general sense, then it means something like, “in those days” or “in the day of.” Thus, it refers to a certain period or length of time that can or could be measured.

However, this word for age/day (yôm) is a different one than “time” in 12:4, 9.

The Hebrew word for “time” (ʿēṯ) could mean season, event, or occasion. Its use tends to have in mind a specific occasion that is referenced within its context.

The Hebrew word for “end” (qēṣ) could mean stop or finish. It could refer to the end of a specific set of days, like after or at the end of forty days. It could refer to the end of someone’s life or the end of a civilization. This word for “end” carries more specific or definitive force.

Here we have three ideas:

The end
The end of time
The end of the age

The end (by itself) is more forceful, like a definitive stop, or a specific day something has stopped.
Time needs a contextual reference point.
Age/day is a temporal length of time or event.

Putting this together:

“The end of time” more likely means a seasonal end until the next season. This is about the events leading up to the end (of something).

“The end of the age” less likely means the end of all things. It more likely means that after a certain length of measured time ends, then something else will take place.

“The end” something is done—it’s over. End of story.

This would be their temporal order:

The end of time (seasonal ending)
The end of the age (transition to another state)
The end (all done)

Another way to put it:

The end of time (the period of the last season until harvest)
The end of the age (the harvest)
The end (the harvest has been collected—all the work is done)

This is how the Hebrews understood time. From their view, time was less about linear minutes, hours, and days of a clock or calendar. It was more about the seasons of the earth, celestial signs, and covenantal relation to God. Time was more event-based rather than being abstract, philosophical, or mathematical.

Note: do not quote me on the things I said above about time, age, and the end. I may be on to something but maybe not. I don’t know. I’m just exploring options here for possible interpretations. I could be overthinking it though, and they might just all mean the same thing.

Conclusions Regarding the Relevance of Daniel’s Prophetic Visions

While Daniel 12:4, 9 says to seal up the prophecy, Revelation 22:10 says to not seal up the prophecy of this book, “for the time is near.” That is, the appointed season was drawing close. Whereas for in Daniel’s situation, it would not be until many days into the future, and that’s why he was specifically told to seal up the prophecy. But as for John’s case, the season was closer to him than the season was close to Daniel.

Then in Revelation 5-6 there is the opening and breaking of the seven seals. What is that all about? Seals are sealed up prophecy. What this is telling us is that Revelation is Daniel part 2. John picks up the torch from where Daniel left off. The Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (Rev 5:6) is the new beast/creature that rises up to defeat all the other beasts.

Breaking the seals is about opening the prophetic visions of Daniel because they are soon to take place. It’s about unlocking the future timeline so that events are set into motion. The seals correspond to Daniel chapter eleven, and the angel ascending from the rising of the sun (Rev 7:2) is Michael the Archangel in Daniel 12:1.

Whenever the seventh angel has sounded or will sound the seventh trumpet, “then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets” (Rev 10:7). This may be alluding to the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies. Then verse 11 looks like a transition to perhaps another age of time for the world at large. Would Luke 21:22 be a connecting data-point here, or is Jesus speaking of just the destruction of Jerusalem?

I would argue that based upon our understanding of how the book of Daniel was written and since Revelation is like the future type of the book of Daniel, that Revelation will be expected to mirror some of the same patterns that Daniel did. One of these patterns was that there were some prophecies in Daniel like of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, which were only a prototype of the full fulfillment to come, as the true Antichrist prophesied by Daniel has not yet arrived. This means that if Revelation mirrors that prototype style of certain prophecies, then it is allowable and reasonable to consider that the destruction of the temple in 70 AD was only a prototype fulfillment of another judgement to come. The trumpets, seals, and bowls may have been fulfilled in some lesser way as a type on a more local and minor level. And so, John’s revelation was correct in that those things soon took place upon the earth. There was a season of harvest upon the Roman and Jewish world. Thus, there may be more season cycles of judgement to come since Revelation was written. But the final round of Revelation’s true fulfillment has not come yet. In the meantime, Revelation could be used allegorically like a farmer’s almanac, predicting the future seasons of God’s judgement to come based upon the signs of the times and people’s sin building up to the heavens.

Another question we seriously need to ask ourselves and understand is: what counts as fulfilled prophecy? Can it be fulfilled as a type and still count as fulfilled? For example, Zechariah 12:10 says that “they will look on Me whom they have pierced…” The context of that chapter seems to be describing a future event like Armageddon where God will rescue them and they will have victory in battle. But the events it described there do not match the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus, nor the events surrounding 70 AD. Yet when Jesus was crucified, John said in John 19:37 that it was to fulfill that Scripture in Zechariah 12:10, and then in Revelation of the things said to soon take place, it says, “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him” (Rev 1:7). Matthew 24:30 also refers to Zechariah 12:10 as a future occurrence. Therefore, it seems to me that there is a still yet future fulfillment of Zechariah 12, and that maybe the crucifixion of Jesus was only a partial fulfillment in which, a greater fulfillment is yet to come.

If this is an acceptable standard of prophetic use, then it would seem acceptable to me that there were partial or prototype fulfillments of prophecies in the book of Revelation that were fulfilled in 70 AD, yet the real or full fulfillment is yet to take place. In this way, it would be a true statement in that day to say that Christ is coming in judgement “soon” and these things are “near,” while also not knowing when Christ’s final and full coming would be, since no one knows the day or hour (Mt 24:36); and if Jesus didn’t even know, why would John know?

Another interesting fact to ponder about prophetic utterances is that much of the Old Testament was written with future prophecies in them even though the discourse often seems to address the generation of people present during the time that the prophet spoke. However, there are often no clear indications that the prophecies are not addressed to the specific audience in their time. Instead, the prophetic utterance is ambiguous.

Let us notice the parallel structure between the gospels and the book of Daniel regarding how they treat a prophetic discourse. In Daniel 11:21-35 the discourse is about this king who we later now know as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Then—without warning—the discourse shifts to the eschatological Antichrist (11:36-45), of which, both futurists and preterists would agree that there is a time-gap there. Also, without a break, the discourse continues into chapter 12 about the resurrection of the dead, something that has not happened yet. For most of the book of Daniel, it was one historical or prophetic event happening one after another in sequence and in time, but Daniel breaks with that fluid chronological sequence in vv. 36-45 and that part is left a mystery to the reader, not knowing at what point in the future to place it. For those living during his time, they would have thought that the antichrist would be the very next thing. But then the antichrist does not come, and they are left guessing.

The gospels parallel Daniel’s pattern. Tribulation type events are described in the beginning with various wars, persecution, then more intense tribulation, the destruction of the temple comes, celestial and earthly disturbances, then the sign of the Son of Man appears in the sky, and right after, the rescue event and resurrection of the dead event happens, which Daniel also describes (Dan 12:1-4). But just like how in Daniel, the audience is not told where the cut off point is to look out for another time or where it is supposed to continue, so also, the gospels do not clearly lay out the cut off between the prototype event and the many days into the future full experience event. The average reader is left guessing likely because God wants to keep that a mystery to us so that we continually long for and anticipate His coming to gather us together with Him. He wants us to always be prepared and expectant to when He might return, rather than resolving to complacency.

Therefore, for all these reasons, I conclude that just as Daniel had a two-stage pattern, so also Jesus did:

Prototype abomination (Antiochus IV – 167 BC / Rome – 70 AD)
Final abomination (End-time Antichrist)

Remember that Jesus said that in order to understand what He was talking about, you have to read the book of Daniel (Mt 24:15), and here is the pattern of Daniel.

Another possibility is that the timeline for Christ’s prophesied Second Coming was supposed to be in 70AD but that timeline was pushed back to give people more time to repent (consider how God relents or ‘changes His mind’ in the examples of Moses with the Israelites, Jonah with Ninevah, or when Isaiah told Hezekiah he would die but he ended up living).

Keep in mind 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” And 2 Peter 3:11-12 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.”

The Lord has not come back yet in the fullness of His glory because the harvest is not ready. There is not enough wheat yet to be gathered into His barn, and He is waiting for the harvest to be ripe. Thus, spreading the gospel is what this likely means in how we can bring the timeline closer. That is, “hastening the coming of the day of God.”

In Revelation 1:9 John indicates that the tribulation is NOW. Just think of the tribulation as a time of distress, which could be anytime and for any length of time. We need to stop thinking of the word “tribulation” as a secret code word. It’s a generic word that just means a time of distress. If we interpret it this way that we are already living in the tribulation, then the next event to come is either the appearance of the antichrist on the world stage, or the revelation of the antichrist at the abomination of desolation, which swiftly brings in the coming of Christ, since He must slay him with the breath of His mouth at the appearance of His coming.

Matthew, Daniel, and Zechariah Timeline of Eschatological Events

I will do my best to present a synthesis of mostly these three books in what I believe to be chronological order. I will also include other books for all the overlapping data-points that I see while keeping Revelation to a minimum since I think it was written with a more thematic structure than chronological one. Minimal commentary will be provided. This timeline of events I have written below begins with the birth pains and goes right up to the last bowl of wrath and the Millenium.

Birth Pains, Tribulation, Seals 1-5, and the Abomination of Desolation

Jesus describes that false Christs, false reports, wars, famines, and earthquakes upon the world are like birth pains (Mt 24:7-8). Meaning, they will gradually intensify until birth. Paul also says, “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Ro 8:22), and “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God” (Ro 8:19). Thus, Paul believed the birth pains of the earth already started and he was in it. All these distressing events will continue and intensify, even as Revelation 6 and onward reveals intensified trials, tribulation, and judgement that layer on top of each other until the culmination of the coming of Christ, and the saints of the Highest One possessing the kingdom forever (Dan 7:18).

Conquering through influence: The first seal is a white horse. The rider had a bow but no arrows which symbolizes conquering through influence. It says, “he went out conquering and to conquer” (Rev 6:1-2). In Daniel 11, A king rises without open war, using flattery, deception, alliances, and smooth words. Jesus described false prophets, false Christs, religious and political deception, rumors, and fake news.

War: The second seal is a red horse, and the one who sat on it took peace from the earth, and he was given a great sword to kill people (Rev 6:3-4). In Daniel 11, great armies are mobilized and flood through the surrounding countries. People are betrayed. Peace agreements are broken, and there is widespread war. Jesus described nation rising up against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

Famine: The third seal is a black horse, and the rider had a pair of scales in his hand to measure food; things became very expensive, and in this scarcity, there was famine (Rev 6:5-6).

Death: The fourth seal is an ashen horse. The rider’s name is Death, and he sucked people down into Hades. They killed with sword, famine, pestilence, and by wild beasts (Rev 6:7-8).

In Daniel 11, more wars break out and its effects upon the world can be seen: cities being sieged, plundering, looting, confiscating people’s property, oppression of the population, and many dead bodies laying around could cause diseases (plagues). Wars can also cause loss of farmers and crops which can lead to famine. Jesus described famines, earthquakes, and plagues.

Preceding the abomination of desolation is the gospel of the kingdom being preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations (Mk 13:10). After that, it says, “the end will come” (Mt 24:14). That is, if Matthew’s account is chronological. However, it may be more likely that verses 4-13 are a zoomed-out summary of all the events, while verse 15 picks up sometime within that summary. Luke’s account does not use “abomination of desolation,” but does say “desolation” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (Lk 21:20). This indicates to us that the abomination of desolation is about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies.

The Matthew 24:15 abomination of desolation correlates to Daniel 11:31 and probably has to do with some form of idolatry taking place that is considered to profane sacred space, along with doing away with the regular sacrifice. It also says that “he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time” (Dan 7:25).

Martyrs: The fifth seal is a time of great distress for the people of God because many of them will be killed for their faith. This is when they will have to persevere and wait for God to bring vengeance (Rev 6:9-11). In Daniel 11-12, those eating at the same table because of closeness and trust will betray one another (11:26-27). There is persecution against the people of the holy covenant (11:28, 30-31). Lawlessness increases because the king convinces people to forsake the covenant using his charisma, ‘smooth words’ (11:32). Abomination of desolation (11:31). Some will rise to take action against the king, while others will die another way (11:32-33; Rev 13:10). Believers are martyred by the sword, by flame, and they go into captivity (11:33). Their possessions are stolen (11:28). Insincere people join your group to possibly take advantage of you or to root you out (11:34). It is “a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (12:1). “He [the lawless one] will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done” (11:36). The faithful will be refined through the suffering that they endure (11:35; 12:10). They have to persevere until the end (12:12).

Jesus describes Jerusalem surrounded by armies, and the abomination of desolation, “for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people” (Lk 21:23). These events are described as “the days of vengeance” (Lk 21:22), and “great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Mt 24:21). Jesus describes people being delivered over to tribulation, flogging, imprisonment, being killed, and hated by all. Many will fall away from their faith, betray one another, and kill their own families. Lawlessness will increase and people’s love will grow cold. But the exhortation is to persevere until the end.

Immediately after the abomination occurs, there will be desolations taking place. Meaning, military conquest to attack Jerusalem and God’s people to try and wipe them out. Large armies will surround Israel (Dan 11:29-45; Zech 14:2). This will cause people to flee to the mountains (Mt 24:16-28; Zech 14:5). It will be a time of great tribulation/distress because of this (Mt 24:21-29; Dan 11:29-45; 12:1; Zech 14:1-2). Lawlessness will increase because of persecution, false prophets, false Christs, and because of the hardship of living conditions (Mt 24:4-12, 23-26; Lk 18:8; 21:10-19, 23-24; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Thess 2:3; Dan 11:28-35; 12:10).

Matthew 24:22 says that for the sake of the “elect” those days of tribulation will be cut short; or else “no life would have been saved.” The elect in this context has in mind the Jewish people (Dan 11:41, 45; Dan 12:1 ‘your people,’ Jer 30:7 ‘it is the time of Jacob’s distress’). That is, the physical covenant people of Israel, as this time also relates to their physical land (Zech 12:2). The cutting short of the tribulation of those days may be in reference to Daniel 12:11-12 which calculates to 45 days of continuance after the Abomination of Desolation (AoD). Keeping oneself alive until the end could be what Jesus meant when He said, “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Mt 24:13).

The “tribulation” (Mt 24:9, 21) precedes the AoD and also goes out further beyond it. Luke calls this time of the AoD the “days of vengeance” and “great distress” (Lk 21:22-23). Daniel calls it “a time of distress” (Dan 12:1). Jeremiah calls it “the time of Jacob’s distress” (Jer 30:7).

The Times of the Gentiles up to the Return of Christ and the Harvest

After the AoD, Luke says “they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Lk 21:24). Like Israel’s previous captivities because of their rebellion and rejection of God, Israel is once again led into captivity by being driven away from Jersualem to other nations to escape the wrath of the armies. “Trampled under foot” means that they are overcome, dominated, and oppressed by the Gentiles. “Until,” meaning, this oppression and domination against them would continue going on until the appointed time. The phrase “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” probably refers to the time in which the Gentiles reign over the earth and oppress the peoples, and that reign coming to an end. This might be what Daniel was referring to when it said, “that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” (Dan 12:7). When Daniel wanted to know more, the angel told him, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time” (Dan 12:9). Daniel also speaks of an “appointed” time for the dominion of the beasts (7:12; 8:19; 11:35).

This time of tribulation will continue until Jesus comes back to “fight against those nations” to depose them of power so that He will be the only King reigning over the earth (Zech 14:3, 5, 9). Once that day comes, the Babylonian statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream will be completely pulverized, and it is replaced with a huge mountain that fills the whole earth (Dan 2:34-35). This statue will be the iron and clay kingdom at the end of time, which is composed of all the kingdoms and nations of the world who oppose themselves against God (Dan 2:43). Also, remember, the iron and clay were the toes of the statue, but the toes were still connected to the rest of the statue. This means that when it is destroyed, all the other kingdoms fall with it. The mountain which fills the whole earth is the kingdom of God and glory of God covering the earth as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14). In the days of those kings, the nations of the world (which is ‘the times of the Gentiles’), “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever” (Dan 2:44). When the beast is destroyed and his dominion is taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever, “then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (Dan 7:26-27). It is an exclusive kingdom that does not allow any other dominions.

Matthew 25:31 says that “when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” This is “the throne of His father David” (Lk 1:32). When Jesus reclaims the earth against all dominions and powers, He will physically return to Israel and sit on an earthly throne; since, that’s what David’s throne was. Amos 9:11 says that the Davidic kingdom would be restored and rebuilt “as in the days of old.” David’s kingdom was an earthly kingdom, and so the promise is for an earthly restoration through the Son of Man. But before that time comes, Jesus sits on His Father’s throne (Rev 3:21), and at the right hand of His Father.

After the tribulation of “those days” (the events surrounding the AoD and/or the appearance of false Christs), there will be signs in the heavens of the sun and moon not giving their light and the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky (Mt 24:29-30; Lk 21:25-27; Mk 13:24-26). The details of this event line up with Revelation 6:12-17 at the sixth seal. Zechariah 14:6-7 also says, “In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.”

“Redemption” and “the kingdom of God” are near when people begin to see these signs in the heavens (Lk 21:28, 31). They are the things that are said to happen to “this generation” (Mt 16:28; 23:36; 24:32-35; Lk 21:32-33; the generation standing there with Jesus). They are instructed to “take heed, keep alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come” (Mk 13:33).

After everyone sees the sign of the Son of Man appear in the sky/clouds with power and great glory, “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” (Mt 24:30; Zech 12:10-14; Rev 1:7). John speaks of this coming of Jesus in the future from when he wrote the book (and the writing of the book took place in 95-96 AD during Domitian’s reign, about 25 years after the destruction of the temple). Two angels said of Jesus during His ascension that when He returns again, He “will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11). Which, contextually means that Jesus will return visibly riding on the clouds, and descending onto the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12).

Zechariah 14:4 says, “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” This sounds like a literal earthquake and literal mountains that people will flee to once they see Jesus coming back on the clouds and then standing on the earth. At the sixth seal, people will run to the mountains to hide from the wrath of the Lamb, and there is also a great earthquake at that time (Rev 6:12-17). God will send invading armies to Jerusalem to do damage before He turns against the armies to destroy them and rescue Jerusalem (Zech 14:1-3).

After the tribulation of those days, Jesus will send His angels with a great trumpet to gather together His elect from everywhere on earth (Mt 24:31; Mk 13:27). This is the place where Luke says, “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk 21:28). However, he leaves out the “elect” gathering. But the implication here is that the elect gathering may be the same thing as the redemption and the kingdom of God being near, or they happen at the same time. This may be where Daniel’s “rescued” is (Dan 12:1). The next verse speaks of being resurrected to everlasting life, so that could be the rescue, but the previous chapter speaks of the antichrist and his armies entering into the “Beautiful Land” (Jerusalem) and causing destruction (Dan 11:41, 44), and then he comes to his end (v. 45). This could be the end of his life and the end of his army because of God coming against him to destroy him to rescue His people. Therefore, I think the rescue in Dan 12:1 is about rescuing Jerusalem from the invading armies and also about the redemption that will come for the people of God because it is the rapture and/or resurrection of the dead event.

When the time comes for God to rescue His people, the Lord will gather the armies of heaven, which includes Michael (the great prince, who stands guard over Israel, He will arise), and God with His armies will rescue Israel from destruction (Dan 12:1; Zech 14:3, 5). This could also be the same battle in Revelation where there is the angel standing in the sun (likely Michael), and Jesus destroys the armies, the beast, and the false prophet (Rev 19:14, 17-19). I also think this is the same angel in Revelation 7:2 “ascending from the rising of the sun” to seal the bond-servants for protection against the plagues to come. Both of these events are part of the rescue mission (Dan 12:1; Zech 12:4-9).

What is the meaning of gathering together the elect from across the earth (Mt 24:31)? If we interpret this through Revelation 7 and Old Testament prophecies, the elect are all the tribes of Israel, and they will be placed back on their own land in the last days (Ezek 36:24; 37:9, 14, 21-22; Isa 11:11-12; Jer 30-31; Dt 30:3-5), and God will protect them from the wrath to come, just like He protected the Israelites in Egypt at Passover. The elect are also all those seen standing in heaven as the ‘great multitude’ which came out of the great tribulation. They were rescued from eternal death since they are in heaven. So, it is possible that these are raptured believers with their resurrection bodies. So far, all of this means that the elect that were gathered together, they are preserved by God from wrath and from death, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 5:9).

The context of Matthew 24 indicates that the “elect” are the believing people of the tribes of Israel (v. 22, 24, 31), as the tribulation days being cut short are in relation to the land of Jerusalem, the possible but unlikely ability to being deceived indicates they are believers, and their gathering together from the four winds indicates their rescue out of that tribulation that is happening in and around Jerusalem, and also because they have been dispersed from the land.

Also, compare Mt 24:31 with Ezek 37 and notice the overlapping data-points: “the four winds” (v. 9), “gather” (v. 21), and the fact that Israel is God’s elect people. Ezekiel 37 seems to be describing the captivity and dispersion of Israel and that is why their hope is dried up. But in the end, God will open their graves (v. 13). That is, He will resurrect them from the dead (those who had faith in Him), and then He will bring them back upon the land of Israel (v. 14, 21, 25). Ezekiel 39 also connects here with bringing Israel into their “own land” (v. 28), and pouring out His “Spirit” upon them (Ezek 37:14). Thus, the Spirit’s role in all of this is to raise them from physical death to bring them up and into their own land to inherit the earth.

“With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him [..and..] the day of the Lord” (2 Thess 2:1-2). The order Paul presents in verses 1-4 is that the antichrist must be revealed first and the AoD must take place before these two events of Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord. This makes a secret pre-trib rapture impossible. The text further implies that some people were telling these believers that Jesus already came and they missed it, which shook their composure. They had a few things to worry about but Paul tells them no need to worry because there is no Jesus coming unless the AoD happens first. But after that happens, the event of “our gathering together to Him” will happen. Which, we could say is the rapture and/or the Matthew 24:31 event where the angels gather together the elect from the four winds of the earth. It seems that Mt 24:31 is a clear connection here which means that the elect gathering from the angels is inclusive of the primarily Gentile church of Thessalonica. That is a very significant fact because that affects the scale between Dispensational Premillennial to Historical Premillennial. Dispensational is more Israel-centric, but to include the Gentiles with the elect gathering, may mean that we have a land of our own as well or maybe we go to Israel. It could also mean that the Gentiles are included in the 144,000 sealed people.

A gathering up event is also spoken of in Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 where the harvest happens at the end of the age. Then angels are said to “first” gather up the tares to burn them up and then after that to gather the wheat into the barn. John the Baptist also talks about this (Mt 3:11-12), indicating that all this language is derived from the Old Testament. Revelation 14:14-20 also speaks of a harvest event.

When the antichrist is camped outside of Jerusalem with his armies, he will come to his end when the Lord returns and slays him with the breath of His mouth (Dan 11:45; 2 Thess 2:8). This happens in Daniel when the beast is slain and its body is destroyed and given to the burning fire (Dan 7:11). In Revelation, this happens during the sixth bowl of wrath (Rev 16:12; 19:20-21).

The Millennial, Final Battle, Judgement Day, and Eternal State

After the beast is destroyed by being thrown into the fire, the dominion of all the kingdoms of this world are handed over to Jesus, but then sometime in the future, they are given an extension of life for an appointed period of time (Dan 7:12). I think this is the gap in Revelation between the beast and the false prophet being destroyed, and then the armies that later come against God when Satan is released from prison (Rev 19:20; 20:7-10).

This is the “thousand years” (Millennial period) where death is still possible but conditions on earth have greatly improved so that infants don’t die young anymore, everyone is expected to live at least a hundred years, while God’s people will live as long as trees. It’s a reversal of the curse so that people’s lifespans revert back to the Genesis pre-flood days (Isa 65:17-25).

Zechariah describes the renewal of the earth with living waters flowing out from Jerusalem (Zech 14:8; cf. Joel 2:8; Amos 9:13), which Revelation seems to reference this living water flowing from the throne of God to bring healing to the nations; and in this New Jersualem, there would be no longer a curse (Rev 22:1-3).

Zechariah says that all the land will be changed into a plain, but Jerusalem will rise, “People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security” (Zech 14:10-11). However, that no curse is specifically applicable to Jerusalem, since a plague of no rain can still fall on other nations (v. 16-19). In Amos 9, God says that He will rebuild the kingdom of David as in the days of old to have dominion over all the nations, and they will not again be rooted out from the land that God gave them (v. 11-15).

Isaiah 11 needs to be placed somewhere. It says that “they will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (v. 9). However, it is uncertain at what time or for how long that the righteous reign of the Branch will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked or for how long the wicked will exist (v. 1-5). It does seem to precede the no death on God’s Mountain passage, so all the wicked could be slain before that happens. However, the Mountain is in reference specifically to Jerusalem, so this does not exclude other nations from experiencing violence. Though, it is certainly implied that they will not do violence since the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Then, sometime during the period (‘on that day’ v. 11) that was spoken of before in one of or both of the previous sections (11:1-5 and/or 11:6-10), there will be a second gathering together of Israel onto their own land (11:11-16).

Ezekiel 38-39 describes the final battle of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:8).

Isaiah 27:1 describes the final battle to defeat the devil, “In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, with His fierce and great and mighty sword, even Leviathan the twisted serpent; and He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.” (cf. Rev 20:2, 10).

After the final battle, Isaiah 66:23-24 says, “All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord. 24 “Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.” In this context, all mankind bowing down before God means that all the nations will believe in God at this point because all the unbelievers will be dead and rotting in the ground, worms completely consuming their bodies, and God’s judgement (‘fire’) against them—completely eliminating their bodies (symbolically—consuming to ash— Mal 4:3) until there is nothing left.

Philippians 2:10-11 says, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (cf. Isa 45:23; Ro 14:11). From the contextual understanding of Isaiah 66, I understand “every knee will bow” to mean that everyone will pledge allegiance to God and serve Him for those who made the decision within their lifetimes to have faith and allegiance to Him. Those in heaven (the good angels), those on earth (those who believed), and those under the earth (those who have died believing in God and will later be resurrected) will bow down to Him. Which, when all is said in done, this will be everyone inclusively, as everyone who didn’t pledge allegiance to God will be destroyed in the end by God’s divine judgement. Thus, they will no longer be ‘present’ to bow down. Or, you could even say that since they die, there is a sense in which they bow down as they lay prostrate dead. In that case, everyone is ‘bowed low’ before the King.

The final judgement is described in Matthew 25:31-33, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”

This is when the kingdom of God and the dominions of this world are fully inherited for the saints (‘inherit the kingdom prepared for you’ v. 34; the meek shall inherit ‘the earth’ Mt 5:5). Also, Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45; 7:18-27, “Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (7:27), and they “will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come” (7:18).

This is Zechariah 14:9 “And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.” And we shall “reign with Him” (Rev 2:26-27; 20:4-6). And “the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders” (Isa 24:23). The reign of this kingdom is initially and physically received at the beginning of the Millenium, while its permanent possession and full inheritance come at the end of the Millennium, when every last enemy and dominion is destroyed.

Isaiah 2-3 describes God’s universal reign after the war where “In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it” (2:2). They will destroy all their weapons, and it says, “Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (2:4).

Isaiah 25:6-8 says, “The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine.
7 And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.” (compare to Ezek 39:17-20; Rev 19; 20:9-10, 13-15; 21:1-4). The message being conveyed here is not literal, but symbolic. All the worlds’ evils and pains will be gone and death will be no more. This is the feast that believers will symbolically eat and drink in the new earth. It also describes the final battle where all of God’s enemies are destroyed, and the saints taste sweet justice for those who oppressed and killed them.

Note: when examining the process of events from eschatological passages, we must consider the possibility that when certain Scriptures are written, those events could be condensed summaries regarding things that will take place over a long period of time rather than all happening within a short and uninterrupted time-frame of sequential events. Some things may not be mentioned as happening in-between but just because they are not mentioned, that doesn’t mean they don’t happen; it does not mean that event 1.0 jumps to 2.0, because there could be events 1.1 and 1.2, etc. The nature of any summary will exclude certain details in-between events.

The Resurrection of the Dead According to Paul’s Explanation

To be clear, Paul did not create this doctrine. He inherited it from the Old Testament.

According to Paul, the order of Christ’s coming and the resurrection is that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess 4:16-17).

The order is (1) Christ will come, (2) believers who previously died and are in their graves will be resurrected, (3) then those who are already alive at the appearance of Christ coming, will be raptured up into the air to be with the Lord and the saints who had previously died. This is the main Bible verse that the rapture doctrine comes from, and it’s based upon that Greek word “caught up” (harpazō).

Interesting fact: The English word rapture is not a modern invention. It comes from the Latin rapiemur in the Vulgate’s translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, where Jerome rendered the Greek harpagēsometha—“we shall be caught up”—with the Latin verb rapio, meaning “to seize or snatch away.” From rapio came the nouns raptus and raptura, which passed into Old French and then English as rapture. Thus, the term rapture is simply the historic English descendant of the biblical Greek verb harpazō.

John Nelson Darby did not invent the word or the concept; he only advanced a particular interpretation of its timing. The linguistic and theological roots of “rapture” go back to Paul, Jerome, and the long history of biblical translation and language development—not to the 19th century. Therefore, when we say “rapture,” we mean “caught up” according to 1 Thess 4:17. So then, anybody who is spreading rumors about this being completely made up by John Darby in the 19th century, please stop. Darby did not invent the rapture and neither did he invent Premillennialism, as Premillennialism was the commonly held belief in the early church. They still believed in a coming Antichrist. As for Dispensationalism, it exists because that doctrine arises from a consistently literal hermeneutic and thorough examination of Old Testament Scriptures, and all the promises made to Israel regarding their physical land.

Regardless, those who are anti-rapture do need to explain how the believers “who are alive and remain” will be caught up into the clouds while still in this “alive” state to meet the Lord in the air, along with those who had previously died and were bodily resurrected just prior to their being caught up (raptured). If you don’t want to call it “rapture,” that’s fine. Just don’t think this is some anti-biblical thing.

Continuing on with Paul’s theology:

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive [the resurrection of the dead doctrine]. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits [His resurrection in 32 AD as proof of the harvest to come], after that those who are Christ’s at His coming [the believers who had previously died throughout the ages will be resurrected from their graves at Rev 20:4, the “first resurrection” at the beginning of the thousand years or when Christ first appears], 24 then comes the end [Daniel uses this phrase], when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power [this is the resurrection of the wicked to face final judgment where death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, and then death will be no more: Rev 20:11-15]. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” (1 Cor 15:22-26).

“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Cor 15:51-52). Paul says that we will not all “sleep” (we will not all stay in our graves when we die). Rather, when the last trumpet sounds, “we” (the dead in Christ collectively) will be raised from our graves, and our bodies will be transformed to immortal and imperishable bodies. Once that trumpet sounds, it will happen as quickly as the eye can blink. Paul places this resurrection of the dead event (resurrection of the righteous, the first resurrection) at the last trumpet. Elsewhere, he just calls this “the trumpet of God” (1 Thess 4:16). This is the Daniel 12:2 resurrection.

Alternatively, the “we” means that we will not all die if we are able to make it to the last trumpet. If we are still alive and remain until that trumpet blast when Christ returns (1 Thess 4:17), then we will be changed (our bodies will become immortal), and we won’t have to die and neither will we ever die after that point in time. In this verse, the “we” could be speaking inclusively of both those who have previously died along with the believers presently alive, and once that trumpet blast happens, the resurrection of the dead event happens almost simultaneously as the rapture so that both groups are transformed.

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 Jn 3:2). That is, our bodies will be transformed when Christ comes back. This is John’s account, which is similar language to Paul, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col 3:4). This is the “blessed hope” that we are “looking for,” “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Tit 2:13).

Isaiah 27:12-13 may be the reference passage that Paul used for the trumpet of God, “In that day the Lord will start His threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel. 13 It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.” Here, we have a few overlapping eschatological data points, “threshing,” which communicates a type of harvest. Also, “gathered up,” and “trumpet.” This seems to overlap with the Matthew 24:31 gathering, which Luke 21:28 calls “redemption.”

As mentioned earlier, A gathering up event is also spoken of in Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 where the harvest happens at the end of the age. Then angels are said to “first” gather up the tares to burn them up and then after that to gather the wheat into the barn. John the Baptist also talks about this (Mt 3:11-12), indicating that all this language is derived from the Old Testament. Revelation 14:14-20 also speaks of a harvest event.

The “one taken” and “one left” language (Mt 24:40) is harvest language. Those who are taken are taken in judgement like the days of Noah (v. 37), it is a judgment of death, “cut him in pieces” and of suffering the plagues of God’s wrath on earth, “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (v. 51), similar to previous times when armies came against Israel to siege, rape, pillage, burn, kill, and led them into captivity; or even, when Egypt experienced the plagues while those who had the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, God’s wrath passed them over.

Matthew 13:49 also has this “taken” language and says, “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous.” This is not rapture language—it is judgment and harvest language where judgement on earth happens while the righteous are preserved from that judgement to stay on the earth.

Note: The word “taken” in Mt 13:49 is aphorizō, which most naturally means to separate, pick out, and remove from a place or people group. In Mt 24:40, the word for “taken” is paralambanō and means to select and bring or receive (with often positive connotations). The word “left” is aphiēmi, which means to leave alone (allow), to leave them be (permit), left, let, to not intervene, to leave from a place or person.

From these definitions, we might understand the word “taken” as meaning to be taken away to safety, or it means the opposite, to be taken out in judgement. But whichever meaning we go with, the one “left” means the opposite: they are either left on the earth without being touched by the judgement, or they are left on the earth in the sense of being preserved from judgement. From the choice of words used in the Greek, the most natural understanding of “taken” is to take along with. Then the question becomes “with who or what?” So the answer must be that the ones taken are taken away for protection by the intervention of God. A prime example of this would be Noah and his family who were taken away in the ark, which is our contextual reference point (v. 37-38). Therefore, those who are “left” are those left on earth to face the flood of God’s judgement. The idea is that God will “leave them be” and will not help them from the calamities that come upon them suddenly. This doesn’t prove any kind of rapture though, as Noah and his family were still on the earth while the earth was being judged. Another example is the Israelites in the land of Egypt while the plagues were being released or Lot and his family quickly moving out of Sodom.

Note: for Paul’s 2 Thessalonians 2 passage, scroll up or just search “2 Thess 2” on this webpage.

Synthesizing the Order of Events

As I said previously in my commentary on 2 Thessalonians 2, the AoD must take place before the two events of Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord. This means that the church can expect to face great tribulation. The fifth seal of the martyrs is also the AoD. However, seals 1-5 and the AoD are not God’s wrath—they are the wrath of mankind, the tribulation, and the birth pains. The early church consistently held to a Premillennial doctrine and believed that the church was expected to face great tribulation and would be present on earth to see the antichrist and the AoD before Christ’s appearance. This means they did not hold to a pre-trib rapture doctrine. In 2 Thess 2, it says that when Christ returns, he will slay the lawless one with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming. This coming begins at the sixth seal in Rev 6:12-17 and ends at the last bowls in Rev 16:12-13; 19:20. The account in Zechariah 14 is that before Jesus comes, Jerusalem is surrounded by armies (the AoD), then the Lord fights against the nations to destroy them. At this time Jesus descends to the Mount of Olives, returning in visible form on the clouds (Acts 1:9-11), which is the appearance of Christ in Rev 6 at the sixth seal, as people flee to the mountains to hide, and a big earthquake happens.

The order of events seems to be quite evident and harmonious from all the accounts: the AoD happens when the man of lawlessness (antichrist) reveals himself, and this causes intensified persecution and martyrdom (fifth seal), then Christ appears (sixth seal). That appearance continues until the last bowl of wrath where the beast is said to be destroyed. Since the man of lawlessness is the one in control of the beast, it would make sense that he is destroyed at the same time as that rebellious and evil kingdom is destroyed, which is the sixth and seventh bowls of wrath. 2 Thess 2 indicates that the church would be present to witness both the revelation of the antichrist and the AoD before Christ’s coming. Those events happen before “our gathering together to Him” (1 Thess 4:14-17; 2 Thess 2:1; Mt 24:31; Dan 12:1-3).

As mentioned previously, the order of the harvest according to Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares, along with Revelation’s account, indicates that judgement will happen “first,” and then the gathering of the wheat into the barn (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43). This indicates that the church will be here on the earth watching God’s judgement take place (compare Rev 6:10 ‘how long?’ until vengeance to Rev 16:17; 19:17-21 where vengeance is complete (‘done’) at the last bowls, and the earth is harvested. Until then, the saints are still being martyred. (Revelation 14:14-20 also speaks of a harvest).

The saints’ continued presence on the earth during this time is further supported by the perseverance language until the end in the face of persecution and temptations to forsake the faith (Rev 2:25-26; 14:12-13; Mt 24:13; Lk 21:28, 34-36; Dan 11:29-35; 12:1, 10-12). Luke 21:36 indicates that the faithful believers will have to endure and escape the evils and calamities to come upon the world if they want to be physically present and in good spiritual standing with God to see the Son of Man coming in glory (cf. 1 Jn 2:28). Daniel 12:10-12 indicates that it is a special blessing to persevere until the end.

When the harvest happens at the trumpet and bowl judgements, it leaves only the wheat remaining on the earth to be gathered into God’s barn. This means that the “gathering” takes place at this time, which is when the saints of the Highest One inherit the earth. The whole earth becomes their land, and the promise made to Abraham is fulfilled (Ro 4:13; Gen 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 17:4-8). All believers are included in this promise through faith (Mt 5:5; Ro 4:13-16; 8:17-21; Gal 3:16-29).

To summarize so far: the church will be present on earth until the seventh bowl of wrath (which is the harvest, the gathering, and the end of the age. All the same thing). This is also the same time as Christ’s coming in glory with all His angels, the trumpet, the resurrection of the dead, and then the resurrection of those believers who are still remaining alive at that time to be raptured, ‘caught up’ (1 Thess 4:13-18; 2 Thess 2:1-8). Revelation 20:4 says that the resurrection of the believers who had died, ‘souls,’ ‘the first resurrection,’ takes place at the beginning of the thousand years. The second resurrection is the resurrection of the wicked to face judgment, and that happens after the thousand years. This means that immediately after the first resurrection is also the rapture of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. With that truth proposition, the rapture must take place at the beginning of the thousand years. Which, if Revelation 19:20-21 continues in unbroken thought and sequence from the destruction of the beast to the binding of Satan at the beginning of the thousand years, (which I believe it does), then this again means that the rapture happens when God’s wrath has culminated, which ends the age, and then the new age of the Millenium begins. Daniel also places the resurrection of the dead event ‘at the end of the age’ ‘the end of time’ (Dan 12:1-4, 13).

However, if we are going to stay on the earth this entire time through the period of God’s wrath being poured out, what is the purpose of being ‘raptured’? Removed from the earth? Taken up into the clouds to be with the Lord in the air without having died? After all, we’re supposed to inherit the earth, and if evil has been destroyed, then we don’t need a rapture to be rescued from trouble. So for what purpose are we removed from the earth if the earth is now safe to dwell in? It’s for the purpose of receiving our new heavenly and immortal bodies, which are made after the likeness of Christ’s resurrected body. We’re caught up with Christ to see Him face to face and be with Him forever. We’re all going to go to the New Jersualem in heaven and descend to the earth together to inherit dominion over the earth. Everyone needs to be there for the inauguration ceremony of the new temple, Christ, coming down to earth to fill the entire earth with His glory to cleanse the land, to make all things new/renewed, and to restore the kingdom and land to Israel (Acts 1:6; Ezek 37:24-28). The rebuilding has already started in our time within the spiritual realm, and in a spiritual way (Acts 15:15-18; Jn 18:36), but its culmination (Marriage of the Lamb/Wedding Feast/New Jerusalem), does not happen until a later time “until the period of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21; Lk 1:67-80; Rev 21:1-4; Isa 65:17-25). Jesus calls this “the regeneration” “when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne,” and the apostles will also “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28).

However, this is a problem for a form of Amillennialism, since they have the idea that society will progressively go from worse to better, and the earth will be reclaimed through gospel preaching and through everyone believing in Jesus to take back dominion until there are no other dominions left. But the Bible describes everything getting worse. So, if 70AD were the beginning of the renewal period, then that means it’s possible for the renewal period to be reversed and digress into lawlessness, more suffering, tribulation, and the kingdoms of this world trying to compete and assert their dominance against God, and then get better again, reverse, and get better again.

For these reasons, the renewal of all things did not start after Christ’s resurrection or after 70 AD. We are not currently in the Millennial kingdom.

Matthew 25:31 says, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” This is the same coming as Mt 24:29-31; Zech 14:5 and the other passages that share the concepts of ‘cloud’ ‘gather’ ‘angels’ ‘trumpet’ ‘glory’ ‘coming’ ‘appearance.’ This coming did not happen when Jesus was on earth. The Preterists and Amillennials believe this is the coming in AD 70 to bring judgement and inaugurate God’s kingdom. The Premillennials say this is still future. This is Daniel 7:13 in which the Son of Man comes in the clouds with angels all around and the beast is thrown into the fire. However, Rome was not destroyed in 70AD, so that can’t be it.

The order from the Scriptures is that Christ comes in glory with His angels, sits on His throne (the throne of David on earth: Ezek 37), and that is the renewal of all things time-period, which is also called the thousand years or Millennial reign of Christ.

Isaiah 24:21-22 says of the Millennial period after “the Lord lays the earth waste” (v. 1), “So it will happen in that day, that the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high, and the kings of the earth on earth. 22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in the dungeon, and will be confined in prison; and after many days they will be punished.” This has to be what Revelation 20 is alluding to when referring to the binding of Satan for a thousand years, and after the end of that time, he gathers together the nations to war against God (the battle of Gog and Magog). This is also what Daniel 7:12 speaks of, “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.”

With this comparison, we have just validated the Premillennial proposition of truth that it happens in this order in Revelation 19-20: The Kings of the East battle happens first (Armageddon), the beast is destroyed (dominion taken away), the thousand year reclamation/restoration period begins for the people of God (while everyone else is confined to prison during that time), then at the end of this long period, they are released from prison for one last battle (Gog and Magog battle). Which, oddly enough, is also the sequential order we find it in from Ezekiel 37-38 from the Davidic kingdom to the battle of Gog and Magog. Thus, the battles in Revelation 19-20 are not a recapitulation. They are different battles.

I’m not sure if I sufficiently addressed the “gathering” event, so let’s review it really quick. Matthew 24:31 says, “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” This happens after the Son of Man comes in the clouds in great glory, His angels with Him, and with a great trumpet. This is the appearance of the Son of Man (Rev 6:12-17). Coincidently, in the next chapter of Revelation, there is a great multitude in heaven who came out of the great tribulation. There is also the sealing of the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel on earth before God’s wrath begins to pour out so that none of them will be harmed. This could possibly mean that for the Gentile church, they will be raptured up to heaven at this time; while for the ethnic Israelite church, they will stay on the earth the entire time. If that’s the case, we might say this is a dual eschatological view of Pre-wrath rapture for the Gentile church, and post-trib rapture for the Israelite church. However, if Paul uses “we” in his letters when speaking about this event, and if he means to include himself (being a Jew), then I don’t see support for this position.

In Isaiah 27:12-13 it says, “In that day the Lord will start His threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel. It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.” This is the culmination of the gathering event Matthew 24:31 speaks of. It is to gather Israel out of exile and to place them on their own land. This is the “last trumpet” that Paul speaks of, which is the resurrection of the dead event as well (1 Cor 15:52). The sequence is placed around the beginning of the thousand years, because that is when the dragon is punished (Isa 27:1). That would place the gathering call of the trumpet at the seventh trumpet, which includes all seven bowls of wrath. It is the victory trumpet of all dominions coming under the dominion of Christ. In light of all these things, the “Redemption” (Lk 21:28) is about the transformation of our bodies, and the freedom from this oppressive world system that we live under.

Where I am at so far:

I see convincing evidence for the rapture to happen at the seventh seal in Rev 7, the seventh trumpet in Rev 14, and right after the seventh bowl in Rev 20. All of these events are contained within one another. For this reason, it can be hard to tell exactly when the rapture happens on that timeline. Combine that with the fact that other prophetic accounts summarize a select number of events, and don’t necessarily show us an exhaustive uninterrupted and consecutive list. On top of that, prophetic events should be interpreted as the next thing to occur after another thing to occur, not as the next immediate thing to occur temporally. We just don’t know how large of a time-gap there is between one event and another event. But what we can do is line up the sequence of events from as many prophetic accounts as we can gather to see where all the data-points line-up the same. That can give us a surer anchor of understanding for event sequencing. But also, since we have established that the resurrection of the dead precedes the resurrection of the alive (rapture), that means that if we can find when that event is, then we can find out when the rapture is.

In conclusion of the Matthew 24 prophetic commentary discussion, I conclude that the “all these things” in verses 33-34 are in reference to all the signs and culmination of events in the tribulation. These must all happen first before the coming of the Son of Man. Though the generation during the time of Jesus witnessed a culmination of tribulation events, Christ decided not to return physically during that time since He reserves the right to do that to give the world more time to repent. Thus, Christ’s coming in judgement in 70AD was only a type and shadow of His full future coming, even as in the book of Daniel, Antiochus Epiphanes was a type of the Antichrist to come later. In conclusion, Matthew 24 was fulfilled as a type in 70AD but not as its complete fulfillment. Therefore, we are still awaiting the coming of Christ.

I certainly do not have all the answers, but this is the best answer I can come up with after all my study.

Quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB-1995) by The Lockman Foundation.