End Times Truth: A Bible Prophecy Study

By Bruce McKerras

This is a book of great importance to all who seek to gain a true understanding of the end times events. What is written it is not the authors ideas, theories or fanciful notions. It sets out the prophetic Word as given to us in the Holy Bible, composed into short, easily read articles along with other verses that help to explain the text.
We are now in the end times and at last it has become possible to see and understand what lies ahead for all of us. I trust this book will help and encourage all who read it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris NZ
• Release date: Mar 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479799527

Bruce McKerras

Bruce Alan McKerras: Born in 1941, a New Zealand citizen descended from Scottish/English ancestry. He is now living near the sea in retirement, after a career in building construction. Over the last several years Bruce and his wife Jan, have been deployed in various overseas locations, helping workers on the mission field. In 2010, they lived in Israel for 3 months, after that: in Jordan for 2 years. While in Israel, there was opportunity to intensively study the Holy Bible and pursue a long term interest in the Prophetic Word. This has now inspired the writing of four books and the printed version of End Times Truth has some material from his earlier ebooks.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Bruce McKerras.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4797-9997-8

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4797-9952-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations taken from the Revised English Bible, copyright © Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press 1989. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 03/05/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0800-891-366

www.xlibris.co.nz

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700507

Contents

Chapter One      The Reset of Civilization

The Reset of Civilization

Failed Predictions

Nine Steps of Degeneration

Signposts of the Coming Apocalypse

Latter days

The meaning of this is concealed from you

Who is wise enough to understand this… . Jeremiah 9:12 . .   . and who has God’s command to proclaim it? Isaiah 50:4-7. John 12:37-41

Blind Watchmen

Interpreting what the Bible tells us

Bible Prophecy

The Days Are Near, When Every Vision Will Be Fulfilled.

Be Prepared—the Scouts Motto

Children of the Living God

Israel Redeemed

Whose Land is it?

World News Preview:

Chapter Two      As it was in the Days of Noah

As it was in the Days of Noah

My People, Mark My Teaching

Examples for our instruction

If… . Then…

Gladness instead of Mourning

The Elephant in the Room

The compromising church

Believe the Bible? Then: believe ALL it says.

Our Test by Fire

The Lord Does Not Abandon Those Who Seek Him

Escape all these things?

Those who know what is right

What the Wicked Dread will overtake them, What the Righteous Desire will be Granted.

The Rapture Refuted

When the Son of Man comes.

The Spirit of Wisdom

Chapter Three      Remember the Day You have Appointed

Remember the Day You have Appointed

God has Remembered

I shall fulfill all that I promised

Birth pangs of the new Era

Learn what the Lord is saying to us

Come near, you peoples and listen!

Our Situation Now:

What Comes Next

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

I shall bring back My exiled people

The Second Exodus

Restoration Of All Israel

Until the Spirit from on high is poured upon us.

Hear the Word of the Lord

Satan’s war against Israel

Chapter Four      Lord, Arise now and set Your Hand to the Task

Lord, Arise now and set Your Hand to the Task

Time for the Judgement to Begin

The Time is Coming

The Lord bares His holy arm

End Times Events

Micah ben Moresheth

Peter tells the truth for our days

The Near Future of Planet Earth

Where the Vultures Gather

The Day of the Lord is at hand for all the nations

The Little Apocalypse of Jesus

The Sixth Seal

Hide us: for the Great Day of the Lord’s Wrath has come and who can stand?

Does the Sixth Seal of Revelation 6:12-17, Happen at the Return of Jesus?

Abandon hope all you Rebels

On Your Knees!

Woe and disaster to all who revolt and rebel

Nahum the prophet

Scripture understood literally

Devouring fire, from the Lord

Vengeance is Mine Says the Lord—I will Repay

Gold and Silver Are Worthless

Advance Elam, make your move Media!

TEOTWAWKI—The End of the World as We Know it

Judgement of Edom

Chapter Five      The Day the Lord takes action

The Day the Lord takes action

Be warned, testing will surely come.     Ezekiel 21:13a

Godless peoples live in the Holy Land

Isaiah reveals what is to be, secrets of things to come.     Ecclesiasticus 48:24-25

The Wrath of God falls from Heaven

God of vengeance, rise and judge the earth!

Listen: It is the thunder of vast forces. Isaiah 17:12

Bring It On, Lord

The Lord’s Judgement On the Middle East

This time, I shall throw out everyone from the Land.

A Sacrifice in Bozrah and a Slaughter in Edom

The Lord’s Day of Vengeance and The Great Day of the Sovereign Lord.

Like the Dawn, It Covers The Earth

The Destruction of Damascus

The Song of David

The Earth—In Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Six      Victory comes from Y’hovah

Victory Comes From Y’hovah

My Words Will Never Fail You

The Lord is exalted by Judgement, by righteousness, He reveals His Holiness Isa. 5:16

End Times—Some F.A.Q’s

Know and Understand This

Arm of the Lord: Show Your Strength!

Cleansing the Land

Wonderful things, long planned and sure.

The Appointed Time has come

Proclaim the Coming Kingdom

Proclaim a Day of Victory

THE RAPTURE—When Will It Happen?

A People who Keep Faith

Chapter Seven      The Truth about the Future

The truth about the future

I am about to do something new

Hope For The Future

Open to us the Gates of Victory

The Word given to Jeremiah

Who is it that says: Blessed is He that Comes in the Name of the Lord

Those Who Trust in the Lord will Soar as on Eagles Wings

What is Revealed Belongs to Us

Zion—The Promised Land

A Time of Recovery for His People

Let us rejoice in His deliverance

A Remnant Will Return to Israel

You Will Go Out With Joy

A Voice Will Say; This is the Way, Follow It

They Will Soar as on Eagles Wings

Oh that I had the Wings of a Dove!

Peace Like a River

The Lord is a Shield to all who Take Refuge in Him

We give Thanks to you, Y’hovah

God will Show Compassion to His People

The Ark of the Covenant

Rebuilding the Temple

The War of Gog from Magog

Advice and encouragement

The Prayer of Jonah

Chapter Eight      Israel: Prepare to meet your God

Israel: Prepare to Meet Your God!

Dry Bones can Live Again

Called out by name

He who scattered Israel, will gather them     Jeremiah 31:10

The Song of Moses

Prepare the Way for My People

The State of Israel will lose its good leaders

Alas for the proud

The Lord Says: Here I Am!

Rely on God to shield you

Our Powerful Advocate

My People Were Like Lost Sheep

Have no fear, My servants

The Return of all Israel to the Land

Living once again in the Land of Israel

Come out of her, My people

By My wrath, I shall gather you

Over Jerusalem the Glory of the Lord will Dawn

The Lord Will Appear Over Them… .

Save Yourselves and Remember Jerusalem

Be Strong and Brave

The Lord Comes to Reveal His Glory Among His Own

To You, Lord, I cry out!

The Land, Scorched and Untrodden

The Presence of the Lord

Peace be upon Israel

All Israel’s Descendants will be Victorious

He who Gathers the Exiles of Israel

All Israel will once again live in their own Land

The Land of Beulah

But, You, Land of Israel, Yield your Fruit for the Homecoming of My People is Near.

Houses for His people

Chapter Nine      When the Heat Comes

When the heat comes

His Enemies, to be Made His footstool

The Day of the Lord’s blazing anger

A Day of Panic will Burst upon you

The Fiery Blast of the Lord

Habakkuk the Prophet

The Earth is My Footstool

WW 3 or the Day of Wrath? A coronal mass ejection, a Killshot.

Fire judgement

Judgement of Fire

Worldwide Devastation from a CME sunstrike

The Great and Terrible Day

Planet Red Herring

Solar Maximum

The Effects of a Killshot Coronal Mass Ejection

Recoil upon their own heads

The Fire is Alight, Nothing will Stop it Coming to Earth    

2 Esdras 16:15 [Bible Apocrypha]

The Land: Burned and Desolate

Chapter Ten      In Our Time

In Our Time

Five Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty Two Years and Counting

Israel Redeemed 2012? Judah Redeemed 2030?

7000 years From the Creation to the Completion of Mankind

The Flag on the cover is that of Beulah, the new nation that will inhabit the Middle East after the Lord’s judgement of the nations.

Red is for judgement, purple is the Lord’s favour to His people and gold is for His promise of eternal life.

END TIMES TRUTH

A Bible prophecy study—

The truth about our future.

Amid the great proliferation of fiction, speculation and theories about the future, we have the one sure Word of God, as inspired to His prophets. It isn’t God’s intention for everyone to know His plans, so the prophecies as given to us are difficult to unravel and understand. Only now, as we approach the time for the last day’s events to unfold, it has become possible to get a glimpse of what really will happen in our future.

My task is to point out what the prophets actually wrote and to show how other scriptures help to explain their prophecies. If what you see in this book is contrary to what you have been taught, then you must seriously consider the truth of the Holy Word and decide what is correct; people’s ideas of a ‘nice’ outcome, contrasted with what the Bible really says about the difficult and testing time ahead for all of us.

This book is written as a Bible study guide, in short articles for easy reading. I have tried to collate them in a chronological sequence, but there is much overlap, so I trust the reader will persevere and come to the correct knowledge of the end times.

I have used the Revised English Bible as my main source, along with references to the NIV, ESV, KJV and the New Living Bible. I recommend the REB [Oxford Press 1989 edition] as the best translation to convey the actual meaning of what was written.

All Scripture is in italics.

For further study and updates, please look at: www.logostelos.info

Permission is granted to use this material as desired, provided the source is acknowledged and no profit is made.

Bruce McKerras    contact: [e-mail]

Dedication

To the Glory of God, the Creator. His plans will be carried out on earth, as they are in heaven.

CHAPTER ONE

The Reset of Civilization

The Reset of Civilization

The Word of God [the Bible] tells us that He is the Creator of all things. He has the ability to do anything that he chooses. He made the earth and set humans upon it.

It has been nearly 2000 years since the last time we were given Divine instructions, that is; as written in the Bible. Since then, people have mostly pursued their own interests, worshipping false gods, promoting evolution and denying the existence of their Creator.

We are told that thousands of years ago people were in a similar situation, having degenerated into apostasy and sin. Only one righteous man and his family were kept alive as God destroyed all the rest by a worldwide flood. Jesus predicted that ‘once again it will be as in the days of Noah’ and when He comes again, we should be prepared. [Matthew 24:37-44] The Creator God ‘reset civilization’ in Noah’s day and now we are facing the same judgement. God promised after the Flood, to never again use water or wipe out life so completely. [Genesis 9:11] But in Deut. 32:22 & 34-35, He tells us of a terrible fire punishment stored up for His enemies, on their Day of Doom. Isa. 54:9-10

There are many descriptions in the prophesies of this sudden and devastating worldwide Day of fire and earthquakes, most are either ignored or allegorized because people cannot see any literal fulfilment. The biggest difficulty that most have, is realizing the difference between the Lord’s Day of vengeance and wrath and the Return of Jesus in His glory.

Isaiah 13:9-13 The Day of the Lord is coming, that cruel Day of wrath and fierce anger, to reduce the earth to desolation and to destroy the wicked there. The sun, moon and stars will give no light. Humans will become scarce, as rare as fine gold and the earth will quake at the wrath of God on the Day of His blazing anger.

This and many other prophesies cannot be reconciled with the glorious Return of Jesus, when ‘every eye will see Him’. It is clearly stated that on the Day of wrath, He will not be seen. [Psalm 18:11] We are told in Revelation 6:17, that the sixth seal judgement is the Day of the Lord’s wrath and then the seventh seal is a 15 year time gap* when the world recovers, enabling righteous Israel to return to the holy Land and the rise of a One World government. Then, after most of the rest of the prophesies are fulfilled, Jesus will Return and commence His Millennial reign.

The main reason that most people fail to get what the Bible tells us, is that the Lord has placed on us a spirit of misunderstanding and ‘If you confuse yourself, then you will stay confused’ Isaiah 29:9-12. Only in the last days, before this shocking event, will a few finally understand what the Lord has planned. [Daniel 12:10]

*Revelation 8:1 The Seventh seal . . . there was silence in heaven for about a half hour . . .

This time period is for ‘about a half hour in heaven’, and Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8, tell us that one day to God in heaven is the same as a thousand years on earth. Therefore, a half hour of heavenly time calculates to 20 years of earthly time. As I believe that the rest of the Revelation judgements will start with the Anti Christ desecrating the Third Temple in 2026/7, then ‘about 20 years’, that is: 15 or 16 years is right for all that must happen, starting very soon.

Failed Predictions

Recently we have had a number of failed predictions about the end of the world, or at least of some sort of dramatic world changing event. They have passed without anything happening. I too, was guilty of pointing out a date, one given to us by the prophet Haggai, however I now realize that although the date he specifies will come to pass, we don’t know when it will fall on our calendar.

The result of this kind of scaremongering is that most people now no longer take notice of anyone who may speak the truth of what the Lord has planned. It is the ‘cry wolf’ syndrome. Also a lot of Christians abhor the idea of ‘knowing the Day and the hour’, because when Jesus was on earth, He said that even He didn’t know. But to say this about the next event prophesied, actually breaks scripture as many prophets say that it is possible to know God’s plans.

Now, the world is lulled into a false sense of security, they hold to the belief that mankind can solve their own problems by science, diplomacy, etc.

But many prophecies say how the Lord will act unexpectedly—in an instant, etc.

1 Thess. 5:3 While they are saying: All is peaceful, all secure, then suddenly, [like a thief] destruction is upon them and there will be no escape.

Luke 21:35 That Day will come suddenly, like a trap on everyone the whole world over.

There is NO pretribulation rapture. REPEAT—There is NO pretrib. [wrath] rapture.

1 Thess. 5:4 But you, My friends are not in the dark, that Day will not come upon you like a thief.

This is an indictment, because if we are the Lord’s friend, then why don’t we know what He will do and when He will act? Therefore it is a very serious matter for us to make every effort to study the Scriptures, carefully putting aside any teachings that do not take full account of ALL the prophecies.

From prophecies like Psalm 83, Micah 4:11-12, Jeremiah 12:14, we can discern that the scenario predicted so long ago, is a reality in our day. God judged the whole world in Noah’s day by a great flood, this time the prophets tell us He will use a fire judgement.

Deuteronomy 32:34-35 & 22 I have in reserve, sealed in My storehouse, waiting until the Day of punishment and vengeance, at the moment My enemies’ foot slips, [makes a mistake] for the Day of doom is fast approaching. For fire is set ablaze by My anger, it envelopes the earth and devours its produce.

Malachi 4:1 The Day comes, burning like a furnace, all the proud and evil people will be as stubble, that Day will set them ablaze leaving neither root nor branch.

Isaiah 30:26… the sun will shine with seven times its normal strength . . .

This informs us of what it is that the Lord will use on the terrible Day of His vengeance and wrath. I believe what is described in scripture is a coronal mass ejection of an unprecedented magnitude. One that will cause all the graphically prophesied effects, but will maintain His hiddenness so most will refuse to acknowledge God and will establish a One World Government. But for those who do trust in the Lord and keep His commandments, there are the wonderful promises of gathering and living in the holy Land until the eventual Return of Jesus to reign for 1000 years.

As for when this shocking CME will strike, we know the ‘season’, that is in our time and it will happen ‘when My enemies make a mistake’. His enemies: those who attack Israel. So at the moment of attack, it will happen.

Nine Steps of Degeneration

Man centred worldviews oppose the Biblical worldview at every point. Truth is made into a lie: Romans 1:25, good becomes evil and evil good: Psalm 52:3, darkness is substituted for light: Isaiah 8:22, John 3:19, leading to a futile and depraved mind: Ephesians 4:17. This rejection of the Sovereign God leads to a downward spiral that begins with perverse thinking and leads to corrupt actions. What was originally designed to be correct, man makes wrong by supressing the truth in his unrighteousness. Deut. 32:5, Psalm 125:5, Proverbs 2:12-15, Philippians 2:15.

Romans 1:18-32 & 2:5-10, gives us the nine steps of this degeneration:

1/   Suppression of the Truth: Romans 1:18b-20 & 25 . . . men and women in their impiety and wickedness suppress the truths that are visible to the eye of reason, in all that He has made.

2/   Intellectual futility: Romans 1:21a They refuse to honour God or give Him thanks, therefore they are incapable of understanding the Truth.

3/   Spiritual darkness: Romans 1:21b… their misguided minds are plunged into darkness.

4/   Gross stupidity: Romans 1:22 They boast of their wisdom, but they have made fools of themselves.

5/   Deification of man and nature: Romans 1:23 They exchange the glory of immortal God for that of corruptible man and nature.

6/   Immorality: Romans 1:24 & 26-27 For this reason, God has given them up to their own vile desires and to the consequent degradation of their own bodies.

7/   Social destruction: Romans 1:28-31 Because they refuse to acknowledge the Creator, He has given them up to their own depraved ways and this leads them to break every rule on right conduct. They are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil and malice. People like this have no rules of honesty or truth, have no sense of trustworthiness and have no loyalty or pity for others.

8/   Cause the downfall of others: Romans 1:32 In their hearts, they know that those who flout God’s Laws deserve to die, yet they not only do it, but actively encourage sinful activity in others.

9/   The result: Romans 2:5-10 Those in obstinate rebellion against God have laid up a store of retribution against themselves, to be revealed on the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath, when His just judgement will expose them. God will repay everyone for what they have done. To those who pursue glory, honour and immortality by steady persistence in righteous living, He will give eternal life. But the retribution of His wrath awaits those who refuse obedience to the truth and take evil for their guide. There will be affliction and distress for every human being who is a wrongdoer, for the Jew first, then all the Gentile peoples. Isaiah 13:9, Hebrews 10:26-31 Ref: REB.

Many Christian leaders try to avoid conflict with secular ideologies by teaching that God’s Word is all about personal religious experience. They contend that Christians should not be concerned with worldly matters, because ‘our citizenship is in heaven’.

Jesus said: ‘My Kingdom is not of this world’. That means His power and authority is from God, but His Kingdom IS here and He WILL rule the earth a few years after His judgement/punishment by fire, a worldwide disaster that will commence the final events of this age.

Signposts of the Coming Apocalypse

The Bible does not prophesy the end of the world or of total destruction, but of a whole series of carefully timed events that lead up to the great and glorious Return of Jesus. The final countdown of the end times will take years and before the first prophesied event happens, we are told of a few preliminary things that will set the stage for the political, economic and religious climate that is necessary to trigger the Lord’s action. These preparatory steps seem to be falling into place in rapid succession. It is humanly impossible to resolve the political situation in the Middle East, many countries have failing economies and religion is once again the motivation for war.

Many people today react negatively to anyone who warns about the coming reset of civilization, even though it is obvious that things cannot continue as they are for much longer. They say it is foolish to worry about what may happen, or even talk about the trends and signs that point toward the end time scenario as portrayed in Scripture.

In Matthew 16:1-4, Jesus sternly rebuked the religious leaders of His day for their failure to discern the signs of His first coming. He was fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies and performing miracles, yet they were blind to it all. Likewise today, many religious leaders are doing the same, blinded to prophecy and to the signs that point to an imminent commencement of God’s program of preparation for the Second coming of Jesus.

God is preparing the world stage for His drama of the ages. When the curtain parts, when the heavens are torn asunder, Isaiah 64:1-2, then those who have failed to understand or even to consider the more than 100 prophesies that clearly tell about the forthcoming fire judgement/punishment, will be shocked and terrified.

Do not hope for a rapture from this first event. The prophesies that tell of a ‘meeting in the air’ refer to the visible Return of Jesus for His Millennial reign, which is to come much later. A judgement by fire will happen next and it will be a testing time for all mankind. 1 Peter 4:12

Twenty twelve was a year that had a lot of people worried, what with the Mayan calendar ending and the proliferation of disasters such as crop failures, earthquakes and fierce storms. But the greatest threat facing the world is a nuclear armed Iran attacking Israel. Not if, but when this happens, it would most likely trigger a worldwide conflagration—WW3.

Bible prophecy, our sure guide with proven fulfilled predictions, tells us that this war will not happen. Ezekiel 7:14 God’s wrath destroyed the civilization of Noah’s time with a great flood; this time He will use fire to destroy His enemies. The Lord promises to save a remnant of Jews in Jerusalem, Isaiah 31:5 and around the world, all those people who take heed of the warnings to shelter and who call upon His Name for protection, will be kept safe. Isaiah 26:20-21

Do not doubt; events will unfold as the prophets have so graphically prophesied, so long ago. First this terrible judgement by fire, a massive CME will be sent out from the Lord’s storehouse, the sun. Then the world’s survivors will establish a One World Government, but the great promises of God to the Patriarchs and to His righteous people will then be fulfilled, as they gather and settle into the Holy Land. Zechariah 10:8-10

Latter days

I believe that the very existence of the State of Israel today, surely places us in the Latter Days. Therefore, correct understanding of the end times should be the aim of every Christian believer. We need not be taken unawares of coming earth shattering events. Those Christians who subscribe to a rapture, may find themselves unprepared to survive severe Tribulation. The Lord has called us to be His co-workers, so we should know what lies before us, to work intelligently toward the furtherance of His Kingdom. Remember that Jesus rebuked the people of His day, for not being able or willing to discern the signs of the prophetic times in which they lived.

Since 1948, we have seen an amazing restoration of the Jewish people into a portion of the Land. In Joel 3:1 When the time comes, I will reverse the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem. God says in that time period, certain things will occur. The next prophesied event will be an attack on the State of Israel by the Islamic nations, with the tacit support of many other nations. This will trigger the destruction and depopulation of most of the Middle East. Jeremiah 12:14, Psalm 83

Joel 3:2-3 I shall gather the nations into the valley of Jehoshaphat [the Lord judges] I will judge them on behalf of My people, whom they scattered among the nations. Micah 4:11-12

[This event is not at the Return of Jesus, as described in Rev. 19:17-21 and Zechariah 14:3-4]

Joel 3:4-8 What are you to Me, Israel’s neighbours? Do you want vengeance? I will make your deeds recoil onto your own heads. You have harmed Judah and stolen their treasures. I will rouse them and bring them home, your own people will be enslaved. Psalm 83

Joel 3:9-17 Proclaim war among the nations! Prepare your weapons, let the weakest say they are strong. The nations around about will hear the call and gather for judgement. The harvest is ripe—wield the knife, tread the grapes. [Revelation 14:17-20] The Day of the Lord’s vengeance is at hand, in the Place of Decision. But the Lord is a refuge for His people, a defence for Israel. By this you will know that I am the Lord your God. Jerusalem will be holy.

Joel 3:18-21 When that day comes, there will be food and water in plenty in the Land. Egypt and Edom will become desolate wastes because of the violence they did to Judah, but the Land of Israel will be inhabited forever. I shall avenge their blood and the Lord will dwell in Zion. [Ezekiel 30:2-5, Zephaniah 2:8-9, Obadiah 21]

It should be clear to anyone that a secular State of Israel is not God’s highest ambition for His people. Currently the Jews only occupy a small portion of Greater Israel and are beset by problems, water shortages, religious schisms and threats of destruction, etc. Many, many prophecies predict a remarkable future greatness for ALL the tribes of Israel. Most Bible scholars relegate these predictions to the Millennium, as they cannot see any earlier fulfilment. They have often been influenced by the traditional Rapture/Great Tribulation view and a replacement theology that replaces Israel with the Church. But when thought is given to what so clearly must happen before Jesus Returns, then wonderful is the prospect of a righteous nation, living in peace and security in the Promised Land—after the whole area is cleared and cleansed by this great Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath. Ezekiel 36:10-12

For the universal Church of Jesus Christ and all peoples, it is time to realize that we are now at the edge of cataclysmic events. The obvious determination and preparedness of Israel’s enemies is so great, that there may be no defence adequate to cope with their attack. It will require divine intervention to avoid annihilation. If God does not defend and protect His people from their sworn enemies, then His self-acclaimed title of ‘the Holy One of Israel’ and ‘the Lord of heavens armies’ will be meaningless. I refer here to Righteous Israel—of all the 12 tribes still scattered throughout the world. This event will be the fulfilment of Isaiah 63:1-6, Deuteronomy 32:34-35, Revelation 6:12-17.

The assurances given concerning the protection of Righteous Israel, if not kept, would render His Word unreliable, and His character flawed. God’s promises never fail; He will aid His people.

The meaning of this is concealed from you

It is unfortunately true that the more people who study the prophetic scripture and attempt to establish a coherent picture of the end times, then the more different ideas, theories and scenarios are promulgated. WHY IS THIS?

The Bible does tell us why and the prophet Daniel says that ‘only a few wise leaders’, that is: those few who diligently study the Word and avoid all false teachings and doctrines, will know what will happen.

Luke 18:32-34 The Son of Man will be handed over to the Gentiles. He will be mocked, maltreated and spat upon, then flogged and killed. Then on the third day, He will rise again. But the disciples could not understand or grasp what He was talking about, for its meaning was concealed from them.

Isaiah 29:9-14 Because this people worship Me with empty words and just pay Me lip service while their hearts are far from Me and their religion is but human precept, learnt by rote: therefore I shall shock them, adding shock to shock. The wisdom of their learned people will vanish and the discernment of the intelligent will be lost.

If you confuse yourselves, you will stay confused. If you blind yourself, you will stay blinded. Be drunk, but not with strong drink, for the Lord has poured upon you a spirit of deep stupor, He has closed the eyes of the prophets and muffled the seers. The prophetic vision of it all has become for you like the words of a sealed book, a book impossible to understand.

Isaiah 56:10-11 For all Israel’s watchmen are blind, perceiving nothing, they are all dumb dogs that cannot bark just dreaming as they sleep in ignorance. Israel’s shepherds understand nothing, all going their own way in their greed and false teachings.    Ref: REB.

My comments:

‘its meaning concealed from them’, This shows how God can and does hide true understanding from those whom He wishes to. Deut. 29:4, Matthew 11:25

‘this people’, this refers to followers of Judaism and Christianity. Ezekiel 12:2

‘wisdom and discernment will be lost’, because of false doctrines, non-Biblical teachings and outright idol worship, the Lord has drawn the veil of inability to understand His plans and purposes. Deuteronomy 32:28-29, Isaiah 6:9-10, Jeremiah 6:10

‘if you confuse yourself, you will stay confused’, people who have believed the comfortable idea of a rapture, or say ‘all is peaceful, all secure’, will be shocked by the Lord’s Day of vengeance and wrath, the soon to happen judgement/ punishment of His enemies.

‘Israel’s watchmen understand nothing, in their greed and false teachings’, Those who preach incorrect doctrines and who write end times fiction, will face a more severe judgement on that great Day. James 3:1, Matthew 23:10, 2 Peter 2:1-3

Ecclesiasticus 15:1-10 He who fears the Lord will act thus: He will give his mind to study and will meditate on understanding and if he masters the Law, wisdom will be his. Wisdom will come out and greet him like a mother, like a bride to her husband and his food will be the bread of understanding, his drink: the water of wisdom. He will rely on her and not be put to shame. He will find prosperity and in the assembly, his words will be inspired. Fools will never possess wisdom, nor will sinners catch a glimpse of her. She holds aloof from arrogance and liars never see