Perilous Times Vol 7: End of Days, God’s Kingdom and the Dragon’s Empire

By Riaan Engelbrecht

In the Perilous Times series of work, covering six volumes of study, the last of days as spoken about in 2 Timothy 3 is closely explored and dissected. Apostle Paul writes about the last days that will be perilous, and we are certainly living in such a time that will offer great opportunity for the Church but also great danger. Perilous denotes something which holds danger, thus there are things that will happen in the last of days that will pose a danger unto believers, but at the same time, believers must also avoid such pitfalls lest they become perilous (a danger) to others. Perilous also speaks of great stress and trouble. These are indeed the days of great strife, apostasy, and deception, and more than ever holding one to faith and God’s truth has become of paramount importance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Release date: Jan 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005213114

Riaan Engelbrecht

Ps Riaan Engelbrecht is the founder of Avishua Ministries, the vice-president of Lighthouse Ministries International and the station manager of Lighthouse Radio. His ministry deals primarily with the prophetic, but he also has a passion to teach the Truth of the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom for only the Truth of the Lord sets us free (John 8:32).  He is also a qualified and seasoned journalist.

Book preview

Also by the same author:

Life and Death

The Holy Spirit Volumes 1 and 2

The Disciple of God Volumes 1 and 3

Evangelism

Deliverance Volumes 1 to 3

The Prophet of God

Walking in God’s Wisdom

Abiding in the Fullness of God

Perilous Days: Volumes 1 to 7

The Destructive Isms of our Age

The Way of the Lord

Pursuit of Holiness: Mortification, Abandonment, Purification

Seeking a Deeper Life with God

A Deeper yearning for His embrace

The Crossroads to Freedom

The Greatness of God

Collection of Prophetic Thoughts and Teachings

Move of Glory, Deliverance and Refinement

The Nation, the Church, the Believer

The Church is on a Threshing Floor

Quenching the Spirit: Dangers of Cult-Like hyper-authoritarian Churches

God of Law and Order

The Will of the Lord

The Kingdom of God

End of Days, God’s Kingdom and the Dragon’s Empire

A Disciple’s Foundation of Spirit and Truth

Perilous Times Vol 7: End of Days, God’s Kingdom and the Dragon’s Empire

This is a distributed edition from Avishua Ministries.

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Scriptures quotes from the New Kings James Bible, Amplified, and the New International Version.

For more free study material and audio visit http://avishuaministries.wixsite.com/avishua

Table of Contents

Oversight of the Book of Revelation      Restoration of Israel          

The Kingdom on Earth and the Final Temple 

The Last Great Kingdom of the Dragon   

The Religious Pot and Cup of Poison   

Ramification of the Beast on the Church   

Roots of deception – the influence of the Four Powers

Destined to Reign       

Oversight of the Book of Revelation   

The Book of Revelation has caused many arguments, debates, views and perceptions. Some will say it is not important to know what it is all about, while some will say it is of great importance. For example, if the Church is not raptured, then it means the church needs to be prepared to endure hardship until the coming of Jesus. A lot of how people view Revelation also depends on the way they view Israel – either being an ethnic nation that is still part of God’s plan or has been replaced by the Church. Some wee Revelation are merely symbolic, others literal, and some view it as already happening and focus on 70AD.

As mentioned, there are four views that reflect the only four possible ways that one can relate to time: past, present, future, and timeless. When speaking of the fulfilment of Bible prophecy these four timing possibilities are called preterism, historicism, futurism, and idealism. Yes, these are quite fancy terms.

The preterist (Latin for past) believes that most, if not all prophecy have already been fulfilled, usually in relation to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The historicist (present) sees much of the current church age as equal to the tribulation period. Thus, prophecy has been and will be fulfilled during the current church age.  Futurists (future) usually believe that almost no prophetic events are occurring in the current church age, but will take place in the following future events: the tribulation of seven years, the second coming, the 1,000 year millennium, and the eternal state. The idealist (timeless) does not believe either that the Bible indicates the timing of events or that we can determine their timing in advance. Therefore, idealists see prophetic passages as teaching great truths about God to be applied to our present lives. Thus, it is mostly symbolic.

Many form their views based on preterists. Therefore, for them, the Book of Revelation is not about the Second Coming of Christ. It is about the destruction of Israel and Christ’s victory over His enemies in the establishment of the New Covenant. Revelation thus prophesies the judgment of God on apostate Israel; and while it does briefly point to events beyond its immediate concerns, it is done merely as a wrap-up, to show that the ungodly will never prevail against Christ’s Kingdom. But the main focus of Revelation is upon events that were soon to take place. Thus, it is really about how one views Israel and if God has a plan for the ethical nation or if God has already judged Israel and them as a nation has no more part to play in God’s plans.

Preterists thus argue that major prophetic portions of Scripture such as the Olivet Discourse (biblical passage found in the Synoptic Gospels in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21, also known as the Little Apocalypse) and the Book of Revelation were fulfilled in events surrounding the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Preterists believe that they are compelled to take such a view because Matthew 24:34 and its parallel passages say that this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. This means it had to take place in the first century, they argue. Revelation, they advocate, says something similar in the passages that say Christ is coming quickly or that His return is at hand. Most preterists believe that we are currently living in at least an inaugurated new heavens and new earth since all the Book of Revelation had to have a first-century fulfillment. And to make matters even more confusing, you find mild, moderate, and extreme Preterists.

MILD preterism teaches that the Book of Revelation was fulfilled during the first three centuries as God waged war on the two early enemies of the church: Israel and Rome. The first half of Revelation teaches that Israel was defeated in AD 70, while the last half of Revelation is about God’s conquest of Rome in the fourth century when Constantine declared the Roman Empire Christian. Thus, this earliest form of preterism teaches that Revelation was fulfilled in the first 300 years of the church’s history. MODERATE preterists believe that almost all prophecy was fulfilled in the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. They do believe that a few passages still teach a yet future second coming (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and the resurrection of believers at Christ’s bodily return. EXTREME preterists, or consistent preterists, as they prefer to be known, hold that all future Bible prophecy was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. If there is a future second coming, they say, the Bible does not talk about it. Extreme preterists believe that there is no future bodily resurrection, which place them outside the realm of Christian orthodoxy.

Of course, this has major repercussions for the Christian today if these events are true. If preterism is true, then the Great Tribulation has already taken place during the fall of Israel. It will not be repeated and thus is not a future event. The Great Apostasy then already happened in the first century. We, therefore, have no Biblical warrant to expect increasing apostasy as history progresses; instead, we should expect the increasing Christianization of the world. And then also we have to view the last days very differently, for this is seen as merely a Biblical expression for the period between Christ’s Advent and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70: The Antichrist is then also is a term used by John to describe the widespread apostasy of the Christian Church prior to the fall of Jerusalem. In general, any apostate teacher or system can be called ‘antichrist’; but the word does not refer to some ‘future Fuhrer.’"

They also view the Rapture as ‘the ‘catching up’ of the living saints ‘to meet the Lord in the air.’ Yet according to the preterists, the Bible does not teach any separation between the Second Coming and the Rapture; they are simply different aspects of the Last Day. Thus the Second Coming coincides with the Rapture and the Resurrection will take place at the end of the Millennium when history is sealed at the Judgment.

They also see the Beast of Revelation as a symbol of both Nero in particular and the Roman Empire in general, thus no great evil after 70AD. The false prophet of Revelation was also none other than the leadership of apostate Israel, who rejected Christ and worshipped the Beast. The Great Harlot of Revelation is seen as Jerusalem which had always been falling into apostasy and persecuting the prophets, which had ceased to be the City of God. This is based on the Old Testament calling Jerusalem a harlot, such as in Jeremiah 13:27: I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings, The lewdness of your harlotry, Your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?"

And yes, the Millennium is seen as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which He established at His first advent and which is going on now, with Christians reigning as kings on earth. Some do believe that though the kingdom is already inaugurated, there will someday be a greater outpouring of the Spirit than the church has yet experienced.

The first resurrection of Revelation 20:5 is merely seen as a spiritual resurrection: our justification and regeneration in Christ.  The Thousand Years of Revelation 20:2-7 is also merely seen as an idea of a fullness of quantity; in other words, it stands for manyness. Thus, it expresses great vastness.

Lastly, according to this point of view, the New Creation (the coming of the New Jerusalem) has already begun because the Bible describes our salvation in Christ, both now and in eternity, as ‘a new heaven and a new earth.’ Israel in contrast to the eventual faithfulness and empowerment by the Holy Spirit of the Church has been excommunicated for its apostasy and will never again be God’s Kingdom.

Thus, the Bible does not tell of any future plan for Israel as a special nation. The Church is now that new nation (Matthew 21:43) which is why Christ destroyed the Jewish state. In destroying Israel, Christ transferred the blessings of the kingdom from Israel to a new people, the church.  For some, there is a belief in the final apostasy, which is Satan’s last gasp in history (Revelation 20:7-10) and there never was or will be a literal Battle of Armageddon.

In this study, all these points will be discussed. But this study will be based on a historicist point of view, in terms of Revelation will still take place, while a lot of what Daniel prophesied has already happened or is happening.

But just from the onset, one can see how dangerous the preterists' point of view can be. Thus, the Church rejects Israel as God’s chosen nation, there is no more apostasy, and for 2000 years the world has been in limbo just waiting for God’s final judgment. The Church is now ruling and reigning on earth to declare the Gospel, but it doesn’t seem really like the Church is victorious or enjoying a time of peace, right?

A big debate about Revelation is of course the rapture and the tribulation. Many believe that Christ will come twice - the first of the two is the coming of the Lord to snatch away the church out of the world, called the rapture. This would be snatching away of the church back to heaven for a period, usually, while the great tribulation happens on earth. Then, this is followed by a final — this is kind of the second stage — a return of the Lord to establish His kingdom. There have been great debates around the rapture and the tribulations. And also many discussions on the nature of the bowls, the seals that are opened and the trumpets.

For those who do not believe in the theory that all has already happened, they then believe in the tribulation to take place, which the prophet Daniel defined the length of it. He said God would accomplish all His purposes for the JEWISH PEOPLE during a period of 70 weeks of years (490 years). Sixty-nine of those weeks of years (483 years) would lead up to the death of the Messiah. The final week of years would occur at the end of the age, right before the return of the Messiah (Daniel 9:24-27). This concluding week of years (7 years) corresponds to the Tribulation for, as Daniel put it, it will mark the time when the prince who is to come will make desolate — a reference to the Antichrist. Some believe we are already in such times, while others believe we are still heading for it.

The timing established by Daniel is confirmed in the Book of Revelation where the Tribulation is divided into two periods of 3 1/2 years each (Revelation 11:3,7 and 13:5). The dividing point between the two halves of the Tribulation will occur when the Antichrist reveals himself by apparently entering the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem (which is also hotly debated), stopping the sacrifices, and declaring himself to be god (Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; and Revelation 13:5-6). But this we will also discuss.

This timing comes from the prophecies of Daniel, and historicist interpreters have usually understood the time, times and half a time (i.e. 1+2+0.5=3.5), 1,260 days and 42 months mentioned also in Revelation to be references to represent a period of 1260 years (based on the 360-day Jewish year multiplied by 3.5).

The Jews will not be the only ones to suffer during this period of unparalleled trouble. The Bible makes it clear that all the nations of the world will experience catastrophic calamities. Isaiah says it will be a day of reckoning for all the nations of the world (Isaiah 2:10-17) and Zephaniah says that all the earth will be devoured in the fire of God’s jealousy (Zephaniah 1:18). Here’s how the psalmist Asaph put it: A cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams... surely, all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs (Psalm 75:8). The specific event that will mark the seven-year count down to the Tribulation will be the signing of a peace treaty, most likely between Israel and her enemies — a treaty that will, according to some, allow the Jews to rebuild their Temple (Daniel 9:27).

The unparalleled horror of the Tribulation is spelt out in detail in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Isaiah wrote that it will be a day of terror of the Lord when the pride of men will be abased (Isaiah 2:10, 17, 19). Zephaniah proclaimed that it will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, and a day of destruction and desolation (Zephaniah 1:15). Men will stumble around like they are blind and their blood will be poured out like dust (Zephaniah 1:17).

This dreary picture is echoed in the New Testament. Jesus said it will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall (Matthew 24:21). In fact, Jesus said it will be so terrible that if it were not stopped at the end of seven years, it would result in the destruction of all life (Matthew 24:22). The Apostle John states that the chaos will be so great that the leaders of the world will crawl into caves and cry out for the rocks of the mountains to fall upon them (Revelation 6:15-16).

As mentioned, the big question for many is really about the church and the tribulation, which is the reason for the rapture, be it pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation or post-tribulation. Revelation 3:10 is used as evidence of the Rapture, meaning the saints are completely removed from the earth.  It says this: Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. In other words, some think that this verse teaches that Christians would be taken out of the world before God brought a great trial, or tribulation, on the world. Some believe the Church will be removed midway through the suffering and others believe the Church will endure. You see, God does promise to keep us from the hour of trial, which probably doesn’t mean that we are taken out of the world, but rather that God will keep us from the faith-destroying effects of the hour of trial. He will guard us. He will protect our faith. 1 Peter says, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (1 Peter 4:12).

Some say 1 Thessalonians 4 is also proof of the rapture. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 therefore comfort one another with these words.

We will indeed rise to meet the Lord in the air. It’s like a great welcoming crowd. BUT then we will descend with him in his triumphant arrival. Yet some believe we will return with God after being taken away before or during the tribulation. It says in Zachariah 14 that the Lord will come, and all the saints with Him. The issue is not if the saints are with God, but rather when do we join God.

It says in 2 Thessalonians 2:7: For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. This is the NIV version. The NKJV says the following: 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. Many see this as a passage that talks about the Church being removed, but again, the problem is with Scripture translations. If we take the NKJV version, then it speaks of He – thus God. And the only time God was taken out of the way temporarily was with the death of Jesus, but then again the Holy Spirit was poured out to lead us in victory. If this translation is correct, it leaves much room for interpretation, but at the same time, it cannot apply to the Church.

A popular rapture view is that Jesus is coming several times. 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 Thessalonians 2 talk about the coming of the Lord, yet the second and ONLY coming, in a way that makes two comings — one to rescue and one to judge — extremely unlikely, if not impossible, in view of what these verses say.

It says in 2 Thessalonians 1:6–8. God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Here it speaks clearly about God’s afflicting those who are afflicting God’s afflicted at the TIME OF HIS COMING. This thus disproves any theory of two comings, but Jesus coming one last time to save Jerusalem and to save the afflicted..

Sequence of Events

Since this is a study from the historicist (present) point of view, we will then look at Scripture to challenge certain points of view and to put certain events in context. Again, one has to study the prophecies of old, and also what Jesus said and what is written in Revelation.

When it comes to the sequence of events at His coming, it says in the Olive Discourse of Matthew 24. 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened."

Then Jesus says the following: 29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Verse 31 connects with Revelation 7: 1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.

And also Revelation 14: Reaping the Earth’s Harvest: 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat