In this sermon, the speaker discusses various signs and events that indicate the end times as described in the Bible. They mention the movement and falling of stars, which is said to occur during the tribulation period. The speaker emphasizes that even though the sermon may not initially seem comforting or focused on the baby Jesus, it has the potential to change lives by addressing important biblical themes. They highlight the advancements in technology and global travel as signs of the last times, as predicted in the book of Daniel. Additionally, the speaker mentions the cry for peace and safety as a global agenda, and connects it to the reunification of Europe and the existence of Israel as a significant timepiece in God's plan.

Would you grab your Bibles this morning and turn, if you would, to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24, we're going to be looking at verse 21 this morning. And if you're joining us for the very first time, maybe you're visiting church for the first time, we are in part 14 of a series that we are calling The Life and Times of Jesus Christ. And this morning we come to a very, very unpopular, never talked about, rarely ever seen on Christian TV or heard on Christian radio, a topic concerning Christ and the Tribulation Period. Right now there's some buzz about it, there's some books that are being sold about it, but churches don't want to talk about it. In fact, a lot of churches are very happy that Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins have put out this Left Behind series that is now just rocketing up to the charts there. In fact, it's become now number one best-selling book in non-Christian bookstores. And I was amazed to find out and to see with my own eyes that in Germany, in a bookstore there, they have the Left Behind series. Isn't that amazing? Well, a lot of churches are happy about Tim LaHaye taking that on, because a lot of pastors won't. In fact, Tim LaHaye is a wonderful, great man of God. And his doctrine is healthy and strong and very clear. And it's the very void of the message that we're talking about this morning that led Tim LaHaye to bring forth this series that you can buy. And of course, as you can see, Colossians chapter 2 verse 9 is the verse theme, theme verse for our series. For in Christ, this is baby Jesus, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form. And so this morning we approach this topic, Christ and the Tribulation Period. We saw last time, last week together, about the rapture of the church and how in chronological order we now step through the end time events. The church will be removed from the earth, the Bible talks about, in a very, very mysterious and secretive way. The Bible says in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the rapture will take place. And those who are real Christians, I'm not talking about pretend Christians, I'm talking about real believers, true Christians, those who have the Holy Spirit that is dwelling within them, they love God, you. The Bible says we who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord will be caught up into the air and it will be a mysterious event. And we will be transformed, we will go from somewhat of this physical state that we're in to an incredible, fantastic, in fact, 1 Corinthians 15, beginning at verse 50, describes this amazing transformation that will take place in our bodies. And it's going to be something that is spectacular to say the least. After that great and imminent event, by the way, it could happen today according to Bible prophecy, there's no warning needed for the rapture of the church, but right after that, some point in time after, will begin what is called the day of the Lord. Those of you who are note takers, you can put on your left side of your page, the day of the Lord begins when the church is raptured. From that time on, the day of the Lord will continue all the way out until the end of the millennial age, the millennium reign of Christ. And we'll talk about that in following studies. But very, very importantly, this morning we look at Christ and the tribulation period. What is it all about? And I have to tell you this morning, it is impossible to cover all that the Bible says about it. In fact, keep this in mind, out of the 66 books of the Bible, 17 books of the Bible give incredible amounts of its attention and time to the events of the tribulation period. Specifically, Revelation chapter 6 through 19 deals with it in great detail. The tribulation period, will you go through it? Will you see it? That all depends if you're a Christian or not. It's a very serious time. We'll be looking at three points this morning, but a couple of things that we want to bring up. And that is, that when you talk about this tribulation period, you've got to understand something. When you talk about the tribulation or you go outside these walls, the world out there, they've got this sense. In fact, in a recent poll I read, I don't have the exact statistics, but a recent poll showed that over 50% of the people polled via internet worldwide, believed that the end of the world was near. And some 35% of them believed that the end of the world was coming at the change of this millennium. Now that's not going to happen. That will not happen. We can say that with absolute authority, because the tribulation period is 7 years long and it hasn't started yet. So you know that the millennium has nothing to do with the end of the world, except we're one day closer to Christ coming back. Amen? What an exciting moment that will be. But we don't have to worry about the year 2000 or the changeover. I mean computers and all that stuff. We'll see what will happen about that. But concerning the end of the world, that's not going to happen for at least 7 years. And that is the world as we know it. And then Christ will come back and establish His thousand year reign from Jerusalem anyway. But the world out there, when you talk about Christ coming back, they panic. When you talk about the tribulation period, they get scared and nervous, because they think the world is going to come to this almost nuclear end. There will be this great fireball and away with it all. Well in Matthew chapter 24 verse 21, Jesus says, For then there will be great tribulation such as not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. The tribulation period will be something that will be absolutely devastating to this entire globe. Not only the globe, but the atmosphere and the celestial heavens, the stars that we see. Can you imagine? I don't know about you. But I love stargazing. I'm not very good at naming everything. But I love getting out there with my little chart and my map and I look and I enjoy. And I love it. Can you imagine during the tribulation period, the Bible says those stars are going to move. Some of them are going to fall. Some, as it says at the end, they'll almost act as though they're being rolled up like a scroll. At the great and notable day of the Lord. Now I am fully aware that this morning you may be visiting church for the first time and you're thinking, My gosh, I thought I was going to hear a little baby Jesus make me comfortable, send me home, happy message. Listen, this message can change your life this morning. If you listen carefully, this message can absolutely do you good. Because it does have to deal with the baby Jesus. It has to, listen, are you listening? It has to deal with baby Jesus having come to deliver you from what the Bible calls the wrath that is to come. That is the tribulation period. Of course he died to save us from hell. But he also came, and it's very clear throughout each of the five chapters of 1 Thessalonians, that Jesus Christ has come to deliver us from the tribulation period. And that's a promise that he has made. So if you're a note taker this morning, I want you to jot down a few things. And number one, we'll begin right here this morning, and that is the tribulation is future. It is still future. The tribulation period is future. It's ahead of us. Oh boy, Jack, that's encouraging. That's all I needed to hear. Well, it's only bad news to you, again, if you're not a Christian. If you're a Christian, not only is it still futuristic and it's exciting, but just the very hints of things that speak of the tribulation period get us who know the Bible, get you, right, who know the Bible, excited. What do you mean? Well, I mean things like this. I don't want to get too sidetracked, but maybe you have your little mobile speed pass. Do you have that? I've got that. And I've got the one that goes on my keychain. And a friend of mine was with me a couple of months ago, and I took it off and I put it in the palm of my hand, and I swiped it in front of the little mobile pony. You know, the little mobile horse. You know what I'm talking about? Okay. And I just put my hand in front of the horse, and the whole pump, you know, lights up, and I'm ready to pump. And I go, hey, watch this. And pumped. And the guy goes, he was from some other country. And how did you do that? I said, it's all right here, man. It's in my hand. Well, you know, those of you who know the Bible, you know what I'm talking about. The Bible says, during the tribulation period, everybody will buy and sell and pump their own gas with a mark that's going to be on their right hand or on their forehead. Now, I don't know if you're going to, you know, drag your head on that thing or not. I don't know. But your right hand, and by the way, it's interesting, the right hand. Did you know biologically, for some reason, the right hand, they have been able to measure that the right hand is warmer than your left hand. And a biocompatible chip, like the United States Marine Corps, over 4,000 of them now have been implanted with, have been implanted not on their left hand, but on their right hand. Interesting. Futuristic things. We see things that speak about, the Bible's saying no man will buy or sell without such advanced technology. We see it visiting us now. How close are we? Well, we know, though, that it is futuristic. It is still coming. Do I believe personally that it's far away? No, not at all. The Bible says in the book of Daniel, in the last days, right before the end, as we know it, that knowledge shall increase exponentially. And what have we seen? In less than a hundred years, man's fastest mode of transportation, less than a hundred years ago, was what? Horseback. In fact, if you wanted to mail something, what was the fastest way to mail? Horseback. Now you get on the computer and you talk to the world in seconds. Amazing. Knowledge shall increase. And Daniel also said that in the last times, as a warning to those who are living, that's us, that men will travel to and fro. We have global travel. Isn't it amazing? I've told you this once before. One of the most amazing days I've ever had in my life, is that I woke up and I had breakfast in Moscow. I had an early lunch in London. I came home and I had an early dinner and spoke here the same night. All in one day as I chased the sun home. What a day! Men will travel to and fro. The Bible tells us that it's futuristic. The Bible tells us that when the tribulation period is unfolding upon the earth, that obviously to us who are believers, Jesus is enthroned in heaven. In fact the Bible says that he is the Lamb of God. In Revelation chapter 6, the Bible tells us that the people of the earth during the tribulation period will weep and mourn. By the way, it says all those who dwell on the earth will weep and mourn and say to themselves some sort of prayer. Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb. And it says that they will actually try to seek shelter in mountains and in caves within the mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb of God who's in heaven. Now that to me seems a little bit paradoxical to you. Or to me. How about to you? The wrath of a Lamb. Have you ever seen a Lamb go nuts on somebody? My gosh, look there's a Lamb! No. This is a warning. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. But if that Lamb, if Mary's little Lamb whose fleece was white as snow be rejected and said we will not have this Christ to rule over us or I will not have this Jesus be the reason for my season. Then this wrath will come pouring out of this Lamb. Very interesting. Couple of prophetic things to keep in view. And we need to run through these things. I say that every week, don't I? And I lie to you. Every week I lie to you. But I tell you I'm sincere about trying to get through these things quickly. It's myself I have a hard time with. The tribulation is yet future. Note this. Prophetically Israel is God's appointed timepiece. According to Bible prophecy you cannot have anything to do with the tribulation period until Israel is a nation again. And the prophet Isaiah said in one day shall God bring forth a nation? And he says yes. He says Israel will be brought forth in one day. And on May 14th 1948 God brought forth Israel as a nation in one day. God has put Israel as the timepiece for prophecy. We need to be alert. You know we have become so jaded to the fact that Israel exists. Do you guys realize that Israel was a nation? That it was obliterated? And then it became a nation again? No other country, no other people, no other nation in the world can claim such a thing? And yet not only did it happen. Hey are there any skeptics out here? Any doubters? Well you better listen up buddy. Or girlie. The Bible said in history past. It's called prophecy. God's power to tell the future in advance. He says hey Israel is going to cease to be a nation. It will go into all of the nations of the world as an outcast. It will be dispersed. But in the latter days Isaiah chapter 43. He says just before I come back to earth. I'm going to bring my people back from all nations of the world. And I will assemble them together in their own land again. And make them a nation. He said that thousands of years ago. Man if you're a skeptic you better stand up or sit up or listen up. And face the music. God's in control. And Israel's the time piece. Isn't it funny that a little tiny. What is Israel about the size of New Jersey? A country so seemingly insignificant has got the attention of the world. By the way you want to hear some prophecy? It's only going to increase. The demand for your attention upon Israel is only going to increase. That's the way God has put it forth in his word. The tribulation is future still. Israel is God's appointed time piece. But there must also be according to the Bible. A unification of the Roman Empire. Daniel chapter 2. You can read it later. The Bible says that as Daniel the prophet looked. He saw these four great ruling empires of antiquity. Antiquity to us. Future for Daniel. And as God showed Daniel what was to come. God told Daniel. Daniel listen up. Concerning your people Israel and concerning the nation. Concerning the world. Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 through 27. He says listen. He says first of all. This great Babylonian Empire of Nebuchadnezzar the king. Is going to be overcome by the Medo-Persian Empire. The Medo-Persian Empire Daniel. Is going to be overcome by Alexander the Great. And the Grecian Empire. And Daniel after Alexander the Great. There's going to be a fourth empire. That is going to be the most ferocious of them all. In fact I'm going to show you Daniel what it's going to be like. It's going to be this grotesque beast. It's going to have ten heads. And it's going to rise out of the sea. And Daniel watched this vision. And God began to explain to him in great detail. He says these ten heads are ten kings. That represent all the peoples of the world. That rise up symbolically out of the sea. And that kingdom. Shall crush into pieces all other kingdoms. And that kingdom. It says. Would reign over the earth. But that kingdom. Would not be destroyed. What would happen first. Is that the Messiah would be born. Into that kingdom period of time. Let me ask you historians. What kingdom was ruling and reigning. At the birth of Christ. The Roman Empire. When Christ came the first time. The Roman Empire was in power. And I got news for you. The Bible says again. When Christ comes the second time. A revised or reunified Roman Empire. Will be in power again. You might say that's ridiculous. Well you want to bet. We heard it again last week in Europe. The U.S.E. The United States of Europe. Some of you have been asking me. Where have I heard this term. On European news. They are calling themselves the U.S.E. Used to be called the European communion. Or the E.U. Or the common market. Remember years ago it was considered. Or called the common market. Now it's the European Union. In fact. The Europeans that are in it. The nations that are in it. They affectionately call it the Union. Which grabbed my attention. What was this nation once called. When it was coming together. The Union. The United States of Europe. And that United States of Europe. The Bible tells us. Book of Daniel again. That out of this United States of Europe. Out of the ancient Roman Empire. It will not be destroyed. Until God comes the second time to earth. That will be revised. It will be resuscitated. Or let me say resurrected. So to speak. And there will be a unification of the ancient Roman Empire. The book of Revelation chapter 17. Tells us that it will have. At least it's religious headquarters. Anybody know. In a certain city. That was in power then. And that city then. Still ruled over. At that time. The religious nations that it controlled. Do you know the name of that city is? Rome. The book of Revelation chapter 17 says. That the religious seat. Of this revised Roman Empire. Will be. In the city. That sits upon seven hills. There is one city in the world. That boasts that it sits upon seven hills. And that's Rome. The revised Roman Empire. Must come to pass. The next thing that we see. Is that there will be. A global cry for peace and safety. Now listen carefully. Look to the screen. Israel is God's appointed time piece. Israel is a nation today. Number two. There is going to be a reunification of Europe. Not only has that happened. But their electronic currency. Is already in effect. And the Euro. In 2001. Will go into hard currency. The third thing. The cry for global peace and safety. Everybody in the world right now. Is crying for peace and safety. That's the big agenda. In fact listen. The United States armed forces. Have become the chief orchestrator. Of the peace. Keeping forces. Of the world. Did you know that much of your tax dollars. Goes to the. Safety of other nations. We police. Other countries. That can't happen for long by the way. Nor will it continue. The United States. Is on the verge of decline. And I don't mean in the next ten years. I mean soon. America. Something will go awry. America and the dollar must come down. And you'll see the Euro. And you'll see the revised Roman Empire ascend. But you'll hear throughout it all. A cry for peace and safety. And let me suggest to you. The Bible makes it clear. There will be no peace and safety. Until the prince of peace comes. But the world is crying out for peace. Isn't it amazing. That who in the world. I honestly admit. I had never heard of East Timor. Before in my life. And yet I watched on News World International. In real time. People being shot to death. On satellite television. As mayhem and turmoil broke out. In the streets of Timor. In that country or in that region. And it was horrible. And I said in the office. In fact I brought some of the staff in. I said look at this. In real time. People were having plastic bags put over their heads. And they were tied around their necks. With their arms behind their backs. Left in the streets to smother to death. In real time. I saw it sitting in the comfort of my own office. What age. That you and I live in. Of technology. And there's a cry for peace and safety. The world. The western world. Is spreading itself so thin. Because there's so many fire spots. Or hot spots. That demand peace keeping forces. Some of you have informed me. You're not the only one. I've gotten phone calls from people. Who live in Wyoming. Montana. Idaho. And east Washington state. That they have seen UN vehicles. On maneuvers. Going through certain tactics. In these states. And yes it is true. Not too long ago there was a piece done. I believe it was on Ted Koppel's program. Is that Nightline or Dateline? Or whatever the show is. And the excuse. For the UN vehicles. You know the white ones. UN in Israel. I love it. When you're on a tour in Israel. The tour guide will say. Oh look everyone. All of you Americans on the bus. Here comes your tax dollars. And the UN stands for the United Nothing. And that's exactly what it is. Yet the United Nothing. Has invited foreign forces. Over to the northern portions. Of the United States. To practice and to go through. Peace keeping activities. And the excuse is given. That this is the region where they're practicing. Because it's peaceful, calm and advantageous. Or do you think. Do you ever think. Could it ever be that the UN. You would see a UN vehicle. Drive down your street. Wouldn't that make you feel a little funny. Why is it that. They did that incredible thing. That we saw. Some of us saw it. With the terrorist activity practice. In Monterey California. The people are still upset. About what happened there. In that beautiful little town. Regarding martial law. The cry for peace and safety. Seattle right now is scratching its head. Thinking what went wrong. The police chief resigned. Because he says we handled things wrong. When news was let out about the breakdown. Of the economic conference. People went nuts. The world is looking for an excuse to go off. Isn't it. Have you noticed. And yet the Bible said. In the last days the world would cry out. We need peace. We need safety. And the Bible says. That there will be a man called the antichrist. The great political ruler. That comes out of the European Union. Who will promise the world. Peace and prosperity. And Daniel says through these tools. The two of them. Peace and prosperity. He will deceive the world. Interesting isn't it. Secondly we see this this morning. The tribulation is owed. It's owed to the earth. What do you mean owed? It's owed to the earth. The Bible says in Galatians chapter 6 verse 7. Whatsoever a man sows. That shall he also reap. Graphically and simply put. If you go over here. And lick this wall socket. You're not going to be a happy camper. Your tongue is in your mouth. And it works just fine. That wall socket is on the wall. And it's got power to it. And it works just fine. But when you connect the two. You have a negative reaction. And it could hurt you. Whatsoever a man sows. That's what's going to pop up. Out of the ground. If you lick a wall socket. You're going to get electrocuted. If the world says. I don't want God. Get God out of the supreme court. Get God. Are you ready for this? Are you ready for this Chino Hills? We don't want Jesus. In our Christmas programs. The school system announces. The city declares. What is this? Yet it's perfectly prophetic. In fact you'll see the sign. Just people that just can't even. Can't even stand the name Christ. They put Xmas. Thinking that. It stands for Christmas. It should say Jesus Christ Mass. Do you know what that means? Christmas. The gathering mass around Christ. I asked. I stood on the steps of the mayor's office. A couple weeks ago or a week ago. Yelled out to the people. We were on the microphone. And we had permission. Don't worry. It was legal. We had the permit. But there were. Hundreds if not several thousands. People there enjoying themselves. And I said. What's Christmas all about? Stuttgarters. And they went. What? And I heard some faint person. From the crowd say. Money. Must have been an American. There in the crowd. We will not have God. To rule over us. This baby Jesus born. What was the first thing that came. Against that baby's life. Was the ruling powers of the world. Oh Herod says. Let me come. When you find him. Let me come and worship him too. Yeah with a knife behind his back. He wanted to kill the baby Jesus. People want to kill the baby Jesus today. And get him out of the nativity scene. There are. Cities and counties. In this government of ours. That has ruled nativity scenes. To be unconstitutional. I tell you. America is so right for judgment. And she deserves everything she gets. Don't think for a moment that a country. That has been given so much light. That until 1954. The United States Congress. Allocated money. To send the Bible around the world. Did you know that? Until 1954 this nation supported. And. Helped energize evangelistic. Outreaches of the gospel of Christ. And now the nation has not only stopped that. But President Clinton is trying. And has had as an agenda. According to focus on the family. To have the church excluded from tax exempt. Status. So it can start to tap into the money of the church. I say render to Caesar. The things that are Caesar's. But to God. The things that are God's. They may take our money. They can have it. It's going to in the end be theirs anyhow. But they can't take our hearts. And they can't take our salvation. And they can't take our lives. The tribulation is a time of unparalleled. Devastation to earth. Read later. Revelation chapter 6 through 19. In your afternoon reading today. And you'll see what I mean. It's owed to earth. We'll look at three things concerning that. The tribulation is owed to earth. Global judgment from heaven. The bible talks about God will intervene. You say I don't believe it. You if you are not a believer in Christ Jesus. You will. Possibly see it. In your lifetime. I believe personally. That if I live. If I'm 42 years old. I believe that if I live a natural life span. That in that time frame. These things will. Come and visit the earth. Secondly. The global leader must arise. We talked about him a moment ago. Did you know that the bible says. That he's going to arise out of Europe. Somewhat insignificantly. The bible says. That what's going to catapult him. To power. Are you hanging on to your seat? Man I hope I have your attention. Because I'm paraphrasing tons of bible verses. Here for you. What's going to catapult this man. To fame. Is that he. Will mastermind. A brilliant. Contract. Called. A peace treaty. In Daniel. Chapter 9. And who's he going to make the peace treaty. Let's guess. According to the bible. Some 3,000 years ago. Who do you think it says. He makes the peace treaty with. Yeah. Israel. Does that kind of ring a bell. Peace treaty. Peace talks. Israel. Are you saying Bill Clinton is the antichrist. Are you kidding. The antichrist is going to be brilliant. And persuasive. The antichrist the bible talks about. The bible talks about the antichrist. People will not be able to. Go against his words. He will speak pompous words. Even against the God of heaven. And he will deceive masterfully. It says. A global leader must arise. We're living in those days. Jesus said you I've come. In my own name and you Israel. You've rejected me. But another will come in his own name. And him you will receive. Jesus spoke of the coming antichrist. The false shepherd. He's going to be a fake. Messiah to Israel. Breathe deep. Get some air into your head. And capture this one please. We must move. According to prophecy. We must move ecumenically. And politically. Together. Don't get me wrong. Am I for it? I'm against it. Have you heard? Have you read any part of the ecumenical union? Message that religious leaders are signing around the world? The pope and others? I regret to say. Billy Graham signed it. I've heard there's petitions to have Billy Graham. Remove his name from it. Chuck Colson did sign it. And then have his name taken off of it. To bring all faiths together as one. Revelation chapter 17. And 18. Speaks of that very thing. That there will be a political ruler who's very sensitive. To an ecumenical union. To a religious union. And he will be very tolerant. In fact in the first three and a half years. Very very accommodating. Of all faiths worshiping together. And being united. We'll talk about more of this in a moment. Global judgment from heaven. A global leader must arise. And a global church must ascend. And you might say, Jack are you sure you put the word church in there right? Yeah. Guess what everyone? According to the Bible. According to the Bible prophecies. From Genesis to Revelation. It is not. It is not a global mosque. That arises. Hear me out. Loud and clear. Test these things in your Bible. To see if it's true. It's not a global mosque. It's not a global synagogue. It's not a global club. It's not a global rotary. It's an imitation church. It's called the harlot. The great harlot. That practices Babylonianism. Revelation chapter 17. Just embrace all faiths. And you might say, Wow boy you're stepping on my toes. My friend you better check your shoe size again. And look at your toes. And make sure that they're even connected to the rest of your body. Because you are to never sacrifice unity at the expense of truth. But right now we are being fed as a world to sacrifice everything for unity. Aren't we? You hear it in buzzwords like this. We must be tolerant. It's amazing. Everyone's tolerant about everybody until you mention Christ Jesus and now that's it. Tolerant is a very very politically correct word for compromise. Don't make a mistake between the word tolerant and compassionate. Those are two different things. Altogether different. Thirdly and finally the tribulation is dedicated. What do you mean by that? I want you to hang on to your seats for a second. This will be very exciting if it works. If it doesn't you may see a mushroom cloud form from this pulpit with my computer meltdown here. The tribulation period is dedicated. You know how long it is It's seven years. It has to be seven years. I'm going to ask the guys to stay on this screen here at this time. It's dedicated. It's a seven year period of tribulation of time and all seven years of it is judgment. It's bad news to the world. Don't think that the first three and a half years is okay. The first three and a half years is massive global deception and judgment by the Antichrist riding in on a horse, a white horse by the way. And he's going to deceive the world again, as I said, by peace and prosperity. It's a seven year period of time, but it is all about a certain nation, isn't it? It's called, in the Old Testament, the time of Jacob's trouble. What's Jacob's other name? Israel. And God said this is all about Israel in the last days. God says, the seven years I will cause you to come back into your land, put life back into your body again. You will be a nation and you will call out to me and I will come to you. Follow with me. Israel must have national status. Does it? Yes, it does. Even the Palestinians have got to confess that. It has national status. Israel must agree to a peace plan. Is it being primed and conditioned to agree to peace plans? I said this a couple weeks ago. I hope you took me up on the challenge. I'm going to say it again. I want you to do some homework and you find out, concerning these peace plans, what Israel has had to give up versus what Yasser Arafat has had to give up. I challenge you. Arafat has given up nothing nor will he. And Israel, just again this last week, has given up more. The Golan. Last year we took a tour to the Golan. We may not be able to take one again because if this goes through, it will no longer be Israeli territory. But don't worry. God says, when my people are brought back into the land, they shall never again be uprooted. Israel must rebuild their temple. Israel must rebuild their temple. The Bible says, concerning the tribulation period, the temple must be rebuilt. Listen, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 tells us that the Antichrist, the European ruler, will make a visit to Jerusalem. He's going to stand in the temple that's in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God. Now you would think, well what kind of an idiot would first of all go do something like that and second of all agree with him? What you wind up reading a little bit further on is that the reason why this happens is because God is going to send an unbelieving world strong delusions so that they shall believe the lie. You say, wait a minute, there is no way that the tribulation period or the Antichrist can even come on the scene soon because the dome of the rock, you know the mosque or the actually it's not even a mosque. The mosque is to the left of the dome of the rock. You know the big shiny dome? People say that that's got to be removed before Israel can build their temple and that hasn't happened yet. I got news for you. For millenniums, millenniums, when the Jews buried their dead in their sepulchres. Listen, this is so cool because you know, you being a Christian or if you're Jewish this morning, your Judaism and our Christianity agree and that is we believe the Bible. Resurrection from the dead. And if you're a good kosher Jew, and if you're in the area of Israel, when you're buried, you're buried feet first toward the temple mount. Did you know that? Gershon Solomon, you know him? He's been here before. If you haven't, you've seen him on the news. When he was building his house, they found a first temple period tomb of a Jewish family and all of their feet were facing toward the temple. He said, what's that all about? Their feet facing toward the temple. Because the Jews believed that in the resurrection, when the body rises up, the first thing, the temple is so dear to them, the first thing that they see when they rise, if you're buried feet first. You know what I'm saying? Feet first? If you sit up with your feet pointing toward the temple mount, your face looks right at the temple. Jews buried their dead today like this. Are you ready for that? You don't need to do anything with the Dome of the Rock Mosque. Nothing. First of all, look, this is the eastern gate. You see that gate right there? I wonder if I can, can I do that? Yeah. Some of you in the back can't see. You see this? Listen, in 1974, an English man and his son were up here. These are all Muslim graves. They were placed here around the year 1100 because the Ottomans read that Christ Jesus was supposed to return through this gate to establish his kingdom. So guess what they did? They put Muslim tombs, dead bodies there because they knew that no Jew would step on a dead tomb, I mean a dead man's tomb. That's pretty cool. Well, in 1974, a tourist with his son fell some 27 feet down inside here. All this ground has been put up here artificially. Fell down to the original gate. See this gate that's been sealed up? It's going to stay sealed. The Bible says, according to the book of Ezekiel, Jesus is going to blow that gate wide open when he comes, and he'll be the first one through it. Why? Why the eastern gate? Everybody hang with me, we'll be done. According to Josephus, who was an eyewitness who was there, he said, when you sat on the Mount of Olives and the sun came up from your back in the east, and it came over the top, the sun shone right through that gate. That's the gate Josephus saw. He said the sun went right through that gate and shone right straight through to the temple doors and onto the veil. He was there. He saw it. He wrote of it. We don't need to worry about the Dome of the Rock. This is the view that Josephus is talking about from the Mount of Olives. You would look through those doors. This is not the gate that we were just looking at. There's an outer gate still. This is the court looking in. We're looking due west. This is the temple itself here, a model. The top of that temple stands about almost three feet. Two and a half feet. The size of this, which is the second temple period, this is exactly how it was under Herod. When Jesus walked, this is what he saw. The temple, if you look, do you see the eastern gate? You saw it a moment ago from the north end. You see over here? This is where we were standing. By the way, you see that little hill right here? That's a tel. T-E-L. It has artifacts there that have been located by satellite detection that are so sensitive the Arabs, which have control of that hill, will not let the Jews put a shovel there. Because there's second temple artifacts underneath that ground right there. Do you see the eastern gate? Where's the dome of the rock? It's right here. See it? Are you guys awake? Come on, man. This took a lot of hard work here. If you bury your Jewish mom or dad or son or daughter toward the temple, you build also tomb upon tomb upon tomb upon tomb for antiquity. Are you ready? Do we need to move the dome of the rock? First of all, let's put the temple in. It fits on the flat vacant land that's north of the dome of the rock today. Secondly, that's a line drawn off from one tomb. The next, on the outer side, I'm in a Jewish graveyard here at this point. This is the Mount of Olives. The photograph is taken with my back to the east. I'm looking west and a little north. Actually, north-northwest. What do you see? Do you see any concern about the dome of the rock? None whatsoever. Does it need to be moved? No. And listen, those of you who are unbelievers, you better listen this morning to something. The Bible says in the book of Ezekiel and Revelation, leave the outer southern, leave that southern section there, leave it alone. It's defiled. It's full of blasphemy. And do you know what the blasphemy is around the dome of the rock? I told you a couple weeks ago. It says there in Arabic, God does not have a son. I'm so glad to be alive right now. I'm so excited. I can't even think straight. The end of the tribulation period will conclude in this place, the Valley of Megiddo. In Hebrew, you know the name better. Armageddon. This is looking northeast. I took this photograph about a year ago. This is looking northeast towards Syria, a little bit towards Jordan. This is the view of it, looking east. That's an Israeli Air Force base, by the way. At that point, which is the low ground, this is the valley where the Bible says the blood from the world's greatest battle will float to the height of a horse's bridle and bit. That the nations of the world will be gathered together in the Valley of Armageddon. Napoleon, when he came to this location, said this is the greatest battlefield in all of the world. Isn't that interesting? General Allenby said this, no wonder, is the Armageddon of God. And looking southeast, looking back down towards Moab and down towards the south, towards the Sinai, this valley that flows along the Valley of Armageddon, it is at that point there, with your eyes, you see it. It is here the Bible says that Jesus will descend from heaven with you and I, with Him, Revelation chapter 19, and His angels and will come to a war that is being raged in the Valley of Armageddon. And it says there in that moment that those nations waging war one with another will at that time turn their firepower against the sight coming out of heaven against Christ. And the Bible there says Jesus puts a consummation to the Tribulation period, the Valley of Armageddon. Two thousand years ago a baby was born that in the volume of this book it is written of Him. Isn't it an amazing fact? Oh my friend, think with all of your brains, all of your capacities, think that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ this week that my Bible in fact this much of my Bible talked about Him coming. Isn't that something? And this much talks about what He did and what's coming. I love it. Man, if you're not a believer in Jesus, I don't know what in the world you're doing. Let's pray before the Lord comes back. Heavenly Father we come before You and Lord God I know that if a person right now is not born again by the Spirit of God, they could be terrified. Father I pray in Jesus name that whoever that person might be in here right now whoever you are would be able to say Jesus I want You as the Lord of my life. I am a sinner. I have broken Your laws and I deserve Your judgment. Please forgive me. I embrace the cross and I ask You to forgive me of my sins. Put Your Spirit in me and show me Your way. Lord I give You my life. Jesus I believe that You died and rose again from the dead. And I believe Your book and the promises that it has made me given me that I shall know the truth and the truth shall set me free. Father I ask in Jesus name that You would make it Christmas in the heart of anyone this morning who has never received Your gift. Your Son in Jesus name Amen.