In this sermon, the preacher discusses the opening of the seals in the book of Revelation. The people in the sermon believed that the seals represented a period of suffering, persecution, and attempts to exterminate the church. They saw the souls of those who were slain for their faith under the altar. The preacher also mentions the collapse of the Old Order and compares it to passages in Ezekiel and Isaiah. Additionally, the preacher talks about the four angels holding the winds and the black horse with scales in his hand, which represents scarcity and high prices for food.

I want to get them last week's notes. Has she done those? I bet she has. Yeah, can we get them? Is that last week's? I say that some of you will have some questions to ask, but perhaps at break time, after break, if you have some questions that are difficult, then you'd like to bring them forward. We'll consider them then. I'm very grateful to Sister Nancy for doing these notes of last week so beautifully. I added a sort of post-it here at the bottom of the notes, which we might look at. I can't quite make head or tail of them. At the bottom of the second page, did Prophecy foresee these things or miss them, I put Daniel 2, Daniel 7, 2 Thessalonians 2, and the third note, which appears like man, should be Revelation. I don't know. Probably my mistake. Note the word king, especially in Daniel 11. Daniel 11 is a chapter which deals with the king of the north and the king of the south. And you will find that it refers to dynasties, not single men. And you'll notice again the word man of God in 2 Timothy 3.17, referring not to one man, but to many. So that a man of sin may be one man, it may be more. It may be single, it may mean a dynasty. Only history can show whether Antichrist would be one individual or a long line of individuals. But king in Daniel is more often used of dynasties than of individuals. Moreover, as for the Roman Empire, the fourth beast of Daniel 7, lasted a thousand years in its pagan form. That's quite a long time, isn't it? And its revived form occupies much more of the interest of the prophet. We should not be surprised if the revived form also covers a long period of history. And you get the analogy there, a thousand years by introduction. Surely the conclusion won't be a very brief period, but it's likely to be a long period of history. It would be surprising if, after so long a preparation, a gap of 1600 unforetold years should intervene, and then the whole thing wind up in a mere three and a half. That should be three and a half years. Daniel elsewhere uses the year-day scale. We should consider the possibility of that same scale applying to the reign of Antichrist. Now linking up our passages. Has there been a time in history when the Roman Empire has collapsed to be replaced by approximately ten kingdoms? Yes. For the kings of Europe. In the seventh century of the Christian era. That's what we're studying in history. Has there been a time when the mystery of iniquity working in the church found itself no longer hindered from developing its Judas-like ambitions? Yes. From the fall of Rome, 476 A.D. onwards. To Thessalonians 2. Was there a time when the Roman Empire, wounded to death under its seventh head, Christian emperors, revived again in an unsuspected but religious form? Something's gone wrong there. I don't think I made this mistake. Oh, it was my mistake. There. Right, let's cross out the withal there. It means something that I didn't get through to. But which, with the voluntary submission of the ten kingdoms, began to exercise a sway more potent, and often more cruel, yet with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, the second bracket should come there, than any of the Caesars? Once again, the answer is yes. And it's the same period. So that by this threefold evidence, one of the Daniel prophecy coming into fulfilment, second of the Thessalonians 2 prophecy coming into fulfilment, third by the Revelation prophecy coming into fulfilment, all in the same period leads us to suspect that there was the rise of the foretold Antichrist. We have the setting there in history from the 5th to the 7th centuries. By this threefold evidence, therefore, we should look for the man of sin to show himself in the temple of God sitting, notice the peculiar phrase in Thessalonians 2, that's the Roman word cathedra, seat, sitting as God, opposing idols, but receiving worship for himself from that time onwards. History is abundant with the evidence that this is so. No Daniel questions. Now let's take a little review of the book of Revelation before we go on further. If you had been a member of one of those churches of Revelation, Ephesus or Smyrna or Thyatira or Pergamos or Laodicea, and you had been listening to the reading of that wonderful letter from the Lord Jesus, what would you have thought as you listened to the prophecy? I think for one thing you would have been awed and you would have rejoiced at the opening vision of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. I don't think we'd have any difficulty there. And then you would have accepted the encouragement and the warnings of chapter 2 and 3, the message to the seven churches, that which applied to you especially. And as you caught a glimpse in Revelation 4 and 5 of heaven and the Lamb in the midst of the throne receiving the united worship of all the heavenly hosts, I believe you too would have worshipped with those who praise him that sitteth on the throne and the Lamb. All right, so far so good. But you're still sitting there and you're going to hear about the things that shall be hereafter. What would you have thought of the rider with the bow on the white horse? Let me read it, Revelation chapter 6, the opening of the first seal. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the four beasts saying come, perhaps come and see. And I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer. What would you have thought of if that was the opening vision, as indeed it was, of the things which lay ahead? Well, let me tell you what they thought. They didn't think it was an actual horse. They weren't literalists. They didn't think it was an actual bow. They thought it was a symbol. Was it a good symbol to them or a bad one? The records that we have coming down from the fourth century, that's as far back as we can go, show that they thought it was a good symbol. The rider on the white horse with a bow in his hand going forth conquering and to conquer and they interpreted it as a picture of Christ or rather the gospel of Christ going out to conquer the world. And I think you would have come to the same sort of conclusion if you had been there. This glorious rider on the white horse with his bow. You know, in the Old Testament it is said, Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies. And so you too would have thought something very, very similar to that. You might also, if you have been a keen Bible student, have looked up Zechariah chapter 1 and chapter 6 where Zechariah also sees heavenly riders. In the case of Zechariah, these heavenly riders are watching the earth on behalf of the Lord God. Watching the earth in particular care of the affairs of Israel. And when they have ridden to and fro, they come back and report to the Lord and they find that the whole earth is at peace. That is under Medo-Persian rule. And so, the conclusion is that the people of Jerusalem should get on and build their city and their temple. And so, once again, we might think of these riders associated with the heavenly watchers who are watching over the earth. The colors of their horses, the significance of the riders, has a bearing on the circumstances over which they preside. Yes, they thought, these early Christians, that the first rider with the horse and the bow was a picture of the gospel of Christ going out to conquer. As indeed it did in the first and in the early part of the second century. But what of the next three riders? In the book it says another horse that was red and power was given to him that sent her on to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another. And there was given to him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, A measure of wheat for a penny. That's quite dear. Three measures of barley for a penny. That penny would be a day's wage. See that thou hurt not the oil and the wine. Luxuries are spared. And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come. And I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. Power was given unto them over the four parts, probably, of the earth to kill with sword and hunger and death and with the beasts of the earth. How did they look upon these seals, these other riders? They thought that they were as threatening as the first rider was promising. And they expected them to foretell a period of suffering under persecution, a period of restriction even to famine, and a period of an attempt to exterminate the church. And they were confirmed in that because when the fifth seal was opened they saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. If you will turn back to Revelation chapter 1 and verse 9, John says, I was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. And so they thought this was a sign that during the previous seals, and including that one, there would be great and terrible persecution and an attempt to destroy the church. They saw that in these souls under the altar there was a picture of many martyrs. They heard their cry, How long, O Lord, holy and true! Dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? The persecution was going to be extensive and long. It would bring dismay to those who were left on the earth. And white thrones were given unto every one of them and it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. They saw then in this seal a time when the cry of the church that God would intervene and put an end to this cruel Roman persecution, that cry would rise to heaven. Souls under the altar, the place under the altar is where the ashes of the sacrifices fell. So these were those who had been slain, living sacrifice, offered up as a sacrifice in that bitter struggle for the truth in the early days. And then they saw in verse 11 that there ought to be a pause in the sufferings of the church but that a later company of martyrs would be added to the first company. You see that? That they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. But what of the sixth seal? I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo! there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand? well that looked like the end of the world and many of them expected it to follow and it didn't happen and there was another difficulty about this they had been told of another company of martyrs and these hadn't appeared in vision yet moreover the seventh seal had not yet been opened chapter 8 verse 1 the seventh seal and so they greatly puzzled at what this really meant some thought it meant the end of the world and that's not bad because our Lord so wrote this book, you remember that every generation should expect his coming in their own time but then you can see these two difficulties 1. the second company of martyrs hadn't been added 2. the seventh seal had not yet been opened and there was more under that seal so they were very puzzled about it Antichrist hadn't appeared either and he was to come later on in the book what actually happened? did something happen to fulfill all this? yes indeed there did you may remember that in Isaiah chapter 13 against Babylon and Ezekiel against Egypt in chapter 32 each describes the stars and the heavenly bodies falling but they were symbols of a tremendous overthrow of those nations here the book of Revelation is taking up Old Testament language but what happened this time was more significant the pagan heavens collapsed Saturn, Jove, Mars, Jupiter all the hosts of heaven, you remember the heathen world was worshipping collapsed before advancing prisoner the great leaders of paganism were terrified they thought they feared not only the anger of Constantine but the anticipated wrath of the Lamb it was the collapse of the old order you compare Ezekiel 32.7 and Isaiah 13.10 and you will see that that is the true, I think, explanation of what happened after these things, chapter 7 I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth or on the sea nor on any tree and I saw another angel ascending from the east having the seal of the living God you see the earth is still in existence after that cataclysm see that? the earth is still in existence after that cataclysm and moved into an era of peace 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads there was a similar sealing in Ezekiel later on we will see a similar sealing by the Antichrist in Ezekiel, you remember a man with an inkhorn went down to write the names of those who protested at the idolatries of Israel and behind him came another with a seal to put on the foreheads of those who feared God in this matter but you know perfectly well that no man saw that seal placed the mark was not a literal seal even the man with the inkhorn only Ezekiel saw him he was an angelic visitor men on earth scarcely realized that anything was happening but what God was doing was to mark against the day of coming judgment those who loved his name and feared him and so the angels are now sealing an election here against the day of confusion and trouble which is soon to arise these sealed ones, servants of God that is their real believers are sealed among the twelve tribes of Israel some think that that is symbolic of all the church you know the true Israel of God some think it especially relates to Israel seeing that in the same chapter at verse 9 immediately following I beheld up this a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues which stood before the throne of the land seeing that is there in contrast to those who are sealed of the tribes of Israel I'm inclined to think that this is an indication that right through the church age God has marked out those like the apostle Paul and like Timothy no not Timothy but like Barnabas anyway and the apostles and the deacons and the others who turn to the Lord has marked out those among Israel who are his own special choice who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ so that even today there are 30,000 Jews in the United States who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ probably more in Israel there are a few and all over the world there are a few marked out by God's mercy in the day of their partial blindness in the day when the olive branches have been broken off marked out as the election of God and all the way down through the years God has watched over his election in Israel Paul says even so there is now at this present time an election of grace maybe there are overtones which refer to the elect of God of all the nations but it does seem to me that they are included in this great vision which may very well conclude the whole age after this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindred and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb and all the angels stood round about the throne and about the elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God forever and ever Amen and one of the elders answered saying to me what are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they I said to him Sir thou knowest he said these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes no period you notice is mentioned no period but the number is innumerable which no man can number and the extent is mentioned out of every kindred and people and tongues a worldwide company an innumerable multitude who are related to the Lamb who are saved and redeemed who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb this passage has been used down through the church ages to comfort Christ's people in many bitter persecutions the early church borrowed from it the mounters of the long sad years since have used it time and time again it has given them strength in their dying hour comfort when their loved ones have been slain when their this is one by the same author also out of print but sometimes more obtainable and it was published in a country by by Arnold Publishing Association Boston Massachusetts this little book The Kingdom and the Antichrist by H. Arnold which you can get by writing to Britain for it but here is a nice little book actually I discovered it last year in this country The Great Prophecies of the Bible by Ralph Woodrow and he Ralph Woodrow Great Prophecies of the Bible Box 124 Riverside, California 92502 The Great Prophecies of the Bible by Ralph Woodrow Box 124 Riverside, California 92502 Published by the Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association Incorporated because this kind of book is not popular you understand what I'm teaching you is not popular people don't like to hear these things I think that my copy was marked only 220 yes, you can get three copies for six dollars and they're thoroughly worth it tremendous amount of information there he's an armadilloist I don't agree with him on that point but on nearly everything else I'm very happy with it an armillennialist that is, he doesn't believe he'll be a millennial as far as I can tell pardon? I think I'm right in saying that I haven't checked out but I don't think he's a yes, I think our brethren who don't agree with a millennial are wrong what they say is it's another picture of the present age but I don't think they have enough evidence for that I agree with 95% of what he says but I don't agree with him on the millennium none of us has all the answers, you know did I tell you where I'm wrong? no, I never am wrong now then, question that's the trouble, isn't it? error Torture but Testimony by John Kennedy is quite a reasonable history book not clear on the points I've been making but there's a good deal of matter there you may order from Testimony Book Ministry West Bethesda Bridge, Washington D.C. well, er where's Nancy? oh, there you are I'm sorry, I made out my notes but I couldn't get them to you today but yes, if you can do them in the meantime then you'll have all this information on your sheet by next week now then, before I say any more any burning questions that need answering? yes sir I know this doesn't seem like it ought to be a burning question well, just a question I have a concern with whether these books are popular with the world within the body of believers, are they also popular? most unpopular why is that? people much prefer to make guesses about the future than study history yes, yes I really have to ask that question it's a fact if I got up and shouted loudly enough, with big fat hearts and chants about how the church goes up and how somebody else comes down and, you know, all that thousands of folks say wonderful truth just because it's there's no facts in it but this is really looking back into the years and it takes some studying moreover, you see what happened was this these truths were rich were widely known and were the basis of the reformation but the Roman Catholic Church began a counter-reformation with the Jesuits who were devoted servants of the papacy and they tried several ways to bring back the people of Europe to the church one of their ways was by education another by persecution and another by the grossest such gross diplomacy that they were turned out of every country in Europe for political intrigue and and also they they had to get up some explanation of Reformation, because the Bible had gone ahead of them they couldn't stop it so they had to get an explanation for it so, in my first introduction to these things in my little allegory I mention their names a Jesuit, Alcazar first taught the idea that everything in Revelation was fulfilled in the days of pagan Rome and he didn't get a lot of success among the evangelicals so, a Jesuit named Ribera put it all in the future and it was the father of our his view lay dormant for a couple hundred years until about 1840 when there was a terrible Millerite fiasco in this country some people had been too hot on date setting and determined that Christ was going to come in 1844 and when the whole thing blew up and nothing happened that folk were looking for a way out Futurism offered a way out and Darby and Jane Darby and Edward Irving and others took it it was soon seen as the as the answer and all the cunning of that Jesuit has had its fruit in lots of extraordinary literature now published it all came from that Jesuit I think that the scripture indicates that he begins at the time of the overthrow of old Rome and he continues until the brightness of Christ's appearing to Thessalonians 2 so if the period had been a short period the revelation period it would have been one person because it's so written that it could have been one person but as we look back and see it spreading over the centuries we see it was indeed a dynasty in which the same characteristics had marked that dynasty all the way down through the years no no, he is a man of he is the son of perdition that is, he is Judas-like Judas had his own personality but if you read have you read this one? which gives you a summary of the deeds of the popes I hope somebody has has anyone read that section on church history? one, two, three do, if you've got it, read it it won't take you ever so long it's a very brief summary and it's not half as horrible as reality but it's bad enough to turn you sick the anti-christian spirit is there as it was already in the church in John's day and wherever man rise to unwarranted power the anti-christian spirit is almost sure to manifest itself yes yes yes yes John anti-christ was originally to arise out of the falling away that's the way it goes yes, thank you well I'm glad that some of you are anyway, studying the book directly and even though it doesn't all add up and make sense at the first time even though your first guess is maybe a bit off at least you can proceed cautiously yes if it is true that they renounce their infallibility relationship to the early church and put their trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, then immediately they're just like you and me it's not the garment you wear it's what's in your heart that makes the anti-christ the place destroyed by the consumed by the spirit of his mouth and destroyed by the brightness of his appearing might even include a manifestation of Christ to the Pope just a possibility not likely, but just there yes they are of course under great pressure and there's no doubt that God is moving mightily in the catholic church in these days to bring light in we are near the end of the age the spirit of his mouth has been consuming the anti-christian thing as 2 Thessalonians 2 says it would ever since the reformation there has been this consumption, in 1870 for instance, the Pope lost all his historical estate he ceased to be a king in Europe 1870 mm-hmm yes you're right you're right anyone else, questions? well, I have an idea, that happens when Jesus comes the Thessalonian epistle is full of the second coming, isn't it? chapter 1, verse 10 chapter 2 verse 19 chapter 3, verse 13 chapter 4 from verse 14 to the end and chapter 5 verse 2 so it's full of the second coming it's the epistle which has more about the second coming than any other so if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another which is worse well it hasn't happened yet but, chapter 5 chapter 5, verse 1 but of the times and the seasons brethren ye have no need that I write unto you for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night for when they shall say peace and safety which they are saying now then sudden destruction cometh upon them as treadeth upon a woman with child and they shall not escape but ye brethren are not in darkness that that day shall overtake you as a thief ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night, nor of darkness therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep, sleep in the night let it be drunken or drunken in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and upon helmet the hope of salvation for God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him so he tells us that the day will come as a thief in the night but those of us who are in touch with the Lord will become increasingly aware of the approaching of that day in the same way that the church in Jerusalem was made aware of the destruction coming nigh when the army, when the first Roman army surrendered the city they got up and left and the Lord gave them nearly three years before the army returned he gave them plenty of warning and I'm sure that as we see the horizon darkening we shall be increasingly alerted to the nearness of his coming. We meet him in the air but that doesn't say that we don't come down with him right away you know when the hmm the bible doesn't tell us it's not there but it's only done by manipulating Daniel seventy week and breaking the seventieth week off and turning it from Christ to antichrist and everything else and dropping Calvary in the gap and all that kind of thing it's an extraordinary distortion of scripture which produces that result does it say when it's held? it says hmm I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it, well now then hmm there's a little bit of sorting out here hmm yes that's right alright we'll have a look at New Jerusalem another time. Yes it looks to be before unless there's an overlap of prophecy here but it does look as though the great white throne is before New Jerusalem comes down having the glory of God hmm there's not a a chronology of these things opened up to us just the reality of the judgement I think the king will set up the fullness of his kingdom when he comes and overthrows his foes yes yes I think so but that's only what I think I'm not sure if I can mash the scriptures together to prove it but I can I'm just thinking now of the virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom you remember and from the story it's obvious that they went out to meet him and immediately came back with him and I think that's what the scripture seems to suggest there may be a time interval but it's not shown in the scripture anyway is that right? yes now according to this after the resurrection is in chapter 20 and early in chapter 20 up to verse 10 and then the great white throne afterwards the millennium in chapter 20 yes yes quite a lot yes that's a post millennial view point the idea that the church will bring in the millennium and after that will come the end of the world well I'm not very good at broadcasting the future but I'll I can I've had a look at both view points I think that the concept that these things happen that after the lord comes to earth he takes up his kingdom and reigns I think that's the most likely one especially as it is underlined in the parable of the pounds and the talents where the king leaves his servants in charge and then he comes back to rule and he rewards his servants with divided government in his territory and our lord is obviously using this as a picture of his absence and his coming kingdom so I think that's likely yes it's only a matter of curiosity really isn't it but as one said that they shall not overtake you you keep close to the lord you all know yes they that well we may not have to go through it but certainly some Christians are going through it I would say if you would say come over to one of my friends in Chad buried up to their neck while the ants are coming at them we won't go through the tribulation it wouldn't have much point those who have no the tribulation of revelation 7 that we read about is very obviously a tribulation of those who have loved the lord Jesus and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb and they have suffered for him it is a martyr tribulation but the tribulation of Matthew 24 is not the same it doesn't cover all of the world it just covers Jerusalem and you can get away from that one by fleeing to the hills of Judea but in this great tribulation if you stand true you may find yourself in it and I suggest to you that revelation 7 covers the whole church age that's why it is called great it includes the martyrs under Rome it includes the 50 million of martyrs who have suffered under the Roman church it includes those in China who are suffering today and in other parts of the world it includes them all the great tribulation which takes them all in there is no time period attached to it did you notice that when we read revelation 7 no time period you'll have difficulty in finding that in scripture you can find it in books but not in scripture and I want to get people back to the bible I think there's much that you say is good and worthy of closer investigation I'm rather thankful that the three and a half years is literal though just like Daniel's 70 weeks it's probably a year day scale attached to it and that's why much of it has been fulfilled in history but we'll look at it next week do you mind if I defer the answer until next week alright alright well thank you I haven't been able to finish my story but it's worthwhile answering those two questions I really can't really answer next week for that one well the the nigger in the woodpile is the fellow who put a gap in the 70 weeks I assure you there is no gap in God's 70 weeks God does not give a time measure and then play tricks with it like that if you had an alarm clock set to go off at 7 o'clock and it broke down at 5 minutes to 7 what would you think of it and if Daniel's 70 weeks broke off at the end of the 69th whatever kind of revelation would that be ridiculous or alright this let me give you briefly what they are the pre-trib rapture theory is that Antichrist who's already hanging around and preparing to make a covenant with the Jews doesn't come into manifestation until the church is caught up and the church will be in the air for three and a half years half way between here and heaven and the judgment seat of Christ will take place and at the end of that time the church will come back with him when he deals with his foes and at that time he will usher in his millennial reign at the end of which at the end of a thousand years will come the great judgment of the nation the mid-trib rapture there are half a dozen of them some think there are seven raptures some think there are three, some think there are two but they have an idea that those who are really especially holy or belong to certain societies will be caught up in the midst of the trouble and the Lord will bring them back and leave the rest to be purified by suffering the post-trib view is that the whole church goes right through the whole tribulation and Christ doesn't come until the end of it. I differ for all those in that I belong to the old-fashioned or protestant view in which I say that indeed he does not come until the end of the tribulation but the tribulation is a much longer period, a symbolic period covering a great section of the church age I doubt it not as far as the I believe the world will be in terrific trouble but I don't think that there is a persecution particularly and specifically aimed at Christians now as far as I can see you may think that the Lord's coming is going now I might be wrong but I don't see any indication in Scripture does that answer the question? that we may expect him very soon I think now we need to look at Israel Israel will be one of your keys to his return I think and we may watch that nation for the tremendous events associated with the end time what else may we look for oh there are some parts of Revelation to be fulfilled yet but I think as they are already being fulfilled all round us we can't say oh well he won't come for another twenty years I think you better be ready so prophecy has been designed that every age should be kept ready for his coming it's beautifully worked out to work out that way even the early church they knew that that Peter would die so as long as Peter was around they knew he wouldn't come but they didn't know whether John would die or not in fact they thought that John would remain until the Lord came and so they were kept on their toes and then when John wrote later on he said he didn't say so you know and still left them on the edge of anticipation so it's a healthy thing to be ready for his coming laughter alright well that's our time so if you have any more questions next week laughter alright let's stand and dismiss praise the Lord Lord we just bless you for your presence tonight and your speaking to us and illuminating our eyes that we may see the truth of your words help us father to hold these truths near to our hearts that in so doing we might be more prepared at your coming in Jesus name we pray Amen Hallelujah