Doves,

When does God's wrath begin? You'll need to read my other post this week about the duration of the tribulation period to get the background for this post.

In light of what I written in that post I don't believe that God would administer His wrath on the world until after the two witnesses have completed their 1260 day ministry. I believe that God has and will give every opportunity for mankind to accept His son Jesus as their Lord and Savior before His end times wrath begins. That said, it appears His wrath will begin at or near the half way point of the tribulation period or approximately 1260 days into it at the completion of the ministry of His two witnesses who will have ministered to the entire world for 1260 days or 3.5 years. Revelation 11:3

There are several passages of scripture that seem to indicate that God's wrath begins midpoint in the 7 years.

First of all, what are reasons that would or will trigger God's rage and start His wrath? The bible indicates that one reason is an attack on Israel and its people spoken of in Ezekiel and Zechariah of whom He has a covenant with. He says He will intervene for them.... not because they are worthy..... but to preserve His good name as a covenant keeper. And the second reason would be a worldwide condition of evil and sin accented by a non acceptance of Jesus (by those) following the ministry of the two witnesses. Again this would be at the half way point.

That said, is there any way to figure out when the Ezekiel 38, 39 / Zechariah 14 war begins as related to the 7 year tribulation period? I believe so.

Both Ezekiel and Zechariah speak of an end times war that is perpetrated against Israel. As per Zechariah 13, 14 Israel will be attacked and two thirds of the Jews will be killed. Jerusalem will be taken, the houses rifled, the women ravished, half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (expand on this fact later)

At this point when all seems lost, God goes forth to personally intervene for Israel and its people. The descriptive wrath He administers to Israels enemies is portrayed in Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 12, 14 and is also found elsewhere in scripture.

When God does intervene, most of the inhabitants of Israel have been killed. Zechariah says that at that point, God steps on the Mount of Olives and splits the mountain in two creating a very large valley. Half of the mountain shall move north and half shall move south creating a very large valley that extends east and west for I presume a great distance........to Azal. Also a new river flows from this split in the mountain and flows both east and west. This important fact will also figure into this discussion later below.

If you read Zechariah 14 you'll see that God forms this valley to create a security zone for the remaining third of Jews.....the remnant.....that were found worthy to escape into this protected valley, this protected refuge. This remnant are those whose names are found written in the book.

Michael the Arc Angel is portrayed in scripture as the one that oversees Israel's protection.

Is it his task this time to oversee the new valley security zone? Daniel 12 seems to answer this, it says .....'And there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation (Israel), even to that time”....

This verse is prefaced by stating......”At this time Michael will stand up”....

It also says that at this time...... Daniel's people (the Jews) will be delivered......everyone who is found written in the book. (verse 1)

Can we find this scenario, this protection zone afforded to the remnant of Jews any where else in scripture? Yes, in Revelation 12 in verse 6 and then again in verses 14-16 we see the same security zone set up where they are fed and protected.

How long is this Jewish remnant protected there? Twice in Revelation 11 we are told 1260 days. God is not going to remove His protection from this remnant (whose names are found written in the book) after He has enacted it...... so this tells us that this 1260 day period would be from the midpoint in the seven years to the end.

It also tells us that not only is God going to provide a safe refuge for the Christian Church before or at the start of His wrath but He is also providing a safe and secure zone for the remnant of Jews whose names are found written in the book.

The other Jews scattered around the world like the bank'sters, the Hollywood crowd, the elite globalists, the Palm Beach crowd, etc. are.....I believe.....in big trouble. Revelation 12:13-17 describes how Satan is enraged that he can't reach and kill the Jews in the new valley / security zone so he then takes his rage out on the Jews that are not in this security zone.......”And the dragon was enraged with the woman (because he couldn't get to her), and he went to make war (kill) the rest of her offspring (Jews around the world that were not divinely protected)

There is great significance to other things Zechariah said in chapter 14. He said that...... only half of Jerusalem would go into captivity...... and a remnant of the people would not be cut off from accessing the city. What does that mean? It means that when God steps on the Mount of Olives and creates this new protected valley that half of the city of Jerusalem will be encompassed in this protected valley and that these remnant of Jews that will inhabit this new valley will have access to half of Jerusalem for 1260 days.

What does that mean? It means that this remnant of Jews whose names are found in the book will be free to rebuild the temple without any outside interference for 1260 days or the last half of the tribulation period. That's huge!!

Are there any scriptures that speak to this?

Yes, in Revelation 11 it says.....”And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they shall tread the holy city underfoot for forty two months”.

So certainly one could interpret this passage of scripture as......Remnant Jews, go ahead and measure and rebuild the temple but do no include the court because that is outside our security zone in the half of the Jerusalem that we do not have control over. That portion is controlled by the Gentiles (the antichrist forces) and will be for the remainder of the tribulation period or the last half of the tribulation period or 42 months.

If one also focuses on the word “underfoot” in the above scripture it seems to indicate that the new temple will be above on on the temple mount and the Gentile court will be below or “underfoot” from the main temple.

All of this to tag when God's wrath begins. It appears to me it will begin at the midpoint of the 7 year period right after the completion of the two witnesses ministry.

Some other very interesting wording also found in Daniel 12 that also plays into these wrath timings that seem very relevant and telling.

In the start of Daniel 12 Daniel speaks to the extreme troubles that Israel will encounter in its time of trouble. But then Daniel speaks about wondrous things that will happen during that same time frame.

These wonders show up in verse 2 where He says ......many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake. Some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

He then says....Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament. And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

Next, Daniel sees three players in a coming prophesied event. These three players consist of two “others” and a man clothed in linen. An “other” standing on each side of a river and above the river a man clothed in linen.

One of the two standing beside the river asks the man in linen above the waters of the river....How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?

 

What wonders? The resurrection and rapture wonders that Daniel had just described in verse 2.

Daniel stated.....Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time...

So the fulfillment of these resurrection and rapture wonders will take a time, times, and half a time or 3.5 years before they take place. That puts the huge resurrection of the Jews in Ezekiel 37 and the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the alive in Christ at 3.5 years from something...... which I believe is the start of the 7 year period.

And yes once again.... that puts us at the half way point of the 7 year period.

 

Then the cherry on top of the hot fudge Sunday.....the last phrase in that same verse 7

…..and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished........

When was the power of the holy people completely shattered? As we discussed above in Zechariah the Jewish people were completely over run at the half way point of the 7 years and God the Father personally intervened and delivered a remnant.

Last part of that verse.....all these things shall be finished.....What things? He was talking about the wondrous things.....the resurrections and the rapture.

So he is saying that after time, times, and half a time or 3.5 years these wondrous things will also be completed.

That to me means that the resurrection of the Jews as per Ezekiel 37 and the resurrection of the dead and alive in Christ also happen at that mid way point or 3.5 years into a 7 year period.

Let take a closer look at the players and the wording that we were just discussing in Daniel 12:5-7. I believe that you may find this quite fascinating.

 

We see two... not men... but two “others”one standing on each side, the riverbanks of a river.

We also see a man clothed in linen above the waters of the river.

Who and what are these players and places and terms and what is the significance of it all?

 

I propose that.....

The two “others” are the two end time witnesses. They are called “others”because they are not men but resurrected spirit beings.

The man clothed with linen who is rising up above the waters is a representation of the risen / rising church who are always described as being dressed in white linens.

This river is the new river flowing both east and west from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem that God created at the midpoint of the tribulation period when He intervened for Israel.

The text refers to waters (plural) rather than water because the water flows both ways from the Mount of Olives. And in Zechariah 14 it's referred to as living waters.

This is a huge revelation when one contemplates the entire meaning of these verses. These scriptures indicate that after God personally intervenes for Israel to due battle on their behalf and drive off their enemies He also steps on the Mount of Olives and not only creates a great new valley that is a protected security zone for the remnant of Jews that have their name in the book but he also creates a river out of the Mount of Olives that flows both east and west. Zechariah says that these are living waters that flow from Jerusalem.

 

Daniel 12 and Revelation 11 indicate that the two witnesses will be present at the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation period in Jerusalem just before they are killed by the antichrist at the 1260 day mark or at the end of their ministry. It appears from Daniel 12 that these two witnesses will be standing one on each side of this new river flowing from the Mount of Olives and will witness the church as it rises to glory represented by the man dressed in linen rising above the waters.

 

We know from Revelation 12 that the Jewish remnant remain on earth in the protected valley for 1260 days where they are fed and their security is insured.

So the verbiage in Daniel 12:3 about those who will shine like the brightness of the firmament is referring to Christ's church who are transformed into new eternal bodies that are magnificent in their brilliance.

Looks to me like the last official act by the two end time witnesses before they are killed in Jerusalem is to witness the resurrection and rapture of Christ's church while standing in Jerusalem....one on each side of the new river where living waters flow. Will the church be immersed in these living waters before they ascend. And will we indeed be taken up (raptured) from Jerusalem?

Revelation 12 has something to say about this...... there is a plot by Satan to destroy the Christian Church as it is birthed / ready to ascend at the rapture. Read Revelation 12:4

With this scripture in mind....are Christians gathered from worldwide to Jerusalem.....to the new security / safe zone......where Satan doesn't control the air space? Do we ascend from there to meet Jesus in the clouds? Are we immersed in the living waters of the new river (Zechariah 14:8) and then receive our white linen before arising?

There is another interesting verse in Zechariah 14 that I believe also speaks to this theories being true. In Zechariah 14:5....Zechariah talks about fleeing / escaping through this new protected valley. Is he addressing only the Jews here or is he also addressing Christ's church as also their place to flee from?

The last sentence in that verse I believe seals the deal when it states.....

“Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with you”.

Wow!! It now seems straight forward to me. That we (Christians) are all leaving this earth from Jerusalem from a protection zone that not only encompasses a new protected valley but also the air space above it.

When I decided to jump into the 7 year or 3.5 year tribulation discussion I never thought that God would lead me down all these roads and show me all of this. Thank you Lord for the discernment of your holy words.

So for the first half of the seven years we have two ministries going on concurrently for 1260 days. The true gospel of Jesus ministry from God's two witnesses and the evil ministry propagated by the antichrist. When the 1260 day period is complete all of mankind will have made a decision one way or the other. Individually either their name will appear in the Book of Life or they will be a follower / immersed into the antichrist system.

It's highly doubtful that anyone will choose Jesus or be saved from this half way point onward. I say this because Jesus said that He would at some point.....and I believe this is the point...... intentionally deceive those who had the opportunity to choose the way, truth and life but rejected Him.

It doesn't appear to me that there all multiple raptures. It's a one shot deal at the midpoint of a 7 year period. In Zechariah 14 :5 the escape from His mountain valley is described and it says the Lord my God will come, and ALL the saints with You.

I am saying that all means all. All of Christ's church will be gathered worldwide and depart from the earth at Jerusalem from a protection zone that has been set up by God and guarded by Michael the Arc Angel and his forces.

 

And indeed we ALL show up in heaven as per Revelation 7:9-17. In that passage in verse 14 more huge revelations appear that back up what I have been promoting in this article. There in verse 14 one of the heavenly elders asks John where all the people with white robs on came from? John replied to him that these people came out of the great tribulation, and washed their robs and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Woe!!!!! what did I just propose several paragraphs above.....that before the Christian church leaves earth that they will be immersed in the living waters of this new river in Jerusalem then get our white robs. That's true but here in verse 14 it tells more much more.

Background....

Where was Jesus crucified? Jerusalem

When He was crucified did He not shed His blood and water (living water) on the ground on or near the Mount of Olives? Yes

 

Now Zechariah 14 states that God is going to step on the Mount of Olives at the midpoint of a 7 year period creating not only a new large protected valley / security zone but also a river that flows both east and west. Zechariah 14:8 says that “living waters” will flow from that new river.

These living waters can only be living waters if Jesus's blood is mixed into them.

So.....from scripture.... literally we Christians are going to be gathered up from the four corners of the earth, brought to Jerusalem, bathed in the livings waters of a new river that has the blood of Jesus within it. We will wash our sin filled robs in this water and His blood making them white in the blood of the Lamb …...and then be taken up from this security zone to meet Jesus in the air.

Here's where we end up after that......Revelation 7:9-17

 

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"

14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;

17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

 

This whole story line from scripture that God has shown me is amazing. It all makes sense and it all flows into a logical and realistic scenario.

Hope you Doves enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it......

Blessings...........John B

PS...I also believe that the palm branches we are all waving when we reach heaven in Revelation 7:9 speaks to the exact date when this huge resurrection from Jerusalem will take place. Some wise Dove will figure that date out I am sure.

PPS...I am sure no one wanted to hear from me or anyone else that we are going to be here on earth for at least 3.5 more years but I believe that will be the case. Also it appears to me that in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 where it speaks of a great “falling away” that that is referring to not the rapture but the church falling into apostasy or indifference / apathy. Which means that we will be rubbing elbows with the coming antichrist but only during his 3.5 year “tame” period and not his later 3.5 year monster period.