"How Near Armageddon": Q & A

Question: If we are near the end time, does the hostility in Jerusalem that started in 2000, relate to the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20.

It is of the greatest significance that the present conflict in Jerusalem concerns the site of the second temple of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. I say this because of the meaning, and significance of certain words in Revelation.

(The answer to this question only has significance, if one knows that How near Armageddon indicates that the entire meaning of Revelation is to be found in the course of history of the Christian Church within the nations of the world in the past two millennia. Through time measurement in that history, as predicted, but hidden within the Revelation of Jesus Christ, can its meaning be found. When the time measurements of Revelation can be determined, there will be “time no longer” (Rev. 10:6). How near Armageddon shows that the entire book of Revelation can be correlated with the history of 2000 years, therefore we must be near the end time.

I must accentuate this fact, in this answer and in those to come, so that you will realize that the meaning of Revelation is linked to time measurement and therefore has a specific message. So that you can now look at what is happening around you as part of God’s great plan, as revealed through Jesus Christ, his Son, to man. In this way you can appreciate the greatness of the prophecy of Revelation. Almighty God in his infinite wisdom wishes, finally (because we are at the point of being totally deceived?) to give all persons some insight into his purpose with man.

Revelation could only be fully understood when the time had come that that history that was predicted, but hidden in the symbolism of Revelation, had actually happened.)

Rev 14:19
”And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth”

Rev 16:14
“And they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that day of God Almighty.

Rev 16:16
“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon”

Rev 19:19
“ And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.See also The Acts 4:26.

Rev 20:8
“And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

The time of the final war Armageddon will be the time that Christians all over the world will pray together before judgement (“supper” symbolic of the “Last Supper”). See also The Acts 14:27 “and when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”

Rev 19:17:
“And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God”

NOTE Revelation brings “gather together” directly into relation with the “beast out of the earth” through the words, ”beast and kings of the earth” (Rev 19:19), “working miracles” (see Rev 13:13-14) and “number” (see Rev 13:18).

Because the word ”gather” appears in all these instances, the symbolism of these verses and the meaning thereof all relate to the same time. In the space of this answer, I cannot explain all the symbolism of these verses. Those that contain the words “gather together” literally ‘bring together’ almost the entire meaning of Revelation.

In Revelation 14:18 and 19, the word “gather” is linked to the word ”vine”.

In Q&A X, concerning the angels of Revelation, I mentioned that the colours of the gemstones of the “foundations” of the New Jerusalem are placed on twelve of the fourteen divisions of the second millennium (or “three and a half days” in Revelation’s total time measurement). This is how the colour symbolism of Revelation can be understood. Likewise the 144 years, 1860 to 2004 are divided into twelve sections. The twelve sections are identified through certain ‘fruits of the earth’.

You will see on the chart that the word “vine” relates to the time of the twelfth foundation, 1992 to 2004. It is mentioned twice in Revelation, because the time 1992 is divided into two time measurements. The times are 1992 to 2000 and 2000 to 2004. The time 1992 to 2004 relates to “earth” and the time 2000 to 2004 relates to “heaven”. (See also Q&A VIII, to see why the four years 2000 to 2004 relate to “heaven”.)

In other words it seems that the ‘gathering’ of the nations to battle, to Armageddon, began in 1992 and is going to take place some time after 2001.

It is the words of the prophets, but particularly the words of Jesus Christ that reveal the meaning of Revelation. Words of Revelation that correspond with the words of Jesus Christ and the words of the prophets augment the meaning of Revelation. In this way the correlation of Revelation and history can be found. This was the method used in How near Armageddon and can be used in the same way at this point in time, 2001. We can discover and discern whether current happenings are actually the signs of the end time becoming reality. We have to look in Scripture to see where the words “gather together” are used.

Jesus Christ used the words ”gathered together” in a very important part of his ministry.

In Matthew 18:20 he said “For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them”. In other words Christ wished his followers, even after 2000 years and to the ends of the earth, to know that as long as two Christians gathered together in the name of Jesus Christ, he would be with them. This largely ruled out places on earth as being particularly reverent to Christians. Without the Spirit of Christianity, no place is particularly sacred.

In Matthew 23:37 in connection with Jerusalem:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stoneth them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.”

Matthew 24:28 in connection with eagle a bird of prey. In Revelation the symbol of the “birds” is symbolic of the gospel of Jesus Christ that spread to the ends of the earth. The symbol of birds of prey is the casting out or destruction of that message which will bring division among men, war and death.

Matthew 24:28
For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

The verses that link “gather together” with Jerusalem are Zechariah 12:2 and 14:2.

Zechariah 12:3
“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all people: all that burden themselves with it will be cut in pieces, though all people of the earth will be gathered together against it.”

Zechariah 14:2
“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle”.

The linking of “gather together” with Jerusalem is of particular significance in relation to the total interpretation of Revelation in How near Armageddon. It is said that a spirit of antichrist (see also Q&A IX on the antichrist), which is the culmination of the effect of the ‘beast’, will after 2000, specifically deny that Christ is the Son of God. It will manifest in the ruling of the nations, that all religions of the earth are equal.

Because How near Armageddon proves that a correlation of the entire Revelation with the history of the past two millennia is possible, we cannot ignore, the conflict around Jerusalem in the time 2000 and 2001. There are two reasons for this. The words of Jesus Christ distinctly link Jerusalem with the end time. What is more the entire interpretation of Revelation substantiates why Christ said the words of Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20.

Matthew 24:15
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)(16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee to the mountains.

Luke 21:20
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

In Revelation 18:21 we are told that “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, with such violence will the great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”

Because of the word “stone”, and the similarity of the ‘action’ and words, Jeremiah 51:63 has to be considered in connection with this verse.

Jeremiah 51:63
“And it shall be, when thou hast made an end to reading this book, that thou shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: and thou shalt say, thus shall Babylon sink and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her. (New International Version) When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates. Then say so will Babylon sink to rise no more.”

In Matthew 24 verses 1 and 2, Jesus Christ used the word “stone” directly in connection with the second temple of Solomon, that was situated, according to history, at the Temple Mount.

“And Jesus went out and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

In the total interpretation of Revelation the combined meaning of these two verses is the following. First there will be conflict concerning the Temple Mount (stone). It will be the time that “men” (great men) will rule the nations (“cast” and “sea” – relating to the consequences of the “beast out of the sea”). It will be the time that the meaning of Revelation (scroll) and the time of “the end of days” as indicated in Daniel 12:11-12 (scroll) will come to pass. “Midst” could relate to the time 2000, the mid-point of the time 1996 to 2004 or the year 2002, the mid-point of the time 2000 to 2004. At that time there will be some factor that will influence world trade. (‘Babylon’ in Revelation is symbolic of the world’s pre-occupation with trade in the second millennium. Babylon is “the great city”. Particularly East –West trade, before the end time for Babylon lay on either side of the Euphrates. “Euphrates” in Revelation is symbolic of the Middle East section of the earth)

Revelation 16:21
“And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent…”

As mentioned, when Revelation repeats a word it indicates that what is prophesied in connection with that word, will happen at the same time. It seems that the time of great storms or extreme weather conditions will be the time that the nations will finally gather around Jerusalem to Armageddon. Because of the influence of the “beast”, the Christian spiritual “talent” of the nations will be “buried in the earth”(see parable of the “talents” – Matthew 25:25). The word “earth” relates to the powerful influence of the “beast out of the earth”.

“Weight” refers back to the rider on the black horse who carries the “balance” in his hand. In How near Armageddon the time linked to the rider on the black horse is 1896. In Isaiah 40:12 the word “hill” appears with “weight” and “balance”. In the total time measurement of Revelation this is very interesting for the word ‘hill’ in Revelation refers to times where Christians were persecuted. In 1896, the ruling of the majority of the nations of Western Europe put into practice a policy of equalization of world religions. At that time the suppression of the Christian Armenians was condemned, but no army went to their aid.

In How near Armageddon the “seven thunders” are seven archaeological findings in the course of the past two millennia. The ‘seventh thunder’ is the discovery, forty years ago, in 1971, of the large parapet stone at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, with the inscription: “belonging to the trumpet blowing place”.

The entire meaning of Revelation substantiates why these words are brought into relation with Jerusalem.

The main message that the correlation of Revelation and the global history of the Christian Church revealed was broadly as follows. In 216, the Trinity intervened in history to set on course a unity of the Christian Church and State (Revelation uses the symbol of the rider on the white horse wearing the crown and carrying the bow). By the year 1000, there was unity in most of Western Europe. At that time the Christian Church could call upon the kings of Europe (a consequence of an oath that was taken by the early kings of the Franks) to defend Christians and the places in Jerusalem.

During the second millennium this unity would break down, as a result of a power struggle between the Christian kings and Christian Church and ordinary men seeking freedom (Revelation uses the symbol of the rider on the red horse carrying the sword). This process would take centuries and both the conflict of the kings and church as well as the struggle for freedom would prove fertile ground for the development of the “beast”, or spirit of antichrist.

The combination of the break down of the unity of Christian Church and the Christian State, and the quest for major countries to have a monopoly in trade during the second millennium would bring about an acceptance of a global policy of the equalization of world religions. The Western Nations thought that through this policy they would find world peace, but in the process they were in reality undermining the eternal message of the Cross. Through a deception, brought about by man’s belief in his own abilities, and a casting aside of religion, they lost sight of the importance that the gospel be carried with the necessary reverence to the last generation.

Revelation 19:19 says “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.” In this way Revelation expresses that the decisions that will be made concerning Jerusalem and ultimately to go to the final battle, will be directed by the accumulative effect of the entire history of the Western Nations, under the influence of the ‘beast’.

Revelation 20:8 says that the nations were deceived. “And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle”. Gog and Magog are symbolic of the nations of both the East and the West (symbolically the whole earth on either side of the Euphrates) that disregard the eternal message of Jesus Christ.

Revelation expresses this transition of the Christian nations ruled in conjunction with the Christian Church to the nations ultimately ruled by man made laws and the directives of universal freedom and the global economy as the “woman” that becomes “the prostitute”. The “cup” of Holy Communion is no longer filled with the “wine” symbolic of the unity of the Christian Nations with the blood of Jesus Christ. Revelation 17:4 says “ the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication”.

Through the correlation of Revelation with history, the equalization of the religions of the world is the main aspect of the evolvement of the ‘beast’. The most significant aspect is the development of the spirit of antichrist, for it will direct the ruling of the nations concerning Jerusalem.

At present the Christian Church is suggesting that the holy places in Jerusalem be placed under international control or the sovereignty of God himself. No one is seriously considering this option. I see it as the result of the equalization of world religions that has undermined the eternal message of Jesus Christ that he is the Way, the Truth and everlasting Life and that no one comes to the Father except through him.

Current happenings, in the light of the understanding of Revelation, may give you some insight as to why Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20 bring Jerusalem into relation with the ‘abomination that leads to desolation’ as spoken of by the prophet Daniel. When the former Christian nations have carried the gospel to the ends of the earth, they will accept a freedom of religion that will not secure the eternal message of the Cross for future generations. This will also be the time that some of the “Children of Abraham” will consider taking away “the daily sacrifice”.

Daniel 12:31 “And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

It seems that Jesus Christ himself, by his Return, will save the last generation.