Exploring the End Times Theorem
Abstract:
Introduction to End Times Theory
Identifying and Establishing the Components of the End Times
Researched and Presented by Rev. Charles Lee White, PhD
February 10, 2017
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The academic research conducted for this educational report and the relative findings I am reporting on may support the educational goals and requirements for the completion and attainment of my Doctorate Degree in Metaphysical Philosophy and Comparative Religious Studies.
Through the development of this dissertation, I have achieved fulfillment in my journey and personal quest for clarity and interpretation regarding written biblical prophecy and modern End of Times Theory.
The ‘sequence of events’ presented theoretically in this report have been carefully studied and developed from my own independent research. The subject matter, assumptions, hypotheses and predictions ascertained and derived from these studies have revealed a very logically reasonable, useful and applicable approach towards the design of a foundational platform relative to the exploration and theoretical conceptualization of Modern Eschatology and End Times Theory.
The original theories involved from eschatological conceptualization have been propagated and cultivated in scientific methodology. These ideas support the chronological timeline I will introduce and utilize to determine the order of related events and the variable dependencies consistent to these important eschatological events.
With my own theoretical orientation and understanding of modern religion, I will share my expectations for the near future and identify the components of our evolving global environment and its effect on modern society.
In all societies of humanity the demand and concern exists for the progressive development of a standard and universal timeline capable of determining a universal starting point or benchmark into the investigation of the claims and findings in the matter of End Times.
Most people want to know how and when they will perish or transcend to another level of existence.
The sources of indigenous information gathered from texts of Judaism and modern Christianity, the English-King James Version of the Holy Bible, the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, the five books of the Torah and several other ancient texts that will be mentioned later.
In the formation and support of these scientific findings and conclusions personal bias or prejudice has been intentionally avoided. The performance of analytical procedure involved in the conclusiveness of the study along with the literal and logical conclusions will provide substantial support of the original development of these theories. All comparative methodology is absent prejudice or personal bias, any type of my own personal opinions, personalized spiritual views or metaphysical beliefs. Only the symbolic context of the allegorical passages and words written in the Bible and related texts have been utilized in basing my premise towards theories relevant to the matter of End Times.
Subjective and exploratory minded studies and discussion have created a formation of the key principles and elements necessary to build this foundation for research and theoretical development in the End Times concept that we are experiencing now and in the future years to come. This combination of common facts and elements has revealed a reasonable timeline of events derived from prophetic verses in the Bible and has placed them into their proper areas.
The primary concepts of this study are to explain and identify:
1) The Sequence of Major End Time Events,
2) The Destiny of the Three Components of Humanity,
3) The Purpose and Length of the Great Tribulation,
4) The Purpose of the Rapture,
5) The Conditions Surrounding
the Second Coming,
6) The Purpose and Length of the Millennium, and
7) Eternity.
Knowing the critical information of what happens and when
As confusing as it seems to initially appear, the sequence in which major End Times events will occur, actually comes in a very logical order. I believe that the most appropriate method for arriving at this conclusion would be to figure out the outcome of events using a methodology known in the business world as a ‘back scheduling exercise.’ This process involves going to the very end of a process and identifying the ‘final outcome.’ All of the environmental variables dependent to producing that specified outcome require organization. By listing the processes or events that have to happen to produce the ‘final outcome’ and then taking these processes or events and putting them in reverse order, from backing into the present, we have established a methodology to build our timeline of events.
Most everyone is familiar with the Second Coming and Eternity. Many also have heard of the Rapture of the Church and the Great Tribulation. There exists also the Millennial Kingdom, Daniel’s 70th Week, and the Battles of Ezekiel 38-39, Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17; several major events that have yet to transpire or come about. If we begin with the ‘final outcome’ and manage to work back toward the beginning of the list it appears like this:
Eternity is believed to be the ‘final outcome.’ Using the procedure that I have mentioned earlier,
The Kingdom Age or Millennium is the last event described in detail in the Bible. Eternity by definition means “the absence of time.”
The Bible states that the Lord’s 1000-year reign on Earth will precede Eternity. We can verify this by reading the very last chapter in the Book of Revelations. This final chapter speaks of trees on either side of the River of Life bearing a different fruit every month. In allegorical and linguistic terms this signifies that time still does exist. Let it be said that Eternity cannot happen until the Millennium is over.
Furthermore, we are led to believe that the Millennium will not begin until after the Second Coming. This is when the Lord will return to establish Heaven on Earth.
In accordance with [Matt. 24:29-30] the Second Coming will not occur until the end of the Great Tribulation.
Chronologically this cannot take place until the Antichrist stands in the Temple in Israel declaring himself to be God. [2 Thes. 2:4]
This is the event that Jesus warned Israel to watch out for as the commencement of the Great Tribulation. It is referred to as “The Abomination of Desolation” in [Matt. 24:15-21.]
[Daniel 9:27] It is specifically indicates that it will happen in the middle of the last seven year period, which scholars commonly refer to as Daniel’s 70th Week.
The Abomination of Desolation follows the construction of Israel’s Temple. Since nearly 70 AD the construction of a Temple in Israel has not been started or taken place, however there is word that the blueprints and that the engineering design for this project has been completed. A Temple will be built when the Jews officially decide they need one. Once God reinstates the Jew’s Old Covenant relationship then the need for a Temple will occur. Most believe that the Temple’s main purpose will be to provide the Jews with the opportunity to worship God according to the Old Covenant requirements.
Upon completion of the Temple, the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week will commence. According to scripture, The 70th Week will not begin until the Battle of [Ezekiel 38-39] ends favorably for the Jews. God will then use that battle to awaken Israel and reinstate His covenant with them.
In [Romans 11:25] Paul said Israel has been hardened in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in, a reference to the rapture of the Church, after which Israel will be saved. Understand that this means that the rapture has to happen before the Battle of Ezekiel 38.
The “Sequence of Major Events” in their proper chronological order:
● The Rapture of the Church
● The Battle of Ezekiel 38
● Daniel’s 70th week begins
● The Great Tribulation
● The Second Coming
● The Millennium
● Eternity
The ones familiar with written Scripture may believe that the timing of two of these events are somewhat debatable. These two less obvious events are the Rapture of the Church and the Battle of Ezekiel 38, which are the first two events on the list we created. As we explore these chronological events we will put them in their respective order and proper sequence. Using our previous approach of back scheduling allows us to begin with Ezekiel’s battle and work back to the Rapture.
“And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward.
Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore. And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezek 39:21-22, 28-29)
The Lord has declared that He will use Ezekiel’s battle to spiritually awaken His people and to call them to Israel from all parts of the world. This will result in the reinstatement of their Old Covenant relationship, reviving Daniel’s long dormant “70-Weeks” prophecy for its final seven years and requiring the construction of a holy Temple.
Without either one of these events occurring, the Jews will not be able to keep the Lord’s covenant.
Historically, this was proven during the captivity of Babylon. It occurred at the time that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple causing the annihilation and extinction of Israel. Scripture indicates that upon Cyrus the Persian defeating Babylon and freeing the Jews, that the Jews immediately began building the Temple upon their return to Israel. There can be no sacrifice for sin unless the Temple is in existence and without this sacrifice; Jews apparently are not able to approach God.
Both the Old and New Testaments refer to a Temple in Israel at the End of the Age. The only reason for a Temple is to perform the Old Covenant ordinances. If a group considered starting to build a Temple today, it would cause a huge uproar and most likely the occurrence of more aggressive attacks on one another from the Jews and Muslims. There must be a unified demand from the people of Israel accompanied by acceptance from the Muslims before the construction of a Temple is ever even fathomable. Allow me to elaborate on this concept.
Ezekiel’s battle must result in the reawakening of the Jewish nation of Israel to the presence of God in their national life. In return, the Muslims must be defeated and deterred from resisting the progress of the Jews in building their Temple of Old Covenant Worship.
Once these events are set in place, the perfect conditions will finally exist to start the building of the Temple. For these reasons, Ezekiel’s battle has to take place on the threshold of Daniel’s 70th week.
The Rapture of the Church logically has to occur after Ezekiel’s Battle
Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)
According to[ Ezek. 37:7-10] Israel would be reborn first in unbelief. Paul said they’ll remain partially estranged from God until the gentile Church reaches its full complement (predetermined number) and arrives at its destination. (The Greek word translated “fullness” in Romans 11:25 was a nautical term often used to describe the full complement of crew and cargo necessary to accomplish a ship’s mission. The ship couldn’t sail till those requirements were met. The one translated “come in” means to arrive at a designated place.)
The veil will then be pulled back as God reveals Himself to them again. As we saw above, He will use Ezekiel’s battle to begin this by renewing the Old Covenant with them, later transitioning Israel from the Old Covenant to the New toward the end of the Great Tribulation (Zech 12:10). Remember, if the Jews have not returned back to the Old covenant, they wouldn’t need a Temple.
After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ (Acts 15:13-18)
Nearly twenty years after the cross or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a common controversy arose as to whether the Gentiles had to become Jews before they could become Christians. If not, what would become of Israel? In effect, the Lord’s brother James explained to the Apostles and others present at the Council of Jerusalem that Israel was being temporarily set aside while God focused on the Church. After He had taken this “people for His name” (Christians) from among the Gentiles he would return and rebuild His Temple. (The Greek words translated taken means to carry something away or remove it from its place, so the passage implies that He would take the Church somewhere and then come back to rebuild the Temple, restore Israel, and give what’s left of mankind one final chance to seek Him).
These three Bible prophecies make it clear that as the End of the Age approaches, God will begin preparing Israel to be His once more. However, He will not be exclusively focused on them until He has finished building the Church and has taken us to our appointed place. And where is that?
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3) (He didn’t promise to come back to be with us here where we are, but to take us there, where He is.) After that He would see to Israel’s reawakening and the construction of their Temple.
Throughout Scripture, the Lord seems to be involved with either Israel or the Church, but never both at the same time. James bears this out in his pronouncement regarding the Church in [Acts 15.] All the leaders of the early church now knew that once God had accomplished His goals with the church, He would turn again to Israel, and that would signal the End of the Church Age.
There are two critical points to remember here. The first is that the Church didn’t end the Age of Law, but only interrupted it 7 years short of its scheduled completion. Those seven years, called the 70th Week of Daniel, have to be fulfilled to complete the Old Covenant. Secondly, the Old and New covenants, as practiced in Israel and the Church, are theologically incompatible, and therefore the two can only be on Earth at the same time while Israel is out of covenant. For Israel to return to the Lord, the Church has to be gone. For this reason, the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 are seen as the two most important signs of all that the End of the Age is upon us.
Two events not put into our sequence are the battles of [Psalm 83] and [ Isaiah 17]. When Israel wins these two battles all their next door enemies will be defeated and they will enter into a brief period of peace that sets the stage for Ezekiel’s Battle (Ezekiel 38:11). These conflicts will come either before or after the Rapture, but do have to happen before the Battle of Ezekiel 38 takes place.
The Sequence of Major Events are only the tip of the iceberg in reference to having complete knowledge of the major prophetic events that are still to come.
Introduction to End Times Theory
Identifying and Establishing the Components of the End Times
Researched and Presented by Rev. Charles Lee White, PhD
February 10, 2017
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Identifying and Establishing
the Components of End Times Theory
The academic research conducted for this educational report and the relative findings I am reporting on may support the educational goals and requirements for the completion and attainment of my Doctorate Degree in Metaphysical Philosophy and Comparative Religious Studies.
Through the development of this dissertation, I have achieved fulfillment in my journey and personal quest for clarity and interpretation regarding written biblical prophecy and modern End of Times Theory.
The ‘sequence of events’ presented theoretically in this report have been carefully studied and developed from my own independent research. The subject matter, assumptions, hypotheses and predictions ascertained and derived from these studies have revealed a very logically reasonable, useful and applicable approach towards the design of a foundational platform relative to the exploration and theoretical conceptualization of Modern Eschatology and End Times Theory.
The original theories involved from eschatological conceptualization have been propagated and cultivated in scientific methodology. These ideas support the chronological timeline I will introduce and utilize to determine the order of related events and the variable dependencies consistent to these important eschatological events.
With my own theoretical orientation and understanding of modern religion, I will share my expectations for the near future and identify the components of our evolving global environment and its effect on modern society.
In all societies of humanity the demand and concern exists for the progressive development of a standard and universal timeline capable of determining a universal starting point or benchmark into the investigation of the claims and findings in the matter of End Times.
Most people want to know how and when they will perish or transcend to another level of existence.
The sources of indigenous information gathered from texts of Judaism and modern Christianity, the English-King James Version of the Holy Bible, the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, the five books of the Torah and several other ancient texts that will be mentioned later.
In the formation and support of these scientific findings and conclusions personal bias or prejudice has been intentionally avoided. The performance of analytical procedure involved in the conclusiveness of the study along with the literal and logical conclusions will provide substantial support of the original development of these theories. All comparative methodology is absent prejudice or personal bias, any type of my own personal opinions, personalized spiritual views or metaphysical beliefs. Only the symbolic context of the allegorical passages and words written in the Bible and related texts have been utilized in basing my premise towards theories relevant to the matter of End Times.
Subjective and exploratory minded studies and discussion have created a formation of the key principles and elements necessary to build this foundation for research and theoretical development in the End Times concept that we are experiencing now and in the future years to come. This combination of common facts and elements has revealed a reasonable timeline of events derived from prophetic verses in the Bible and has placed them into their proper areas.
The primary concepts of this study are to explain and identify:
1) The Sequence of Major End Time Events,
2) The Destiny of the Three Components of Humanity,
3) The Purpose and Length of the Great Tribulation,
4) The Purpose of the Rapture,
5) The Conditions Surrounding
the Second Coming,
6) The Purpose and Length of the Millennium, and
7) Eternity.
The Sequence of Major Events in End Times Theory:
Knowing the critical information of what happens and when
As confusing as it seems to initially appear, the sequence in which major End Times events will occur, actually comes in a very logical order. I believe that the most appropriate method for arriving at this conclusion would be to figure out the outcome of events using a methodology known in the business world as a ‘back scheduling exercise.’ This process involves going to the very end of a process and identifying the ‘final outcome.’ All of the environmental variables dependent to producing that specified outcome require organization. By listing the processes or events that have to happen to produce the ‘final outcome’ and then taking these processes or events and putting them in reverse order, from backing into the present, we have established a methodology to build our timeline of events.
Most everyone is familiar with the Second Coming and Eternity. Many also have heard of the Rapture of the Church and the Great Tribulation. There exists also the Millennial Kingdom, Daniel’s 70th Week, and the Battles of Ezekiel 38-39, Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17; several major events that have yet to transpire or come about. If we begin with the ‘final outcome’ and manage to work back toward the beginning of the list it appears like this:
Eternity is believed to be the ‘final outcome.’ Using the procedure that I have mentioned earlier,
The Kingdom Age or Millennium is the last event described in detail in the Bible. Eternity by definition means “the absence of time.”
The Bible states that the Lord’s 1000-year reign on Earth will precede Eternity. We can verify this by reading the very last chapter in the Book of Revelations. This final chapter speaks of trees on either side of the River of Life bearing a different fruit every month. In allegorical and linguistic terms this signifies that time still does exist. Let it be said that Eternity cannot happen until the Millennium is over.
Furthermore, we are led to believe that the Millennium will not begin until after the Second Coming. This is when the Lord will return to establish Heaven on Earth.
In accordance with [Matt. 24:29-30] the Second Coming will not occur until the end of the Great Tribulation.
Chronologically this cannot take place until the Antichrist stands in the Temple in Israel declaring himself to be God. [2 Thes. 2:4]
This is the event that Jesus warned Israel to watch out for as the commencement of the Great Tribulation. It is referred to as “The Abomination of Desolation” in [Matt. 24:15-21.]
[Daniel 9:27] It is specifically indicates that it will happen in the middle of the last seven year period, which scholars commonly refer to as Daniel’s 70th Week.
The Abomination of Desolation follows the construction of Israel’s Temple. Since nearly 70 AD the construction of a Temple in Israel has not been started or taken place, however there is word that the blueprints and that the engineering design for this project has been completed. A Temple will be built when the Jews officially decide they need one. Once God reinstates the Jew’s Old Covenant relationship then the need for a Temple will occur. Most believe that the Temple’s main purpose will be to provide the Jews with the opportunity to worship God according to the Old Covenant requirements.
Upon completion of the Temple, the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week will commence. According to scripture, The 70th Week will not begin until the Battle of [Ezekiel 38-39] ends favorably for the Jews. God will then use that battle to awaken Israel and reinstate His covenant with them.
In [Romans 11:25] Paul said Israel has been hardened in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in, a reference to the rapture of the Church, after which Israel will be saved. Understand that this means that the rapture has to happen before the Battle of Ezekiel 38.
The “Sequence of Major Events” in their proper chronological order:
● The Rapture of the Church
● The Battle of Ezekiel 38
● Daniel’s 70th week begins
● The Great Tribulation
● The Second Coming
● The Millennium
● Eternity
The ones familiar with written Scripture may believe that the timing of two of these events are somewhat debatable. These two less obvious events are the Rapture of the Church and the Battle of Ezekiel 38, which are the first two events on the list we created. As we explore these chronological events we will put them in their respective order and proper sequence. Using our previous approach of back scheduling allows us to begin with Ezekiel’s battle and work back to the Rapture.
“And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward.
Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore. And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezek 39:21-22, 28-29)
The Lord has declared that He will use Ezekiel’s battle to spiritually awaken His people and to call them to Israel from all parts of the world. This will result in the reinstatement of their Old Covenant relationship, reviving Daniel’s long dormant “70-Weeks” prophecy for its final seven years and requiring the construction of a holy Temple.
Without either one of these events occurring, the Jews will not be able to keep the Lord’s covenant.
Historically, this was proven during the captivity of Babylon. It occurred at the time that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple causing the annihilation and extinction of Israel. Scripture indicates that upon Cyrus the Persian defeating Babylon and freeing the Jews, that the Jews immediately began building the Temple upon their return to Israel. There can be no sacrifice for sin unless the Temple is in existence and without this sacrifice; Jews apparently are not able to approach God.
Both the Old and New Testaments refer to a Temple in Israel at the End of the Age. The only reason for a Temple is to perform the Old Covenant ordinances. If a group considered starting to build a Temple today, it would cause a huge uproar and most likely the occurrence of more aggressive attacks on one another from the Jews and Muslims. There must be a unified demand from the people of Israel accompanied by acceptance from the Muslims before the construction of a Temple is ever even fathomable. Allow me to elaborate on this concept.
Ezekiel’s battle must result in the reawakening of the Jewish nation of Israel to the presence of God in their national life. In return, the Muslims must be defeated and deterred from resisting the progress of the Jews in building their Temple of Old Covenant Worship.
Once these events are set in place, the perfect conditions will finally exist to start the building of the Temple. For these reasons, Ezekiel’s battle has to take place on the threshold of Daniel’s 70th week.
The Rapture of the Church logically has to occur after Ezekiel’s Battle
Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)
According to[ Ezek. 37:7-10] Israel would be reborn first in unbelief. Paul said they’ll remain partially estranged from God until the gentile Church reaches its full complement (predetermined number) and arrives at its destination. (The Greek word translated “fullness” in Romans 11:25 was a nautical term often used to describe the full complement of crew and cargo necessary to accomplish a ship’s mission. The ship couldn’t sail till those requirements were met. The one translated “come in” means to arrive at a designated place.)
The veil will then be pulled back as God reveals Himself to them again. As we saw above, He will use Ezekiel’s battle to begin this by renewing the Old Covenant with them, later transitioning Israel from the Old Covenant to the New toward the end of the Great Tribulation (Zech 12:10). Remember, if the Jews have not returned back to the Old covenant, they wouldn’t need a Temple.
After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ (Acts 15:13-18)
Nearly twenty years after the cross or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a common controversy arose as to whether the Gentiles had to become Jews before they could become Christians. If not, what would become of Israel? In effect, the Lord’s brother James explained to the Apostles and others present at the Council of Jerusalem that Israel was being temporarily set aside while God focused on the Church. After He had taken this “people for His name” (Christians) from among the Gentiles he would return and rebuild His Temple. (The Greek words translated taken means to carry something away or remove it from its place, so the passage implies that He would take the Church somewhere and then come back to rebuild the Temple, restore Israel, and give what’s left of mankind one final chance to seek Him).
These three Bible prophecies make it clear that as the End of the Age approaches, God will begin preparing Israel to be His once more. However, He will not be exclusively focused on them until He has finished building the Church and has taken us to our appointed place. And where is that?
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3) (He didn’t promise to come back to be with us here where we are, but to take us there, where He is.) After that He would see to Israel’s reawakening and the construction of their Temple.
Throughout Scripture, the Lord seems to be involved with either Israel or the Church, but never both at the same time. James bears this out in his pronouncement regarding the Church in [Acts 15.] All the leaders of the early church now knew that once God had accomplished His goals with the church, He would turn again to Israel, and that would signal the End of the Church Age.
There are two critical points to remember here. The first is that the Church didn’t end the Age of Law, but only interrupted it 7 years short of its scheduled completion. Those seven years, called the 70th Week of Daniel, have to be fulfilled to complete the Old Covenant. Secondly, the Old and New covenants, as practiced in Israel and the Church, are theologically incompatible, and therefore the two can only be on Earth at the same time while Israel is out of covenant. For Israel to return to the Lord, the Church has to be gone. For this reason, the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 are seen as the two most important signs of all that the End of the Age is upon us.
Two events not put into our sequence are the battles of [Psalm 83] and [ Isaiah 17]. When Israel wins these two battles all their next door enemies will be defeated and they will enter into a brief period of peace that sets the stage for Ezekiel’s Battle (Ezekiel 38:11). These conflicts will come either before or after the Rapture, but do have to happen before the Battle of Ezekiel 38 takes place.
The Sequence of Major Events are only the tip of the iceberg in reference to having complete knowledge of the major prophetic events that are still to come.
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