We worked very hard today, but were able to finish our brief study on the role that Moses and Elijah will play in the tribulation. We saw them appear together with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration encouraging him concerning what lay ahead in Jerusalem. Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:1-13, Luke 9:27-36, 2 Peter 1:16-18
Last week Moses and Elijah were identified as the two olive trees, the two anointed ones, and the two candlesticks. Today, we saw them identified as two witnesses – one on each side of the Jordan River along with a man clothed in linen in the middle of the river. Daniel 12:5-7
We took a brief look at the events of the tribulation leading up to and including the time of their mission in the great tribulation.
Daniel 9:27, 12:11-12 establish the time frame of their mission that we discussed last week in Revelation 11:3-19. The divine prophetic program clock will begin counting down to the 2nd Advent once we are caught away at the rapture. It is currently in “time out” during this time of the Mystery period known as the Dispensation of the Grace of God.
Our website rdtw.org has a full list of charts available at your disposal. Several deal with the tribulation specifically. They can help you visualize the time frame of events we have been discussing.
We know that the key event of the tribulation is the abomination of desolation which happens in the middle of the tribulation. Matthew 24:13-21, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
But, there are other events that occur before and after the abomination that fulfill God's plan in the tribulation. As Daniel stated, the Antichrist will establish a peace treaty with Israel for seven years, the exact time of Daniel's 70th week. In the midst of that week, exactly 1,290 days before the 2nd Advent, and 30 days before the man of sin is revealed as the son of perdition, he will outlaw the daily sacrifices.
This is the time when Moses and Elijah, the two witnesses, the two anointed ones arrive on the scene and begin their mission found in Revelation 11. As stated in this chapter, their mission will last exactly 42 months or 1,260 days or three and a half years. This means that their mission will end, and be killed, and be resurrected and called up to heaven about 30 days before the end of the tribulation when Jesus returns at the 2nd Advent to destroy the wicked and reward the just who are left alive at the end of days.
Daniel mentions another number of days – 1,335 days, and those who are blessed who make it to this time. If 1,290 days before the 2nd Advent is 30 days before the abomination, we can subtract 1,290 from 1,335, which will give us a difference of 45 days. Those who endure to the end of the tribulation, the wheat and the good fish of Matthew 13, the wise virgins and sheep nations of Matthew 25 all represent those described in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-11.
Matthew 5:3-11: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Even though we can seek to apply these great attitudes and actions in this current dispensation of grace, the DTDA, doctrinal application is about the qualifications for entering the millennial kingdom. All of these people are blessed, just like Daniel declares concerning those who live through the tribulation, and are rejoicing in the kingdom.
I encourage you all to watch today's video, because we covered so much more than I can write in this letter. All I can say is that Daniel 12 holds a wealth of prophetic information that matches up to many things found in Revelation. Enjoy the journey of Bible study, dear friends!
