As the timeline of history was starting to be put together a half-century ago, no one imagined that we would also be able to eventually know the exact timing of the end of it all. Part I of this discussion traced work from the Old Testament, taking us from creation in 11,013 BC to the period of the kings of the nation of Israel. Part II completed the Old Testament calendar and explored the evidence of the time of Christ on earth around 2000 years ago. Finally, all of this effort has paid off, as we can pinpoint the key end dates of our universe. Keep in mind that the Bible was written down over a 1500-year period by dozens of different people. Yet, when we tie everything together, each date fits precisely into a well-planned and perfectly executed schedule. The various Biblical patterns and systems, often focusing on time and numbers, are our proofs that we have been guided to truth very accurately.
Though we are to look internally into the Bible to find truth, it must direct us to the timing of something special out in our world if we are to realize that we are near the time of the end. We need a reference point, a time marker, to begin putting together the final pieces of earth’s calendar. We are given that clue in Mark 13:28, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near.” National Israel is often characterized as the fig tree in the Bible, and this particular chapter is focusing on signs of Christ’s return. This verse, in essence, is anticipating the return of Israel as a viable world nation, something incredible to have predicted, considering that they were completely destroyed back in 70 AD.
The Nation of Israel became a legitimate country on Pentecost, May 14, 1948. Mark 13:28 above says that means that “summer is near,” surely hinting at future dates in history. To figure out this reference to summer, we have to take another look at three of ancient Israel’s annual feast days. Passover and the accompanying Feast of Unleavened Bread were observed in the spring, a reminder of Egypt’s trials, and of finally leaving Egypt. Spiritually, it pointed to Christ as the sacrificial lamb, who is the first of the first fruits. Approximately 50 days later, the people celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, in which the first fruits of harvest were gathered from the spring planting. Then, near the end of summer in the 7th month, Israel observed the Feast of Ingathering, in which they rejoiced over the final harvest of the year. However, a year in the life of the Israelites was actually a condensed representation of the entire salvation program throughout history. The three feast days correspond to three seasons, in which external representations of the Kingdom of God reflect God’s work of salvation (harvesting souls) in three distinct eras. These eras are spoken of metaphorically as periods of rain (Joel 2:23), which naturally lead to a harvest. Ancient national Israel represents the first season, the first of the first fruits. The symbol of the Kingdom of God then shifted to the churches in 33 AD, as they became a picture of the fruit brought in on the Feast of Pentecost. Finally, as we will see more clearly, God’s plan includes a final great gathering of individual people into his eternal flock near the end of the world, characterized by the Feast of Ingathering, and labeled the latter rain. The phrase “summer is near,” then, means that this last large salvation effort would begin shortly after Israel became a nation once again in modern times.
In searching out the next important end date, we again look to the Jubilee Year, a time every 50th year for Israel to free all the servants and declare the gospel of salvation. It’s interesting that there is very little Biblical commentary about its actual observance, and so its real purpose is for us to figure out end times in our day. The battle of Jericho, described in the book of Joshua, is an actual event that is also a parable of the end of the world. Checking the original Hebrew wording very carefully, Joshua 6:4 correctly translated reads “seven rams’ horns of the jubilees,” pointing to two Jubilees overall. The start of the church age was the first Jubilee, in which the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts chapter 2), but Acts 2:17 and Joel 2:28 refer to pouring out the Holy Spirit again in the last days, a second Jubilee. Counting 50 year intervals from 1407 BC, when Israel entered the land of Canaan, the first Jubilee Year after Israel became a nation in 1948 is 1994. (Remember, in going from BC to AD subtract one year, as there is no year zero.) This year would seem to be the likely year for the start of the final harvest of souls.
To find more Biblical data to corroborate the importance of the year 1994, we can look for time patterns. As mentioned in Part II, Jacob was born in 2007 BC, David became king in 1007 BC and Jesus was born in 7 BC. With these 1000 year increments, it follows that 1994 is exactly 2000 years from the birth of Christ, with all dates in Jubilee Years- hardly a coincidence! This 2000 year interval is depicted as the 2000 cubit space (Joshua 3:4) between the ark of the covenant (God) and the people of Israel as they crossed the Jordan river into the promised land of Canaan.
There is another 1/3-2/3 time sequence that is even more convincing for verifying that 1994 is a special year. As the Holy Bible has three seasons, it also has three tribulations. These are periods of great trouble, in which the underlying spiritual lesson is that the anticipated salvation has been interrupted. The first tribulation focuses on 1877 BC, when Jacob had to leave the promised land of Canaan after two years (23 months) of a seven-year famine. The key date of the second tribulation is 587 BC, when Judah, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, 23 years after Judah had lost its independence. The interval between these two events is 1,290 years. We can study Daniel 12:11 to learn about this tribulation pattern. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be 1290 days.” The Bible is saying here that the time span between events when God is no longer paying for sin is in multiples of 1,290 days. However, Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34 are two examples where God allows the substitution of years for days, thus 1290 years fits. The third tribulation is spoken of in Matthew 24:21 as “great tribulation,” and the context is near the end of time. If we count 2 times 1290 years (2,580) from the second tribulation in 587 BC we do land right on 1994. How could this be a time of great trouble if God is saving a great multitude of souls?
We have to realize that if 1994 is the start of the 2nd Jubilee, the 1st Jubilee, the church age, must have already ended. If there is a great harvest, it must be taking place outside of all the churches. This is certainly a “great tribulation” for all of the denominations of the world. The end of the church age is the next date we must find. In looking at the first two tribulations, we can see that they are each of two parts, separated by the main, terrible event. These first parts feature the number 23 (23 months and 23 years), and are a period of famine, either physically or spiritually. Again we go to the book of Daniel for help, (8:13-14) “…How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?…Unto 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” We can take one more piece of information from Revelation 8:1, “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” The book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, speaks of the great tribulation as “1 hour” in a number of places. God is teaching that during the first part of the great tribulation, virtually no one was being saved (silence in heaven), which of course is a spiritual famine. Going back in time 2300 days from 1994, we can now feel confident that sometime in 1988 the church age would end, and the great tribulation would start. Note that 1988 is 13,000 years to the very year from creation. The great tribulation would proceed for 2300 days with no salvation taking place throughout the world, and then the final harvest would begin.
Recall that in Part II of this study, the Jubilee Year was memorialized every year on the 1st day of the 7th month. In 1994, that memorial fell on September 7. Using that as the logical start of the latter rain ingathering, backtracking 2300 days puts us on May 21, 1988, the day before Pentecost. It makes sense that the church age would start on Pentecost in 33 AD and end on the day before Pentecost, exactly 1,955 years to the very day, as Pentecost happens to be May 22 in both years.
We must now look for the ending of the great tribulation. The first 2 tribulations highlight the number 84 in their total duration. Jacob’s famine lasted 84 months (7 years), and Judah’s captivity ended after 840 months (70 years). Also, the first part of each tribulation is about 30% of their total tribulation time. If the great tribulation began with a 2300 day period, the pattern would dictate that the total length of time would be 8400 days. Counting 8400 days from May 21, 1988 we end up at May 21, 2011, which is exactly 23 years to the very day! That means that the second half of the great tribulation lasts for 6100 days, or 17 years.
Matthew chapter 24 again helps us with our calendar. Verse 29 reads: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened…” On May 21, 2011, all those that God saved will receive their glorified spiritual bodies and ascend into heaven – the salvation plan will be completed. However, for those left behind, it will be the beginning of the 5 month day of judgment.
The nation of Israel had one final observance, the 8 total days of the Feast of Tabernacles. It pointed to the fulfillment of God’s word, a tribute to the Bible itself, of which the completion of the judgment process is the final act. The feast of Tabernacles in the Biblical calendar in 2011 ends on October 20. However, the completion of Solomon’s temple, a picture of God completing his eternal church in heaven, had its dedication extended 1 day, as the people couldn’t travel home on a Sabbath day (II Chronicles 7:10). This actually moves the date of the end of the universe 1 day to October 21, 2011, when the earth and all it’s works will be burned up (II Peter 3:10,12).
From May 21, 2011 to October 21, 2011 is 153 days, or exactly 5 months. John 21:11 talks about 153 fish caught in the net and pulled to land, a metaphor for those safely in the arms of Christ during this time. Revelation 9:5 addresses the 5 months specifically: “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months…” This is the extra final punishment mentioned in Luke 12:47 for those who are not taking this message seriously.
Vince Des Roches resides in Napa Valley, California.
His website – http://www.areyouwatchingorsleeping.com/ – contains a great deal of information on history’s timeline, end times, and God’s Salvation Plan.
Related Stories:
Harold Camping: False Prophet or Herald of God?
It is Finished: God’s Final Warning
Assembling the Timeline of History – Part I
Assembling the Timeline of History – Part II
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