Eschatology

Dr. Neil Sawatzky explains what Isaiah's Prophecy of Peace is about. When will it take place?

The 144,000

Literal interpretation = 144,000 people

1. Where Do We Find the 144,000?

Revelation 7:4

"Then I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

Revelation 14:1

"Then I looked. The Lamb was standing on Mount Zion and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Revelation 14:3

They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.

2. Who Are The 144,000?

"out of every tribe of the children of Israel:"

Juda - twelve thousand.

Reuben - twelve thousand.

Gad - twelve thousand.

Aser - twelve thousand.

Nephthalim - twelve thousand.

Manasses - twelve thousand.

Simeon - twelve thousand.

Levi - twelve thousand.

Issachar - twelve thousand.

Zabulon -twelve thousand.

Joseph -twelve thousand.

Benjamin -twelve thousand.

3. The Difference in Listing the 12 Tribes

Dan - Manasses-Ephraim

4. The Responsibility of the 144,000

They will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom

Revelation 14:6

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,"

They will fulfill the promise of Jesus Christ:

Matthew 24:14

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The Greatest Revival on Earth

Rev 7:9-17

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

UNTIL THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN.

GLOBALISM

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Rom 11:25

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Luke 21:24

"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

I. The Beginning of Global Gentile Prominence

a. The rising of Gentile prominence - Babylonia 2000-1900 B.C

b. The Key figure was Hammurabi who enshrined the famous code of Hammurabi

Britannica - "These 282 case laws include economic provisions:

(prices, tariffs, trade, and commerce),

family law (marriage and divorce), as well as

criminal law (assault, theft)

and civil law (slavery, debt).

II. The Revelation of Gentile Prominence - Neo Babylon - 626 BC - 539 BC

The 7 Heads and Ten Horns:

Egypt

Assyria

Babylon (lion-Daniel 7:4)

Medo-Persia (bear-Daniel 7:5)

Greece (leopard-Daniel 7:6)

Rome

Future Revived Roman Empire.

Rev 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

When is the fullness of the Gentiles?

Antichrist rule

God's judgments of Rev and the seven bowls of wrath

Israel restored and Gentile nations destroyed - Goat nations

Israel in Blessing becomes the end of world history.

1. Israel's Deep Spiritual Beginnings

Genesis 32:24-25

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

Hosea 12:4-5

4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

5 Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.

II. Israel's Rejection of the Theocracy

1 Samuel 8:7

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee:

for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

III. Israel's Path to Discipline

a. The critical division within

b. Long history of rebellion, disobedience and punishment

c. The Northern Kingdom had only wicked leadership

d. The Northern Kingdom taken captive in 722 B.C.

Shalmaneser invaded Israel and laid siege to Samaria, the capital of the kingdom. During the siege he died, and was succeeded by Sargon II

The Northern Kingdom has not recovered, but have been dispersed world wide.

e. Judah followed similar behavior

Jeremiah 3:8

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

1. Babylon invaded and destroyed Jerusalem 606 BC

2. Judah returned to Jerusalem 444 BC by command of King Artaxerxes I (445 or 444 BC)

3. Jerusalem destroyed by Titus of Rome 70 AD

4. The Sanhedrin disbanded in 425 AD

We see the Patience of God over a period of 1500 years when His children rebelled and disobeyed

We see the Punishment upon extreme wickedness from the Northern Kingdom

We see the Passion of God in restoring the Southern Kingdom

We see the Persistence of God as He chastises disobedient Israel for more the 1900 years until today.