Jesus was cursing the fig tree for having no leaves representing Israel for having no life after all He has done for them. In Matt. 24.33, Jesus says His return is "very near" after Israel becomes a nation again, branches beginning to bud (v.32), so within a lifetime of 75 years (Ps. 90.10) from 1948. No later than 2023! The 7-year Tribulation can't start any later than 2016. Jesus said the disciples could not know when He returns prior to Israel becoming a nation again.
Even then most people won't know so they are told to be watchful for Jesus will come like a thief in the night, "but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thess. 5.4). "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you" (1 Thess. 5.1).
Jesus doesn't contradict Himself when He said "you can know" (Matt. 24.33) when He returns after Israel is a nation again (v.32) then turn around and say you can't know (vv.35-36). Hence, the latter passage is referring to "earth shall pass away" after the 1000 year reign with a rod of iron, not to when Jesus returns. Rods of iron are for earth not for heaven. Jesus returns 1000 years before the end of the 1000 year reign on earth. That would be weird if Jesus returns the day the earth ends because there would be no mount of olives to step down on (Zech. 14.4). The reason why you can't know when the 1000 years starts is because we are not quite sure when it begins at the consummation of this age either at the start of the Tribulation or at the end of the Tribulation or somewhere in between.
We are also told to look for signs in the cosmos for when the Tribulation starts. In the 6th seal, Rev. 6.12 (Joel 2.31, Acts 2.20) says 3 things must occur before the Tribulation starts since the 7th seal opens up the loud 7 trumpets of the Tribulation. The first rapture according to readiness (Rev. 3.10, Luke 21.36) is "before the throne" (7.9) in 3rd heaven before the 1st trumpet (8.7) commences the Tribulation. The resurrection is at the start of the last trumpet (11.15) which is the harvest (14.14-16) to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4.14-18).
"When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood" (Rev. 6.12).
First, a great earthquake! The second greatest number of deaths occurred in Haiti 2010 and most per capita 1 in 27 people. The 4th or 5th greatest in magnitude occurred in Japan 2011 and was the greatest financial loss. Never before in history have two earthquakes of such massive proportions occurred back to back, year over year.
Second, a black sackcloth solar eclipse! There are 4 kinds of solar eclipses. The rarest is the Hybrid occurring about 5% of the time. There are 3 kinds of Hybrids, the rarest being the H3 about 5% of the time which finishes off as a total eclipse to produce that black sackcloth effect. The 4th long H3 since Christ is Nov. 3, 2013. It won't happen again till 2172.
Third, a red blood moon lunar eclipse! The rarest kind of lunar eclipse is the lunar tetrad. A tetrad is when there are 4 red blood moon total eclipses in a row over two years. And it is even rarer when it lands on passover, tabernacles, and again on passover and tabernacles. Passover is the first of Israel's seven feasts representing atonement. And Tabernacles is the last feast pointing to the future millennial kingdom when Jesus returns to tabernacle with us. The 6th Total Lunar Tetrad since Christ was 1949/50. Israel became a nation May 14, 1948 and signed the Armistice treaties in 1949. The 7th feast Tetrad was 1967/68. Israel took over Jerusalem June 7, 1967. This is the first time in history two feast Tetrads were this close 18 years apart. The 8th Tetrad is 2014/15 and won't happen again for nearly 600 years in 2582/83. There is no unique solar eclipse next to that Tetrad way off into the future. As a double fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, it would take seven sets of seven years from the declaration to rebuild the Temple for it to be completed. This is 17,640 days or 360 days/yr x 7 sets of 7 years (Dan. 9.25). From June 7, 1967 to Sept. 23, 2015 is also 17,640 days. This day happens to be the Day of Atonement which is 10 days after the first rapture Feast of Trumpets.
Considering these undeniable facts, the Tribulation can't start before 2015. Next, we need a 2,520 day period for the Tribulation since all of Daniel's sixty-nine sevens are 2,520 days each. 2,520 is the smallest number divisible by all numbers 2 to 10 as Daniel's basic working prophetic unit. This is triply confirmed since Jesus was "cut off" (Dan. 9.26) after 69 sets of seven years or 173,880 days from the declaration to rebuild the temple Nisan 1, 444 BC (Neh. 2.1). This takes us to Nisan 10, Monday, Mar. 28, 33 AD (Gregorian), the day Jesus entered Jerusalem and the first day of the four day inspection of the lamb. The 4 day inspection was Mar. 28, 29, 30, 31. Jesus was captured on Thursday, Mar. 31 then He died on the cross Nisan 14, Passover, Friday, April 1, 33 AD what Satan calls April Fool's Day. The first 4 feasts refer to the following: atonement, set apart for three days, resurrected and Holy Spirit indwells. Since the last 3 feasts pertain to Jesus' second coming (rapture, salvation, millennium) and the first of those feasts deals with the first rapture (Rev. 7.9), the 2,520 day period must count down from Feast of Trumpets. There is no holiday on the 2,520th day in 2023 from Feast of Trumpets in 2016.
The 2,520th day from Feast of Trumpets Sept. 14, 2015 takes us to Sunday Aug. 7, 2022. Yet I could find no holiday on that day either until I realized when Tisha B'Av falls on a Saturday it is held the day after instead. So is the case in 2022. Tisha B'Av was when the 1st and 2nd Temples were destroyed. This is of great significance because Jesus returns to reign in the 3rd Temple (2 Thess. 2.4, Rev. 11.2) for 1000 years (20.2-7) over the nations with His overcomers (2.26, 20.4-6) and a rod of iron (12.5). He returns with 10,000 of His overcomers (Jude 14,15), the 5 wise virgins (Matt. 25.1-13). The 5 unwise virgins though saved and have eternal life which can never be lost (John 10.28) would not be included in the first rapture nor the return to reign during the 1000 years. They would be resurrected at last trumpet. This is accountability for Christians to "overcometh" mentioned 7 times in Rev. 2 & 3. Christians all overcome but not at the same time. There is a firstfruits (12.5, 14.1-5) and later harvest (14.14-16), advanced parties and harbingers in every sphere. Many Christians prefer to be tied down to the world like a balloon unwilling to be released so they shall lose this reward by being cast into outer darkness, outside the light of reward of reigning with Christ during the millennium.
Outer darkness is like being in the forest and seeing a beautifully lit cabin but not allowed to enter until the occupants come out to take them to the mansion. Or it is like painting a house, but if you are sloppy with the paint getting it all over yourself, you will need to remove it with some solvent like gasoline which stings before you can enter the shower.
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It's really quite elementary dear Watson.
Since Jesus' return is "very near right at the door"...
The Total Lunar Tetrads Tell Us When Jesus Returns
savedwheat 10-18-2011 01:07 PM