Concerning the return of Jesus to the earth, here is what we know for certain: He came before, He promised to come again.
History is replete with many myths. There is no shortage of colorful people who have made grandiose claims over the years of recorded history. There are many critics of the Bible today who claim that Jesus is a fictitious person who never existed. When we examine the actual facts of antiquity, we find that Jesus not only existed and is a genuine person, history has left us a tremendous amount of proof for His existence. The detailed records of the Roman Senate, as well as the Jewish Talmud, both contain specific references to Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. These records are not complimentary nor sympathetic parties, but adversarial and hostile witnesses who describe Him as a false prophet, disrupter of the peace, and the cause of great uprising in Palestine during that period of history. The Romans and the Jews had no desire to preserve any record of Jesus life or death, yet this is precisely what they accomplished by their antagonistic comments in their preserved documents.
The records of the Romans and the Jews, both reveal that Jesus was in Palestine during the same time period of time that the New Testament narrative also places Him there.
There is no mistake, Jesus is a real person of history and He was in Israel in 32 A.D.
Near the end of His ministry, Jesus promised His followers that He would come again when everything was ready. There were many events of world history that needed to take place first, before He could return. When theses things were completed, He said that He would come again.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:2-3
Part of the problem in our understanding of the correct timing for Jesus return, has to do with our lack of information regarding the specifics of the Rapture. We simply do not know how much time will take place between the promise of Jesus arrival for His church in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, and the fulfillment of that promise. This is a common difficulty in interpreting all of the major prophecies of the Bible.
When Daniel was given the prophecy of seventy weeks, there were three parts to this prophecy.
First, seven, seven’s, or 49 years, in which the temple would be rebuilt.
Second, a period of sixty-two weeks, a period of time that must transpire before the Messiah would arrive at Jerusalem.
Third, the period of time between the sixty-ninth week and the seventieth, when God would complete all the prophecies which concern Israel and the Jews.
Daniel understood that the entire prophecy that he was given, would be fulfilled many years later.
We have a similar dilemma today. This is why so many people who study the Bible and the events of the last days, have conflicting views on when Jesus will return.
Concerning the seventy years that the Jews were in captivity at Babylon, Daniel read Jeremiah’s prophecy in chapter 25 of his book, and understood that the Jews were nearing the end of this captivity. God was going to release His people and allow them to return to Israel, rebuilt the temple, rebuild the city, and live in their own land again.
A similar event took place during our lifetime.
Ezekiel 36 and 37 describes Israel returning to their land in the last days, after having been disbursed all over the world for the past 2,000 years. The reason that the Jews lost their land is due to their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. When He came to the leaders of Israel, in fulfillment of all the Hebrew prophecies of the Old Testament, they would not accept that Jesus was the One who was described.
Jesus told these leaders that because they had not recognized the time of their visitation by the Messiah, their “house wold be left desolate.”
(Jesus speaking) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate… Matthew 23:37-38
Just 38 years later, in 70 A.D., Titus destroyed the city and the Temple, and all the records which contained the chronicles for the genealogies of all Jews, were burned. These records were necessary for any person who might claim to be the Messiah, to validate His claim—by the first requirement: He must be descended from Abraham, and from David. Since the Messiah had already arrived, God allowed these genealogical records to be destroyed in 70 A.D. This event is described in the book “The Prophecies of the Messiah.”
“About the middle of May, 70 A.D., Titus ordered the construction of a siege wall—all around the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the newly built third wall with a battering ram. The Antonia Fortress of Herod was taken just north of the Temple Mount. As fighting ensued inside Jerusalem, the Jews were forced into the Temple, as a second attempt at negotiating a cease fire failed.[1]
One of the Roman soldiers threw a burning spear into the wall of the Temple, setting it on fire. Titus had not planned to destroy the temple, but we should remember that Jesus had predicted that not one stone would be left upon another when He pronounced judgement on the Jews for their rejection of Him as the Messiah. Titus had originally determined that he would take the Temple and turn it into a Roman temple, dedicated to the Roman emperor. The fire that spread throughout the Temple building, quickly destroyed the entire structure.”[2]
After 70 A.D., any person who would claim to be the Messiah, would not be able to validate this claim from the records of Israel that would prove he was from Abraham and David. Without this first requirement, no person could really prove that he was the promised Messiah.
Josephus, describes the destruction of Jerusalem, in which 1.1 million Jews were killed by Roman soldiers under Titus leadership. Another 97,000 were taken as captives of war. Thousands more were sold as slaves, with millions of Jews being dispersed all over the world. This entire event is recorded in Josephus’ record of Israel from that period of history called, The Wars of the Jews, Book 5 Chapter 22 Sections 1-3.[3]
The prophecies of the last days, have gaps
As we examine all of the major prophecies of the Messiah, the Jews, and the last days, we see that the Lord has built into these prophecies, durations of time that cannot be perceived when reading the prophecies themselves.
The gap between the sixty-ninth week of Daniel and the seventieth week, is at least two thousand years in duration. The end of sixty-ninth week came when Jesus announced to the Jews that He was the Messiah in 32 A.D. When we read Daniel’s prophecy, we do not see this great expanse of time. We know only that there are breaks in Daniel’s prophecy, but we do not know how much time is required between each successive part of the prophecy:
Seven weeks: 49 years, the second Temple will be rebuilt.
Sixty-two weeks: 483 years, until the Messiah will come to Jerusalem.
One week: Seven years, when the seven year tribulation will begins and all Israel will be saved.
We see this demonstrated in the actual history of the Jews.
In 536 B.C., Cyrus orders the temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt, in response to Nehemiah’s request. Cyrus is considered a living God to his people. Therefore, his word cannot be altered or ended once he has spoken, even by himself. It is interesting that when Cyrus gives this order to rebuilt the temple, it was not carried out for another seventeen years. Why? God had ordered that the “Desolations” of Israel should last seventy years, by the prophet Jeremiah.
…behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the LORD, “and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. —Jeremiah 25:9
in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Daniel 9:2
Earthly kings may make their decrees, but it is the timing and sovereignty of the Lord that determines when events will take place. Israel needed to finish their seventy years of desolations before God would allow them to rebuild their Temple at Jerusalem. If the temple had begun in 536 B.C., when Cyrus ordered its construction, the prophecy of Daniel 25 and Daniel 9, would not have been fulfilled. When God speaks a word of prophecy, it will be fulfilled, precisely as He has said—regardless of what governments, kings, or religious leaders determine.
The “Desolations” of Israel did not end until December 17, 520 B.C. Seven days later, on the 24th day of December, 520 B.C., the second year of Darius the king of Persia, the Temple foundation was laid. This was the ninth month of the Jewish calendar (December).[4]
Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid—consider it: Haggai 2:18
Three years later, in 517 B.C., the second Temple was completed.
In this illustration, we see how the gaps between individual parts of one prophecy may take many hundreds or thousands of years to complete. We have looked at the signs in the heavens that the Lord has given us with the recent four blood moon’s and rightly determined that God is about to do something spectacular concerning Israel. We were guessing that this may be the beginning of the seven year Tribulation period, which Daniel describes as specifically applicable to Israel. Before the Tribulation can begin, the time of Jesus wrath, His church must be removed from the earth at the Rapture.
The Tribulation is the time of Jesus wrath
And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! Revelation 6:15-16
Paul wrote to Jesus church and said that we are not appointed to experience Jesus wrath, but His salvation.
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:9
The seven year Tribulation is a duration of time that God has specifically appointed for the nation of Israel and the Jews, to complete the prophecies of Daniel chapter 9 (70th week) and bring the Jews into a knowledge of their true Messiah. This time is not for the church of Jesus Christ.
In September, 2015, not only did we have the fourth of four blood moon’s, we also had the last three Feasts of Israel. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the first four of these feasts upon His first arrival on earth. He did this for a reason; He was planning to return for His church, at the Rapture, on the day of the Feast of Trumpets.
Many people have said, “now wait a minute, didn’t Jesus say that no man knows the day or the hour of His return.” Yes He did. What many people do not know is that the Feast of Rosh Hashanah, or Trumpets, was called “No man knows the day or the hour,” because its beginning was determined by the start of the New moon, which could come at any time. It was only by watching for the end of the crescent of the moon, until it became the new moon, that two witnesses could ride into Jerusalem and announce to the Sanhedrin that the Feast of Trumpets had begun.
When Jesus said that “no man knows the day or the hour,” He was telling us that He would return during this fifth feast, Trumpets.
When we had the Feast of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles—all in the month of September, 2015, and the fourth blood moon, on Tabernacles, it would be very reasonable to conclude that Jesus may come for His church during the feast of Trumpets on September 13-14, 2015.
Many people did not understand that all anyone can do is to watch for the signs that come to us from God, compare these signs with what the Bible says, and then make a reasonable estimate for the time when Jesus may return. Personally, I think that September, 2015, held the greatest prospect for the return of Jesus for His church, in all the 40 years that I have known Jesus as my Savior.
Just because the Lord did not arrive, and the Tribulation has not begun, does not mean that the events of September, 2015, were not pinnacle to the prophecies of the last days. We are seeing phenomenal events unfold at the present time.
One: a nuclear proliferation treaty with Iran, which greatly jeopardizes Israel.
Two: an American president who is perceived as weak and unwilling to take any serious military action to stop Russia or Iran.
Three: Russian president, Putin, who is using this weakness of president Obama, to move into the middle east.
Four: Increased violence in Israel by Palestinians that may lead to a new war in the Middle East.
These events will only spell certain danger for Israel. The prime minister of Israel; Benjamin Netanyahu, understands this threat. It is certain that he is near the time when he will order a pre emptive strike against Iran. This will draw Russian into the conflict, and likely begin the events of God and Magog, which are destined to be fulfilled just prior to, or just after, the beginning of the seven year Tribulation period. This event may in fact, be the reason that a seven year peace treaty is signed between Israel and the surrounding nations. This seven year treaty will be the beginning of the seven year Tribulation. Before this event takes place, Jesus should return to remove His church from the world.
We are living during some of the most exciting days of human history. Although the world is not looking for the return of Jesus, we who know Him and love Him, are ever-watching for His soon return. When we see events that are taking place around the world and compare these things with what the Bible states about the last days, we are struck by the similarities.
One of the most stunning facts of the present history of earth is the callous disregard for God and His Bible. Paul warned that in the last days, just prior to Jesus return, those who claim to know God, will fall away and no longer walk with Jesus in fellowship. They will begin to believe the lies of the enemy that Jesus is not coming again and they can live their lives any way they choose.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God… 2 Timothy 3:1-4
…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of Jesus coming? 2 Peter 3:3-4
Just prior to the flood of Noah, in which all the people of the earth perished, Chapter six of Genesis describes the condition of the human heart as continually toward evil, with every thought and intent directed at sin.
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5
Jesus later said that just prior to the time of His return, the hearts of people would again manifest themselves as those during the days of Noah. When Lot was living in the city of Sodom and grieved daily by the sins of men who were having sex with other men, suddenly destruction came upon that city from God, and everyone perished. Jesus said that conditions on the earth will be the same when He returns again.
And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Luke 17:26-30
We watch the events that are taking place in Israel today, with great interest. With the advent of the fourth blood moon, which is a sign to Israel that God is acting in events that will lead to the seven year Tribulation, we must pay attention. I will post additional updates to this article in coming days, as the events that are taking place in Israel continue…
See also:
The 365 Messianic Prophecies of Jesus
The Final Blood Moon of September 28, 2015, Arrives; Now What?
A Lack of Respect for the Word of God: A Sign of Jesus Return
The Seven Year Peace Plan And Rebuilding The Third Temple In Israel
Who Is Like The Beast?
Why The Rapture Is Called: “No Man Knows The Day or the Hour”
A Discussion With a Dear Jewish Friend, Regarding Messiah
Does The Bible Teach a Rapture Before the Tribulation?
The Relationship Between the Blood Moon of September 2015 and Jesus Return
Strategic September: Israel, Iran and The Coming Tribulation
Forgetting the Rapture
NOTES:
[1] Ibid.
[2] “The Prophecies of the Messiah,” by Robert Clifton Robinson, Chapter 45, Amazon Kindle Edition.
[3] 1. Flavius Josephus. The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. Containing The Interval Of About Three Years. From The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus To The Sedition At Cyrene. Book V Chapter 22, sections 1-3.
2. Flavius Josephus. The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem. BOOK VI. Containing The Interval Of About One Month. From The Great Extremity To Which The Jews Were Reduced To The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus.. Book VI. Chapter 1.1.
[4] The Jews begins their first month in April
Categories: Fulfilling Daniel's Chapter 9, Jesus confirmed by secular sources, Jesus is the Messiah, Rosh Hashanah and the Rapture, The Prophecy of Daniel 9, The Seven Year Tribulation, The Tribulation Period, Watching for Jesus return
Robert Clifton Robinson 
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