I have often said (and heard people say), “I think the Rapture is close,” “We are SOOO close,” “I don’t see how the Rapture could not be close,” and more.

No one knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, so it is important to understand some of the reasons why people think this way.

First, many students of Bible prophecy know that the Tribulation Period will begin when the Antichrist confirms a covenant (peace agreement) with many for one week of years (7 years; Dan. 9:27).

There are differences of opinion, but some of these people believe in the pre-Trib Rapture (the idea that the Rapture will take place before the Tribulation Period begins (Zeph. 1:15; I Thess. 1:10, 5:9, etc.).

They know that Pres. Trump has promised to release his peace proposal in the next few weeks. A peace proposal is different from a peace treaty, and it is different from the Antichrist confirming a treaty; but a breakthrough could turn Pres. Trump’s peace proposal into a peace treaty in need of confirmation.

History is littered with failed Middle East peace proposals, but reports that Saudi Arabia has ordered PA Pres. Mahmoud Abbas to accept Pres. Trump’s proposal or resign means that things could be very different this time.

One of the big obstacles has been Arab refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish nation. It now appears that some of the Arabs have changed their position.

If a peace treaty is on the horizon, the Rapture is close.

Second, in that day (at the end of the age), war will break out between Israel and Syria (Isa. 17:1-14).

In late Nov. 2017, at Israel’s request, Russia delivered a warning from Israel to Syria: If you let Iran set up bases in Syria, we will attack them.

In early Dec. 2017, Israel attacked bases in Syria on at least two different occasions; and on Dec. 4, 2017, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. said war on Israel’s border could be just weeks (not months or years) away.

If war between Israel and Syria is just weeks away, the end of the age is close.

Third, on Dec. 6, 2017, Pres. Trump signed a Proclamation to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Although it will probably take a while to settle the issues surrounding the borders of Jerusalem and the controversy over the Temple Mount, many influential Jewish groups believe Pres. Trump’s Proclamation was a major step toward rebuilding the Temple.

But rebuilding the Temple is something that many evangelical Christians think will happen after the Rapture and very early in the Tribulation Period. They believe the Jews will accept the Antichrist as their Messiah, and the covenant he confirms will give them permission to rebuild the Temple (Jn. 5:43).

Anyway, if Pres. Trump’s Proclamation is a major step toward rebuilding the Temple, it is a major step toward the Rapture, because that will take place first.

Fourth, Mark Zell, head of the Republican Party in Israel, said Pres. Trump’s Proclamation “is part of a larger plan to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

In the latter years and latter days (Ezek. 38:16), a war called the Battle of Gog and Magog will break out between Israel and Iran (Ezek. 38-39). Troops from Iran and her allies (Russia, Turkey and others) will die on the mountains of Israel.

As noted above, Iran has recently established bases in Syria, and Israel has attacked them. Iran is also striving to build nuclear weapons, and Pres. Trump’s Proclamation appears to be part of a plan to stop that.

When this war breaks out, the latter years and latter days have arrived, and the Rapture is close.

Fifth, when asked about the signs of His coming and the end of the age (Matt. 24:3), Jesus responded, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree (Israel); When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves (starting to grow), ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matt. 24:32-33).

100 years ago, there was no Fig Tree nation of Israel. However, on Nov. 2, 1917, England’s Balfour Declaration called for the creation of a homeland for the Jews.

70 years ago, on Nov. 29, 1947, the UN Partition Plan called for the creation of a homeland for the Jews in Palestine. The Fig Tree nation of Israel came into being on May 14, 1948.

50 years ago, on June 5-10, 1967, the Six-Day War took place, and the Fig Tree nation of Israel grew by capturing East Jerusalem and the West Bank; but the UN refused to recognize that these areas were part of Israel.

On Dec. 6, 2017, Pres. Trump recognized that East Jerusalem belongs to Israel.

In 100 years (1917–2017), the Fig Tree nation of Israel has grown from a barren wasteland to a thriving nation of more than 7 million people that is the envy of the world.

This truth alone (the official expansion of Israel’s borders and development of the nation) causes many students of Bible prophecy to know that it is near (close), even at the doors.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com

The prophet Zechariah had a vision of a rider on a red horse (Zech. 1:7-17). This rider turned out to be THE (in Hebrew THE is emphasized) Angel of the LORD (capital LORD). Here, THE Angel of the LORD is Jesus (verse 11).

There were other riders on horses behind Jesus. Zechariah asked about them and he was told, “These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth” (Zech. 1:9-10).

This group of riders was an angel patrol that God had sent to patrol the earth. These angels had just returned with a report, “We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest” (Zech. 1:11). They found peace all over the earth.

In the last 5,000 years, historians say there have been more than 4,000 wars. Peace on earth is very rare. This time of peace on earth was at the end of the Babylonian captivity, and it was one of those very rare occasions.

Most would expect Jesus to be pleased with peace on earth, but there was something about it that troubled Him.

He asked God, “O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?” (Zech. 1:12).

There was peace on earth, but it was peace without Jerusalem and the surrounding towns. Without Jerusalem and the surrounding towns, Jesus couldn’t be born in Bethlehem, Ephratah; He couldn’t ride into Jerusalem on a donkey; He couldn’t suddenly appear at the Temple, and many other prophecies couldn’t be fulfilled.

There was peace on earth, but it was peace on earth on Satan’s terms, not God’s terms.

God said, “I am very sore displeased (very angry) with the heathen that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction” (Zech. 1:15). God didn’t like the attitude of the heathen (Gentiles) on earth.

Their attitude wasn’t a big problem at first when God allowed Babylon to put the Jews off the Promised Land for 70 years, but He was sore displeased 70 years later when they tried to keep Israel off the land forever. God said the Jews would return after 70 years, but Gentiles were trying to make Israel’s situation worse than God decreed by keeping the Jews off the land forever, not letting Jerusalem and the Temple be rebuilt, etc.

God’s punishment of Judah wasn’t enough for the Gentiles. They wanted to go beyond what God said. They wanted the permanent destruction of Judah.

God wasn’t pleased with this. He said the Seed of Woman would bruise Satan’s head, and it had to happen. Nations cannot be allowed to prevent the Word of God from being fulfilled.

This brings us to Zechariah’s second vision (Zech. 1:18-21).

First, Zechariah saw “four horns,” (kings, kingdoms or nations; Dan. 7:24; Rev. 17:12). He was told, “These horns are the kingdoms or nations that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem” (Zech. 1:19).

Next, Zechariah saw “four carpenters.” He was told, “These are come to fray (punish) them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles (heathen), which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it” (Zech. 1:21). These four carpenters represent things or nations that God has sent to tear down and get rid of those that are adding to Judah’s punishment.

These visions apply to Zechariah’s day, but the things in the Old Testament are examples for us today (I Cor. 10:11).

God is gathering the Jews back to the Promised Land (Isa. 43:5-8). He gave all of the Promised Land to Israel forever (Gen. 17:7-8).

The angel Gabriel said the Antichrist will stop the animal sacrifices at the middle of the seventieth week (Dan. 9:27). Paul said, the Antichrist will sit in the Temple and say that he is God (II Thess. 2:3-4).

Many Gentiles are trying to stop Israel from getting all of the Promised Land, stop Israel from rebuilding the Temple, resuming the animal sacrifices, etc.

World leaders think they can have peace on earth by dividing Jerusalem and the Promised Land, giving part or all of Jerusalem and the Promised Land to the Muslims, etc., but they can’t because every jot and tittle of God’s Word must be fulfilled.

At the time of the end, the Antichrist must arrive, the Temple must be rebuilt. The animal sacrifices must resume, etc. U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a major indicator of things to come.

Before the Temple is rebuilt, members of the religion of peace will schedule days of anger, rage and violence to protest the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but eventually there will be a false peace, and the Temple will be rebuilt.

When that false peace treaty is signed, God’s day of wrath will begin (Rev. 6:16). He will use four horsemen (called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) to fray the world (Rev. 6:1-8).

There may not be a connection, but one of those horsemen will ride a red horse like THE Angel of the LORD in Zechariah 1:8. The rider on the red horse will remove peace from the earth (Rev. 6:3-4).

Thankfully, the Church won’t be here when the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse come forth. You see, the sudden destruction will come upon them (the lost) when they (the lost) say “Peace and safety” (I Thess. 5:3).

The lost will wrongly say “Peace and safety” before the sudden destruction comes (Pre-Trib). They won’t say “Peace and safety” halfway through the Tribulation Period (Mid-Trib) or near the end of it (Post-Trib).

Christmas is near, and many people will talk about peace on earth, but they are not interested in, or anxious for, the return of Jesus. They don’t seem to realize that there won’t be peace on earth until Jesus returns (Dan. 9:24). If Jesus doesn’t return, no flesh will be saved, but Jesus will return (Matt. 24:22; Acts 1:11).

Anyway, Israel needs at least some control over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount to think that they are secure enough to rebuild the Temple. Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is a giant step in that direction. More steps are needed, but the ball is rolling.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com