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The Patriarchs
As we study the Old testament we realize that the lives and decisions of our forefathers were used by God to teach us about faith and as a pattern of prophetic events.

Old Testament Pattern		New Testament Parallel
Event	Detail	Event	Detail
Sin Begins	A snake tempts the woman to eat forbidden fruit	Idolatry	A snake tempts the church (woman) to change the law of God, a forbidden action
Cain and Abel	Cain murders Abel over religion. Cain broke the law by creating his own offering	Martyrs	The wicked murder the righteous over religion. The wicked create their own system of religion
Noah	Noah warns the world for 120 years that the earth will be destroyed by a flood	Remnant	They warn the world that the earth will be destroyed by fire
Flood	Noah waits seven days in the ark for the Flood that destroys the earth	Second Coming	The righteous wait seven days in booths for the end of the world
Son Sacrificed	Abraham attempts to sacrifice Isaac to prove that He loved God	Crucifixion	God sacrificed His Son because He loved the world
Drought	Elijah. No rain for 3.5 years (1260 days). Jezebel corrupts Israel	Dark Ages	Papacy corrupted religion for 1260 years
Egypt	Israel. Slaves in Egypt for 400 to 430 years	Christ	Slaves to sin for 4000 years until Christ was 30
Exodus	Israel leaves Egypt to go to the Promised Land and crosses the Red Sea	Rapture	Christ leaves the earth to go back to heaven
			The church leaves the earth to go back to heaven, crossing over the Sea of Glass
Babylon	Israel is rescued from Babylon by the kings from the east	Babylon the Great	The righteous are rescued from Babylon the Great by Christ who comes from the east

The Plagues Of Egypt
The plagues were an attack on Pharaoh (the god on earth) and all the Egyptian gods. God took power over every region that they claimed to rule and turned it against them so that it ultimately destroyed them. So, from the perspective of the Egyptians either their gods were powerless or their gods destroyed them.

1. The First Three. These plagues fell on everyone. The magicians were able to duplicate the first two plagues (Exodus 8: 18-19).
2. The Last Seven. These plagues fell on the Egyptians only. (Exodus 8: 22)

We do not know how long these plagues lasted or when they started. We know that they ended on Nisan 14.

• The Rod Becomes a Snake. If this event occurred on Tishri 10 (the day of atonement) then judgment had begun and God was about to make a separation between the righteous Israel and the wicked Egyptians.
• Hail. The seventh plague occurred when the barley was in the ear and the flax was budding. The barley harvest was ready for Nisan 14. Therefore, this plague occurred just before the harvest was ready. This must have been in the month of Abib, possibly early in the month because the tenth plague would occur in at least 14 days. It seems unlikely that four plahues occurred in 14 days, but that is an average of one plague every three days. But since Egypt is further south, perhaps their barley ripened earlier.
• Death of the Firstborn (Nisan 14). This final plague might have taken two weeks of preparation. God spoke about the preparations during the month of Nisan. They selected the lamb on the tenth and left on Nisan fourteen.

The Ten Plagues
#	Miracles /Plague	Target		Place	Date	Exodus	Comment
-	Rod to snake	Pharaoh, magicians		Palace	-	7: 8-13	Magicians copied this and next 2 plagues
1	Blood	Natural waters, reservoirs		All Egypt including Goshen	7 days	7:19-22	Probably occurred in the inundation season when the Nile overflowed its banks. But it could have contaminated their resovoirs when water was low
2	Frogs	Natural waters			-	8:5-15
3	Gnats	Dust			Tishri 1?	8:16-19	Magicians could not copy this miracle
4	Insects	Houses and land		Egyptians Only	Tishri 10?	8:27-32	Moses sacrificed 3 days away
5	Sores on animals	Animals			Tebeth?	9:1-7	These plagues occurred in the sowing season so that the plants emerged in time to be destroyed by the next plagues
6	Boils on man and animals	Soot in the air			Shevat?	9:8-12
7	Thunder, rain and hail	Sky, trees, houses			Adar?	9:18-34	Ruined the flax and barley. The flax was budding and barley in the ear
8	Locusts	Land, plants			Nisan	10:1-20	All remaining plants (Wheat and spelt)
9	Darkness	Sky, land			Nisan 7-9	10:21-27	It lasted three days probably (Nisan 7-9)
10	Firstborn dead	Egyptian homes			Nisan 14	12:29-14:4	Nisan 10-14
Pharaoh Hardened His Heart			God Hardened Pharaoh's Heart

-	0		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	-
Ab	Elul				Tishri		Tebeth	Shevat	Adar	Nisan (Abib)				Iyar	Sivan
-													Exodus		Sinai
-		Copied by Magicians			Warning	God		The Finger of God					Exodus of Israel
-			Three Plagues on All			Seven Plagues Affected Egyptians Only
Low water Season (Harvest)						Inundation Season (Winter)				Emergence Season (Spring)

We can only date the tenth plague with certainty. I am guessing when the others occurred based on the symbolic meaning of the feasts. Because the plagues were so devastating, I also assumed that the plague occurred in a very short time. Based on the Seven Last Plagues I assumed that the maximum amount of time was one year and based on the feasts, I assumed that the minimum time was seven months.
So there may have been an average of about two weeks between each plague. The plagues probably started six months earlier in Tishri, the month judgment begins. The third plague may have been on Yom Kippur when God made a distinction between Israel and Egypt. Then the seven last plagues began on Tabernacles to signify that God protected them.
It is also possible that the plagues started in the innundation season and all ten plagues were completed in 18 weeks.
» The Warning Plague (Tishri 1). The third plague was a transition. It was the first miracle that could not be copied by the magicians and the last plague that fell on all people. After this God made a distinction between the Jews and Egyptians. It probably occurred on Tishri 1, the day when the world is called to judgment.
» In the Valley of Decision. At some point in the future, after the world has brought forth their competing argument, the world will have a test that is clearly the finger of God. After this, the righteous will be separated from the wicked.
» The Fourth Plague (Yom Kippur). When Moses sacrificed three days away, it was most likely the tenth of the month. This equivalent of Yom Kippur (Tishri 10) and when the Passover lamb was selected (Nisan 10). After this the Jews would be the selected nation. When He returned three days later, it was possibly the fourteenth to prepare for the Sabbath on the fifteenth. It was time for the exodus separation. The time for Tabernacles (Tishri 15), the parallel to Passover (Nisan 14).

The Hardening Of Pharaoh's Heart
Critics say that it was unjust for God to harden Pharaoh's heart so that he would sin and then punish him for decisions out of his control. Those who defend God point to a scenario under which God is not at fault. Through their own decisions, people either become like wax or clay. God is the sun who shines on both. The same rays will melt wax but harden the clay. So God was able to harden Pharaoh's heart because Pharoah had an unyielding heart.
Let us look at the sequence of events from another perspective which demonstrates God's dealings with the wicked. It demonstrates that when God hardens His own heart that the wicked are sealed in their own evil decisions. Even when God softens His heart the wicked spurn His gestures of mercy.

We Harden Our Hearts	Wicked Killed	Satan Plots Revenge		Wicked Annihilated
6000 Years of Rebellion	Second Coming	Millennium	Judgment	Armageddon	Darkness	Second Death

The Ten Plagues of Egypt

An attack On The Egyptian Gods. (Numbers 33: 4) These plagues fell on everyone. Osiris Blood from the Nile: Khnum, Sothis and Hapy. Khnum is giver of the Nile and creator of man. Sothis and Hapy were gods of flood waters Frogs from the Nile: Heket. Symbolized by a frog. Flies from the dust: Aker . Earth god These plagues fell on the Egyptians. Hapy Insects destroyed crops: Seth, Osiris, Thermuthis Seth. Desert, earth, storms and crops. Osiris. Vegetation Thermutis. Harvest Disease killed animals: Isis. Healing. Hathor. Cow Sores on the people from dust in the air: Nut, Isis Nut. Sky Goddess. Isis. Life and healing Hail: Nut and Horus. Sky gods. Locusts: Khepri, Selket . Symbolized by insects (beetle and scorpion). Darkness: Re, Atum, Mut, Khepri . Sun gods. Death of First born: Bes, Osiris, Selket, Thoth. Protection, life and death, full moon. Pharaoh was worshipped as a god.

• Rebellion (6000 Years on Planet Earth). On the first six occasions, Pharoah was rebellious and hardened his heart. God will also be patient with the human race for about 6000 years.
• Irreconcilable Differences (Second Coming). On the seventh occasion, God hardened Pharoah's heart. The truth is that God hardened His own heart because Pharoah's rebellion had tipped the scales of justice. The equivalent event would be the declaration of God before the Second Coming that all decisions are final. Those who are righteous will remain righteous. Those who are filthy will remain filthy (Revelation 22: 11).
  Both groups have reached an irrevocable point that has been based on their personal choice. It is fair to say that God hardened His heart, so Pharaoh's heart was hardened because God would not appeal to him any more.
• Wasted Chance (Plagues and Judgment). This plague was the thunder, rain and hail that is characteristic of the plague at the Second Coming.
  » The Poisoned Kool-Aid Conspiracy. During the millennium, Satan plots a suicide mission. He knows that he cannot defeat God. Yet he plots to take the wicked into one foolish, final attack. Satan and the wicked will not learn to repent after the millennium or after the judgment. They start the battle of Armageddon and attack God.
  God allowed Pharoah to harden his heart one last time. God demonstrates that he is unrepentant even in the face of superior power. This points to the dynamics of the final judgment. Men appear before God and pronounce His judgments to be fair, yet they organize one final rebellion to attack God. This is their own decision. Still, God will demonstrate one more time that there is nothing He can do to change their minds and still preserve their free will.
  » A Hint of Mercy. Several events make the period after the judgment is pronounced appear to be a second chance. God does not kill them after the decisions of the judgment are made. The gates are open after the judgment. He waits with the gates of the New Jerusalem open until they build an army. It seems that He is waiting for their decision after the judgment. Will they walk in the city and plead for mercy or will they attack? God has demonstrated His merciful character through the parable of the woman who did not take "No" for an answer. However, the record is that nobody will take advantage of God's tacit invitation.
  This story illustrates the same point. God allows them to make a decision, but they cannot or will not repent. They either cannot make the right decision because the Holy Spirit has stopped appealing to their conscience and common sense. Or, they will not make the right decision because their wicked hearts are incapable of making a right decision anymore.
• Annhilation (Hell Fire). For the last three plagues, God hardened Pharaoh's heart. The locusts are the wicked army of Pharaoh that attack the New Jerusalem. The darkness is the outer darkness into which they are cast. The dead firstborn are the wicked. After the wicked attack God, God hardens His heart and naturally, the heart of the wicked is also hardened. He destroys Satan, the wicked and the earth with hell fire.

The Exodus
The experience of Israel in Egypt is a copy of our journey from sin to righteous.

Slavery In Egypt
God compared slavery in Egypt to slavery in sin.
When He gave the ten commandments, God specifically mentions two things that made Him worthy to be worshipped.

1. He rescued them from slavery in Egypt and from sin.
2. He was the creator.

Moses And Aaron
God sent two witnesses to urge Pharaoh to let the people go. God specifically wanted them to go so that they could observe a Sabbath with Him.
Moses lived to be 120 and his life was divided into a set of three periods of forty years.

1. Egyptian Education. He grew up and was educated as a son of Pharaoh until he had to run after he killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite.
2. Shepherd. He spent the next forty years tending sheep. He was being tested and trained as God's leader.
3. Exodus. He spent his last forty years leading the rebellious people from Egypt to Canaan.

Fifty Journeys From Slavery In Sin To Jubilee

Camping in the Wilderness	Numbers 33
# Camp Site Comment 1 Ramses First Passover. Nisan 1 2 Succoth First booths Left Egypt 3 ♣ Etham The edge of the wilderness Israel Crosses the Red Sea 4 Pi-hahiroth Cross Red sea 5 ♣ Marah After 3 days 6 Elim 12 springs and 70 palm trees 7 Red Sea - 8 ♣ Wilderness of Sin Iyar 15. Manna 9 Dophkah - 10 Alush - 11 Rephidim Had no water. Fought Amalek ♣♠ Massah Moses strikes rock 12 ♣♠ Wilderness of Sinai Calf, ten Commandments - ♣♠ Taberah Fire from God 13 ♣♠ Kibroth-Hattaavah Ate quail meat. Plague 14 ♣ Hazeroth Miriam's leprosy 15 ♣ Rithmah Wilderness of Paran. Spies in Canaan 16 Rimmon-Perez Tried to take Canaan without God. Earthquake, plague, Aaron's rod test 17 Libnah Sentenced to wander for forty years. The part of the journey should have taken eleven days. (Deuteronomy 1: 2) 18 Rissah 19 Kehelathah 20 Mount Shepher 21 Haradah 22 Makheloth 23 Tahath 24 Terah 25 Mithkah 26 Hashmonah 27 Moseroth 28 Bene-Jaakan 29 Hor-Haggidgad 30 Jotbathah 31 Abronah 32 Ezion-Geber 33 ♠ Kadesh-Barnea (Wilderness of Zin) (Meribah) Miriam died. No water. Water from the rock. Moses sins. Strikes rock twice. 34 Mount Hor (Edom) Aaron died 35 Zalmonah - 36 Punon Fiery snakes 37 Oboth - 38 Iyim (Iye-Abarim) Border of Moab 39 Dibon-Gad - 40 Almon-Diblathaim - 41 Abarim Mountains Before Nebo 42 Abel-Shittim Jordan River. Baalam curses Israel. Census Israel enters the Promised Land. Crosses the Jordan River 43 Babylon Israel is occupied or taken captive because they sinned 44 Medo-Persia 45 Greece 46 Rome 47 Papal Rome The church is given over because of sin 48 Communism 49 Babylon the Great Persecution Global Israel enters the Promised Land and Leaves the Land of Sin. Crosses the Sea of Glass 50 New Jerusalem Heaven ♠ They tested God in these five places. Deuteronomy 9: 13-24 ♣ They complained and tested God ten times. Numbers 14: 22 Other rebellion The places on the exodus journey are recorded in Numbers 33, Numbers 11 and Exodus 16-17.
	In Numbers 33, Moses recorded 42 official campsites where Israel stayed. They would only begin their journey if God moved in the pillar of clouds. There are 42 of these journeys recorded from Egypt to their crossing into the promised land after forty years. These numbers are similar to the 42 prophetic months that the church of God would spend in the wilderness under the control of the church. After they reached the promised land, there were seven powers that dominated them. This is described in prophecy as the seven headed beast. This makes 49 journeys. This number is representative of the last year before the jubilee. Our fiftieth journey will be across the Sea of Glass into the New Jerusalem. This is the last exodus. In all these crossings God miraculously parted the waters. Red Sea. (Exodus 14: 21-22) Jordan River. (Joshua 3: 15-17) Sea Of Glass. The sky splits and rolls up like a scroll (Revelation 6: 14). This is significant because in the description of the creation God describes the universe as being between a layer of water. The Seven Trumpets Of Jericho Jericho was a part of the Promised Land that was occupied. God took the land in a strange process of blowing trumpets. It was on the day that they would obtain victory that they blew the trumpets seven times. These are like the seven last trumpets before the walls of Babylon fall and we take possession of the eternal Promised Land and the New Jerusalem. In this case the evil nations build a wall to keep God and His children out of the city. In the final days the evil nations build a wall to keep us out of the city where God is. Weekday. They marched around the city once in silence and then blew the trumpets. Sabbath. They marched around the city seven times in silence and then blew the trumpets. After this the walls fell down. The Final Message And The Death Of Moses. Before his death Moses gave a final message to the people. Israel was on the borders of the Promised Land for the second time. As part of entering the land they went through the following events. Numbering. The people were numbered so that they could receive their inheritance. The inheritance was divided as follows. 2½ Tribes. Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh stayed on one side of the Jordan. 9½ Tribes. The other nine tribes and the remaining half of Manasseh moved across the Jordan. 144,000 are numbered before we cross over the sea of glass into the New Jerusalem. Revenge. They took revenge on the Midianites who led them into idolatry. A Song with a Message. Moses gave a farewell song in which he urged the people to obey God. The words are structured after the message of the three angels in Revelation 14. After they obey the message they cross over the sea of glass and enter the Promised Land. Second Reading of the Law. Joshua repeated the laws, the blessings and curses that they received at Sinai. The people were repeating the covenant promise. This is like the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Intercessor System
The people chose a human intercessor system instead of going up to meet God face to face. Christ became their human intercessor as the God who came down in human form to meet humans face to face instead.
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that your asked of the Lord your Hod in Horeb on the day of the assembly saying, "Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord God, let me not see His great fire anymore, or I will die." The Lord said to me, "They have spoken well." I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18: 15-19)
An intercessor was chosen because they were afraid of God.
The Lord spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of fire, while I was standing between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord, for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain. (Deuteronomy 5: 4-5)

The Inheritance
Joseph received a double portion as promised, through Ephraim and Manasseh. (Genesis 48: 22)

It seems that they were also invited to go up the mountain but begged Moses to go instead.

Canaan - The Promised Land
This is the land flowing with milk and honey. The land that Abraham saw by faith and walked through as a stranger. His descendants finally inherited the land.
At the center of the land is Jerusalem. In the center is the temple. At the center is the Most Holy Place where God lived.

The Divided Kingdom
After the death of King Solomon, the nation was divided into two kingdoms.

1. Northern. The ten tribes who were eventually captured by the Assyrians.
2. Southern. The two tribes of Benjamin and Judah and the Levites. They were later captured by Babylon.

The Twelve Sons Of Israel
The children of Israel were given names by their mothers that represented their trials or hope for their sons (Genesis 29, 30 and 35). By the time she had her fourth son, Leah stopped naming her sons with the hope she had for her husband's love. She started thanking God. After that she again named her sons with her struggles and anguish. Judah became the son through whom the Messiah was born.
As he was dying, Israel blessed each son that was based on a prophecy of their future (Genesis 48-49).
Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come. (Genesis 49: 1)
The history of the children of Israel does not appear to fulfill their destiny according to the words of Jacob. Manasseh was the largest tribe. However, the meaning can be seen if you compare these words to the destiny of the Messiah and the destiny of the nations in the New Jerusalem.

These describe the experience of Christ during His final week.
If they could apply to the end of time, the descriptions probably refer to the fate of different groups of people as they respond to the persecution. Their response may determine to which tribe God assigns them.

The Twelve Sons of Israel
#	Name	Meaning	Character	Destiny
1	Reuben	See my afflictions	Adultery	He will not have preeminence	Support
2	Simeon	Hated, unloved	Violent and cruel	Dispersed and scattered	Refugees and Missionaries
3	Levi	Attached
4	Judah	Praise the Lord	Like a lion	He will be a king who defeats his enemies	Administration
5	Dan	Judged	A serpent	He will judge Israel	Man of Sin	-
6	Naphtali	Wrestled, prevailed	A loose deer	Says beautiful words. Bears beautiful fawns	Intercessor
7	Gad	With fortune	Fighter	He will be raided but he will fight back	Warrior
8	Asher	Happy	Fat Bread	He will have plenty of good food (life)	Hospitality
9	Issachar	Wages	A strong donkey	Will be a slave	Helps
10	Zebulun	Honor, a good gift	Safe harbor	He will live by the sea. A safe harbor	Teachers
11	Joseph	Reproach removed. Add another son	Firm, agile	A fruitful bough, distinguished among his brothers	Evangelists
	Manasseh	Making to forget	Great nation	He will become a great nation	-
	Ephraim	Fruitful	Greater nation	He will be a greater nation than his brother	-	-
12	Benjamin	Son of the right hand	Ravenous wolf	He captures his prey but shares the wealth	Watch men
These tribes are in the New Jerusalem. Ephraim may be a part of Joseph but Dan is definitely missing

Some will spread the gospel, others will be dispossessed and become refugees. Joseph still receives a double portion, but he takes the portion of his younger son Ephraim. Ephraim may be a larger tribe than his brother simply because he is not a separate tribe but his tribe is joined with His father. This makes Joseph a double tribe who also has a double portion among the twelve tribes through his other son, Manasseh.

The Law Of The First Born
He shall acknowledge the first born ... by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn. (Deuteronomy 21: 17)
The law of the first born is consistently not applied in the case of where the line of the Messiah would come. For the Messiah, it was more than an issue of who was born first.

The Ancestors of Jesus
#	Father	First Born	Other Son	Son's Wife	Problem or Praise
1	Abraham	Ishmael	★ Isaac	Rebekah	Ishmael was not the son born through the promise. He was born through his father's efforts, not God's miracle.
2	Isaac	Esau	★ Jacob	Leah	Esau treated his birthright as insignificant. But Jacob fought for it
3	Jacob	Reuben	★ Judah	Tamar	Reuben showed disrespect for his father and he had no self control. Tamar played the harlot because Judah sinned
8	Nahshon	★ Salma	none	Rahab	Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who helped Israel
9	Boaz	★ Obed	none	Ruth	Ruth was a widower and a foreigner from Moab, but she was loyal
11	Jesse	Eliab	★ David	Bathsheba	David was courageous, but committed adultery with Bathsheba
12	David	Amnon	★ Solomon	-	Solomon desired wisdom

Jesus was the only first born who deserved the inheritance because He was faithful in every respect. His birth was the result of a miracle from God. He embraced His destiny and came to vindicate the name of His Father.
Jesus also emerged from a long line of women who were prostitutes or adulterers or Gentile rejects. But their one outstanding quality is that they did the will of God and protected the people of God. But God, Jesus, would be born of a woman who sinned or who was hated and He would love a woman who played the harlot.

• Prostitute. Rahab was a professional prostitute.
  They shall not take a woman who is defiled by prostitution. ... And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire. (Leviticus 21: 7, 9)
• Incest. Tamar acted like a harlot once to lure Judah, her father-in-law and committed incest.
  If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. (Leviticus 20: 12)
• Adulterer. According to this law, David and Bathsheba should be dead. Instead the child of their affair died and their second son became the ancestor of the Messiah.
  If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 20: 10)
• Gentile. Ruth, who was from Moab, entered the assembly and was the ancestor of the Messiah despite this law. She went above and beyond the duty of giving food and water to the needy in her care for her mother-in-law.
  No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord ... because they did not meet you with food and water on the way ... You shall never seek their peace or their prosperity all their days. (Deuteronomy 23: 3-6)

The God Of The Old And New Testament
Jesus said that He came to reveal the Father to the world. Yet, the lie still circulates that the God Who reveals Himself in the Old Testament is a vengeful and nasty person Who delights in punishment. This is simply a defamation of His character. The problem with the Old Testament is not God, it was the imperfect people whose 4,000 years of tabloid behavior has been splashed across the headlines of the Bible. The rose-colored glasses through which we view the New Testament is simply because it is only about the actions of God and it spans a very short time.
The one change that God made to restore His name in the New Testament is to reveal Christ and to take justice out of the hands of humans.
» A Kinder, Gentler God. The apparent change in the laws about "loving our neighbor" and "eye for an eye" are seen as the evidence that God has softened and are used as the evidence to support this myth about the angry God.

• Love or Hate. All the nice words and laws that Jesus spoke came directly from the Old Testament. He did not make up anything new.
  • Love God ("First Great Commandment"). (Deuteronomy 30: 6; Luke 10: 27)
  • Love Neighbor ("Second Great Commandment"). (Leviticus 19: 18,34. Matthew 22: 37,39)
  • Justice, Not Sacrifice.
  • Widows and Orphans. Justice and mercy for the helpless is a constant theme of the Bible. In addition to idolatry, when a society reaches this stage it appears to precipitate the wrath of God.
    ... your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1: 15-17)
    Jesus calls these concerns the "weightier matters" of the law.
    Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23: 23)
    Notice that Jesus upheld all the laws. He did not advocate for justice over tithing. He said that all the laws should be followed. But by concentrating only on tithing, they gave the impression that justice and mercy were less important.
  • Hunger ("Law of Gleaning"). God has a welfare system. The poor had a right to pick as much fruit as they can hold in their hands and to pick up whatever has fallen on the ground. Land owners were required to leave what had fallen for the poor and to leave some fruit on the trees. The concept of land is that God is the owner and the one who makes it bear fruit. Owners are just permanent tenants. Therefore, God had a right to show hospitality to the poor guests on His property.
  • Poverty ("Land Ownership"). All families had a right to land ownership and God devised a system to allow people to make profit but to ensure that each generation has a chance to make a living by requiring that land can never be permanently taken away from a family despite the recklessness of parents.
  • Debt ("Jubilee"). Just like property, all debt had to be forgiven at the jubilee. And the wealthy were required to lend even if the jubilee was close, because God promised to be the Guarantor of the debt.
• Mercy or Revenge. In the Old Testament, the people were supposed to be a model for the final justice of God. But because humans perverted justice, God took away our right to judge in His name. So while His people can still smear His name by their collective behavior, legally they cannot execute spiritual justice.
  » New Testament Justice. In the end after a fair justice, God will still stone sinners and adulterers and burn sinners and fight them with a sword. In the end there will be two eyes for an eye and two teeth for a tooth because God will give sinners double what they are due.
• Kindness or Cruelty. The Jesus who sat on the mountain and taught us the Beatitudes is the same God who sat on Mount Sinai and gave us the laws on how we should treat Him and each other.
• Peaceful or Warrior. Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" because He executed God's plan to reconcile the world with God. But this same Jesus will execute justice with an army and a sword at the end of time (Revelation 19).

So the difference between the Old and New Testament is that we have a perfect sacrifice, a perfect High Priest and a perfect system of divine justice. God has removed the imperfect animals, human priests and human justice system. They no longer have the directive to represent what He will do to solve the problem of sin because they corrupted His message. Jesus Christ is that perfect message and that perfect example. That is why He is the Word of God.

Curses And Marks

The Curse And Mark On Cain
Behold You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." So the Lord said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him seven fold". And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. (Genesis 4: 14-15)
In every analysis of this event that I have ever seen, everyone has commented on the negative aspects of this story. Many speculate on the nature of this sign. Some claim that this was the black skin and all talk about this mark as a sign of punishment.
But when you look at what was accomplished and compare it to a similar law in Judaism you fin the mercy of God was protecting the man killer or murderer.
» The Punishment of Cain. Instead of being a farmer, he was sentenced to be a nomad who was unable to make the earth produce his needs. He was probably the first tent dweller.
» The City of Refuge. In Cain, God established the earth as a city of refuge. Here, no revenge can be taken on the sinner as long as he stayed in the city. Then, at the death of the high priest, he was free. Numbers 35: 12, 24,25,28. In the Plan of Salvation, the earth is the city of refuge, we were confined to the earth and Jesus Christ is the High Priest. At the death of Jesus we were set free. So we have the same High Priest, city and plan as Cain, but what is this mark on Cain?
» The Mark of Cain. It is purely racism that makes people speculate that a sign of great punishment and rejection would be the black skin. It could just as easily have been white skin or blue eyes or curly hair or six fingers or a limp. But since the sin and sign were specifically for Cain it should not apply to his children and therefore should not be a sign of genetic origin. We do not know what the sign is, but the sign is something that protected him and made him live.
In the end the beast applies a sign that allows us to be murdered, at the same time God applies a sign on our hand and forehead that will make us live. These signs are not merely static physical marks but active behaviors. Perhaps the sign for Cain is an act of contrition or acknowledgement of God. If Cain worshipped God and has not rejected Him, therefore Cain has repented and returned to the fold and deserves to live.

The Mark Of God
In ancient Israel, judgment was preceded by separating the good from the evil. A mark was placed on the people of God. With this mark the people of God were saved while His enemies were destroyed.
At least two times in the history of Israel, a mark was used to identify the people of God. It is interesting to note that the seal of God is applied in the forehead. This means that the mental acceptance of God (faith) was more important than the works.

The mark of the beast is applied both to those who believe and act on the beliefs and it is applied in the same place Israel tied the law to their bodies.

The First Passover - The Mark On The House
Before the final plague was sent to Egypt, the people followed a ritual that would protect them from the destroying angel. A lamb was killed and its blood was placed on the doorposts and lintels (this is equivalent to the arms and the head of the door). (Exodus 12). The house was marked instead of the people. This protected everyone inside.
Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come on you to destroy you when I strike the land was Egypt. (Exodus 12: 7, 13)

The Prophecy Of Ezekiel - The Mark On The People
Look, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst. But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have any pity and do not spare". "Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary", So they started with the elders who were before the temple. (Ezekiel 9: 2-6)
This prophecy contains more details about the process.

1. Seven heavenly messengers. They were used to carry out the judgments. One marked the people of God, then the remaining six destroyed those without the mark.
2. Judgment starts in the house of God. God first started with the priests and leaders who represented Him.
3. The Righteous. They were chosen because they were against the idolatry and sins being committed against God.

New Testament Parallels: The Mark Of The Beast
In Revelation, the beast completes his corruption of the activities of God and also marks his followers in the same location that God marks His people.
But he accepts those who are marked in either the right hand or the forehead. He is unconcerned about whether or not you believe or if you just follow the crowd and act.
In Zephaniah God rejects those who do not choose.
... I will punish the men who are arrogant in spirit, who say in their hearts, "the Lord will not do good or evil". (Zephaniah 1: 12)

Even God marks Himself so that He does not forget us.
Look, I have inscribed you in the palms of my hands; Your walls are continually before Me. (Isaiah 49: 16)

Other Prophecies
Many prophecies to Israel seem to have both a local and a global fulfillment. What is clear is that Daniel and John use many of these same images to describe the global prophecies.
The prophecies seem to have a dual fulfillment not because they can be made to mean anything, but because God uses a pattern or a formula for his response to apostasy and rescue.

Generally, the prophecies have a local fulfillment because it is a localized response by God to the broken covenant - a series of curses then a long period of judgment by captivity in a foreign nation.

But the prophet looks to the future when there will be a final end to this cycle of betrayal and punishment.
God looks forward to this also by stating that the new covenant will bring a new heart that will obey Him.

The Four Horsemen
Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked and saw, four chariots were coming fort from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, With the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses. Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, "what are these my lord?" The angel replied to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth. (Zechariah 6: 1-5)

Joel 2: 1-4 - War horses bring fiery judgment on the day of the Lord.
Zechariah 1: 8-10 suggests that these horses are sent by God to patrol the earth and execute judgments.
Zechariah 6 describes four different horses that patrol the north and south.

1. Red. The direction is unknown (probably north).
2. Black. He patrols the north.
3. White. He patrols the north.
4. Grey. He patrols the south.

Daniel saw the final powers as being the King of the North and the King of the South.

Pentecost: The Outpouring Of The Holy Spirit
Joel predicts an outpouring of the spirit in the last days that will have many prophesying, having visions and dreams.
The purpose seems to be centered around a knowledge of the will of God - not miracles.
Before them the earth quakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness.
It will come about after this that I will pour out My spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My spirit in those days. I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. (Joel 2: 10, 28-31)

Astronomical Signs. There are many passages that describe signs in the sky before the day of the Lord.
Joel 2: 10; 3: 15-16; Joel 1: 15. Jeremiah 4: 23-28. Haggai 2: 6-7.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness. (Joel 3: 14-15)

New Testament Parallels. Revelation has similar images.

1. Four Horsemen. They are the first four of the seven seals, they execute judgments that are related to the curses.
   They bring war instead of peace, famine and death.
2. The Holy Spirit. He was poured out at Pentecost and in the last days it will be used to carry out the message of the 3 angels.
3. Astronomical Signs. Christ gave last day prophecies that refer to earthquakes, darkened sun, red moon and falling stars and the sixth seal of Revelations refers to the signs in the heavens. Revelation 6:12, Matthew 24: 29-30; Hebrews 12: 26-29.

Babylon
The captivity in Babylon was a direct result of the curses applied because of rebellion. Years before Israel was divided into a Northern (ten tribes of Israel) and a Southern kingdom (two tribes of Judah). The southern kingdom has already been carried off into captivity by Assyria 117 years earlier because it was the most rebellious. Now the Northern kingdom was being punished by Babylon.

The 70 Year Captivity In Babylon
Babylon besieged the city three times and captured some of the people and carried them off to slavery. The temple was destroyed during the third siege. This punishment was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah.
This whole land will be a desolation and a horror and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it and everlasting desolation. (Jeremiah 25: 11-12)

The Fall Of Babylon
Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians (a kingdom in the east). Cyrus was named in prophecy (Isaiah 45) 175 years before his birth. He defeated the kingdom of Babylon.
Babylon was a walled city with a river running under the walls. He defeated Babylon by stopping the flow of the Euphrates river and invading the city from under the barriers in the river that protected the city.
Suddenly Babylon had fallen and been broken; Wail over her! Bring balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. We applied healing to Babylon but she was not healed; Forsake her and let us each go to his own country, For her judgment has reached to heaven and towers up to the very skies. (Jeremiah 51: 8-9)

Now see here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs and one said "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; an all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground. (Isaiah 21: 9)

But desert creatures will lie down there, and their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there. Hyenas will howl in her fortified towers and Jakals in their luxurious palaces. Her time will also will soon come and her days will not be prolonged. (Isaiah 13: 21-22)

New Testament Parallels
Rome does the same thing as the nation of Babylon.

• It captures the people of God. For 1260 years religion was enforced by death and reading the Bible was forbidden.
• Pagan Rome destroyed the Sanctuary in 70 AD.
• Papal Rome corrupted the ministry of the sanctuary
• Both pagan and papal Rome are guilty of killing the prophets and the saints
• There is a call to leave this new Babylon.
• In the future, with strong political support it will attempt to force worship under penalty of death.
• Future Babylon will also fall because it corrupts the world and killed the people of God.
• Babylon will fall to a king who comes from the east.
• According to the sixth plague, the Euphrates will be dried up before the fall of modern Babylon.

The Destiny Of Nations
Only the nations mentioned in Daniel and Revelation are discussed here.

• Babylon. Ancient Babylon is no longer inhabited. The city was abandoned by the third century. The country of Iraq is what remains of that empire. But the magnificent city is no longer inhabited. Prophecy declares that it will never again be inhabited.
  And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldean's pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there. (Isaiah 13: 19-20)
• Greece, Medo-Persia and Rome. About the nations who ruled before the little horn, Daniel says:
  As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but and extension of life was to them for an appointed period of time. ( Daniel 7: 12)
  These nations still exist today with their powers greatly reduced.
  1. Babylon - Iraq
  2. Medo-Persia - Iran
  3. Greece still has the same name
  4. Rome - Italy
• Egypt. Egypt is to remain a kingdom, but it would be a low, powerless kingdom which no longer has a monarchy or the ability to rule other nations. It is currently an independent, but poor nation. Daniel 11 describes them as falling to the King of the North. And the Old Testament says that they will be destroyed in the last days.
  Thus says the Lord God: at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered . I will turn the fortunes of Egypt and make them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. It will be the lowest of the kingdoms; and it will never again lift itself above the nations: and I will make them so small, that they will not rule over the nations. (Ezekiel 29: 13-15)
  Thus says the Lord God: I will also destroy the idols and will make the images to cease from Memphis; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt. And I will put fear in the land of Egypt (Ezekiel 29: 13-15)
  These are the characteristics of Egypt:
  • Enslaved Israel
  • Idolatry
  • Defied God and did not repent
• Libya and Ethiopia. He will also enter the Beautiful Land and many will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. Then he will stretch out his hands against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of Gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. (Daniel 11: 41-43)
  Jeremiah 46 and Ezekiel 30 describes their future. These are the characteristics:
  • Formed an alliance against Israel. This alliance included Arabia, Libya (Somalia land), Ethiopia, Egypt, Lud and Put.
  Daniel 11 describes them as cooperating with the King of the North in the last days.
• Edom. Jeremiah 49: 7-39 describes the future of Edom (region of modern Petra, carved in the cliffs). They are descendants of Esau. These are the characteristics of Edom:
  • Naked (Verse 10)
  • Not wise (verse 7)
  • Childless (verse 10)
  • At ease, lives securely (Verse 31)
  • God will bring the "Four winds" against them (verse 36)
  Verse 39 says "But it will come about in the last days that I will restore the fortunes of Edom".
  Daniel 11 describes them as escaping the anger of the King of the North in the last days. And Balaam describes their destiny as being possessed by Israel (Numbers 24: 18).
• Moab. Thus both of the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day. (Genesis 19: 36-38)
  They are the descendants of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. So they are related to Abraham. Jeremiah 48 describes the future of Moab. The cities were to be destroyed and the people live like nomads. They will no longer live as a defined nation until the latter days. Verse 42 says Moab will be destroyed from being a people because he has become arrogant toward the Lord . These are the characteristics of Moab:
  • Arrogant (Verses 26, 42)
  • Pride and self exaltation (verse 29)
  • Laughed at Israel (verse 27)
  • Idolatry (verse 35)
  Verse 47 says "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days".
  Daniel 11 describes them as escaping the anger of the King of the North in the last days. But Balaam describes their destiny as being crushed in the forehead by Israel (Numbers 24: 17).
• Ammon. Jeremiah 49: 1-6 describes the future of Ammon. These are the characteristics of Ammon:
  • Occupied Israel (Verses 1-2)
  • Backsliding, boasts, trusted in her wealth (verse 4)
  Verse 6 says but afterwards I will restore the fortunes of the sons of Ammon.
  Daniel 11 describes them as escaping the anger of the King of the North in the last days.
• Amalek. Balaam describes their destiny as destruction (Numbers 24: 20).
• Gog and Magog. Ezekiel 38 describes the future of Gog. These are the characteristics of Gog:
  • Attacks Israel (Verses 1-2)
  • God is against them
  Revelation describes them as being destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon after they were deceived by Satan.
  When the thousand years were completed, Satan will be released from his prison. and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (Revelation 21: 7-8).
• Israel. Many Christians look towards the Modern nation of Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy. They see not only a people restored in the land but a restoration of the sanctuary and temple.
  Many look at these recent developments as a sign of the restoration of Israel because those scattered around the world had returned from exile:
  1. May 14, 1948 - the state of Israel was created. Many Jews around the world emigrated to the new country.
  2. The fall of the Soviet Union, many more Jews emigrated from many other countries.
  However, that extreme totally ignores the purpose of the cross and the original role of Israel. Israel was to be like a priest among nations, they were entrusted with the law and were to be a light to the world to tell about God. They were also to bring in "everlasting righteousness" by being the nation among whom the Messiah would be born.
  
  In the book of Hebrews, the New Testament clearly says that the true people of God are not through birth - but faith. Abraham won the confidence of God by believing in God.
  Revelation 19 and 20 places the prophecies of Ezekiel 38 and 39 in a global light.
  • The whole house of Israel will be restored
  • Israel went into exile because of sin and were given into the hands of their enemies (Ezekiel 39: 23) The children of Adam and Eve are in exile on the earth and given over to Satan.
  • His spirit will be poured out on the whole house of Israel (Verse 29) - this is the promise of the everlasting covenant.
  • Revelation 20 places this promise at the end of time in the battle of Armageddon.
  • Both Ezekiel and Revelation describes an invitation to the birds for a feast on the dead bodies. (Ezekiel 39: 4 and Revelation 19: 17-18).
  • They surround the unprotected city (Ezekiel 38: 8-12 and Revelation 20: 9)
  • God judges them and then destroys them with fire (Ezekiel 38: 22; Revelation 20: 9)

  Daniel 11 describes them as falling under the king of the North in the last days.
  "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many will fall (Daniel 11:41). This is a direct reference to the final persecution of the Church. This great persecution occurs after the French Revolution, and after the time France conquered Egypt.

The Global Implication
Babylon is prominent in the prophecies of Revelation although the original, physical country was to remain desolate. Therefore, end time Babylon must be a future nation that behaves like old Babylon.
In fact, God has caused the end time Babylon to conquer and control the old nation of Babylon (Iraq). At many levels, the United States became Babylon the Great. Similarly, all the old nations mentioned in prophecy must represent significant groups in the last days.

Therefore, we look to the promises made to Israel in a global sense. The prophecy in Zechariah 14 appears to be an end time prophecy of the second coming and the battle of Armageddon.
Ezekiel even makes it more plain by linking the destruction of Gog and Magog to the destruction of the rebellious nations at Armageddon. Look at the similarity.

Jerusalem
Jerusalem is at the center of many prophecies. What happens there is mirrored in the rest of the world. Several prophecies link the surrounding or siege of Jerusalem to the rescue of the people of God. This occupation of Jerusalem is called the abomination of desolation that stands in the Holy Place. Here are some examples.

• Destruction of the First Temple. Babylon surrounded the city before it fell. That time Israel was to be punished with a seventy year captivity.
• Destruction of the Second Temple. Jesus warned the people to run from the coming persecution when they saw Jerusalem surrounded by armies. This happened in 66 AD. The church escaped as Cestius mysteriously withdrew. The city was destroyed in 70 AD. One million Jews died there. But the church that had been called was saved because they obeyed the warning of Jesus.
• The Second Coming. Before the second coming, the church will be surrounded on two fronts. Interestingly, the issues will be over the Sabbath. As a Sabbath keeping nation, this will be one of the reasons why Israel will be targeted.
  1. World. The church of God will be persecuted on a global scale. This will occur in the issues of the Mark of the Beast
     The Holy Spirit Poured out on All Nations.
     "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. "Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls. (Joel 2: 28-32)
  2. Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem will be surrounded.
     Look, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem it will also be against Judah.
     It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
     "In that day", declares the Lord, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the people with blindness."
     And in that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Israel.
     
     The Holy Spirit is Poured out on Israel.
     I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look at Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12: 2-4, 9-10 )
  In the last days this siege of the city is to be accompanied by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This will lead to the conversion of the church on a massive scale.
• The Third Coming. After the final judgment, the wicked will surround the city and God will destroy them by fire.

New Testament Parallels
These particular nations were chosen because they are mentioned in the prophecies of the last days. Because the promises are now global since the crucifixion, we will look at the role of these nations to determine how that applies to their global roles.

The Nations

1. Midian. The Midianites (Kenites) were descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25: 1-4).
2. Moab and Ammon. Moab was the son of Lot by incestuous union with his eldest daughter and Ammon was the son by his youngest daughter (Genesis 19: 37-38)

Nations And Powers Before The Second Coming
The King Of The North. If the papacy is the King of the North, then we have the following activities among the end time groups:

1. Babylon. It is the king of the north, that corrupting nation.
2. Egypt. a godless system will fall because of him. When the church could not gain religious domination under communism, it took steps to bring down communism.
3. Libya and Ethiopia. It will form an alliance with these. In the end there will be a union of three (dragon, beast and false prophet). The United States is one of these.
4. Edom, Moab and Ammon escape. Many sincere people will leave in the call to come out of Babylon. They will escape the corruption of Babylon.
5. Israel. The king of the north will "overflow and pass through". This is imagery of persecution. It will persecute those who refuse to be corrupted.
6. Sodom. Immorality and godlessness (Egypt) will be prominent at the end. Sodom and Egypt are mentioned in Revelation. They will fall because of the witness of God's people, not just because of the king of the North.
7. Persia. The nation of Iran. It caused ancient Babylon to fall and may cause Babylon the great to fall as a type of "the kings from the east".

Other countries are mentioned in many interpretations of prophecy but the connection is either missing or not clear. In some cases the connections are a topic of speculation because of the power of these nations and the signs of the times. But always remember that the power of a nation has nothing to do with its fate as a nation of prophecy. Instead, a nation is only mentioned in prophecy if they rule over the people of God when the time arrives for a fulfillment.

1. Kings of the (North, South, East). The bible only mentions kings of the north, south and east. This has always been in reference to Israel. This has broadened the field of speculation about which nations are mentioned in prophecy.
   • King of the North. Historically that has been Assyria and Babylon. Later Rome and the Ottoman Empire.
   • King of the South. This has been Egypt.
   • King of the East. This has been Persia.
   We have concluded that when these kings arise they could be from other nations that never existed in Biblical times, but when they fulfill prophecy they must possess the nations of which they are a type. So, when you recognize that a prophecy is being fulfilled, look at who is occupying the land at that time.
2. All Nations. In the end all nations will be in apostasy and in active persecution of the righteous people, but individual powers will instigate the problem and bind others into unholy and immoral alliances.
3. Russia. Evangelicals claim that they are the kings of the north because they are north of Israel. They also point to the sound of the words "Rosh and Meshech" and apply them to "Russia and Moscow". This king starts the battle of Armageddon in Israel.
4. China. Other Evangelicals claim that they are the kings of the east because they are east of Israel, communist and a super power at a time when they expect prophecies to be fulfilled. Otherwise, nothing in history or symbol or type attributes any role to China except as one of the nations that will collapse in the end.
5. Europe. The individual nations are not listed by name. But ten important nations are described as arising at the break up of the Roman empire and its fall. These are France, Italy, Germany, Britain, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal. Three of the ten were wiped out at the beginning and another three will replace them at the end.
6. United States. They became the king of the north by occupying Babylon (Iraq). They are also mentioned in prophecy by description of their location at a certain point in history. So they are the "land from the earth" which "opened its mouth" to swallow up the people that were fleeing persecution in the Middle Ages and would later become a super power. The region describes the American Continent, but the specifics point to its only super power, the United States. Other prophecies depict its union with the papacy at the time that Babylon rises again. This occurred in 1981 and forever solidifies the United States as that power, because no other continent rescued Christians fleeing persecution in the Middle Ages and no other super power emerged on the American continent at any of these points and any other would be too late.

Nations And Powers After The Second Coming
Only two nations exist in prophecy after the Second Coming.

1. Israel. The people of God (the saved). Their ruler is Jesus Christ.
2. Gog and Magog. All the rebellious (the lost). Their ruler is Satan represented by the eighth head of the beast (Revelation 17: 11). He is also called Apollyon or Abaddon (Revelation 9: 11).

The Saved
All the restored nations are related to Abraham - the man of faith. Their sins were not bold defiance against God, it was internal self sufficiency.

• The Faithful. Israel represents those who were always faithful.
• Laodicea - Those Who Repent.
  "Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3: 17-19)
  
  Daniel 11: 41 states that Moab, Ammon and Edom will escape the activities of the King of the North.
  
  The characteristics of these three nations resembles the church of Laodicea (the church that is being judged). The prophecy of Daniel therefore says that the remnant and the last church will escape the persecuting power. However, Laodicea might finally wake up after the "four winds" are sent. They will turn back to God in a time of trouble. The four winds are released before the plagues start.

The Lost
They are defined in terms of the great rebellious nations who repeatedly attacked Israel.

• Before The Judgment. In contrast to the people of God, Babylon arose out of rebellion against God when they tried to build the tower of Babel. Egypt defied a direct command of God by refusing to let the people of Israel go and deliberately challenged God. Sodom was just totally immoral and evil.
• After The Judgment. Gog and Magog represent all the nations of the world in league with Satan at the battle of Armageddon. The previous nations describe their characteristics before the Second Coming. When they join themselves with Satan after the judgment, they are described as one nation - Gog.

The Battle Of Armageddon
Even the names sound alike. In Ezekiel 39: 11 Gog will be buried in the valley of Hamon-Gog.

Event	Zechariah 14	Ezekiel 38-39	Revelation	Comment
Nations gathered	Verse 1	38: 15-16	20: 8	Nations gathered to fight against Jerusalem
Great battle	Verse 2,3	39: 4, 11	16: 16	Battle of Armageddon
Plague	Verse 12, 15	38: 22	16	Seven last plagues
Astronomical signs	Verse 6-7	No	6:12	Signs in the sun, moon and stars (the sixth seal)
Earthquake	Verse 4-5	38: 19	6:12; 16: 18	Great earthquake (the sixth seal)
Lord Comes	Verse 3, 5	No	15:20; 21: 2	Second and Third Coming (the seventh seal)
Mount of Olives	Verse 4	No	21: 2	Location of the New Jerusalem
Curses end	Verse 11	39: 29	22: 3	People will no longer rebel with a new heart
Fire and brimstone	No	38: 22	22: 3	The death of Satan, his angels and the wicked
Feast of the birds	No	39: 4, 17-18	22: 3	Cleansing the earth after the destruction of the wicked
Feast of Booths	Verse 16	No	21: 3	People will live with God
Living waters	Verse 8	No	22: 1	Waters flow out of the New Jerusalem from the throne of God

The battle of Armageddon is an interrupted war, it starts with the nations of the earth gathering to destroy the people of God - then God personally intervenes and destroys them.
Revelation completes the details that are not obvious in Zechariah. There are two comings, a thousand years apart and the New Jerusalem descends at he end. The Mount of Olives is split and a valley is created where the new city will be located.

Summary Of Similar Prophecies
Except for Daniel, all other Old Testament was concerned with the events on the "day of the Lord". This includes those events associated with the Battle of Armageddon. It starts with the attempt to kill the people of God just before the second coming and after the final judgment has been declared.

Prophecy	Rome	Messiah	1260 days	Fall of Babylon	Final Days	Judgment	Armageddon	Heaven
Revelation	Rome	Messiah	1260 days	United States	Persecution	Judgment	Armageddon	Heaven
Daniel	Rome	Messiah	1260 days	United States	Persecution	Judgment	Armageddon	Heaven
Old Testament	Babylon	Messiah	3½ years of drought	Babylon	Final battle			Heaven
Feasts	Sin	Passover	Summer drought		Trumpets	Yom Kippur		Tabernacles
Sanctuary	Outer Court		Holy Place			Most Holy Place

The events of the 1260 days and the alliance of the United States are not mentioned by name in the Old Testament prophecies because these nations did not exist. But the characteristics of the end time groups of people were described in terms of similar nations that existed in earlier times. The goal of the prophet was to show that one day God would bring judgment and peace forever.

Last day Events

Final Events	Old Testament	Revelation
Messiah	Isaiah 11: 1-4	Revelation
The Apostasy	Ezekiel 8	Revelation 7:3
Sealing	Ezekiel 9	Revelation 7:3
Fall of Babylon	Jeremiah 51; Isaiah 21; Isaiah 47: 1-11	Revelation 18
Fall of modern Babylon	Isaiah 13	Revelation 18
The four horsemen	Zechariah 6	Revelation 6
Astronomical signs	Joel 2: 10; 3: 15-16; Joel 1: 15; Jeremiah 4: 23-28; Haggai 2: 6-7; Isaiah 13: 10	Revelation 6: 12; Matthew 24: 29-30; Hebrews 12: 26-29.
Earthquake	Zechariah 14: 4-5; Ezekiel 38: 19	Revelation 6: 12
Second Coming	Isaiah 11: 4, 11-14; 26	Revelation 14
Measurement of the temple	Ezekiel 40-43	Revelation 11
Millennium	Isaiah 14, 24	Revelation 20
Satan bound	Isaiah 14: 18-21	Revelation 20: 1-3
Resurrection	Ezekiel 37: 9-14; Isaiah 26	Revelation 20: 4-6
Second Resurrection	Isaiah 14: 9	Revelation 20: 5
Battle of Armageddon	Ezekiel 38-39; Zechariah 14	Revelation 19-20; 16: 16
Destruction of Satan	Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14: 9	Revelation 20: 10
New Earth	Isaiah 11: 15-16; 12	Revelation 21