When Will The End Be?

Throughout history, the archangels, Michael and Gabriel have withstood Satan’s attempts to take over and destroy God’s people, eventually driving Satan’s forces out of heaven as Revelation 12:7-9 describes.  “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”  Their mission to defeat Satan continued even after Satan was cast out of heaven, as we see in Daniel 10:13.  “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.”  It is only because of their efforts that we have gotten God’s message, as Daniel 10:21 tells us.  “But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.”

Michael is the primary force holding back Satan, and the Antichrist cannot seize power until he steps aside, according to II Thessalonians 2:3-9.   “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

During the Tribulation period, Michael will step aside, allowing Satan and his representative, the Antichrist to have power, according to Daniel 12:1-3.  “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

God will separate out his children, raising those who are dead and changing those who are still alive, giving them everlasting life and condemning those who have rejected him to everlasting judgment, as described in Revelation 14:14-20.  “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”

Undrestanding the details of the Lord’s return would mean very little to the generations of people who lived and died between the death of Christ and the tribulation period except to give them hope for the future, but as time passed and events unfolded their understanding would grow.  In Daniel 12:4, the angel commanded, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

After hearing the prophecy, even the angels wanted to know how long Satan and the Antichrist would be in power, as Daniel 12:5-6 tells us.  “ Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” 

The angel who gave the prophecy responded that he would only have power three and a half years, in Daniel 12:7.  “And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”  When he drives Israel out of their homeland, it will be over for him. 

Daniel still had questions, and especially about what signs would they see to know when it would happen.  “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?”

God responded that that was sealed up so that no one could know.  in the interim, people would live their lives, with some coming to the Lord and others continuing in their wickedness.  The wicked would not take the teaching seriously, but the righteous would believe, as he explains in Daniel 12:9-13.  “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” 

The only clear sign as to when the end will be is when the Antichrist starts using the Temple to worship other gods and bans the worship of God himself.  It is the same sign Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:15-18.  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.”  When that happens it will be just three and a half years until Christ comes to destroy Satan’s kingdom.   Forty five days later, Satan’s army will have been destroyed and Christ will take the throne.  Even with modern means of transportation, it will take time to get the armies of the world to Israel for the battle of Armageddon. 

Apparently, even during the first three and a half years of the Tribulation the buildup is so gradual most people accept the plagues and natural disasters as justifying increasing power of the one world government.