Form or Function?

Physical or Spiritual?

Why do the modern day Jews and supporters of the state of Israel think they need to build another temple in Jerusalem? They certainly have overlooked First Corinthians 3:16 "Do you not know that you are the temple of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you?" 

The Temple Institute's ultimate goal is to "see Israel rebuild the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem". They have already chosen the priests and have bred red heifers, and have made many of the utensils required for temple service.  If they succeed, don't they realize Satan will stand in it and call himself 'god'? These people believe they are commanded to build this temple according to the vision given to Ezekiel. How can you choose to act on one vision then ignore prophecy?

That may be the key... they are fulfilling prophecy. 

In the second chapter of Revelation we read about Jews who call themselves Jews but are not, they lie, they are of the synagogue of Satan, thus doing the work of Satan, preparing the stage for the final seven years of life as we know it.

The act of building this 'third temple' isn't so much according to the vision Ezekiel had (which the Institute claims is their command to build), but is very much in line with the end times events, especially the final seven years.

Y'shua is aware of this future temple. He tells us in Matthew 24 that the "sign of uncleanness" (abomination) and desolation will eventually stand in the Set Apart place (commonly known as the holy of holies). He also refers us to Daniel 9:27: 

During one week he will make a firm covenant with many. For half a week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and meal offering. At the corner of the altar will be an appalling abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon the appalling thing. Also in Daniel 11:31- Forces will be levied by him, they will desecrate the temple, the fortress, they will abolish the regular offering and set up the appalling abomination. And noted in Daniel 12:11: From the time the regular offering is abolished and an appalling abomination is set up will be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

The sacrifices mentioned are the regular offering and the meal offering.  The regular offering is made along with the meal offering which includes drink. Exodus 29:38 and Numbers 28:3 tell us what these offerings consist of: 2 yearling lambs as burnt offerings, one to be offered in the morning and one at twilight; choice flour mixed with pure olive oil as the meal offering and the drink offering of wine. This should put to rest the argument that Y'shua was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices; his blood was shed as Atonement for Sins, not as a regular every day sacrifice.

Hebrews 10 (lightly paraphrased- Dusty) 

We choose to accept Y'shua as our High Priest who offered a one time sacrifice for sins, who sits forever at the right hand of Elohim where he waits until his foes are placed as a footstool under his feet. For, by one offering (himself), he has perfected forever them who are sanctified (set apart) by him. And the Ruach haKodesh also testifies to us by saying: This is the covenant which I will give them after those days, says Master YHWH: I will put my Torah into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts and their iniquity and their sins I will not remember against them. Now, where there is a forgiveness of sins there is no offering for sin demanded. We have therefore my Brothers assurance of entering into the sanctuary by the blood of Y'shua and by a path of life.

Getting back to that abomination, Y'shua tells us, as it is written in Mark 13:14 - So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

and Matthew 24:15 - So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand)

Daniel describes this 'abomination' as one who will make a firm covenant with many, who will eventually put a stop to the sacrifice and meal offering. At the corner of the altar will be an appalling abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon the appalling thing.

This can read as the final world leader who brings peace to the world, gets many to sign an agreement and allows Jews to reinstate their tradition as a gesture of good will. He shall (after 3-1/2 years) bring an end to these rituals, having an image of himself placed in the temple and entering the 'holy of holies' claiming that he is 'god'.  All this being said, it becomes obvious that a temple will exist in the end times scenario, but is not the temple of Ezekiel's vision.

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Ezekiel was shown extraordinary visions.  He was called  by Yahweh to be a watchman for His people, the House of Israel. Could it be he was shown a representation of another reality - the 'what could be' if those who claim to be Yah's People would actually repent and return to Him - accept the covenant and terms of that covenant by actually obeying those Instructions. They had that very opportunity when the exile ended and they were free to return to Jerusalem.

The first House of Elohim was the Tabernacle. Yahweh moved from the mountain to the tent, to be in the midst of His people. Later, Yah approved His House to be built by Solomon. Yahweh moved from the tent into a permanent location, the last place where He attached His Name. Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the siege of Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon in 586 BC. Some seventy years later the exiles were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, again by the will of Yahweh who used King Cyrus to make it so. Although modest in comparison to the First Temple, the Second Temple was later enlarged and expanded by Herod the Great. This latter temple was the one which existed during the time of Y'shua.

I came across this while reviewing my other studies which gave me one of those 'ah-ha!' moments. The writings of Paul recorded in Ephesians seem to shed some light and possibly confirm this vision Ezekiel was shown as being something so glorious and wonderful - something mere man cannot grasp or imagine in size or magnitude. Let us remember Ezekiel's other visions were also very detailed and powerful although difficult to imagine. It is possible that Ezekiel was being 'shown' the results of Man's Hope in The Good News of the Kingdom to Come and the awesome power and Love of the Father when He restores all things.

Ephesians 1:6 - That the glory of His grace might be glorified which He poured upon us through His Beloved One; by whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins by his blood, according to the riches of his grace which abounds in us, in all wisdom and all spiritual understanding. 12- That we should be the first who hoped in the Mashiyach, to the honor of his glory - in whom you have also heard the Word of Truth which is the Good News of your life 18- And that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Set Apart believers; and which is the excellence of the majesty of his power in us who believe; according to the efficiency of the strength of his power which He put forth in His Son and raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in heaven.  Ephesians 2:7- That He might show to the coming ages the magnitude of the riches of His grace and His goodness towards us in Y'shua the Mashiyach. 18- Because by him there is access for us both, by one Spirit, to the Father. Wherefore you are not strangers nor sojourners but are fellow-citizens with the Set Apart believers and of the household of Elohim. And you are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and the prophets; and Y'shua the Mashiyach has become the head of the corner in the edifice. and in him all the edifice is framed together and grows into a Set Apart temple in Master Yahweh; while you also are built in him for a habitation of Elohim through the Spirit.  Ephesians 3- To me, Paul, who am the least of all the Set Apart believers, has this grace been given that I should announce among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of the Mashiyach, and should show to all men what is the architecture of the mystery which for ages was hid in Elohim the Creator of all things, so that by means of the assembly (of Set Apart believers) the manifold wisdom of Elohim might become known - which He arranged ages before and worked it through Y'shua our Master. Therefore I pray - and I bow my knees to the Father of our Master Y'shua from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit; that in your inner man the Mashiyach may dwell by faith, an in your hearts by love while your root and foundation increases  greatly in strength; and that you may be able to explore, with all the Set Apart believers, what is the height and depth and length and breadth, and may know the greatness of the Mashiyach's love and that you may be filled with all the fullness of Elohim.

That we may be able to explore with our fellow believers, learning together as one from our study of Scriptures, the greatness of His Love, that we shall know the expanse: the height and depth and length and breadth of that Kingdom to Come and the mystery of the New Heavens, New Earth and the New Jerusalem. We can only be part of it if we become set apart from this world's system and false religions.

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In Revelation 21 we read about the restoration of all things: new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem = the bride of Y'shua.  There was no temple to be seen in it for Master YHWH Amighty is its temple, and the Lamb.

I saw new heavens and a new earth for the former heaven and earth had passed away; the sea was no more. And I saw the Set Apart city, the New Jerusalem, descending from Elohim out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from heaven, which said: Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with me; and He dwells with them; they will be His people; and Elohim will be with them - their Elohim. And every tear will be wiped for their eyes; and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor wailing or pain because the former things are passed away.

He who sat on the throne said: Behold, I make all things new. I am Alef and Tav, the Beginning and the Completion: to him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of living water, freely. He that overcomes will inherit these things; and I will be his Elohim. But to the timid and unbelieving, and to the sinful and polluted, and to manslayers and whoremonger, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and to all false persons, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

There are several similarities when one compares Ezekiel's temple vision with the restoration descriptions recorded in Revelation. This time frame is after the Kingdom of Y'shua, after Satan's last attempt to war against Yahweh; after Satan has been tossed into Fire Lake forever and ever- When our Creator restores all things.

Ezekiel’s Temple compared with John’s Revelation

Both Ezekiel and John views are from a high mountain:

Ezekiel 40:1 - He brought me, in visions of Yahweh, to the Land of Israel and He set me down on a very high mountain

Revelation 21:10 - And he bore me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the Set Apart city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from Elohim

They both record the measurements that were taken:

Ezekiel 40:3 - A 'man' who shown like copper had a linen cord and measuring rod.  Revelation 21:15 - A Messenger/angel had a golden reed with which to measure the city, gates and walls 

Ezekiel 40:5 - Along the 'outside' of the temple area ran a wall on every side (one rod deep and one rod high) Square in shape. (Many other measurements are recorded) Ezekiel 48:30 - The city is square, each side measures 4,500 cubits.  

Revelation 21:16 -The city is measured and stood up four square

Ezekiel 43:13 - diminsions of the altar, trench and rim are given and is used for burnt offerings.

Revelation 22:26 - The nations shall bring their glory and honor into it (as offerings?)

Ezekiel 44:4-14 - Instructions for all the laws of the temple are given and Yahweh points out to the House of Israel all the abominations they have committed and allowed in His Sanctuary.

Revelation 21:27 - Nothing shall enter the city that is polluted, impure and false, but only they who are registered in the Lamb's Book of Life

Ezekiel 48 - Twelve exits from the city; gates named after the sons of Israel

Revelation 21:12-13 - And it had a wall great and lofty, which had twelve gates and names inscribed on them - the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

Ezekiel 47:1 - water was issuing from below the platform of the temple - eastward - but flowing out at the south side of the altar, gushing out from under the south wall. 9 It will be wholesome and everything will live wherever this stream goes.

Revelation 22 - A river of living water, clear as a crystal, ran from the throne of Elohim and the Lamb and in the middle of main street (broad avenue) on both sides was the tree of life.

Ezekiel 47:12 - All kinds of trees for food will grow on both banks of the stream - they will yield new fruit every month - their fruit will serve as food and their leaves for healing.

Revelation 21:2 - In the middle of the broad avenue, near the river, spanning both sides, was the tree of life which bore twelve sorts of fruits yielding one of its fruits each month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Ezekiel 48:35 - The name of the city from that day on shall be "Yahweh is There. Revelation 21:22 - And I saw no temple in it for Master Yahweh Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb.  And the city has no need of the sun or the moon for the glory of Elohim enlightens it, and the Lamb is the lamp of it

I conclude at this time that Yahweh gave this vision to Ezekiel to illustrate the awesome power and glory of the heavenly realm. Ezekiel was shown the Hope we have in the Good News of the Kingdom to come! He was told to share this 'vision' to those who had grown hopeless. This sharing of the Good News is echoed throughout the Renewed Covenant writings (ie: New Testament). Ezekiel, the Watchman for the House of Israel, shared this Good News with those people. Ezekiel is the type and shadow for Set Apart believers in this day and age, sharing the Good News of the Kingdom to come- a joyous time we can only try to imagine and hope for. How on earth could we describe it?

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Yah's timing once again was very appropriate because this was during the Babylonian exile while the rest of the Israelites had scattered northward and beyond. 

Around 605 B.C. Nineveh and Assyria had fallen. It was just Egypt and Babylon who were seeking world supremacy. The young new king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, went out and defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish. He marched on to Judah, during Jehoiakim's reign, and took thousands of Hebrews back to Babylon (including Daniel, who became one of the greatest prophets). Nebuchadnezzar made two more attacks when he heard of rebellion in Judah. Each time he took captives (including Ezekiel the prophet). Only a remnant of the weakest, poorest, and least threatening Hebrews in Judea remained. King Nebuchadnezzar set up a puppet king (Zedekiah) of David's line to sit on the throne of Judah and made him swear an oath of allegiance (2 Chr 36:10-12). Zedekiah was as faithless as the rest of the evil kings of Judah. He then rebelled and allied with other enemies. When Nebuchadnezzar heard he came back for the last time (586 B.C.) to reduce Jerusalem to rubble and send the Temple up in flames. Zedekiah was forced to witness the slaughter of his sons, then his eyes were put out, and he himself was carried off to Babylon. The Babylonian Captivity lasted exactly 70 years as predicted, from the burning of the Temple to its reconstruction, 586 BC - 
516 BC.

Here is a link to historical background of these events

***The following I gleaned from a study by Steve Gregg:
When Ezekiel was given this vision (573 BC), there was no temple standing in Jerusalem. Solomon’s temple, which had previously stood there, had been destroyed earlier by Nebuchadnezzar, when he conquered Jerusalem and deported the citizens to Babylon. This means that Ezekiel was not seeing Solomon’s temple. Nor was he seeing the rebuilt temple during Zerubbabel's time. That temple ended up being much smaller, and less elaborate, than the one Ezekiel describes. 

In chapter 40 of the book of Ezekiel, "in the 25th year of our exile, the 14th year after Jerusalem had fallen, at the beginning of the year, on the 10th day of that month - on that very day " the prophet is transported in vision by the Hand of Elohim from his home among the exiles in Babylon to the Land of Israel, and Yahweh sat him down on a very high mountain. He saw what seemed to be the outline of a city on the south side. Yah brought Ezekiel over to it and standing at the gate was a a man who shone like copper, holding a cord of linen and a measuring rod. This 'man' tells Ezekiel to pay close attention to everything he was going to be shown so as to report everything to the House of Israel. 

My note: You see, there is no "command" that this temple is to be built, but everything was to be reported to the people of the House of Israel. Was Yah telling them this is what you could have, if only you would obey Me?

The response of the Jews to their opportunity to return and to rebuild their temple was notoriously tepid. Only a small remnant opted even to return to Jerusalem, while the rest were content to remain in Babylon. As a result, the temple they built proved to be inferior to the one that Ezekiel described. 

Though the Jews did not meet the conditions to have such a temple as Ezekiel’s, the pattern preserved in these chapters stands as a description of an intended order, which, had it materialized, would have testified, as the tabernacle once did, as a type and shadow of “heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5). This, we may assume, was the long-term purpose served by the vision.

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Ezekiel 44:6 - to the rebellious House of Israel, says Yahweh, Too long have you committed all your abominations, admitting aliens, uncircumcised of spirit and flesh, to be in My Sanctuary and profane My very Temple, when you offer up My food - the fat and the blood. You have broken My covenant with all your abominations. You have not discharged the duties concerning My sacred offerings, but have appointed them (uncircumcised strangers of spirit and flesh) to discharge the duties of My Sanctuary for you. The Levites who forsook Me when Israel went astray from Me to follow their fetishes, shall suffer their punishment for making them stumble into guilt (the priesthood lineage now shifts to the descendants of Zadok. II Samuel 8:17 tells us Zadok was one of the priests who maintained the service of Yah's Sanctuary, the temple, when the people of Israel has gone astray.) 

Yahweh specifically mentions the priest descended from Zadok - Take a look at this chart (from bible maps) to follow the order of the priesthood over the years:

We learned from reading the first five books of Scriptures that the plan, the pattern of the Temple is to train His people on how to approach Him.  Ezekiel's vision drives this point home!

Yahweh has always desired to be in the midst of His people

From the Heavenly Realm to The Mountain, then to the

The Tent, where they traveled together 40 years

Then His House was built by Solomon

and that is the last place Yah attached His Name

His Son, Yahshua taught us

The Body is now the Temple

wherein dwells the Ruach haKodesh

Then comes

The Earthly Kingdom

where we shall be perfected until

The Restoration of All Things

Future Government

Consider the possibility of the United Nations as the seat of the New World Order governing system.  It would be the perfect place for 10 world leaders to meet and fulfill prophecy (whether they know it or not) under the pretext of Sustainable Development for the World. Of those 10 leaders, three will disagree and eventually refuse to follow orders. They will be 'removed' so that their chosen World Leader can take his place. Here are a couple of links to the United Nations website for you to research on your own if you don't already know about the world wide reach of their powers:

Agenda 2030

Agenda 21

They even met in Rio de Janeiro in June of 2012 to form an outline of 

the future they want.

This modern day information is what inspires me to take a deeper look into the prophecies given in the book of Daniel, the dreams and visions he recorded and their interpretations as per Scriptures and other recorded historical events. These dreams and visions were telling about the time of the end when a final king would arise and attempt to conquer the world. 

We'll start with Nebuchadnezzar's dream about a large statue.

Daniel 2:32 

The head of that statue was of fine gold; its chest and arms were of silver; its belly and thighs of bronze; its legs were of iron, and its feet part iron and part clay.  A stone was hewn, not by hands, and struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them.  All at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold were crushed and became like chaff of the threshing floors of summer; a wind carried them off until no trace was left.  But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that YHWH Elohim in heaven reveals mysteries and has made known to the king what is to be at the end of days.  

Daniel tells him what the dream means: 

The head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar's current reign as king of Babylon. After his kingdom one represented by the silver, inferior to gold, arises, then yet a third kingdom, of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. But the fourth kingdom, strong as iron, will smash and crush those before it.  The feet which were part iron and part clay means it will be a divided kingdom.  And the toes which are mixed iron and clay means that kingdom will be part strong and part brittle.

:43 You saw iron mixed with common clay; that means: they shall intermingle with the offspring of men, but shall not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.  In the time of those kings, YHWH will establish a kingdom that shall never be destroyed nor transferred to another people.  It will crush and wipe out all these kingdoms and itself shall last forever, just as the stone hewn from the mountain, not by hands, crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold.

Make a note here, verse 43, "they shall intermingle with the offspring of men..." sounds an awful lot like what what was going on in the days of Noah when those divine beings left their station in heaven to defile themselves with the daughters of men.  Y'shua warns us that this is similar to one of the signs prior to his return.  Nebuchadnezzar was shown this future event in a dream. Who are 'they'? Non-humans? Trans-humans? Demon-spirits posing as extraterrestrials?

The kingdoms represented by the statue are as follows:

• Kingdom #1: Head of Gold Babylon empire's greatest King was Nebuchadnezzar (reigned 605 - 562 B.C.), who conquered the Kingdom of Judah, took the inhabitants as captives to Babylon and, in 586 B.C., burned Jerusalem and destroyed its temple. Babylon's world supremacy lasted 73 years. 
• Kingdom #:2 The chest and arms of silver Persian empire is considered the most powerful kingdom of the ancient world. At its height it spanned three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. It was during the reign of Cyrus the Great that captive Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. 
• Kingdom #3: The belly and thighs of bronze was the Greek kingdom of Alexander the Great. After his death in 323 B.C. his kingdom was divided up into four kingdoms by his generals.
• Kingdom #4: the legs of iron and feet mixed with clay Roman empire. Rome is considered the third largest and most powerful of the ancient empires. At the time of Y'shua it is believed Rome controlled a total population of 60 million people. In 395 A.D. the kingdom split into two separate pieces (two legs? or divided like iron and clay): The Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, which lasted until 1453 A.D. and the Western Empire, which lasted until 476 A.D.

Let move along to the time when Belshazzar is king of Babylon (chapter 7).  Daniel is the one to have a dream and a vision this time.  He sees four mighty beasts emerge from the sea which are different from each other.  The fourth beast was fearsome, dreadful and very powerful, with great iron teeth that devoured and crushed  and stamped the remains with its feet.  It was different from the ones that went before it and had ten horns.  A new little horn sprouted up among the ten and three of the older horns were uprooted to make room for it. There were eyes in the horn like a man and it spoke arrogantly. Because of the arrogant words it spoke it was killed, consigned to the flames.

In verse 15 we read that Daniel is disturbed and alarmed by this vision. One of the attendants (an angel) tells him the beasts represent four earthly kings/kingdoms after which the Set Apart Ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever and ever. The fourth beast with its teeth of iron, claws of bronze represents a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from the ones before it and it will devour the whole earth, tread it down and crush it.  Ten kings will arise from this fourth kingdom and then another will arise, different from the former ones and will bring low 3 kings.  He will speak words against the Most High and will harass the elect of YHWH Elohim.  He will think of changing times and laws, and they will be delivered into this power for a time, times and half a time (3-1/2 years). Then the court will sit and dominion will be taken away, to be destroyed and abolished for all time.

Three years later Daniel has another disturbing vision about a ram which no beast could withstand (chapter 8).  This ram did as he pleased and grew great.  A he-goat came from the west and it had a conspicuous horn on its forehead. He charged the ram and broke its two horns and the ram was powerless to withstand him. Then the he-goat grew very great but at the peak of his power his big horn was broken. Four conspicuous horns sprouted towards the four winds of heaven.  From one of them emerged a small horn which extended itself greatly south, east and towards the beautiful land.  It grew as high as the host of heaven and it hurled some stars of the heavenly host to the ground and trampled them.  It vaunted itself against the very chief of the host on its account the regular offering was suspended and His Set Apart place was abandoned.  An army was arrayed iniquitously against the regular offering, it hurled truth to the ground and prospered in what it did.

The angel Gabriel is told to explain this vision to Daniel.  He tells him it refers to the time of the end.

Chapter 8 verse 20: 

The two horned ram signifies the kings of Media and Persia and the he-goat the king of Greece with the large horn being the first king.  The four that came mean four kingdoms arise out of a nation but without its power.  When their kingdoms are at an end, when the measure of transgression has been filled, then a king will arise, impudent and versed in intrigue.  He will have great strength but not through his own strength. He will be extraordinarily destructive; he will prosper in what he does and destroy the mighty and the people of holy ones. By his cunning he will use deceit successfully. He will make great plans, will destroy many taking them unawares, and will rise up against the chief of chiefs, but will be broken, not by human hands.

Beginning in chapter 10, during the time Cyrus is king of Persia, we read Daniel experiences another vision concerning a time yet to come - the vision of the kings of the north and south. Details are given by an angel in chapter 11 and I have added in parenthesis actual events which fulfilled this vision:

The angel said, "Three more kings will rule over Persia, followed by a fourth, who will be richer than all the others. At the height of his power and wealth he will challenge the kingdom of Greece. :3 Then a heroic king will appear (Alexander the Great). He will rule over a huge empire and do whatever he wants. But at the height of his power his empire will break up and be divided into four parts. Kings not descended from him will rule in his place, but they will not have the power that he had (per Alexander's four generals: Seleucus/Asia; Ptolemy/Egypt; Lysimachus/Thrace; Cassander/Macedonia including Greece). :5 The king of the south will be strong. One of his generals, however, will be even stronger and rule a greater kingdom. After a number of years the king of Egypt will make an alliance with the king of Syria and give him his daughter in marriage. But the alliance will not last, and she, her husband, her child, and the servants who went with her will all be killed. :7 Soon afterward one of her relatives will become king. He will attack the army of the king of Syria, enter their fortress, and defeat them. 

He will carry back to Egypt the images of their gods and the articles of gold and silver dedicated to those gods. After several years of peace the king of Syria will invade Egypt, but he will be forced to retreat. :10 The sons of the king of Syria will prepare for war and gather a large army. One of them will sweep on like a flood and attack an enemy fortress. In his anger the king of Egypt will go to war against the king of Syria and capture his huge army. He will be proud of his victory and of the many soldiers he has killed, but he will not continue to be victorious. :13 The king of Syria will go back and gather a larger army than he had before... he will return with a large, well-equipped army. Then many people will rebel against the king of Egypt. And some violent people from your nation, Daniel, will rebel because of a vision they have seen, but they will be defeated. :15 So the king of Syria will lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The soldiers of Egypt will not continue to fight... :16 The Syrian invader will do with them as he pleases, without opposition. He will stand in the Promised Land and have it completely in his power. :17 The king of Syria will plan an expedition, using his whole army. Then, in order to destroy his enemy's kingdom, he will make an alliance with him and offer him his daughter in marriage; but his plan will not succeed. After that he will attack the nations by the sea and conquer many of them. But a foreign leader will defeat him and put an end to his arrogance; indeed he will turn the arrogance of Syria's king back on him. The king will return to the fortresses of his own land, but he will be defeated, and that will be the end of him. :20 He will be followed by another king, who will send an officer to oppress the people with taxes in order to increase the wealth of his kingdom. In a short time that king will be killed, but not publicly and not in battle. :21 The angel went on to explain: "The next king of Syria will be an evil man who has no right to be king, but he will come unexpectedly and seize power by trickery. Anyone who opposes him, even God's High Priest, will be swept away and wiped out. By making treaties, he will deceive other nations, and he will grow stronger and stronger, even though he rules only a small nation. :24 He will invade a wealthy province without warning and will do things that none of his ancestors ever did. Then he will divide among his followers the goods and property he has captured in war. He will make plans to attack fortresses, but his time will soon run out. He will boldly raise a large army to attack the king of Egypt, who will prepare to fight back with a huge and powerful army. But the king of Egypt will be deceived and will not be successful. His closest advisers will ruin him. Many of his soldiers will be killed, and his army will be wiped out. :27 Then the two kings will sit down to eat at the same table, but their motives will be evil, and they will lie to each other. They will not get what they want, because the time for it has not yet come. :28 The king of Syria will return home with all the loot he has captured, determined to destroy the faith of Yahweh's people. He will do as he pleases and then return to his own land. Later on he will invade Egypt again, but this time things will turn out differently. :30 The Romans will come in ships and oppose him, and he will be frightened. Then he will turn back in a rage and try to destroy the religion of God's people. He will follow the advice of those who have abandoned that religion. Some of his soldiers will make the Temple ritually unclean. They will stop the daily sacrifices and set up The Abominations that causes Desolation. By deceit the king will win the support of those who have already abandoned their faith, but those who follow Yahweh will fight back. Wise leaders of the people will share their wisdom with many others. But for a while some of them will be killed in battle or be burned to death, and some will be robbed and made prisoners. While the killing is going on, Yah's people will receive a little help, even though many who join them will do so for selfish reasons. :35 Some of those wise leaders will be killed, but as a result of this the people will be purified. This will continue until the end comes, the time that YHWH Elohim has set. :36 The king of Syria will do as he pleases. He will boast that he is greater than any god, superior even to the Supreme God. He will be able to do this until the time when Yah punishes him - He will do exactly what He has planned. The king will ignore the god his ancestors served, and also the god that women love. In fact, he will ignore every god, because he will think he is greater than any of them. Instead, he will honor the god who protects fortresses. He will offer gold, silver, jewels, and other rich gifts to a god his ancestors never worshiped. To defend his fortresses, he will use people who worship a foreign god. He will give great honor to those who accept him as ruler, put them into high offices, and give them land as a reward.  When the king of Syria's final hour has almost come, the king of Egypt will attack him, and the king of Syria will fight back with all his power, using chariots, horses, and many ships. He will invade many countries, like the waters of a flood. He will even invade the Promised Land and kill tens of thousands, but the countries of Edom, Moab, and what is left of Ammon will escape. When he invades all those countries, even Egypt will not be spared. He will take away Egypt's hidden treasures of gold and silver and its other prized possessions. He will conquer Libya and Ethiopia. :44 Then news that comes from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will fight furiously, killing many people.  He will even set up his huge royal tents between the sea and the mountain on which the Temple stands. But he will die, with no one there to help him."

Daniel 12 

At that time the great angel Michael, who guards your people, will appear. Then there will be a time of troubles, the worst since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, all the people of your nation whose names are written in God's book will be saved. Many of those who have already died will live again: some will enjoy eternal life, and some will suffer eternal disgrace. The wise leaders will shine with all the brightness of the sky. And those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like the stars forever. :4 He said to me, And now, Daniel, close the book and put a seal on it until the end of the world. Meanwhile, many people will waste their efforts trying to understand what is happening." Then I saw two men standing by a river, one on each bank. One of them asked the angel who was standing further upstream, "How long will it be until these amazing events come to an end?" The angel raised both hands toward the sky and made a solemn promise in the name of the Eternal God. I heard him say, "It will be three and a half years. When the persecution of God's people ends, all these things will have happened." :8 I heard what he said, but I did not understand it. So I asked, "But, sir, how will it all end?" He answered, "You must go now, Daniel, because these words are to be kept secret and hidden until the end comes. Many people will be purified. Those who are wicked will not understand but will go on being wicked; only those who are wise will understand. From the time the daily sacrifices are stopped, that is, from the time of The Awful Horror, 1,290 days will pass. Happy are those who remain faithful until 1,335 days are over! And you, Daniel, be faithful to the end. Then you will die, but you will rise to receive your reward at the end of time."

I know this is lengthy but all of these visions are prophecies of the end times and examples of events leading up to the final world government prior to the return of Y'shua Messiah and his kingdom on earth. Yah tells us the end from the beginning so that when these thing occur we will know He is who He says He is.

Lets review but only by the similarities per each vision: The number 4, the metal iron, the king who is different from the ones before, the kingdom smashed by the Rock and his earthly kingdom...

• the fourth kingdom, strong as iron, will smash and crush those before it. The feet which were part iron and part clay means it will be a divided kingdom.  And the toes which are mixed iron and clay means that kingdom will be part strong and part brittle.

• The fourth beast was fearsome, dreadful and very powerful, with great iron teeth that devoured and crushed  and stamped the remains with its feet.  It was different from the ones that went before it and had ten horns.  A new little horn sprouted up among the ten and three of the older horns were uprooted to make room for it.

• Ten kings will arise from this fourth kingdom and then another will arise, different from the former ones and will bring low 3 kings.  He will speak words against Yahweh the Most High and will harass the Set Apart Ones of the Most High.  He will think of changing times and laws, and they will be delivered into this power for a time, times and half a time (3-1/2 years).

• From one of them emerged a small horn which extended itself greatly south, east and towards the beautiful land.  It grew as high as the host of heaven and it hurled some stars of the heavenly host to the ground and trampled them.  It vaunted itself against the very chief of the host on its account the regular offering was suspended and His Set Apart place was abandoned.  An army was arrayed iniquitously against the regular offering, it hurled truth to the ground and prospered in what it did.

• Then a king will arise, impudent and versed in intrigue.  He will have great strength but not through his own strength. He will be extraordinarily destructive; he will prosper in what he does and destroy the mighty and the people of holy ones. By his cunning he will use deceit successfully. He will make great plans, will destroy many taking them unawares, and will rise up against the chief of chiefs, but will be broken, not by human hands.

Y'shua refers us back to Daniel, confirming his visions were for a future time.

Matthew 24:15

And when you see the sign of uncleanness and desolation, that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, which will stand in the Set Apart place, he that reads, let him understand.

Daniel 9:27 

During one week he will make a firm covenant with many. For half a week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and meal offering. At the corner of the altar (in the Set Apart place) will be an appalling abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon this appalling thing.

Further reading, study and research:
History of Macedonia
King of the North/South

The Roman Empire circa 395

I bring up the Ottoman Empire as an alternative to the common belief that the final world government will be a revived Roman empire. More on this, later. In the meantime this is a video worth watching:
Armageddon News

Armageddon

You have more than likely heard the term “Armageddon”  used by news reporters or have read it in the headlines.  Some people think Armageddon means the end of the world, and it does, in a way.  I want to share with you a little research I have done in regards to prophecy and current events. There is a Damascus, Syria prophecy (Isaiah 17) and an Egypt prophecy (Isaiah 19) that look like what is going on today.  When Damascus ends up in a heap of ruins and ceases to be a city you’ll know that this particular prophecy has been fulfilled.

There will be a final 7 year time period (of life as we know it) that will begin when a rich political figure/world leader makes a "firm agreement with many". This is the guy referred to as the Antichrist and his 'peace treaty' that happens (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24). The fighting will stop and the first 3-1/2 years will seem peaceful and good.  At the midway point is when Satan takes full possession of this world leader, puts an end to all that seemed good and goes after (to kill) anyone who believes Jesus/Y’shua is the son of God, YHWH.  At the end of this 7 year period is when the battle at Meggido/Armageddon occurs.

It just so happens that the last battle at Meggido, Israel was during WWI when the Allied troops battled the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) which is an Islamic country.  That is another study to share at another time!

This coming battle at Meggido will happen after the 6th Cup of Wrath is poured out (Revelation 16:16). The beast/Antichrist and the kings of the earth assemble to battle against Y’shua, Messiah, who has returned with an army from heaven to claim his rightful kingdom on earth.  Messiah wins. The beast and false prophet are tossed into Fire Lake and Satan is bound in a chain and locked in the abyss for 1,000 years.  He will not be able to deceive mankind during this time. (Revelation 19:19)

It is the elect, the Set Apart Believers, who have been caught up in the air with Y’shua Messiah on a cloud just prior to the final 7 plagues. (1Thessalonians 4:16-17).  We are changed at the last trumpet - the last shofar of seven that are sounded by Angels of Elohim.  We will be here to witness the final 3-1/2 years leading up to The End but we will not be physically on earth to experience the Wrath of Elohim: the final 7 Plagues.

After Messiah and his army defeat Satan and his army, we will be planted on our soil (set back down after the cloud episode), in the promised land, the land of Canaan (the original boundaries that go beyond modern day Israel) where we will live with Y’shua as our King and High Priest for 1,000 years!

This is the condensed version of the end of this age as I just wanted to let you know the events that lead up to "Armageddon". 

If we love Yahweh, keep His Commandments and believe in His Son Y'shua, we won’t be on earth to experience the final 7 plagues, the Cups of His Wrath, but we will go through those trying times know as The Tribulation.

After the thousand years will be the battle of Gog of the land of Magog... stay tuned.