Please read this article before moving on

Our assumptions made in the following areas are crucial to some (but not all) of our conclusions, and this will become clear.

• The Present day implications of the Old Testament Jewish Covenants (Are any of God’s covenants with Israel still in effect?)
• The Interpretive rules for Prophecy and especially Endtimes related prophecy
• The Implications of these in relation to the Nation of Israel and the coming Day of the Lord.

What theological background does the Endtimes.org Project hold?

All Christian denominations and Churches subscribe wholly or in part to some theological system (Systematic Theology) or denominational statements and distinctives. (Dispensational, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Church of England, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, etc.)

We believe that the most consistent framework to make sense out of Endtimes prophecy, and to best capture the narrative of the Bible is Premillennialism and Dispensationalism. We will show why in upcoming pages. Even if one doesn’t subscribe to the Dispensational way of seeing how God dealt with mankind over the various ages, a PreMillennial view of things may still allow for the reader to line-up with the work here. (For example, some Baptists are PreMillennial but not Dispensational)

PreMillennialism – The promised Second Coming of Jesus Christ will precede his literal 1000 Year earthly Millennial Kingdom.
Dispensationalism – As the Bible shows different administrative responsibilities in the OT, we see the following principles:

1. 1. A clear distinction between God’s program for Israel and God’s program for the Church.
   2. A consistent and regular use of a literal principle of interpretation
   3. The understanding of the purpose of God as His own glory rather than the salvation of mankind.

Why does it matter?

Why go into all of this detail – It’s confusing. Can’t we just look at the Bible and figure things out by a simple reading? I’m glad you asked. When interpreting prophecy literally (a normal reading), things make a lot more sense, as we will see. We will explore this in more detail on other pages, but for now, since so much rides on interpretation let’s look at an important and foundational example from the book of Revelation.

Revelation chapter 20, the second to the last chapter of the Bible, in a book totally dedicated to Endtimes prophecy, six times foretells aspects of a future age of a thousand years. We call it the Millennium, and the purpose is the literal fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant – The Messiah, son of David reigns on the throne. (Revelation 20:1-10)

Here is what it says. At the end of the Tribulation…

• Satan, the Devil, and the enemy of God will be bound for a thousand years
• Satan will not be able to deceive the nations for a thousand years
• Believers that will be killed during the final 7-years of earth’s history (the tribulation period) will reign with Jesus Christ for a thousand years
• Unbelievers are not to be resurrected (yet) as believers are, and will therefore not be part of the thousand years Kingdom of Jesus Christ
• Believers again, “…will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years“
• Satan, after a thousand years will be released from his prison, ending in the final battle of the devil and all that follow him

Revelation 20:7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸and 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. 

Notice the mix of hyperbole in the sand of the seashore and the specificity of the thousand years. The writer of the Book of Revelation could have done the same with the thousand years terminology, but didn’t. And what is the purpose of the release of Satan from his prison if it is not literal? Clearly Satan is not bound now so this is yet future as indicated in this passage.

Surprisingly, most Christian denominations in the world today do NOT believe there is a literal (future) Millennial age of 1,000 years where Jesus Christ will reign on the earth as the Jews expected. Instead they spiritualize all of chapter 20 of Revelation into a long period of time, or declare it irrelevant in light of the Jews rejection of the Messiah.

So, it’s …

• NOT a thousand years
• NOT the fulfillment of the literal promise made to King David
• NOT a literal Messianic Kingdom reigning over the nations and the people of Israel. (Disappointing since the Bible promised these things)
• NOT an interim period of peace before the final judgment of Satan as described here

Were both the Jews and the disciples of Jesus all misled or confused? We don’t think so. We will show this in the discussions of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, that God made unconditional promises to the patriarchs and the Jewish people, and those promises must lead to a literal fulfillment of Messiah’s reign over a literal kingdom as promised, and now we know why the Nation of Israel in back in their land today.

Acts 1:7
“Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.”

The common interpretation (seemingly incorrect) of the above texts from Revelation 20 is also a bit baffling from a language perspective. The book of Revelation describes and repeats the length of time six times in a way that makes it not just of passing interest, but quite emphatic, and therefore, it seems – literal. Notice in Revelation chapters 20 and 21 how the time period of 1,000 years is intricately woven into the timeline that is all part of the Endtimes chronology. If it’s not 1,000 years what should we do with the rest of bible prophecy? What about the 7-year Tribulation? How long is that then? The book of Revelation is largely chronological. Are there other foundational and unconditional promises made to the Jews that also will no longer be honored by God or somehow be inherited by the Church?

The Regathering of Israel

On the contrary, by the power and purpose of God, current day Israel was regathered into their land in 1948. In other words, God has not forgotten Israel, and preparations for the Endtimes are under way — wake up! The most critical step following the Jewish diaspora has already been taken, ethnic and National Israel back in their land. How miraculous that we live in a time with the Nation of Israel in their covenant land and in the news. From 70 A.D. to 1948 this was not the case. Destroyed and disappeared for almost 1900 years. (Josephus Book 6 describes the horror) 

A non-existent Israel might lend weight to the non-literal interpretation of the 1000-year Kingdom and the OT promises to Israel. For 1900 years you might have rightly asked “So where is Israel?” Today that would be a silly question. The literal fulfillment that we see in the news every night is a validation of the literal interpretation of Endtimes prophecy, the literal nature of the promises made to Israel, and the correct understanding of Romans 11.  “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” – Their land is an everlasting possession as we will demonstrate.

It is clear now why there is so much confusion around the subject of Endtimes, and why I never heard much clarity or commitment growing up. The good news is that when taken literally – a plain reading – what the Bible says about the Endtimes can in large part be understood, and most of the wild speculation is eliminated. The story is fantastic and complex enough already.

Getting this foundation correct means that the Book of Revelation is the icing on the cake, the details that tie up any loose ends. It plays out as a visual timeline.