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PREPARING FOR END TIMES
by Clay Watts
"Book Summaries – Van Impe’s Revelation Revealed"
Revelation Revealed – Jack Van Impe – c 1980, revised 1993
Prior to 70th Week
· First 7 weeks of Dan 9 was the 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 BC. Then the 62 weeks or 434 years comes to 32 AD when Christ was cut off.
· Could be a major economic depression before the Rapture, as beginning of problems in the Tribulation period
· We will not experience a great revival before the Rapture. 2 Tim 3:13, Rev 3:15 indicate an indifferent, back-slidden church. Only revival is during the Tribulation by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists.
· 7 churches of Rev 2-3 represent time periods since Pentecost
o Sardis 1520 AD through Tribulation
o Philadelphia 1750 AD through Rapture
o Laodicea 1900 AD through Tribulation
Rapture
· Believes in dispensational interpretation, based on 2 Tim 2:15, saying that dividing the word has to do with dividing into dispensations. 70 weeks of Dan 9:24 is a Jewish dispensation, involving Daniel’s people and holy city, so the church could not be involved in the 70th week, and must have been raptured prior to it.
· The Jews are God’s “elect” in Matt 24:22, based on other Jewish references in that passage, such as Judea, Sabbath, and synagogues.
· Rejects post-tribulationalism because it destroys doctrine of imminence and teaching of dispensationalism.
· Mentions Rosenthal’s pre-wrath rapture theory, but doesn’t specifically refute it.
· Last trump of 1 Cor 15:52 is not 7th trumpet of Rev since there is an 8th trump in Matt 24:31. Also, 7th trumpet produces judgment & death, but trump at rapture produces eternal life and joy
· Rapture happens suddenly, without a sign, pictured in John’s symbolic rapture in Rev 4:1, since believers are then shown laying crowns at Jesus’ feet in v 10,11, indicating they have been raised and have received their rewards at the resurrection of the just, Lu 14:14.
· Rev 3:10 implies only those that dwell on the earth, which is a term for the unsaved, will experience the Tribulation period.
· Rev 3:10 indicates church is kept from (ek) the hour of temptation. Ek means “out of” or “evacuation”. Would have used “dia” if the meaning is “through.” Same in 1 Thess 1:10 to deliver from the wrath to come. Also, 1 Thess 5:9 says we are not appointed to wrath.
· 2 Thess 2:1-5 speaks of the hinderer, which is the Holy Spirit abiding in the Church, which must therefore have been removed before the Antichrist can be revealed.
· UFO’s could be angelic vehicles, like Elijah’s chariot. Could be used by demonic spirits (fallen angels) as well as God’s angels. May even come for us in the Rapture, as in Elijah’s case, 2 Ki 2:11.
· Day of the Lord includes the 7 year Tribulation and the 1,000 year millennium. 2 Pet 3:10
· Rev 4-11 portrays the 7-year Tribulation, with Christ’s return in Rev 11:15-18. Rev 12-19 depict the identical scene a second time, with Christ’s return in Rev 19:11.
· First half of 7 year Tribulation is “beginning of sorrows,” Matt 24:8; second half is “great Tribulation,” Matt 24:21
Tribulation begins with rise of Antichrist out of the EU as the leader of a confederacy of 10 nations, Rev 13:1.
· Rider on the white horse in Rev 6 is the Antichrist
· Ten toes of Dan 2 and 10 horns of Dan 7 are 10 literal nations of European Union that were original members of the old Roman Empire. Denmark & Ireland were not part of the old Roman Empire, so don’t count. Antichrist ousts 3 of the original members and replaces them.
· Christians will absolutely not know who the Antichrist is before the Rapture, since he will not be revealed before the Holy Spirit, who lives in the hearts of believers, is taken out of the way.
· We should definitely never attempt to name the Antichrist, although he is probably alive now.
· Antichrist is a Gentile because he comes from the revived Roman Empire, or European Union. He defects from religious upbringing and promotes New Age philosophy, including astrology, witchcraft and other occult practices.
· The false prophet is the leader of the one-world church described in Rev 17.
Signs 7-year peace contract with Israel and the nations Dan 9:27
· The seven-year peace pact must be signed in the presence of the western leader, the Antichrist.
Breaks covenant after 42 months Dan 9:27
· Antichrist’s breaking of 7-year peace covenant with Israel mid-way leads directly to the events of the second half of the Tribulation.
· Russia takes advantage of the opportunity to move against Israel
· Temple is rebuilt so that Antichrist can sit on the throne in the temple and proclaim himself God
· Two witnesses in Rev 11:3 are Moses and Elijah, based on transfiguration passage as a picture of the day when the two witnesses will be revealed; Elijah also in Mal 4:5,6
· Agrees with others who say America is Babylon in Is 18, Jer 50-51, Rev 18
Russia invades Israel from north (Ezek 38:15, 16) at a time of peace. Shows that Russia cannot march against Israel until a world peace contract, or disarmament program, is in effect.
· EU leaders (10 kings under dictatorship of Antichrist) march to put an end to northern army of Russia and allies (kings of south including Egypt combined with federation of Arab nations, Persia, Ethiopia, Lybia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine) who have invaded Israel, with whom Antichrist has a treaty.
· Rev 9:18 and other verses indicate nuclear war during the Tribulation.
· Matt 24:40, two taken, two left, refers to judgment of the Tribulation period where half of the people on earth have been destroyed. ¼ die in Rev 6:8, then 1/3 of the ¾ left die in Rev 9:18, or another ¼ of the original population. Thus, ¼ + ¼ = ½ die, or are taken, and the other ½ are left.
Antichrist attempts to destroy Jews Rev 12.
· But God miraculously delivers and preserves them.
Destroys world church that helped to bring him to power Rev 17:16,17
· Antichrist betrays his religious followers since he now doesn’t want to share the glory with the religious leaders, even though they have directed worship to him.
Proclaims himself as God 2 Thess 2:4-11
· Antichrist comes to Israel and sits on the throne of the temple.
· He hears about 200 million from the kings of the east under China and remainder of defeated northern armies marching against him.
· He is killed by Russia, but comes back to life, and is worshipped by the world.
· The armies of the east attack and are defeated.
· Then Antichrist marches against Christ and his army who have arrived in Jerusalem.
Destroyed at Armageddon Rev 19 and cast into lake of fire Rev 19:20
· Armies of the world are gathered to destroy Israel.
· Battle is fought in valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2), just in front of Jerusalem. Armaggedon is gathering place. Armies come to attack Jerusalem Zech 14:2. Blood flows 200 miles, the entire length of Israel. Requires 7 months to bury dead.
· Millennial temple, Ezek 40-47, is built
· There are millions of Christians still alive when Christ returns to judge the nations Matt 25:31-46, so these will find a way to survive without taking the mark of the beast.
· Bride of Christ is everyone saved from Pentecost through the Rapture. Marriage supper of the Lamb takes place when Christ returns to earth with his bride, to be joined by the OT saints and Tribulation martyrs who are resurrected at his return. These latter ones go into the millennium with their natural bodies, and get their glorified bodies at the end of the millennium when Christ creates all things new.
· 30 days after Christ comes are to consecrate priests
· 45 days after Christ returns (Dan 12:11,12) includes defeat of armies of the world, gathering elect Jews from 4 corners of the earth, separating the sheep and goat nations, binding Satan for 1,000 years, resurrecting OT and Tribulation saints, judging of fallen angels.
· Gog and Magog of Rev 20 are just a remembrance of the Gog and Magog in Ezek 38 & 39
Miscellaneous
· Church reigns as rulers, kings, and priests 1 Peter 2:9, Rev 1:6; 144,000 serve as bodyguards of Lamb and Bride, Rev 14:4; Gentiles saved during Tribulation are temple servants.
· Locusts of Rev 9:3 are fallen angels
· Little book of Rev 10 represents the “sweet” gospel and “bitter” judgment.
· The temple of Rev 11 is the Tribulation temple, not the millennial temple.
· The 5 kings who have fallen in Rev 17:10 are Assyria, Egypt, Babylonia, Medo Persia, and Greece. The sixth one currently is Rome, and the seventh one not yet come is the Antichrist of end times. The eighth king of vs 11 is the resurrected Antichrist.
· Rev 17 describes “Mystery Babylon,” which is the religious world system.
· Rev 18 describes “Babylon the Great,” which is the political-economic system typified by America.
· While the church (Bride) is in heaven in Rev 19, she is inspected and judged, and each of us is given wedding garments corresponding to our good works.
