It is a bit like the Y2K scare/scam, every self-appointed expert was predicting the end of the world, and those who should have known better (and probably did know better) were predicting catastrophic destruction of businesses that did not hire them at much expense to rewrite their software for them (which incidentally often was completely unnecessary). Nothing like a good scam to make money. Yet something did happen just 9 months later in 2001, on the day that the world changed for ever. Just as the world did not end at midnight Dec 31, 2000, and Y2K was used to justify all kinds of nonsense, the Mayan calendar is today being used to justify all kinds of nonsense and you can be sure the world will not end on Dec 21, 2012. However, 2012 will be the end of an era, and the beginning of a new of which 2001 was the wake up call, a birth pang announcing that a new post-secular era was in gestation, impatient to be born. 

So let’s think about what it means when an era comes to an end. There are many historical examples to borrow from. We have the end of the Jewish era with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, and closer to home the end of the Christian era in the mid 1800′s. It is not that there were no more Jews after 70AD,  nor Christians after the mid 1800′s but there was no more a Jewish state after 70AD and Christianity displaced Judaism in the Roman Empire. Similarly absolute Christian monarchies came to an end in the early 1800′s and secular-democracy arose as the dominant ideology and the secular state was born. So what can we expect post 2012? First of all we can expect a rejection of secularism as the dominant ideology and the rise of authoritarianism.  Not surprisingly fundamentalism is seeing a healthy revival on the part of government policies around the world. The global economy is also in the process or undergoing a radical pole shift; away from the first world to the second/third world and politically there is a global reversion away from the principles that arose out of the enlightenment (late 1700′s) towards the centralisation of power, the undermining of democracy, etc, etc, . 

So then, are there  any specific prognostications that can be made about 2012, or at least about its aftermath? Some clues can be found in the events of the past (fall of the Roman Republic, the fall of the Roman Empire, etc) and in the writings of the ancient prophets that wrote about the rise of  the final apocalyptic empire and its fate. Those with their eyes and ears open can recognise that in spite of economic obstacles, greatest empire the world has ever seen is rapidly materialising before our very eyes; preparing to fulfil its prophetic destiny within the post-secular world of the final Apocalypse. If having more than 850 military bases in 135 of the 190 countries in the world does not constitute the greatest military empire in the history of  the world, nothing does. Yet it will have a short career because the same forces  behind the downfall of the soviet union are already at play preparing the downfall of the new Empire. (See The Keys of This Blood by M.Martin for further details). 

Based on an extensive study ancient apocalyptic literature in the context of the repeting themes of history I have put together a brief summary time line of future events of what, according to past history and the ancient prophets, is about to unfold. (additional details follow the chart and on other pages on this blog) There is nothing vague here, so if events 1-3 take place you can be pretty sure the rest will follow. The order of some of the events is a little unclear from the prophecies, so I might not have all the sequence of future events exactly right (or  the dates), but the overall picture is fairly solid.  (click on the chart below for a sharper image)

1. Rise of first American Caesar
• In 2012 economic conditions will deteriorate.
• After the next election 6 Nov 2012 but before the  inauguration in 20 Jan 2013 the presidency will be seized by the first of three non elected presidents. (4Esdras 11:27-29; Daniel 11:17)
• He will “go forth conquering and to conquer” and will “put the whole earth in fear” and will have “governance of the world more than all” before him. “(4Esdras 11:32) - This is the period of the white horseman of the Apocalypse (Rev 6:2).
• To gain political support, the separation between church and state will be overturned through the creation of a law enforcing religious dogma, specifically including regulating Sunday observance, perhaps as early as mid 2013. (see notes on Dan 11:17)
• A civil uprising/war takes place.  The government will prevail and many will be taken, mainly from the coastal cities (presumably to FEMA camps). (Dan 11:18) The red horseman of the Apocalypse now rides.
• For a time, the economy will be partly restored he will “renew many things” (4 Esd 12:23)
• He will have an untimely death in the safety of his own home in his bed (4 Esd 12:26; Dan 11:26)
2. The Second American Caesar
• An associate of the deceased president will take his place. (4Esd 11:33-34; Dan 11:19-20)
• The decline of the empire begins from this time – all downhill from here.
• A power sharing scheme will be setup involving this new president that will eventually result in preparations for war between the two rulers (Dan 11:23-27) [it is unclear if this applies to the 2nd or 3rd president]
• This president will formalise the union of church and state, through the collaboration of the largest Christian churches uniting on the points they have in common.
• He will greatly raise taxes (Dan 11;20)
• At this time, uniform economic and religious worship laws enacted throughout most of the client states, allied nations and protectorates of the empire.
• Religious dissenters will be penalised and demonized  (including violators of sunday sacredness). Many will be falsely accused, fined and imprisoned.
• All transportation will come to a standstill (perhaps due to oil shortage) food deliveries will stop, there will be hunger and strife in the cities. Fires in the cities will rage unchecked since the fire engines will be inoperable. This is the black horseman of the Apocalypse.
• About this time (but could be a little later) there will be war with Iran. (According to the vision of Esdras  this will involve Saudi Arabia and Iraq.)
• The second unelected president dies prematurely after a short time (according to Esdras by the hand of his successor). (Dan 11:20,26, 4 Esdras 12:27-28).
3. The Final American Caesar
• The last of the three unelected presidents takes power (perhaps 2016-17?) his unpopular rule will last about a year (Dan 11:24).
• The pale horseman now rides – deadly pandemics, (100,000′s die each day) increasing civil strife and famine decimate the population.
• At some point about this time (timing unclear) the state of Israel will be destroyed.
• Having “indignation against the covenant” (Dan 11:20) the “abomination of desolation” will be set up and the mark of the beast enforced. All who will not submit to the religious authority of the leading churches will be placed under economic sanctions – they will not be able to buy or sell. (Rev 13:16-17)
• The nation now suffers catastrophic natural disasters – the rebuke of God – described by the seven trumpets – a huge meteor strikes a large city destroying large houses, a large volcanic eruption, a fierce hail storm, and a major earthquake etc.
• Many religious dissenters will be martyred - the fifth seal of the Apocalypse (Rev 6:9-11)
• The stars will fall, the sun darkened, the moon appear as blood and there will be a great earthquake – the sixth seal of the Apocalypse; the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
• There will be a little time of worldwide peace – the war in the Middle East [with Iran] will be held back for a time.
• A warning message against receiving the mark of the beast and calling people to “come out of Babylon” will be loudly proclaimed  (see the the sign of Jonah.)
• A miracle working being will appear on earth claiming to be Christ, Budda, Mahdi etc – but who is really antichrist. The temporal millennium, age of Aquarius etc will be proclaimed (2 Cor 11:14) [timing uncertain sometime around events of the falling of the stars through to the setting up of the 1o kings)
• The last of the three unelected presidents dies through either suicide or assassination. (4 Esdras 12:28)
• The US capital will be relocated (Dan 11:45) as took place near the end of both the Roman and the neo-Assyrian Empires) to make way for the dominion of "Babylon the great"
• The empire collapses, breaking up into ten pieces (taken away that the man of sin may be revealed see 2 Thes 2:3-10). 
4. The New World Order of 10 kings
• The nation will have two more presidents, both duly elected, but "their kingdom was small, and fill of uproar." (4Esdras 12:2)
• The international power vacuum following the fall of the empire is filled by a new world order of 10 kingdoms that is really the feudal (un)Holy Roman Empire reincarnated under the control of the universal church-state complex of Babylon riding the beast. (Rev 17)
• Persecution is stepped up against dissenters (Dan 11:32-39)
• The war in the middle east recommences [involving Iran].
• A period of great tribulation begins, a time of worldwide trouble and calamity. Famine, war, pestilence, natural disasters, anarchy, civil unrest.
• Religious persecution intensified with a death penalty decreed against dissenters.
5. Overthrow of the New World Order
• Cataclysmic natural disasters now take place in various places around the world for a period of just over a year culminating in the destruction of Mystery Babylon – that great universal church-state system that will be ruling over the new world order nations of the earth. These come in the form of salt and fresh water deadly red tides, record-breaking heat waves, highly contagious, incurable painful skin infections, great hail storms etc.  (Rev 16; 4 Esdras 16:14; 15:5,10-11,27)
• Finally super volcanic eruptions and huge earthquakes will destroy human civilization, the surface of the earth will burn up (2Pet 3:10) and all will be reduced to rubble. Islands will disappear, mountain chains will sink. 
• Christ comes visibly in the clouds with the sound of the trumpet to reward the few that have kept his Word at all costs and punish those who have received the mark of the beast. 

For details of the relevant prophecies see here , here, here and here.

Today we exceeded last years record for the most number of Magn 5+ earthquakes in a year. The highest ever was 2270 in 2007 and as of today we reached a total of 2282 for the year and there are still 6 weeks remaining. Given that we are averaging about 5 to 6 a day and there are still another 42 days or so left I expect we will beat the record by about 210 quakes to make a total of about 2490 of Magn 5+ quakes for the 2011 calendar year. 

Its not just that this year has broken the record for the all time highest number of earthquakes of magnitude 5 and up but of across all magnitudes as is clear from the charts upto 2008 showing the exponential rise is the number of quakes with magnitudes below 5.0. It is just a shame the that powers that be decided after 2008 that it was in our best interest to stop making the data available and to keep us in the dark, about what is really happening to the earth.

(updated Sept 15, 2011)

In the last 25 hours there have been four earthquakes greater than 6.0 including a 7.3 in Fiji. Over the last 50 years there has only been on average 10 quakes a month of magnitude 6.0 and up. So having 4 in a day and 8 this week is in keeping with this year’s explosive increase in the number of earthquakes. This year we have already had 174 M6.0 and up and more than 2000 M5.0 and up, which in both cases is above the long term average. This is the same as last year so far, and there are still 3 months remaining this year:

 The chart below has been updated and is current to Aug 30, 2011. (click on it for a sharper image)

I would love to show you a chart of the explosion in earthquakes of all mangnitudes over the last few years but I can’t because they stopped releasing the earthquake data for magnitudes less than 4.5. You can still see the exponential rise across all magnitudes from 1975 – 2008  here.

(Update Mar 11, 2011)

When I looked at the recent number of earthquakes this morning I could tell something was brewing. Over the last 5 days there had been 8 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater including a magnitude 7. Given that on average there have been about 100 magnitude 6+ quakes a year on average over the last half century  having 8 of them in 5 days is what I call a real earthquake swarm… something that is unfortunately going to become more and more frequent.

So it is not surprising when a few hours ago the 4th strongest earthquake in recorded history (that has tilted the earth’s axis by 10 centimeters) with a reading of 9.0 hit just off the coast of Japan, followed by 18 more quakes all greater than 6.0 including a 7.1 quake and another 80 quakes of magnitude 5.0 and up all within a single day. That is 120 major quakes within 24 hours; a new all time high. Talk about aftershocks! Another all time high is having 31 strong quakes > magnitude 6.0 which is a third of the yearly quota take place within just a week.  At this rate we are in for a bumper year.If this trend continues 2011 will be the year with the most number of mag 6+ quakes on record. [update: it is now August and we have had 150% more quakes than any other year on record]

The only ones who claim that earthquakes are not increasing are those that are willingly blind and refuse to look at the facts. Even the insurance companies know it and plan for it as part of their risk management strategies. Get ready for we have seen nothing yet…. “and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:8)  and you know what comes next… or you should because your life will depend on it.

It must be emphasized that since the 1930′s a single seismograph is capable of accurately detecting earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 and greater anywhere in the world. Similar earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 and greater have been reliably detected since 1965. Having more seismographs and high tech ones does not mean you detect more earthquakes, as some would have you believe, just that you can pin point their location more accurately in 3D space (latitude, longitude and depth). 

It is not just the quantity of earthquakes that is increasing. The Chilean Earthquake in February 2010 with a magnitude of 8.8 was the seventh most powerful in all recorded history and the January earthquake Haiti is ranked as the sixth deadliest earthquake in history.

The Bible says that increasing earthquakes is a warning sign of the coming apocalypse. While evolutionary geologists scoff at the Word of God claiming that “all things continue as they were from the beginning” (2 Pet 3:4) the very rocks are crying out to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see that the end of all things is at hand – those that ignore the warnings of nature and fail to make the appropriate preparation, do so at the peril of their souls.

What is interesting is that over the last century the distance that the North Pole has shifted began rising. It gained even more speed  over the last 20 years, reaching a peak in the year 2000 when it shifted 71 kilometers. Since then it has continued moving towards Siberia at a rate of between 50 to 60 kms each year. At the same time the earth’s magnetic field strength has been markedly decreasing which is likely to have catastrophic consequences on the ecology such as the recent spate of mass animal deaths not to mention effects on our high-tech human civilisation.

What I find interesting about the pole shift is that if you plot the pole shift distance per year together with the number of earthquakes greater than a magnitude of 3.0 since 1975 we get an interesting correlation: (click on the chart for a sharper image)

(The pole shift data comes from the NOAA and the earthquake data from USGS.)

What we see is a reasonably high correlation between the poleshift and number of earthquakes each year.  It is unclear whether one is causing the other or if both are being caused by something else behind the scenes such as the influence of the sun or changes deep down in the earth’s core. Given that there is no known reason for the unprecedented increase in earthquakes (making denial the easy ‘scientific’ choice) this link with the pole shift is highly interesting. If the pole shift increase continues as do the earthquake rises then life on this planet is going to get very interesting indeed – and bring about an apocalypse of Biblical proportions – the final apocalypse.

Oh, but we are told, “don’t worry about these smaller ones, its the big ones that are important and these have not gone up.” Really? Lets look at just those earthquakes with magnitude 6.0 to 7.0.  These have been accurately detected and measured since 1965. What do we find? A long-term almost linear increase, again more than tripling the incidence since then.  What year was it when they improved those instruments?

So there you have it, a fairly consistent rise in the number of earthquakes since about 1965. We now have many times more earthquakes as there were thirty years ago. Can this be explained away as the official sources attempt to do by saying that it is because the population has increased, or that it only seems like it because earthquake awareness is a psychological phenomenon? My favourite has to be that it is because the instruments were improved 30 years ago, that some how that has made the number of earthquakes go up almost every year since then. Perhaps its because 80 years ago there were only 350 seismographs each one of which could detect an earthquake almost anywhere in the world and now because there are 4000 seismographs the number of earthquakes have gone up to keep pace! As it was in Christ’s day, even if an angel came down from heaven they would still be bind to see and deaf to hear the evidence of their sensors.

 What is the cause of all this – definitively not global warming. The fact is that no one can explain it. Yet Jesus foretold it as a sign of the end.

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Mat 24:7-8)

Combined with the increase in pestilences since 2003 we are starting to see the signs foretold by Christ coming to pass. Aside from increasing superbugs, numerous pandemics have recently arisen since 2000 including SARS, Avian Flu, Swine Flu. Consider the spread of the much less virulent HIV/AIDS that has already killed more than 25 million and with another 30 million infected and we can being to see why Governments and people are being prepared for an unspecified major future pandemic.

Since 2001 war has also been on the increase. In fact since 2004 much of the world has been in continual war and threat of war with no end against nations deemed to be terrorist states. War has been carried out against Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, Serbia, Libya, Kosovo and others. Rumours of possible future wars against Iran, Syria, Pakistan, North Korea and even China are becoming more commonplace. The world’s nations are rearming for the final conflict.

Are you ready for what comes next?

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Mat 24:9)

“And he had power to… cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Rev 13:15) 

In some ways it is easy to understand why the classical Historicist interpretation of prophecy has been abandoned for the futurist/dispensationalist approach. The classical Historicist interpretation leaves the premier apocalyptic book in the Bible with more to say about events before the 1800′s than the period following, leading up to Armageddon and the seven last plagues. For the most part the churches, the seals and the trumpets are only seen to be in the past and we  are left with only a few verses about the mark of the beast and the ten kings that rule for one hour to guide us through the perils of the last days.

Yet the problem is that while promising to be true to the Apocalyptic nature of the Revelation and thereby make prophecy relevant for today,  futurism/dispensationalism spectacularly fails. It has no real explanation for the seven trumpets, the seven seals nor the other narratives in the Revelation, nor many other NT prophecies. It just does not live up to its promise. The fact that its popularity today is mostly driven by fictional novels about the future and that scholarship in this area is not much better says alot about the weaknesses of this approach.  The  sad result is that most people still have no better understanding of the Apocalypse than if it had never been revealed to John or it had been sealed up.

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. (Rev 22:10)

Perhaps the most telling characteristic of the futurist/dispensationalist interpretation  is that for most of those who accept it, other than just being interesting, Revelation’s prophecies are largely irrelevant because aside from not being understood they don’t believe they will concern them since they won’t be around to see their fulfilment. It removes the  present-day relevance of prophecy and the urgency expressed in Revelation for us to understand and therefore keep the saying of the book (Rev 1:3).

The underlying difference between historicism and dispensationalism in regard to prophetic interpretation is that while historicism looks for specific literal fulfilment of prophecy, dispensation only looks for spiritual fulfilment during the Christian “dispensation.” In this regard dispensationalism takes more of an allegorical approach to interpreting prophecy for today which is why there is such a great variety of ideas about what things could mean and no consistent, systematic understanding of prophecy today.

The key to understanding the Apocalypse systematically, consistenly and its present relevance is to realise that the preterists to some extent and the historicists are correct in that it has been fulfilled in the past in the literal history of specific nations, and it is beginning to be fulfilled again, but  in the very same way as they have been fulfilled in the past. We can identify the current and future fulfilments by understanding the past fulfilments and you will be amazed just as I was by how accurately both the books of Daniel and Revelation have portrayed the events of history not just in the distant past, but in our lifetimes and in the near future. Consider the threefold fulfilment of the Seven Trumpets, the Four Horsemen, Daniel’s four kingdoms or the sign of Jonah throughout history.

It is not coincidental that in the Revelation John was told that what he was to write encompassed three time periods; the past, the present and the future:

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (Rev 1:19)

While this verse has a specific application to the seven churches, it also has a broader application to the other prophecies of the Apocolypse. Another clue is that we are told four times that the things described in Revelation would occur very soon, twice using the expression “the time is at hand” and then again as “shortly come to pass” and also “shortly be done.” In the original Greek the expressions translated as “shortly come to pass” and “shortly be done” are identical. So this idea is twice repeated two times at the beginning and two times at the end of the book, with a blessing at the beginning and the end to those who keep and therefore understand. This is clearly not just a casual statement; the Lord wants us to know that the things in Revelation are about to come to pass today!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Rev 1:1

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Rev 1:3

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Rev 22:6 – 7

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. Rev 22:10

The question arises of how can the nearly two thousand years since John wrote the apocalypse be described as “shortly” and “at hand.” We know that God “cannot lie” (Tit 1:2) so some explain this apparently bad choice of words as being relative to the time scale of the Eternal. Be that as it may, it is difficult to read this quadruple affirmation that the apocalyse would “shortly come to pass” and not wonder if there is more to it.

The ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force for us: “Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:12).

The prophets to whom these great scenes were revealed longed to understand their full meaning. They “inquired and searched diligently; … searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify… Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you.” (1 Peter 1:10-12) To us who are standing on the very verge of their fulfillment, of what deep, living interest, are these delineations of the things to come,–events for which the prophets have watched and waited, longed and prayed!

When John wrote these “things must shortly come to pass” it must have been for the benefit of both the saints in the first centuries as well as for those “upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Otherwise those things would certainly not “shortly come to pass” for one of the two groups and would make a liar out of God. One way to explain this is to spread the fulfilment of Revelation’s prophecies throughout all time; saying that those things began to come to pass in the first centuries, some portions being fulfilled and other parts yet remain to be fulfilled. In this way, throughout all of history there can always be some part of Revelation’s prophecies that “will shortly to come pass.”

There is no dispute that the millennium, the new heaven and earth etc are yet in the future while others are in the past. The issue is however whether this is all that is meant by the expression “shortly come to pass.” If it is, then it violates the apparent intention of the expression since only some things would shortly come to pass but not others. Would not the Lord have used a more accurate expression such as “shortly begin to come to pass”, if this is what the Lord intended? So the dilemma of why the Lord emphatically confirmed to John twice over that those things “would shortly come to pass” remains. The fact is that the truths opened to John are of the greatest importance to us, since they are a revelation of the most important events that are to take place in the last days of this earth’s history and we are living in the very last days and we shall soon enter upon their fulfilment.

We can understand how the prophecies of Revelation would “shortly come to pass” in John’s day as well as in the last days when realise that they are to have a future fulfilment that will be a repetition of past history. The same things would be repeated. The beast that rose from the ruins of ancient Rome will again arise from the ruins of our modern civilisation. Jesus revealed Himself to John not just as one who acted and will act in the past and future fulfilment of prophecy but is also acting in the present. We have seen that God’s work is confirmed three times and there are a number of prophecies in the Bible that have three distinct fulfilments such as the coming of Elijah. Is it possible that the prophecies of Revelation might have a threefold repetition to establish them as His divine Word?

If we consider Revelation on its own we see that three distinct persecuting enemies of God’s people are presented. The first is the great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns (Rev 12:3), the second is the leopard like beast with seven heads and ten horns and ten crowns (Rev 13:1) and finally the lamb like beast with two horns that speaks like a dragon, that makes (or transforms itself into) an image to the first beast. While each of these primarily pertains to a different historical period yet they share the same spirit and many other similarities. As the final one is in many ways a composite of the previous two, understanding them helps us arrive at a full understanding of the final one.

These three enemies that feature largely in Revelation encompass the history of God’s people in the past, present and future relative to John the Revelator. The great red dragon that represents the Roman Empire that attempted to destroy the “man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron” (Rev 12:5) was fulfilled during the Jewish era (the woman Rev 12:1). The leopard like beast that made war on the saints for forty-two months pertains to the Christian era (the woman’s seed). The final lamb-like beast and imposition of the mark of the beast pertains to the future during the era of the remnant of her seed (Rev 12:17). These three eras give us the historical context for the fulfilment of Revelation’s prophecies. In other posts I  shall show that each of the prophecies of Revelation relating to the history of the church has a repeated fulfilment during the time of the Jewish Church, the Christian Church and the Remnant church. Thus the prophecies of Revelation are confirmed three times, revealing that they are the Divinely established work of God and are sure.

Yet there are not three but three and a half fulfilments, the final half corresponds to the final generation. We note that three and one half features prominently in both Daniel and Revelation. This means that there will be a fourth and final repetition of the events of the Apocalypse.  The preceding fulfilments confirm the prophecy and help those that live in the final hour of the world’s history to better understand the events taking place around them so that we might be adequately prepared to meet those that still await us.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1Co 10:11)

Please wait a few seconds while this animated presentation loads…

 This short presentation leaves out many details but you can read more about Jonah’s prophecy here. (or by selecting it from the menu bar at the top of the page.) You may wonder why in the final sign of Jonah I have the time periods as years, years, and days, instead of the days, years, years of the second fulfilment. This may be wrong but my justification is that it will take years not days to warn the entire world against Babylon’s worldwide apostacy yet once the warning is given “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” (Mat 24:21-22)

Many things are repeated three times in the Bible such as the coming of Elijah (Mal 4:5), the three times in the year that the Israelites were to appear before the Lord (Exo 23:17) Balaam blessed Israel three times and hit the ass three times. Samuel thought Eli had called him three times, the three signs that the Lord gave Gideon, Elijah stretched himself on the widow’s dead child three times and had water poured over the altar three times, Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane and was found innocent by Pilate three times, Peter was asked three times if he loved Jesus and the vision of the sheet descending from heaven was thrice repeated. The message that “Babylon is fallen is fallen” is given three times (Isa 21:9; Rev 14:8; 18:2). The number three must also have some special meaning. We notice that something done two or three times is established, but we shall show that something is divinely established if it occurs three times:

And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Gen 41:32

This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2Co 13:1

The ministry of Christ was confirmed three times by a voice from heaven. (Mat 3:17, 17:5; John 12:28) Christ raised three people from the dead. Christ was one of three persons crucified at the third hour (Mar 15:25) with a superscription written in three languages. At the sixth hour darkness covered the land and at the ninth hour He cried out “it is finished” and died. On the third day Christ rose from the grave being the day on which he was “perfected” (Luke 13:32). The Lord overturned three empires to confirm the coming of the Messiah.

I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. (Eze 21:27)

Things of divine origin are almost always confirmed three times. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and three that bear witness in the earth, the Spirit, the water and the blood.” (1 Jo 5:7-8) The number three is especially related with the sealing work of the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the Godhead. God the Father is the focus of the Old Testament; Jesus the focus of the Gospels and after His ascension the work of the Holy Spirit is brought into view in the remainder of the New Testament (and especially in the book of Revelation). The work of the Holy Spirit is threefold, to convict of sin, of righteousness and judgement to come.

We observe that all intelligent capabilities are summed up in three aspects – thought, word and deed. God first purposes something, then speaks it and finally does it. It is interesting to observe that the beast power described in both Daniel and Revelation that claims to be God also exercises these same three capabilities:

I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (Isa 46:9-11)

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws. (Dan 7:25)

From all this we conclude that God’s work is completed and perfected the third time. That is to say that if something is established of God then it is repeated three times. There may be some minor differences each time the work is undertaken but it is essentially the same work. The first time we see the hand of the Father, the second time the hand of Christ (who is the Word of God) and the third time the hand of the Holy Spirit (who is the finger of God Ex 8:19; Luke 11:20). For example the message of Elijah comes three times. The first time revealed the almighty power of Jehovah in bringing down fire from heaven, the second time it revealed the power of Christ in the flesh and the final time will reveal the power of the Holy Spirit. The work of the prophetic beast power and its unholy trinity composed of the kings of the earth, the harlot woman and the false prophet is also repeated and perfected the third time. In the work of the Beast the first time it appears in history we see the hand of the King, the second the hand of the Harlot Woman (Babylon) and the last time the hand of the daughter (False Prophet).

Furthermore there are three divisions of time – past present and future. In the book of Revelation Jesus is presented as the one who was, that is and which is to come. That this is confirmed a total of three times in the book of Revelation means that it is very significant. This fact is so important that it is confirmed again by a second witness in the book of Hebrews:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; Rev 1:4

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Rev 1:8

The four beasts… rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Rev 4:8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb 13:8

We note that the beast power is also similarly described four times in Revelation:

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Rev 17:8

And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. Rev 17:10

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Rev 17:11

There is much more that could be said about the significance of the number three in Bible prophecy. The essential fact is that things are divinely confirmed / sealed / completed as each member of the Godhead acts their part. This threefold repetition is fundamental to understanding many mysteries in the Scriptures. In this light we see that the history of Daniel’s four great prophetic kingdoms and their culmination in the Apocalypse as described in the book of Revelation must be fulfilled (or repeated) three times, during the Jewish, Christian and Secular eras. Thus the four horsemen and the seven trumpets have had three fulfilments. The final apocalypse is just now opening up before us. Click on the chart below to read about the fulfilment in each era.

This threefold repetition is proclaimed by the wisdom of Solomon who wrote that God not only allows the events of the past to be fulfilled in the present, but requires them to take place again in the future.

That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. Ecc 3:15 

This is confirmed by the testimony of both the apostle Peter who stated that what the prophets wrote are more applicable to us today than for those to whom they were written, and Paul who wrote that the experience of God’s people in past ages is an example to us in the last days:

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 1Pe 1:12

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1Co 10:11

Thus Preterism, Historicism and Futurism all converge as each age has had its Apocalypse. Yet the final apocalypse will be different. It will not just be the passing of a historical era, it will bring about the end of human civilisation as we know it. The sweeping away of the current world order by those (the beast and his image) who have worked tirelessly to restore the institions of the dark ages but now with far more sophisticated technological capabilities for controlling social, economic and religious activities will introduce a state of things that God will rapidly bring to an end 

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Mat 24:21-22)

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecc 1:9

An official from the Shang province once asked Confucius if he was a sage. “‘A sage!’ replied Confucius. ‘How could I venture to think so? I am only a man with a wide range of learning and information…’ ‘Why, who is there, then,’ cried the Minister, much astonished, ‘that is really a sage?’ The expression of Confucius’ countenance changed, and he replied after a pause: ‘Among the people of the West a true sage dwells. He governs not, yet there is no disorder. He speaks not, yet he is naturally trusted. He makes no reforms, yet right conduct is spontaneous and universal. So great and incomprehensible is he that the people can find no name to call him by. I suspect that this man is a sage, but whether in truth he is a sage or is not a sage I do not know.’” (Book of Lieh-Tzü, BOOK IV: Confucius, by Lionel Giles 1912) We ask which man lived in the west, contemporary to Confucius whose fame and wisdom was known throughout the world, whose writings defined the course of history, whose tomb in Susa in modern Iran is still revered today and whom Confucius could find no name to call him by?

The historian Josephus tells us that when Alexander the Great came to attack Jerusalem in 333BC, Juddua, the High Priest, went out to meet him and showed him a copy of the book of Daniel written two hundred years earlier where Alexander’s future defeat of Persia was described. (Ant. 11.337). This so impressed him that, instead of destroying Jerusalem as he had intended, Alexander worshipped at the temple and granted Jerusalem many favours and the freedom to live under their own laws. As a contemporary of Confucius, we can think of no other than Daniel that meets his specifications for the “true sage” that lived in the west. Even after two and a half thousand years, the writings of the prophet Daniel are as relevant today as when they so deeply impressed Alexander the Great that they turned the course of history.

Since Daniel’s time, many refusing like Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:1-7) to accept the description of history in regard to themselves, have denied the authenticity of the book and have attempted to obfuscate its writings, claiming they apply only to the distant past (preterism) or to the distant future (futurism) or to spiritualise (allegorize)  away its application to us today. It is little wonder that Daniel tells us “only the wise shall understand” (Dan 12:10). The articles in this blog will show is that Daniel’s description of the cycle of world history has applied throughout all history but even moreso in our day, predicting the major events of the twentieth century in detail. What many students of Daniel’s prophecies have overlooked is that, just as Confucius and Solomon recognised that history repeats, Daniel, who had studied the writings of Solomon and was acknowledged as superior by Confucius, must also have recognised the same. This is where we begin to see the true genius of Daniel. In carefully selecting which details he presented in his vision of the four kingdoms, he skilfully identified the characteristic features of a cycle that would be repeated three times in history with each repetition providing a more complete or precise fulfilment of Daniel’s prophetic vision. Interestingly the Seven Trumpets of Revelation and other prophecies also repeat three times.

Didn’t George Bernard Shaw write:

“We learn from experience that we never learn from experience.”