Past Light Revealing the Future

Background
The festivals we celebrate define the culture we are part of. Nowadays, we are
so familiar with the festivals we celebrate that everybody does it without even
thinking why? The month of December is the season where millions of people,
Christian and non-Christian alike, celebrate Christmas without knowing its
origins or its significance. Followers of Yshua (Jesus) tend to celebrate
festivals that are Scriptural, because they enhance our faith and have historic
or prophetic significance. Most Christians today, celebrate festivals that are
non-Scriptural. They do not know about the Feasts of YHVH or the forgotten
Feast called Chanukah. They think these are Jewish Festivals and therefore
have nothing to do with their faith or culture. In this study we will uncover
Chanukah, especially its connection to Yshua and its prophetic significance,
which shows that this is a Feast all Christians should celebrate instead of
Western Cultural secular festivals.
Chanukah is an 8-day feast known as the feast of dedication or the Festival of
Lights, celebrated by our Jewish brothers at the beginning of the 25th day of
Kislev (Nov Dec). The Hebrew word "Chanukkah" literally means
"dedication", and this observance goes hand in hand with the lighting of
Chanukah (9 branch menorah) that historically reminds the people of the
rededication of the Temple over an 8-day period. This historical event is found
in the first and second Books of the Maccabees, which were in the first
translation of the Greek and English Bibles (Septuagint and the King James).
The King James Bible originally contained all 80 books. The Apocrypha,
including 1st and 2nd Maccabees, were removed in 1885, leaving only 66
Books.

Q Why are the Books of the Maccabees not included in the TaNaK (Old
Testament)?

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 The First and Second Books of
Maccabees contain the most
detailed accounts of the battles of
Judah Maccabee and his brothers
for the liberation of Judea from
foreign domination.
These books include within them
the earliest references to the
story of Hanukkah and the
rededication of the Temple, in
addition to the famous story of the
mother and her seven sons. And
yet, these two books are missing
from the Hebrew Bible.
First and Second Maccabees were included in the Septuagint, the Greek
translation of the Hebrew Bible, originally prepared for the Jewish community
of Alexandria. However, the Septuagint became the official version of the
Bible for the Christian Church. The Books of Maccabees became part of the
first Christian canon, for otherwise they most certainly would have been lost
during the centuries. But once this Christian canonization occurred, these
books became lost to the Jewish world for many centuries.
Q - Why did the Jews reject the Books of the Maccabees?
After the Jews defeated the Greeks, the war heroes were given the status of
kings, known as the Hasmonean kings of Israel, under the leadership of
Simon, Judah and Jonathan Maccabaeus. These kings adapted to the Roman
way and wanted to merge state and religion. Until then these roles were
separate, and the King looked after the political side of the nation, while the
High Priest looked after the spiritual side of the nation. This led to Jonathan
Maccabaeus appointing himself as King and High Priest, and that made the
Rabbis furious.

This resulted in the Rabbis focusing the celebration of Chanukah in a more

spiritual way associated with the rededication of the Temple, rather than the
physical victory over the Greeks. As a result of this, they excluded the two
Books of the Maccabees from the TaNaK, which is the Old Testament.

The story of the oil that lasted 8 days is found in the Writing known as Nagilah
Ta-anid, the scroll of fasting. This scroll of the second Temple era contains
all the days and feasts where it is not permitted to fast, and Chanukah is listed
as one of these festivals. The Nagilah Ta-anid also contains the story about
the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the oil that lasted 8 days.
Whether this story is accurate is debatable as it only made its appearance in
this writing many years later because of the dispute between the Rabbis and
Jonathan, the Hasmonean King.

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Chanukah and Sukkot Connection
The Second Book of the Maccabees
quotes a letter that was sent from the
Hasmonean kings to the leaders of
Egyptian Jews, roughly around 125 BCE.
This letter describes this feast as the The
Festival of Sukkot, which was celebrated
in the month of Kislev (Nov-December)
rather than Tishrei (September-October).
This was because the Jews at that time
were still in caves fighting the Greeks
around the month of Tishrei, (164 BCE),
and therefore could not celebrate the eight-day Feast of Sukkot, which is also
an 8-day celebration with the title Feast of Dedication. So the Feast of
Dedication (Sukkot) was postponed until after the recapture of Jerusalem, and
celebrated after the purification of the Temple was complete.

Q Why did they rededicate the Temple during Sukkot?

Sukkot (Tabernacles) is also known as the Season of Joy, the Feast of

Ingathering, the Festival of the Nations, the Feast of Dedication, and the
Festival of Lights. Interestingly, Chanukah is also known as the Feast of
Dedication and the Festival of Lights.
We read in 2 Chr 7 that they rededicated the Temple during the celebration of
Sukkot, which was an 8-day celebration. Later on, in 2 Chr 30, they celebrated
Passover late because not enough Priests had consecrated themselves
according to the rules of the Sanctuary and the people had not assembled in
Jerusalem. King Hezekiah ordered the Passover to be celebrated in the
second month (different to what the Torah dictates) and they kept it for two
consecutive 7-day periods, and this pleased YHVH. Celebrating Sukkot on the
25th of Kislev, and rededicating the Temple later than expected, would have
been a similar scenario that was pleasing to YHVH as well. This confirms that
the Celebration of Chanukah is no more than a late celebration of Sukkot, the
main theme being the rededication of the Temple after the victory of the
Maccabees over the Greeks. The prophetic significance of this late Feast
celebrated YHVHs victory over man made traditions, and established His
Presence amongst His people.

Chanukah in the New Testament

The Feasts of YHVH, (not Jewish Feasts), are called mo-ed or appointed
times, where YHVH has an appointment with man, to come and do His work
through His Right Arm, the Messiah. This feast is not found in the Torah
(except as a late Sukkot celebrated on the 25th of Kislev). This historic event
is prophesied in the Book of Daniel chapter 11, which emphasizes its
importance and makes it relevant to us today.

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Some believe that the feast of Chanukah is mentioned in the Book of John
(John 10:22), which proves that Yshua celebrated it. This feast was referred
to as the Feast of Dedication, which was another name for Chanukah. But
when you read about the events preceding John 10:22, it links to the Feast of
Sukkot, which is also known as the Feast of Dedication.
The context of John 10 leans more towards Sukkot being the Feast of
Dedication than Chanukah. This confusion is cleared up by the fact that the
first Chanukah was a late celebration of Sukkot. Chanukah (late Sukkot) is a
Jewish historical event that has a prophetic significance that relates to the
rededication of the future Temple, which makes it significant for believers in
Yshua to study.
Yshua, explicitly makes reference to this historic event in Matthew 24
(prophesied in Dan 11), which will be fulfilled again in the future, confirming its
historic and prophetic significance. It is up to the individual if they want to
celebrate Chanukah the traditional way, with our Jewish brothers, or celebrate
its prophetic significance as part of preparation for Messiahs Second Coming.
Personally, I acknowledge the historical event with its prophetic significance,
is a good time to learn its importance relating to future end time events, in line
with other prophecies and the Book of Revelation. If you are an end time
scholar, you should study the Books of the Maccabees in the light of the Book
of Daniel, Matthew 24 and Revelation.

Form Sukkot to Chanukah

This year the start of Sukkot and the start of
Chanukah is 70 days apart. The number 70 is quite
significant relating to Sukkot, especially regarding the
sacrifices and the nations.
During the week of Sukkot, 70 bulls were
offered on the altar. This connects the 70 bulls
to the 70 nations, as taken from Deut 32:8;
Gen 46:27; and Ex 1:1-5. .
When Jacob and his family went to Egypt, 70 people went, and it was
there that they became a nation.
Once again, the association of the nations of the world to Sukkot is found
in Zec 14:16-19.
In 1 Kings 8:41-43, King Solomon dedicated the first Temple (Beit
HaMikdash) during the 8-day Feast of Sukkot. Sukkot is also known as
the Feast of the Nations. This connects Sukkot and Chanukah, an 8-day
festival where the Temple was dedicated. The First Sukkot and Last
Sukkot (Chanukah) both share the theme of dedicating the Temple of
YHVH, the first Temple was only for Israel, the Last Temple will include all
nations (70).
The initial theme of Sukkot mentioned was when Israel left Egypt, moving out
from among the nations as His chosen people, dwelling in tents.

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The final Sukkot has the theme of building and dedicating YHVHs Temple and
assembling the nations. This is the ultimate fulfilment of the Sukkot pattern
where the New Jerusalem, the City or Dwelling Place of YHVH will come down
and where He will sukkot amongst His people including all nations who came
in through the Covenant and Work of Messiah Yshua. The number 70 has the
following words connected to it through its gematria:

Attributes of YHVH
- Adonijah = "my Lord is YHVH"
-- Col-hozeh = "all-seeing"
-- Nahbi = "hidden"
What He has done for us (nations)

-- Zebina = "bought"
-- Sode -- council, counsel, assembly, secret assembly
--Kane-- base, stand, pedestal, office, foot, place, estate, well.

What we (nations) need to do

-- Jadon = "thankful"
Yah-yin --- wine, to effervesce (bubble joy), banqueting
--Niyah-- wailing, lament, lamentation, mourning song (repent)
-- Halechah --- walk, doing, travelling company, way
-- Bacheen-- siege-towers, watchtower
-- Machi = "decrease"
-- Hasah --- hold peace (tongue), (keep) silence, be silent, still.

What we (nations) need to endure / avoid/withstand

--Kee-la-ee -- scoundrel, playing card (jack)
- --Ga-ah-yon---- proud
-Layil--- night (dark time tribulation)
--- Zuzim = "roving creatures."
Yel-ale--- a howling (of beasts), to howl, wail, make a howling
--Kane-- gnat, gnats, gnat-swarm
The meanings listed here can be categorized into four main topics:

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 Attributes of YHVH, What He has done for us (nations), What we (nations)
need to do, What we (nations) need to endure/avoid/withstand. All these
meanings support the idea of the nations (no 70) as well as Sukkot and the
connection to Chanukah (Great Sukkot prophetic). As we have learned
from previous studies, the final Sukkot can only happen if we travel through
the Time called the Tribulation, which is similar to a 7 year (day) Sukkot and
a final Great Day at the end, when everything will be complete. This is
when the Kingdom will be established with the New Jerusalem coming
down from Heaven, and the final Sukkot will be fulfilled, symbolised by the
Feast if Chanukah, a delayed Sukkot, where Yshua delayed His coming
so that more of the nations can come to faith and enter His Kingdom.

Daniel-past, Matthew-present, and End Times-future.

In this section, we will see that the prophecy in Daniel 8 and 12 was fulfilled by
the event that happened at the time of the Maccabees, involving the
defilement and the rededication of the Temple. Yshua taught this very same
prophecy as recorded in Matt 24, but linked it to events yet to come, relating
to the Bride and His second coming. This will fulfill Daniels prophecy for a
second time.
Spiritual Insight: Prophecies can be fulfilled more than once and can be
related to waves breaking on the sea><shore. Every prophetic cycle or
small wave, can be seen more than once, but eventually followed by the
major wave, which looks like the smaller ones, just greater in intensity. The
smaller waves are known as birth pains and there will be multiple pains
before the woman experiences the major pain associated with the actual birth.
The prophecies lead up to the final fulfillment of the cycle.

The history captured in the Book of the Maccabees and the feast of Chanukah
that celebrated the building and dedication of the final temple, are a part of the
birth pains that precede the final birth of the Messiah, the King. Prophecy is
not a prediction of the future, it is a revelation of the future Plan of YHVH.
YHVH knows the future because He knows the Plan and He has the power to
bring it to fruition.
This prophetic pattern was fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees, and yet it
adds detail to what we can expect in the future. This makes it prophetically
significant, because it gives us insight into the future main event, which is the
second fulfillment of the same prophecy. We will look at the events of the past
fulfillment to learn from its wisdom so that we can apply it in our time if we are
in the times of the end.

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The Maccabees and the Fulfillment of Daniels
Prophecy
It all started with Nebuchadnezzars dream, where he saw a
great statue with a head of gold, an upper body of silver, a
lower body of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay
with ten toes. Then a big rock came and hit the statue at its
feet and destroyed it. Daniel interpreted this dream as follows:

The statue represents the following kingdoms:

o Head of Gold Babylon

o Breast of Silver Medo-Persia kingdom
o Belly and thighs of Bronze Greece
o Legs of Iron Rome
o Feet with ten toes of Iron and Clay Rome
divided into ten Rulers (kingdoms).
From the Roman Empire came Ten Kings representing the ten toes:
1. Augustus 6. Galba
2. Tiberius 7. Otho
3. Gaius Caligula 8. Vitellius
4. Claudius 9. Vespasian
5. Nero 10. Titus
The prophecy of Nebuchadnezzars dream revealed by Daniel, was fulfilled as
proven by these historic kingdoms that we know existed. The head,
Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Jerusalem in 586BC, and Titus, the tenth toe,
destroyed Jerusalem and the second Temple about 700 years later on Tisha
bAv ( 9th of Av) in 70AD. Since then there has never been a physical Temple
as revealed by Yshua in Matt 24:2.

The belly of Bronze represents Greece. There is another

prophecy recorded in Daniel chapter 8, where Greece is
represented by a one-horned goat.
Dan 8:5-7 And as I was watching, behold, a he-goat
came from the west, over the face of all earth, and did
not touch the ground. And the he-goat had an
outstanding horn between his eyes. (6) And he came to
the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river,
and ran to him in the fury of his power. (7) And I saw him come close
beside the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the
ram and shattered his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to
stand before him. But he threw him down to the ground and stamped on
him. And none could deliver the ram out of his hand.

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This one-horned Goat destroyed the two-horned Ram, that represented the
Medo-Persian Kingdom depicted by the silver breast. The horn represented
the great leader who achieved this great victory and was none other than
Alexander the Great. The goats horn was later broken off and we see in history
that Alexander died at a young age after conquering the known world. From this
broken off horn came four other horns.
Dan 8:8 Then the he-goat became very
great. And when he was strong, the great
horn was broken. And in its place came up
four outstanding ones (horns) towards the
four winds of the heavens.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the
kingdom was divided among his four generals;
Antigonus, Lysimachus, Seleucus and Ptolemy
as described in Dan 8:8. Later on, a battle
raged between Ptolemy and the Seleucids, and
Israel was right in the middle. This made Israel
a very strategic location to conquer.
A Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanies rose up as a leader, and we see him
being referred to as the little horn that came into power in 168 BC. Soon after
coming to power, Antiochus, on his way to invade Egypt, invaded Israel. He
plundered and stole all the gold and silver furnishings from the Temple. He
had Israels last legitimate High Priest, Onias III murdered, and from then on
the office was sold to the highest bidder.
Dan 11:22,25,28 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away
before him; both it and a prince of the covenant (Onias III) will be
destroyed. With a large army, he will stir up his strength and
courage against the king of the South (Ptolemy VI of Egypt). The king of
the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he
will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. The
king of the North (Antiochus) will return to his own country with great
wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take
action against it and then return to his own country.

Antiochus Epiphanies was on a mission to replace all the cultures with Greek
culture (Hellenization). Hellenization was the process of absorbing everyone
into the Greek culture.
Dan 8:9-14 And out of one of them came forth a LITTLE HORN,
which became very great, toward the south and toward the east and
toward the bountiful land. (10) And it became great, even to the host of
heaven. And it made fall some of the host and of the stars to the ground,
and trampled them. (11) Yea, he magnified himself, even to the ruler of
the host, and the daily sacrifice was taken away by him, and the
place of his sanctuary was cast down.

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 (12) And an army was given to him against the daily sacrifice because of
transgression, and it cast the truth to the ground. And it worked and
succeeded. (13) Then I heard a certain holy one speaking, and another
holy one said to that one who spoke, Until when shall we see the vision
last, concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression that
astounds, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be
trampled? (14) And he said to me, for two thousand, three hundred
evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be vindicated.
This Little Horn stopped the daily sacrifices and threw the
truth to the ground; he was no other than Antiochus
Epiphanies who fits the description exactly. He forbade
Sabbaths, sacrifices to the God of Abraham, circumcision
of children and the learning or teaching of the Torah, the
Word of YHVH. He ordered that all Torah Scrolls be burnt
and if anyone was caught doing any of these things, they
were put to death. These events are captured in the
Book of the Maccabees, fulfilling these prophecies foretold by Daniel.

1Ma 1:20-23 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned
again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel
and Jerusalem with a great multitude, (21) And entered proudly into
the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the
candlestick of light (Menorah), and all the vessels thereof, (22)
And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials.
and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden
ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off. (23) He
also took the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the
hidden treasures which he found.

We see the prophecy in Daniel 8, referred to 2300 mornings and evenings.

Some believed the 2300 mornings and evenings were the 2300 years that led
up to 1844, when they expected the return of Messiah. This interpretation was
not correct because the 2300 mornings and evenings referred to the daily
morning and evening sacrifices, which equated to 1150 days or just over 3
years. For 1150 days there were no sacrifices just as Daniel 8:14 stated.

Q Does Antiochus fit the criteria of this prophecy?

We have the exact date when Antiochus set up his Image in the Temple; this
was the 15th day of Kislev in the year 167 BCE.
This was when he defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar. All we
need is the end date to confirm the prophetic 2300 mornings and evenings.

The Maccabees fought and conquered the Greeks in various battles. YHVH
gave them the victory every time. These battles lasted for three years where
after they cleansed and re-dedicated the Temple on the 25th day of Kislev in
164 BCE.

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This happened 1105 days after the Abomination of Desolation was first
erected in the Temple. There is a 45-day discrepancy between the historical
event recorded in the Book of Maccabees and the Book of Daniel.
Q What is the significance of these 45 days?
Daniel gave us three time periods; 1290 days, 1335
days and 2300 mornings and evenings (1150 days).
The history of the Maccabees recorded the time of
the rule of Antiochus was 1105 days. The difference
between 1335 and 1290 days are 45 days and the
difference between 1150 (2300 sacrifices) and 1105
days are 45 days. Each account (Maccabees vs.
Daniel) has a 45 day difference, each have two
signs; sacrifices and an image, and in both the sacrifices are stopped and an
image set up.

I always wondered why this 45-day difference existed and why they are
blessed who have the 45-day advantage. This wisdom is found in the history
of the Book of the Maccabees where the 45 days is revealed as the time
difference between the sacrifices being stopped and the image set up.
When you see the sacrifices started, and then stopped, there will be a 45 day
period to get out of the system and flee to the mountains (Matt 24:15; So
when you see standing in the holy place the abomination of desolation,
described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then let those
in Judea flee to the mountains.) This is the time to get out of the system
before the reign of the Anti-Messiah starts, which will last for 3 years,
known as the Great Tribulation.

The detail of the historic event recorded in the Book of the Maccabees, set the
prophetic pattern or framework for end time events that will play out during
the Great Tribulation. This makes the historical event which happened on the
25th of Kislev of great significance for the followers of Jesus / Yshua, because
knowing what to expect forms part of our preparation.

Antiochus Depicting Anti-Messiah

Daniel describes this Little Horn as the stern-faced king, who
exalted himself above YHVH and any other gods. This is the
spirit of the Anti-Messiah and of Satan, and this spirit will arise
again at the end of the age.

Q What will happen under the 3 1/2 year reign of the Anti-
Messiah?
In 168 BC Antiochus called himself Epiphanes, meaning god
made manifest.

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 Rev 13:1-5 And I stood on the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast
coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns.
And on its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads was the
name of blasphemy. (2) And the beast which I saw was like a
leopard, and its feet like those of a bear, and its mouth like the mouth of a
lion. And the dragon (Serpent) gave him its power and its seat
and great authority. (3) And I saw one of its heads as having been
slain to death, and its deadly wound was healed. And all the earth
marvelled after the beast. (4) And they worshipped the dragon
who gave authority to the beast. And they worshipped the
beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war
with it? (5) And a mouth speaking great things was given to it,
and blasphemies. And authority was given to it to continue
forty-two months (3 years).

He will persecute all those who worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, Jew and Christian alike.
Dan 11:31-35 And forces will stand from him, and they will profane the
sanctuary, the fortress, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and
they shall place the DESOLATING ABOMINATION. (32) And he
will ruin by flattery those who do evil against the covenant. But the
people who know their Elohim will be strong and will work. (33) And
those who understand among the people shall teach many; yet they shall
fall by the sword, and by flame, by exile, and spoil, for days. (34) And
when they stumble, they shall be helped with a little help, but many will
join them, with hypocrisy (Hellenized). (35) And many of those
who understand shall stumble, to refine and purge them, and to make
white, to the time of the end. Because it is still for the appointed time
(mo-ed).
The 3 year reign of the Anti-Messiah will establish his beast system,
changing times and laws.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and
laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and
one-half time (3 years).

The laws that will be changed will take away religious freedom and the right to
freely live out our faith. It will take away freedom of speech and those
proclaiming the Gospel message will be persecuted.
He will change times, and has done so in the past already, taking away the
day of worship. History will repeat itself, and the detail in the story of the
Maccabees has prophetic significance for the end time events that are to
come. The righteous will be handed over to be persecuted for the times, time
and half a time or 3 years. They will be under his rule and be forced to
take the mark of the beast in exchange for selling their souls to get food.

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 Rev 13:15-16 The second beast was permitted to give breath to the
image of the first beast, so that the image would also speak and cause all
who refused to worship it to be killed. 16And the second beast
required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to
receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that
no one could buy or sell unless he had the markthe name of the beast or
the number of its name.

The Great Tribulation

Mat 24:3-14 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be
the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Yshua
answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For
many will come in My name, saying, I am the Messiah, and will deceive
many. (6) And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are
not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet. (7) For
nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there
will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. (8) All
these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then they will deliver you up to be
afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's
sake. (10) And then many will be offended, and will betray one another,
and will hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will rise and
deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
will become cold. (13) But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept
safe. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the
world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.
All these things mentioned here are the beginning of the end but not the end
yet. All these things will take place to set the premise for the Anti-Messiah that
will enable him to set up his kingdom to deceive and control the whole world
before the coming of the real Messiah. I call this the Pre-Tribulation Time or
the time before the Tribulation.

Q- When will the Tribulation begin?

Mat 24:15-26 Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF

DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the
holy place, let the reader understand. (16) Then let those in Judea
flee into the mountains. (17) Let him on the housetop not come down to
take anything out of his house; (18) nor let him in the field turn back to
take his clothes. (19) And woe to those who are with child, and to those
who give suck in those days! (20) But pray that your flight is not in the
winter, nor on the Sabbath day; (21) for then shall be GREAT
TRIBULATION, such as has not been since the beginning of the
world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.

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Sign of the Anti-Messiah: There will be a sign showing the coming of the
Anti-Messiah and there will be a sign for signaling the coming of the real
Messiah. The time of the Great Tribulation will be signaled by the setting up of
the Abomination of Desolation as prophesied in the Book of Daniel as well as
found in the history of the Maccabees that happened in 167 BCE. The Anti-
Messiah will start his reign from this time and will last for 3 years. People
will think he is the real Messiah and many will be deceived by his false signs
and wonders.
Mat 24:27-31 For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even
to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. (28) For
wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered.
(29) And IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those
days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken. (30) And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the
heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall
see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and
great glory. (31) And He shall send His angels with a GREAT SOUND OF
A TRUMPET, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from
one end of the heavens to the other.

Sign of the Real Messiah: Before the sign of the real Messiah there will be
destruction, and the eagles will feed on the dead. This is as a result of the
events that happened during the Great Tribulation as prophesied in the Book
of Revelation. The sign of the real Messiah will be revealed after the Great
Tribulation; the sun and the moon will be darkened, stars will fall from heaven,
and there will be a great shaking. The sign of the Son of man will appear in
the heavens, and everyone will see Him. The elect will be gathered with the
sounding of the great trumpet (shophar). This sounds similar to the event at
Mount Sinai when YHVH appeared on the mountain; the earth shook, and
there was the sound of a great trumpet. We saw two signs; the last is the sign
of the Messiah signalling the end of the Tribulation and the first is the sign
revealing the Anti-Messiah, signalling the start of the Great Tribulation. The
scary thought is that the Church is expecting the Messiah at the beginning of
the Tribulation, but that is when the Anti-Messiah will appear to deceive many.

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