Pray for Insight and Understanding from the Holy Spirit 

Patterns revealed by the Lord:  This is Yeshua’s plan [Jesus] which will show us Yeshua’s heart

1)     Start with Jesus words in the Olivet discourse:  the apostles asked three questions in Matt 24:3 [see also Mark 13, Luke 21]

a.     When will these things be?  [referring to the destruction of the Temple]

b.     What will be the sign of your coming?

c.     What will be the sign of the end of the Age?

2)     Look for the Patterns in History:

a.     Jesus answers all three questions in a general, time sequential manner, but answers the question about the destruction of the temple in the context of the end of the age and the destruction of the third Temple

b.     Abomination of Desolation occurs three times in history:  Note:  abomination of desolation is in the future when Jesus speaks of it – it has not yet been fulfilled

                                                    i.     First foreshadowing of Abomination of Desolation by Antiochus IV in 168 BC

1.      Antiochus erected statue to zeus in the Temple and sacrificed swine to it

                                                   ii.     Second Foreshadowing of Abomination of Desolation

1.      Luke 21:20:  Jerusalem surrounded by armies -

                                                  iii.     Daniel 9:27 “and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation”

1.      Daniel’s prophecy is clearly at the end of time and has not been fulfilled

c.     Destruction of the Temple:  occurs three times in history

                                                    i.     The First Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av [Tisha B'Av], 586 BCE [mid July] by Nebuchadnezzar who exiled the Jews to Babylon

                                                   ii.     The second Temple destroyed:  On the 10th of August, in A.D. 70 -- the 9th of Av -- in Jewish reckoning, the very day when the King of Babylon burned the Temple in 586 B.C., the Temple was burned again; before it was burned, Titus sacrificed a pig on the holy alter.

                                                  iii.     The Third Temple destroyed:  Ezek 21:27:  'A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. It will be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’ 

1.      This has not been fulfilled yet.

3)     Understand that the Book of Revelation is a Topical study, not a chronological study

a.     What is a topical study?

                                                    i.     Example:  A Topical Study of World War II

1.      Battles with the Japanese

a.      Air Battles [Pearl Harbor and bombing of Hiroshima]

b.      Land battles

c.      Sea battles

2.      Battles in Europe

a.      Air Battles

b.      Land battles

c.      Sea battles

3.      Battles in North Africa

a.      Air Battles . . . .

b.     Interpreting a topical study

                                                    i.     Do not assume that Hiroshima occurs immediately after Peartl Harbor because it is discussed that way

                                                   ii.     Look for clues as to actual timing – Revelation provides marked events so that time can be established

                                                  iii.     Look for patterns – water is poisoned, salt water to blood, fresh water to blood – this is a progression of disaster to water quality and events will tend to occur chronologically close to each other in time

4)  Blessings and Songs – The songs and blessings of Revelation appear to have a twofold purpose:  Praise and Prophecy;    the Songs or Blessings also always appear to precede judgments , and announce the righteousness of what God is about to do, as well as revealing something about what is about to happen. 

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE ANGELS SAY!

They will point out what John REALLY needs to see.