tribulation talks 2.docx

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Tribulation Talks

Time of Trouble Bible Study 2

by Steve Wohlberg

As we saw in Part 1, the Bible predicts:

At that time Michael shall stand up,

the great prince who stands watch overthe sons of your people,and there shall be a time of trouble,such as never was since there was anation(Daniel 12:1)

Notice carefully that when "Michael shallstand up" (in heaven) "there shall be a time

of trouble" (on earth). In our last study wesaw biblical evidence (compare Dan. 10:21;Jude 9; Rev 12:7; 1 Thess. 4:16) that"Michael" (which means "Who is like God")is Jesus Christ Himself. It is Christ whodescends with "the voice of the archangel"(1 Thess. 4:16) when He returns. As we

also saw, the word "archangel" can literallybe translated, "chief of the angels"(Enhanced Strong's Lexicon). I want toclarify that Jesus Christ is nota created

being (see John 1:1). Rather, He is GodAlmighty (see Rev. 1:8; 11), theCommander of heavenly hosts, who became


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a Man in His incarnation (see John 1:1-3,14).

So what does it mean that He shall "standup," and how is this connected to the "timeof trouble"? The Bible says that after Hisdeath and resurrection, Jesus ascended tobe "seatedat the right hand of the throneof the Majesty in the heavens" (Heb. 8:1).This doesn't mean that our Savior has been

sitting down for 2000 years. Rather,"seated" means seated in office as our"High Priest." Paul continues by stating thatJesus is a "Minister of the sanctuary andof the true tabernacle which the Lorderected, and not man" (Heb. 8:2). In Hissanctuary above, Jesus now ministers "Hisown blood" (Heb. 9:12) in our behalf. Atthis moment, He makes "intercession" (Heb.7:25) for us in His heavenly temple.

Practically, this means that sinners may stillbe saved by an interceding Savior. The Holy

Spirit still invites, woos, and pleads withfallen humans to confess and forsake theirsins, and to trust in Christ. When we repentand believe, His royal blood is applied toour case in the courts above.

But will Christ plead forever? No, just like

He didn't plead forever in Noah's day.Finally, after 120 years, Noah and his family


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entered the ark, the door closed, "and theLord shut him in" (Gen. 7:16). That was it.People were either in, or out, saved or

lost.Many years later Jesus warned, "As itwas in the days of Noah, so shall it be alsoin the days of the Son of Man"(Matthew24:37). Someday soon the door will shutagain for the entire world,just like inNoah's day.When that time finally arrives,Jesus will then proclaim from within His

sanctuary, "He who is unjust, let him beunjust still;he who is filthy, let him befilthy still;he who is righteous, let him berighteous still;he who is holy, let him beholy still"(Rev. 22:11). When thisannouncement is made, every case isdecided. Shortly thereafter, Christ willreturn to give to"every manaccording to hiswork" (verse 12). Thus the last chapter ofDaniel (chapter 12) and the last chapter ofRevelation (chapter 22) contain paralleltruths. Both describe the closing ofheaven's door and the end of the world.

To summarize, when Michael "stands up,"this means that Jesus Christ will no longerbe "seated" as "High Priest" in the templeabove, and that the door of salvation will beofficially closed. Then every human beingon earth will be either "unjust" or

"righteous," "filthy" or "holy," saved ordoomed forever. Then the Holy Spirit will


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cease striving with rebellious humanity,because it's too late.

When the Holy Spirit departs, Satan willthen have full control of the finallyimpenitent and will plunge our lost worldinto one last, great, apocalyptic, final "timeof trouble such as never was." We mustprepare for this right now by repenting ofevery sin, trusting fully in Jesus Christ, and

by obeying God at all costs. May the Lordhelp us to be among the "holy" and"righteous" when mercy ceases.

To be continued

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