BBP: 2 The Beginning Events of the Endtimes

Chapter 2

The Beginning Events of the Endtimes

Contents

A) The primary biblical texts & events of The Beginning of Birth Pains

B) The events occurring before and within The Beginning of Birth Pains What will be the first events of the Endtimes?

Primary Points

Both Christ’s Endtimes Teaching and Christ’s Revelation contain rather identical sequential lists of the events in The Beginning of Birth Pains.

All of these events have occurred throughout human history, but they will occur with unprecedented severity in the Endtimes.

Daniel and Revelation give us more detail about the first events of the Endtimes. This included events that will occur even before The Beginning of Birth Pains.

Revelation 6:1-2 reflects the emergence of the first and foremost False Christ that Jesus warned us of. It also seems to portray the Antichrist’s Resurrection and Religious Covenant.

There would seem to be six primary events within the beginning of the Endtimes.

A) The primary biblical texts & events of The Beginning of Birth Pains

In Christ’s Endtimes Teaching He described The Beginning of Birth Pains as follows:

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah [the Christ NASB],’ and will deceive many.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death (Matt 24:4-9 NIV)

Christ labeled the first events of the Endtimes as the beginning of birth pains (v. 8). Thus, the title of this book, The Beginning of Birth Pains (BBP). Jesus said after the beginning of birth pains, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted.” This is best referred to as The Greatest Persecution. For reasons given in a previous book, this corrects the confusing and invented labels of “the Tribulation” and the “Great Tribulation” (cf. Endtimes Essentials book #1, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (CET), ch. 3, sec. E). Jesus did not use that terminology. He used the labels, The Beginning of Birth Pains and The Greatest Persecution. Therefore, the same labels will be used throughout the Endtimes Essentials series.

The general substance and sequence of The Beginning of Birth Pains described in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (Matt 24), are repeated in chapter 6 of Christ’s Revelation. The Apostle John wrote:

I watched as the Lamb [Christ] opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider [the Antichrist] held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other [war]. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” [Severe economic hardship caused by war]

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. [Culminating events and effects of The Beginning of Birth Pains] (Rev 6:1-8 NIV)

It was explained in the previous book that the scroll (Rev 5:1) that is being opened contains Christ’s Wrath that will be unleashed on the world after His Return and the Church’s Rescue (cf. CET, ch. 14, sec. E). That Endtime Wrath will begin after the seven seals (Rev 6:1) are broken. The Sixth Seal portrays Christ’s Return and that the wrath of the Lamb … has come (6:16-17). The first five Seals prepare the world for Christ’s Wrath. Therefore, they are referred to as Seals of Preparation throughout the Endtimes Essentials. Accordingly, the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments of Christ’s Wrath will follow the opening of the Seventh Seal (cf. Rev chs. 8-9; 15-16).

The events described in Seals 1-4 parallel the events Christ described in His Endtimes Teaching as “the beginning of birth pains” (Matt 24:8). They are commonly called “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” The intentional parallel nature of Matthew 24:4-8 and Revelation 6:1-8 were also discussed in the previous book (CET, ch. 6, secs. B.1, B.3). These prophetic texts can be combined to reveal the substance and sequence of events in The Beginning of Birth Pains. These can be summarized in the following table:

“These are the beginning of birth pains” (Matt 24:8)

Therefore, both Christ’s Endtimes Teaching and Christ’s Revelation contain rather identical and sequential lists of the events in The Beginning of Birth Pains. As noted in the Glossary for the Endtimes Essentials series (located in CET, Appendix B), The Beginning of Birth Pains can be defined as:

Catastrophic wars, famines, and plagues that enable the Antichrist’s rise to worldwide worship and power (cf. Matt 24:4-8; Rev 6:1-8). The people living on one fourth of the Earth will be killed (cf. Rev 6:8).

B) What will be the first events of the Endtimes?

B.1) The events occurring before and within The Beginning of Birth Pains

A specific substance and sequence of the first Endtime events will be argued in this book. However, it must be admitted that such things are difficult to be absolutely certain about. The seven events listed above are clearly listed in chronological order in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (Matt 24) and Revelation 6 as The Beginning of Birth Pains. However, as we study the Prophet Daniel and Revelation further, Scripture reveals more details about the first Endtime events than Matthew 24:4-8.

For example, it seems Daniel chapters 2, 7-8 describe the initial emergence of the Antichrist and his 10-nation Endtime Coalition before the wars and famines (Matt 24:6-7) of The Beginning of Birth Pains. These can be referred to as “Endtime Pregnancy Events” that occur before The Beginning of Birth Pains. This will be discussed further in parts II and III of this book.

In addition, the Revelation gives us more details about The Beginning of Birth Pains than Christ’s Endtimes Teaching in Matthew 24. Christ said the very first “birth pain” would be when “many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many” (Matt 24:5 NASB). The parallel description of this event in Revelation 6 is the First Seal of Preparation of which the Apostle John writes:

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. (Rev 6:1-2 NIV)

It will be argued in this book that this is describing, among other things, the emergence of the first and foremost of the False Christs that Jesus predicted. This will be the Antichrist. He will Come! to conquer the world first with deception. This is reflected by the fact that the Antichrist is portrayed in Revelation 6 as a rider on a white horse with a crown imitating the real Christ Who is described in Revelation 19 as also coming as a rider on a white horse wearing many crowns (Rev 19:11-12) at the Battle of Armageddon.

The Antichrist’s ultimate effort to imitate Christ will be his Resurrection from the dead (cf. Rev 13:3-4, 14). It will also be argued that this is how the Antichrist bursts onto the worldwide scene, and provides the first certain sign the Endtimes have begun. It would seem Antichrist’s Resurrection is also being portrayed in the First Seal as the emergence of the first and foremost False Christ, conquering with the deception of such a miraculous event.

Therefore, it will be argued that Christ’s statement that “many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many” (Matt 24:5 NASB) is significantly clarified and expanded in the First Seal of Preparation. Again, Revelation 6:1-2 seems to reveal that the first and foremost False Christ will be the Antichrist. In addition, the First Seal reflects several events that occur including the Antichrist’s Resurrection and Religious Covenant, all intended to imitate the real Christ.

Therefore, let us note something here. Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (Matt 24) does not give us the greatest detail on the very beginning of Endtime events. For example, Jesus did not even mention the emergence of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition. Why not? Perhaps because such an event will not be painful. The initial emergence of the 10-nation Coalition will not cause Christians or the world any pain at all. Which may be why they are not a part of “the beginning of birth pains” (Matt 24:8). But with the supernatural, shocking, and perhaps traumatic Resurrection of the first and foremost False Christ (Matt 24:5), the Antichrist, the birth pains will begin.

Therefore, an outline of the very first primary Endtime events can be suggested. The following will contain a lot of information you may not be familiar with. But it is intended to give you a condensed summary of topics that will be explained more fully in future chapters, as indicated.

B.2) The first 6 primary Endtime events

1) The formation of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition (cf. Dan 7:7, 15-25; Rev 17:3, 12-17; Dan 2:41-44).

In Daniel we read of an Endtime kingdom:

The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints (Dan 7:23-25 NIV ^[1])

The ten kings in this prophecy will form what is called the 10-nation Endtime Coalition throughout the Endtimes Essentials. This Coalition will be the political, economic, and military base of world-wide power for Antichrist’s Beast Empire (cf. Rev 17:12-14; Dan 2:41-44; 7:7, 23-25). After them and the Coalition is established, another king will arise who will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints. This describes the emergence of the Antichrist.

Therefore, the 10-nation Endtime Coalition will already be formed when the Rising Antichrist emerges onto the world scene (cf. Dan 7:8, 24). Accordingly, the establishment of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition in the world would seem to be the very first Endtime event to occur.

Daniel chapter 2 especially gives us details about the attributes of this 10-nation Endtime Coalition. In addition, Revelation tells us that these nations will be present at the Battle of Armageddon (cf. Rev 17:14). Also, Ezekiel 38:1-6 identifies the ancient geographical locations from which these nations will come from. Accordingly, we can identify modern nations that are predicted to be at the Battle of Armageddon and in the 10-nation Endtime Coalition.

These Scriptures will provide us with 7 attributes of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition that enable us to recognize its emergence in the world. Accordingly, it will be demonstrated that currently there is a political, economic, and military organization of nations forming today that reflects all 7 of these biblical attributes in remarkable ways. The activities, attributes, and identification of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition will be discussed in chapters 4-6 of BBP.

2) The Antichrist’s Rise (cf. Dan 7:8, 24; 8:9-11).

Also in Daniel 7 we read:

While I was thinking about the [ten] horns [the leaders of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition], there before me was another horn [the Rising Antichrist], a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. (v. 8)

This little horn portrays the Antichrist in the initial stages of his emergence on Earth. He is another king who will arise and will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints described in verses 24-25 quoted above. In Daniel 8 he is described as another horn, which started small but grew in power and took away the daily sacrifice from the LORD, and his sanctuary was thrown down. (vs. 9, 11 NIV). This is a reference to Antichrist’s abomination of desolation in a rebuilt Jewish temple (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15).

Daniel 7:8 predicts the little horn or emerging Antichrist will come up among the ten horns of the Coalition. This again suggests that the 10-nation Endtime Coalition is established before the Antichrist rises to significant power. This is confirmed by the fact that three of the first horns will be uprooted by the little horn as he emerges in the world.

It will be argued that by describing the Rising Antichrist as a little horn the prophecy is referring to a leader of a relatively minor country. What country might that be? Ezekiel 38:2 describes the Antichrist as Gog, of [from] the land of Magog (NIV). Therefore, it will be argued that the Antichrist will emerge as a little horn from the ancient geographical location of Magog. It will be demonstrated that this will probably be one of the less significant satellite nations of Russia.

However, this relatively insignificant leader will somehow become famous and admired enough that when he is killed and miraculously resurrected from the dead, the whole non-Christian world will worship him (cf. Rev 13:3-4, 8).

All of the above attributes of the Rising Antichrist will help us to identify him when he is emerging onto the world scene. Accordingly, it will be demonstrated that there is currently a little horn from the land of Magog that is becoming admired worldwide in unprecedented ways and who could be the Rising Antichrist. Antichrist’s Rise and identification will be discussed in chapters 8-9.

3) The Antichrist’s Resurrection (cf. Rev 6:1-2; 13:3-8; 17:8; 2 Thess 2:9-11).

The Apostle John wrote:

And I saw one of the heads of the beast [Antichrist] as violently slaughtered to death and the wound from the deadly strike was healed. And the whole world was amazed by this miracle and became a follower of the beast… who was killed by being struck with a sword and then came back to life. (Rev 13:3, 14)

This suggested translation will be supported in chapter 13 (sec. A). As noted in the previous chapter, the Antichrist’s Resurrection will enable us to be 100% confident of who the Antichrist is. As noted above, it will be argued that this event will mark the emergence of the first and foremost False Christ, and the first of the birth pains (Matt 24:8) that Christ said would begin the Endtimes.

Therefore, it will be argued that the Antichrist’s Resurrection will be the first certain sign that the Endtimes have begun. Unfortunately, this monumental event in the Endtimes is greatly ignored in Christian Eschatology. There will be an attempt to correct this error in chapters 10-17 of this book.

4) Antichrist’s Religious Covenant (cf. Dan 9:27).

We read in Daniel:

The ruler [Antichrist] will arise to successfully persuade many people to make a religious covenant with him for a period of seven years. In the middle of the seven years he will stop the sacrifices and offerings at the [rebuilt] Jewish Temple. And at the Temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Dan 9:26-27)

This suggested translation will be supported in chapter 14 (sec. A). It will be argued that Antichrist’s Resurrection will begin a worldwide religion that worships the Antichrist (cf. Rev 13:3-4, 8). Accordingly, the prophecy in Daniel 9:27 describes a religious covenant that will be made with many people in the world. This will be one more effort in Antichrist’s purpose to imitate God and Christ by making a covenant with his followers. The Antichrist’s Religion and covenant will promote peace in the world and allow Israel to rebuild its temple in Jerusalem. This will be discussed in chapter 14.

Antichrist’s Resurrection and Religion will also result in the beginning of the Great Apostasy predicted in Scripture. Jesus said, “At that time many will turn away from the faith” (Matt 24:10 NIV). It would seem this Great Apostasy begins with Antichrist’s Religious Covenant. This will be discussed in chapter 16.

The implementation of the covenant will also mark the beginning of Daniel’s Last Seven Years and the Endtime countdown to Christ’s Return. The great significance of this for the Last Generation Church will be discussed in chapter 15.

5) Antichrist’s destruction of Endtime Babylon, the world’s economic super-power (cf. Rev 17-18; Jer 50-51; Matt 24:6-7; Rev 6:3-4; Dan 8:24).

In Revelation we read:

The ten horns that you saw [10-nation Endtime Coalition], and the beast [Antichrist] will hate the Prostitute [Endtime Babylon], and these will permanently remove all people from her and strip her naked and they will completely devour her body and will completely burn her up with fire … in one hour (Rev 17:16; 18:10 ^[2])

This suggested translation and the identification and destruction of Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5) in the Endtimes is the subject of the third book in the Endtimes Essentials series entitled Endtime Babylon. It will be argued there that Endtime Babylon will be the economic and military super-power of the world when the Endtimes begin. As such it will suppress the Antichrist from coming to full power and being worshipped as the ruler of the world.

Therefore, the Antichrist and his 10-nation Endtime Coalition will attack and annihilate this economic and military power. Note that the prophecy states this attack will permanently remove all people from Endtime Babylon and completely burn it up with fire … in one hour. It will be argued in chapter 18 that this is describing the use of nuclear weapons.

This will be a part of the alarming wars (Matt 24:6) that Jesus predicted during this time as the second of the “birth pains” (v. 8). It is also included in the unprecedented war predicted in the Second Seal of Preparation of which the Apostle John writes:

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword. (Rev 6:3-4 NIV)

Indeed, one reason that The Beginning of Birth pains will kill the people living in a fourth of the earth by sword, famine, and plague (Rev 6:8 NIV) is because the destruction of Endtime Babylon with fire … in one hour (Rev 17:16) will occur at this time.

Admittedly, clearly understanding Endtime Babylon’s identification and destruction, and correctly interpreting Revelation chapters 17-18, is one of the most challenging topics in prophetic Scripture. Which is why an entire book will be provided for this purpose: Endtimes Essentials book #3, Endtime Babylon.

6) Unprecedented catastrophes (cf. Matt 24:7; Luke 21:11; Rev 6:5-8).

Jesus said that after the wars of the beginning of birth pains, “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matt 24:6-8 NIV). Luke’s version adds: “There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands” (Luke 21:11 NLT). Revelation 6 portrays these culminating events in The Beginning of Birth Pains when John writes of the Fourth Seal of Preparation:

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword [war], famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Rev 6:7-8 NIV)

It seems a primary cause of the famine and plague will be the horrific wars (Matt 24:6), including the annihilation of Endtime Babylon (cf. Rev 17:16). All of these Beginning of Birth Pains will result in virtually all of the people living on a fourth of the earth to be killed. These unprecedented catastrophes will also prepare the world for the Antichrist’s Reign. These culminating events in The Beginning of Birth Pains will be discussed in chapter 18.

The first 6 primary Endtime events can be summarized in the following table:

The First 6 Primary Endtime Events

Again, based on Daniel and Revelation there are some additions here to the events shared as the beginning of birth pains (Matt 24:8) in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching. However, the above reflects the general sequence of events Jesus gave us. After describing some of the events in The Beginning of Birth Pains, He taught:

All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me (Matt 24:8-9 NIV)

This describes the transition from The Beginning of Birth Pains to The Greatest Persecution. The event that will cause that transition will be the abomination that causes desolation when the world will see the Antichrist standing in the holy place of the rebuilt Jewish temple claiming to be God (Matt 24:15; cf. 2 Thess 2:4). The Greatest Persecution will be discussed in Endtimes Essentials book #4, The Greatest Persecution.

1. The NIV is used here, although holy people is replaced with saints as the Hebrew qaddish is translated in the NIV 1984 version and the NASB. This helps us understand that these prophecies involve the same saints that make up the Church as repeatedly referred to in the NT. This was further explained in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, ch. 7, sec. A.1. ↑

2. For an explanation of the suggested translation of Rev 17:16 see Endtime Babylon ch. 1, sec. A. ↑