All Scripture quotations, unless noted
otherwise, are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the
Lockman Foundation, and are used by permission.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and
pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into
blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD
come. (Joel 2:30-31 KJV)
When God Intervenes
The
Beginning of the End
Paperback
©
2013
396 pages
Subject and Scripture Indexes
Dimensions: 6 x 9 inches
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When God Intervenes
The Beginning
of the End
Chart:
Pretribulational Rapture
..................................................................................... 45
Chart:
Midtribulational Rapture
..................................................................................... 46
Chart:
Pre-Wrath Rapture
............................................................................................. 48
Chart:
Posttribulational Rapture
.................................................................................... 49
Chart:
No Rapture
.........................................................................................................
50
Table:
A Comparison of Rapture Views ........................................................................
51
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: OT Support for Rapture ......................................................... 56
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: NT Support for Rapture ......................................................... 58
Table:
Characteristics of Christ’s Second Coming ........................................................ 71
Chart:
Two Witnesses vs. Antichrist
.............................................................................. 85
Table:
Summary of Scriptural Support for the Timing of the Rapture ........................... 86
Table:
The Characteristics of the Day of the LORD
...................................................... 96
Chart:
The Day of the LORD
= The Great Day of Christ’s Revelation .......................... 99
Chart:
Shower’s Broad and Narrow Sense of the Day of the LORD
.......................... 100
Chart:
Pre-Wrath Rapture View of the Day of the LORD
............................................ 101
Chart:
The Day of the LORD
= The Great Tribulation ................................................ 102
Chart:
The Day of the LORD
= Daniel’s 70th Week .................................................... 103
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2; 6th Seal; Acts 2
......................................................... 110
Table:
Scriptural References for the Day of the LORD
............................................... 114
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2; 6th Seal; Acts 2; Isaiah 2
.......................................... 117
Table:
Focused Characteristics: Similarities and Differences...................................... 120
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Isaiah 13; Mt 24; 1 Thes 5 ................................................... 123
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Isaiah 13; Mt 24; 1 Thes 5; Ezek 38–39 ..............................
129
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Great War ............................................................................
130
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Global Earthquake ............................................................... 132
Graphic:
Seven Sealed Opened Scroll .......................................................................
133
Table:
The Beginning of Sorrows vs. The Seal Judgments ........................................ 134
Chart:
The Breaking of the Seven Seals = The Beginning of Sorrows ....................... 138
Chart:
The Beginning of Sorrows as a Mushroom Cloud of Cataclysmic Events ....... 139
Table:
Characteristics of the Beginning of the Day of the LORD
................................ 142
Chart: The
Church Age and the Sign of the End of the Age ....................................... 148
Chart: The
Relationship of the Rapture to the Seven Seals ....................................... 151
Chart: The
Relationship of the Rapture to the Seven Seals ....................................... 155
Chart: Pre-Day of the LORD
Rapture View ................................................................ 165
Chart: Day of Christ vs.
Day of the LORD
.................................................................. 168
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2:11; Na 1:6; Mal 3:2; Rev 6:17 ................................... 175
Table: Characteristics of
the Beginning of the Day of the LORD
................................ 189
Table: Characteristics of
the End of the Day of the LORD
.......................................... 190
Chart: The
Beginning of the End vs. The End of the End ........................................... 191
Chart: Prophetic
Telescoping: The Day of the LORD
................................................. 194
Table: The
Beginning vs. The End ..............................................................................
199
Table:
Similarities between the Beginning and the End .............................................. 201
Table:
Distinctions between the Beginning and the End ............................................. 202
Table: 24
Elders: Redeemed Men vs. Angelic Beings ................................................ 224
Table: Seven
Prophetic Days ......................................................................................
230
Table: The
Prophetic Ages
.......................................................................................... 232
Chart: Broad
Pattern of the Ages ................................................................................
233
Table: The
24 Elders
................................................................................................... 236
Chart:
Israel the World’s Target
.................................................................................. 248
Chart: The
Curse: The Inner Circle attacks Israel ....................................................... 251
Chart: God’s
Backlash: Israel regains the Promised Land .......................................... 252
Chart: Gog &
Magog encompasses the Promised Land ............................................. 256
Chart: The
Curse: Gog & Magog invades Israel ......................................................... 256
Chart: God’s
Backlash: Israel’s sphere of influence expands over the Middle East
...
257
Chart: The
Nations of the world assemble against Israel ........................................... 262
Chart: The
Curse: The Campaign of Armageddon ..................................................... 263
Chart: God’s
Backlash: Israel becomes the head of the nations ................................ 264
Chart:
Satan’s Final Rebellion
.................................................................................... 265
Map: The
Possible Territory of the Psalm 83 Confederacy ........................................ 271
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Psalm 83; Obadiah; Amos 1; Isa 11:13-14 .......................... 283
Table: The
War of Gog & Magog ................................................................................ 301
Table: Betach בטח
in Ezekiel 38 & 39 .................................................................... 304
Chart: Prime
Times for Gog & Magog ........................................................................ 314
Chart: The
Timing of the War of Gog & Magog .......................................................... 326
Table: Gog
vs. Antichrist
............................................................................................. 336
Table: War
of Gog & Magog vs. War of Armageddon ................................................
337
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: Global Earthquake ............................................................... 344
Table: Ezekiel 38 & 39 vs. Revelation 20
................................................................... 348
Graphic:
Puzzle Pieces: The Beginning of Sorrows ................................................... 353
Chart: The
Prophetic Intersection of the Beginning of the End ................................... 354
Table:
Interconnecting Puzzle Pieces of Beginning Events ........................................ 355
Chart: The
End Times
................................................................................................. 357
Table:
Estimated World Population Milestones .......................................................... 366
Chart: The
Reduction of Earth’s Population ............................................................... 367
Chart:
Satan’s Little Season
....................................................................................... 369
When God Intervenes
The Beginning
of the End
Table of Contents
1. The Beginning of the End
........................................................................................ 13
Genesis to Revelation
.......................................................................................... 13
The End Times
.....................................................................................................
15
The Beginning of the End
..................................................................................... 22
2. The Rapture of the
Church ...................................................................................... 29
Issues regarding the Rapture
............................................................................... 29
Literal vs.
Allegorical Interpretation ..................................................................
31
The Sudden
Coming ........................................................................................ 33
Tribulation
and Wrath ....................................................................................... 34
The Church
vs. Israel ....................................................................................... 36
The Issue of
the Partial Rapture ....................................................................... 37
The Symbolism
of the Jewish Wedding ........................................................... 42
Major Rapture Issues
........................................................................................... 44
The
Pretribulational Rapture View .................................................................... 45
The
Midtribulational Rapture View ................................................................... 46
The Pre-Wrath
Rapture View ........................................................................... 46
The
Posttribulational Rapture View .................................................................. 48
The No
Rapture View .......................................................................................
50
The Rapture Timing Problem
................................................................................ 51
Why the
Rapture? .............................................................................................
51
Observations
..................................................................................................... 52
Pieces of the Rapture Puzzle
............................................................................... 54
The Fullness
of the Gentiles ............................................................................. 54
Old Testament
Support for the Rapture ........................................................... 56
New Testament
Support for the Rapture .......................................................... 58
Saints in
Heaven - Clothed in White ................................................................. 64
Christ
Returns with His Saints .......................................................................... 70
Sequence of
Resurrections ............................................................................... 72
Sequence of
Judgments ................................................................................... 74
The Removal
of the Restraining Force ............................................................. 77
The Rapture Logic Problem
.................................................................................. 81
Consequences of the Rapture
.............................................................................. 88
Rapture Conclusion
.............................................................................................. 90
3. The Day of the LORD
vs. The Day of Christ ............................................................ 91
Day of the LORD
................................................................................................. 91
The Timing of the Day of the LORD
..................................................................... 97
The Great Day View
....................................................................................... 98
Pre-Wrath
Rapture View
............................................................................... 100
Great Tribulation View
.................................................................................. 101
Daniel's 70th
Week View ................................................................................ 102
Issues Regarding the Timing of the
Day of the LORD ....................................... 105
The Time of
Jacob's Trouble .......................................................................... 107
The Great and
Terrible Day of the LORD ........................................................108
Hiding in
Fear of God .....................................................................................
115
Birth Pangs: The Beginning of Sorrows
........................................................ 120
The Beginning of Sorrows and the
War of Gog & Magog ............................ 128
The Beginning
of Sorrows and the Seal Judgments ...................................... 129
As a Thief; Peace and
Safety; Sudden Destruction
.......................................
140
Acts 2: The
Apostle Peter Quotes Joel 2 ........................................................ 143
A Sign: The
Sign of the End of the Age .......................................................... 145
The Rapture
and the Day of the LORD .......................................................... 148
A Period
Longer Than Seven Years
............................................................. 156
Conclusions -
The Timing of the Day of the LORD ......................................... 161
Pre-Day of the LORD Rapture View
............................................................. 163
Day of Christ
.....................................................................................................
166
4. Who Can Stand?
...................................................................................................
172
Who Can Stand? Who Can Abide?
.................................................................. 174
When God Intervenes (Stands)
........................................................................ 176
The Foolish Shall Not Stand
............................................................................... 180
God's Alternative: His Call to Stand
and Abide ................................................... 181
Last Man Standing
............................................................................................ 183
5. The Beginning of the
End vs. The End of the End ................................................ 188
Prophetic Telescoping
...................................................................................... 192
The Beginning vs. The End
................................................................................ 195
Conclusions and False Conclusions
................................................................... 197
6. 24 Elders
...............................................................................................................
205
24 Elders in Heaven
..........................................................................................205
Thrones
..........................................................................................................
208
Elders
..............................................................................................................209
White Robes
................................................................................................... 209
Crowns
............................................................................................................
210
Prominent Views - The Identity of the
24 Elders ................................................. 212
The Church
.....................................................................................................
212
Israel and the Church
................................................................................... 213
Problems with
the Church, and Israel + Church Views ................................... 214
Angelic
Beings
................................................................................................ 219
Redeemed Men
vs. Angelic Beings ................................................................ 223
The
Resurrection and Judgment of a Group of Men ...................................... 226
Just Men Made
Perfect
................................................................................. 227
An Alternative Interpretation - The
24 Elders of Genesis ................................... 229
Seven Days of
Creation vs. Seven Thousand Years of Human History ......... 229
24 Elders on Earth
........................................................................................ 234
The 24 Elders Conclusion
................................................................................... 240
7. Target Israel
...........................................................................................................
243
Israel the World's Target
................................................................................... 243
A Sequential Pattern
.......................................................................................... 249
The Inner Circle - The Promised Land
War ........................................................ 251
The Outer Circle - Gog & Magog
........................................................................ 255
The Outermost Circle - The
Campaign of Armageddon
.................................... 258
Satan's Final Rebellion - The Four
Quarters of the Earth ................................... 264
8. The Psalm 83
Confederacy ................................................................................... 266
The Author - the Prophet Asaph
....................................................................... 266
Psalm 83 - A Song
or Psalm of Asaph
............................................................. 266
The Plea (Psalm 83:1-4)
..................................................................................... 267
The Inner Circle - The Confederates
(Psalm 83:5-8 .......................................... 268
A Comparison to History (Psalm
83:9-12) .......................................................... 272
A Request for God's Intervention
(Psalm 83: 13-17) .......................................... 272
The Ultimate Purpose
(Psalm83:18)
................................................................. 273
Psalm 83 vs.
Armageddon
................................................................................ 274
God's Response
................................................................................................. 275
Israel's Expanded Borders
................................................................................ 283
Surrounding Desolation
..................................................................................... 285
9. The Burden of Damascus ...................................................................................... 286
10. Ezekiel 38--39: The
War of Gog and Magog ....................................................... 295
Synopsis
............................................................................................................
295
The Aftermath
................................................................................................. 299
Key Questions
.............................................................................................. 302
Dwelling Safely: A False Sense
of Security ...................................................... 302
Betach of
betah ..............................................................................................
304
Observations
regarding Ezekiel 38--39 .......................................................... 308
Dwelling
Safely Conclusion ............................................................................ 310
Gog & Magog in the Chronology of the
End Times ............................................ 312
Key Factors
...................................................................................................
312
Missing Pieces of the Puzzle
....................................................................... 313
Prime Times
for Gog & Magog ....................................................................... 314
Chronology
Conclusion ................................................................................... 325
Gog & Magog vs. Antichrist &
Armageddon ....................................................... 327
Gog Are You the One?
................................................................................. 327
Gog vs.
Antichrist - Is Gog the Antichrist? ...................................................... 330
Gog & Magog
vs Armageddon ........................................................................ 337
God's
Presence Revealed ..............................................................................
340
Gog & Magog
vs. Antichrist & Armageddon Conclusion ................................. 347
Ezekiel 38 & 39 vs. Revelation 20
...................................................................... 348
11. The End of the
Beginning .................................................................................... 353
Pieces of the Prophetic Puzzle
.......................................................................... 353
The End of the
Beginning .................................................................................. 356
Appendix 1:
Cosmic Disturbances
............................................................................. 363
Appendix 2: Earth's Population
.................................................................................. 365
Appendix 3: Satan's Little Season
............................................................................. 369
Subject and Author Index .......................................................................................... 373
Scripture Index
...........................................................................................................
383
Book Summary
When God Intervenes: The Beginning of the End is an examination of God’s Day of the LORD. How does the Church Age end? What is the Beginning of the End? What role does the rapture of the church play in these events? God has committed Himself to intervene in the affairs of mankind to glorify and magnify His own Holy Name. The Bible refers to that time of divine intervention as the Day of the LORD.
The entire world faces a time of great change, chaos, and upheaval. A time of cosmic disturbances, war, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes looms on the horizon. It is a time of contrast between God’s judgment of sin through divine wrath and God’s reward for those who walk with Him by faith and who bask in God’s love, mercy, and grace. It is a time of contrast between the Day of the LORD and the Day of Christ. It is a time of contrast between the nations of the world and the nation of Israel. Israel becomes the target of the world. It is a time that begins suddenly as a great cataclysmic metamorphosis between the present Church Age and the coming Messianic Kingdom.
When God breaks His heavenly silence and intervenes on earth, the Day of the LORD begins with the Beginning of Sorrows. What is the Beginning of Sorrows? How will it affect every person on the face of the earth? What Biblical war marks God’s dynamic intervention in the affairs of the world? How do the pieces of the prophetic puzzle fit together at the Beginning of the End? How does the Beginning of the End compare to the End of the End?
When God Intervenes: The Beginning of the End reveals groundbreaking new insights into the understanding of God’s Day of the LORD and the Beginning of Sorrows. Douglas Berner is a retired Criminal Investigator who applies skills of case analysis and the evaluation of criminal evidence to the examination of the prophetic puzzle of the End Times.