The Rough Places Made Smooth-Part 1

      We started this guided excursion through Rev. 12 with the crucial point that this central chapter gives us important clues as to the nature of Christ’s coming, the rapture of the Church, and the destiny of the Jewish people. Understanding the unusual births found here and in the Old Testament prophecies helps us smooth out the rough places in the end-time highway of our God.
     First, Rev. 12 cannot be about Jesus’ past ascension since it describes future events that have not yet been seen. Second, it confirms that the Church is not on the earth for the wrath of that Day, including the mark of the beast and the call to worship the image, because we are in Heaven releasing the judgments as the raptured heavenly court.
        Third, it confirms that there is no secret coming, for every eye sees Him come, including those who pierced Him (the Jewish remnant). Our rapture ascent to Heaven triggers their acceptance of the Messiah, who empowers them to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and persevere. It confirms that we are in Heaven, releasing Michael to go to war with Satan and His angels.
            End-Time Lesson: In Daniel’s vision of the Ancient of Days and His throne room, Daniel foresaw the rapture and its purpose (Dan. 7). He described a multitude of a thousand thousands, the innumerable company of the 144,000s, being seated as the heavenly court. Daniel sees a  beast led by a “horn” that spoke with pompous words, blaspheming the Godhead. It is the Antichrist who comes against Israel for a “time, time, and half a time” [the same 3½-year war for Jerusalem].
          Daniel informs us that the court is seated at the rapture, at this appointed time, in order to take away the Antichrist’s dominion. In fact, our ruling declarations make sure that Israel prevails. We send Michael, the archangel over Israel, to go to war and prevail against the evil spiritual forces in the heavenlies behind the invasion. The beastly army is consumed and destroyed through the trumpet/bowl judgments that we declare as the heavenly court.
         The chapter also clears up the false teaching that when the Church is raptured that no one else can be saved on the earth. This comes from a misinterpretation of Paul’s end-time teaching in 2 Thess. 2. The Greek wording for the falling away (v. 3) is not believers leaving the Church. It must be interpreted in the context of why the son of perdition (the Antichrist) came in the first place—because of Israel’s transgressions, particularly reinstating the sacrifices in the Temple. The falling away is the apostasy, which refers to breaking a covenant, particularly in terms of the woman’s unfaithfulness. That is, Israel rejecting Jesus as God’s Anointed One (Messiah/Christ).
         Paul tells us that the mystery of lawlessness comes compliments of the lawless one, both in terms of Satan and his front man, the Antichrist (v. 9-10). Verse 6 is crucial because it highlights the appointed time in God’s prophetic timetable of the great Week. Something is restraining the appearance of the lawless one. He cannot come until the appointed time.
      When Israel rejected the Messiah and missed her time of visitation, the archangel Michael was told to stand up, which in the original language meant to stand still. He was commanded to do nothing. He could not go to war on her behalf against their oppressor at that time—the Roman Empire. It was the just consequence of their apostasy.           
         When the Antichrist dares to enter the future rebuilt temple, he even defies God by entering the holy of holies. In ancient times, this would have resulted in instant death. Yet this foul-mouthed lawless one lives. Why? Because God is not in this rebuilt temple because of the animal sacrifices. For it is an apostasy to the blood of Jesus shed for all mankind. He is the final sacrifice for all mankind.
         When the Jews finally accept Jesus as the Savior after witnessing the rapture of the Church shortly thereafter, God comes to the rescue and goes to war on their behalf. Jesus, now their Savior, splits Mt. Zion, making a way of escape for them. Their archangel, Michael, is commanded to go to war to bring down the spiritual forces behind the Antichrist. Michael is the difference-maker. He is the restrainer (2 Thess. 2:5-7). To see why people can still be saved after the rapture, stay tuned!