“And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate”
(Daniel 9:27b)
The end of the seventy weeks of years foretold the future destruction of Jerusalem, particularly according to the prophecy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13 (Daniel 9:24-27).
“Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), 16 then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains. 17 Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, 18 and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. 19 Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! 20 Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; 21 for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:15-22).
This part of the description of Christ is not easy to understand, as the parenthetical phrase demonstrates: let the reader use discernment. To understand these explanations, in addition to God’s help through prayer, one must have read and understood the prophecy of Daniel, specifically the part in chapter nine, about « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » and the « great tribulation, » mentioned in chapter twelve of Daniel’s prophecy. There would be two fulfillments: one in the time of Christ’s contemporaries, and the other in our time, when we are experiencing the signs announcing the end of this system of things.
This first fulfillment is based on the prophecy of the 70 weeks (of years), in Daniel chapter 9:24-27, which foretold both the coming of Christ to earth and the end of God’s special covenant with earthly Israel (verse 27a). The last week of years (7 years) would begin with the anointing of Christ in the autumn of 29 CE, and his cutting off (his death) in the middle of the week (3 and a half years later), the spring of 33 CE (Daniel 9:26a and 27a): “And after the 62 weeks, Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. (…) And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease” (Daniel 9:26a and 27a).
The second part of this last week of years, this period of 70 weeks of years, ended in the year 36 CE, with the baptism of the Roman officer Cornelius, at the moment when God turned his attention to all the nations. From then on, God’s special relationship with the earthly nation of Israel had definitively ceased (Acts 10).
The prophecy (of Daniel) of the 70 weeks of years foretold the first presence of Christ on earth and the imminent end of the special relationship with the former nation of Israel, culminating in its destruction, particularly its administrative structure, in the year 70 CE, through the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies. This description of Jesus Christ in Matthew (24:15-20) is its first fulfillment.
“Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment)” (Matthew 24:15): This prophecy mentioned by Christ is in the book of Daniel 9:27b: « And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate » (Daniel 9:27b).
The « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents the Roman armies, which carried out the execution of Christ (Matthew 27) and later, the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, the « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents military forces causing great devastation. It represents a world power (in the time, Rome), primarily in its military power (and not only its political power).
The first fulfillment (not mentioned in the Bible), happened in the year 66 CE. The Roman general Cestius Gallus, during the first siege of Jerusalem, partially came into the city by destroying part of the outer wall of the great temple. However, for unexplained reasons Cestus Gallus left without completing this siege. This unprecedented situation allowed the Christians of Jerusalem (the chosen ones), to flee the city, before its destruction in the year 70 CE, by the Roman general Titus.
In Matthew 24:21, Jesus Christ mentions a great tribulation: “For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again” (Matthew 24:21). This prophecy has not been fully fulfilled in 70 CE, with the destruction of Jerusalem, but it will be in our time.
Indeed, by this statement, Jesus Christ mentions a destruction (a tribulation), which is written in Daniel 9:27b, but its full fulfillment will be in our time (as the great tribulation). It is mentioned in Daniel 12:1: « During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time » (Daniel 12:1).
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The second fulfillment of Daniel 9:27b and Matthew 24:15
The second fulfillment of Daniel 9:27b and Matthew 24:15 (concerning the disgusting thing that causes desolation), takes place in our days, shortly before the future great tribulation, mentioned in Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21.
An important reminder: The « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents the Roman armies, which carried out the execution of Christ (Matthew 27) and later, the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, the « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents military forces causing great devastation. It represents a world power (in the time, Rome), primarily in its military power (and not only its political power).
In the prophecy of Daniel of the King of the North and the King of the South, it is written that the King of the South, the current American world power and its ally Israel (in the Middle East), would set up his « royal tents » in Jerusalem, a holy place, shortly before the great tribulation: « And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration » (Daniel 11:45) (The following information is presented in the conditional tense, out of caution and as possibilities or probabilities, open to any necessary readjustments).
The fulfillment of this biblical prophecy took place on May 14, 2018, during the inauguration of the « royal tents » of the king of the south, the American embassy in Israel, located very exactly at the foot of the « holy mountain of Decoration » and between the « grand sea » ((South/south west of Mount Zion (Old City (East Jerusalem)), between the Karyat Moriah neighborhood (See Genesis 22:2 (Moriah), 14 (Jehovah Yireh)), to the east and the Arnona neighborhood to the west (direction « grand sea »)). It is in West Jerusalem (which did not exist when Daniel’s prophecy was written). Therefore, being slightly outside the Old City, the « Royal Tents » are between the « Old City » of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem) and the « Grand Sea », the Mediterranean Sea)).
The fulfillment of this prophecy is to be connected with the second fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus Christ, regarding the proximity of the destruction of Jerusalem, in the future great tribulation: « Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains » (Matthew 24:15,16).
This would be an indication that we are very close to the great tribulation, according to the end of the prophecy of Daniel, of the two kings, and also the converging end of the prophecy of Jesus Christ:
“During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time” (Daniel 12:1).
“For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:21,22).
The very fact that Jesus Christ mentions the great tribulation from the geographical location of present-day Jerusalem shows that the day and hour of the beginning of this dramatic global event will be determined by his time zone (UTC+2) (Matthew 24:2, 21; Zechariah 14:3-5). Jerusalem is expected to be the epicenter of this future world-changing event.
Daniel’s prophecy concerning the coming of these two kings is interpreted by the angel Gabriel (Daniel 8:16). Let’s look at the context of this prophecy, which is extremely detailed in its description:
« In the third year of the kingship of King Bel·shazʹzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that appeared to me previously. I saw the vision, and as I watched I was in Shuʹshan the citadel, which is in the province of Eʹlam; I viewed the vision, and I was next to the watercourse of Uʹlai. As I raised my eyes, look! there was a ram standing before the watercourse, and it had two horns. The two horns were tall, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up later. I saw the ram making thrusts to the west and to the north and to the south, and no wild beasts could stand before it, and there was no one who could provide rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and exalted itself. As I kept watching, look! there was a male goat coming from the west crossing the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. It was coming toward the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing before the watercourse; it was running toward it in a powerful rage. I saw it closing in on the ram, and it was filled with bitterness toward it. It struck down the ram and broke its two horns, and the ram was powerless to stand up to it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one to rescue it from its power. Then the male goat exalted itself exceedingly, but as soon as it became mighty, the great horn was broken; then four conspicuous horns came up instead of the one, toward the four winds of the heavens » (Daniel 8:1-8).
This time, there are only two wild beasts that represent only two world powers, the two-horned ram, the Medo-Persian power, and the very fast male goat, with a very big horn, the Greek Empire: « The two-horned ram that you saw stands for the kings of Meʹdi·a and Persia. The hairy male goat stands for the king of Greece; and the great horn that was between its eyes stands for the first king. As for the horn that was broken, so that four stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from his nation that will stand up, but not with his power » (Daniel 8:20-22).
Two hundred years in advance, this prophecy foretold the advent of Alexander, the Great (the great horn of the male goat) and his very fast conquests (the male goat without touching the ground). The book of Daniel has been completed around 536 BCE, in Babylon. Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE. In 336, he began his reign. He died very young, in 323 BCE: « the horn was broken ». The prophecy suggests that none of his sons would inherit his kingdom. Alexander the Great had two sons: Alexander IV Aigos and Héraclès, an illegitimate son. The two sons were murdered and therefore did not succeed their father. According to the prophecy, after the death of Alexander, the Great, all the conquered territories were divided into four, between four of his generals: Seleucus Nicator taking Mesopotamia and Syria; Cassandra, Macedonia and Greece; Ptolemy Lagus, Egypt and Palestine; and Lysimachus, Thrace and Asia Minor.
Then, the prophetic vision announces an event which takes place more than 2,500 years later, in our time, just before the great tribulation: the special description of the last king, of the last world power: « Out of one of them came another horn, a small one, and it grew very great toward the south and toward the east and toward the Decoration. It grew so great that it reached all the way to the army of the heavens, and it caused some of the army and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. It exalted itself even against the Prince of the army, and from him the constant feature was taken away, and the established place of his sanctuary was thrown down. And an army was given over, together with the constant feature, because of transgression; and it kept throwing truth to the earth, and it acted and had success » (Daniel 8:9-12). The angel gives the explanation of this vision:
« And in the final part of their kingdom, as the transgressors act to a completion, a fierce-looking king who understands ambiguous sayings will stand up. His power will become great, but not through his own power. He will bring ruin in an extraordinary way, and he will be successful and act effectively. He will bring mighty ones to ruin, also the people made up of the holy ones. And by his cunning he will use deception to succeed; and in his heart he will exalt himself; and during a time of security he will bring many to ruin. He will even stand up against the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human hand » (Daniel 8:23-25). After the prowess of announcing the advent of Alexander 200 years in advance, it is the prophetic feat of announcing 2,500 years in advance, by the general description of his grimacing face, and his astute attitude and arrogant, the advent of the last king of the last world power. There is a special biblical study of him (click on the link to access it).
« And I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one speaking: “How long will the vision of the constant feature and of the transgression causing desolation continue, to make both the holy place and the army things to trample on?” 14 So he said to me: “Until 2,300 evenings and mornings; and the holy place will certainly be restored to its right condition” » (Daniel 8:13,14).
« While I considered the horns, look! another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before it. And look! there were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and there was a mouth speaking arrogantly »
(Daniel 7:8)
In the first part of the explanation of the angel, are summarized all the information of the vision of the statue with four metals, showing that there would be four kings who would arise representing the four empires (Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman). This sovereignty would give way to the kingdom of God: « These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will stand up from the earth. But the holy ones of the Supreme One will receive the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever » (Daniel 7:17,18, compare with 2:36-44).
What intrigued the Prophet Daniel, however, was the appearance of the fourth beast, which represents the Roman Empire. Therefore, he asked the angel for more information: “This is what he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there is a fourth kingdom that will come to be on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour all the earth and will trample it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, ten kings will rise up out of that kingdom; and still another one will rise up after them, and he will be different from the first ones, and he will humiliate three kings” (Daniel 7:23,24).
Regarding this fourth wild beast, the Roman Empire, with ten horns (the whole of world sovereignty (ten horns)), expresses exactly the same idea as the vision of the statue with four metals, in its low part (legs, feet and toes): The Roman power would continue until our days. The fact that this wild beast has the ten horns, shows that the Late Antiquity Roman Influence (the Roman beast), the westernization, would permeate all the current world governance, until the last days (represented by the ten horns, all the kings of the earth).
What are the three plucked up horns, replaced by an arrogant horn? To find out, just read the explanations of the angel, regarding this big horn existing in our current days, in order to know what the three horns, correspond to: « He will speak words against the Most High, and he will continually harass the holy ones of the Supreme One. He will intend to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the Court sat, and they took away his rulership, in order to annihilate him and to destroy him completely » (Daniel 7:25,26).
Verse 26, shows that this horn (king), as worldwide power, would be present at the time of the great tribulation, the destruction of the international human sovereignty. What world power is it? Without doubt, the United States of America. The current world power is also described in the book of Revelation, as a wild beast with two horns of lambs, using by itself, the world power of another wild beast with seven heads and ten horns: « Then I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed. And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind » (Apocalypse 13:11-13). Just as Daniel 7:8 informs that this « horn speaking arrogantly », this quote of Revelation 13, describes it with the attitude of a prophet who organizes a worship rivaling that due to God. Apocalypse 16:13, call this wild beast as « false prophet ».
Therefore, it is easy to understand to which maritime powers correspond to the three plucked up and humiliated horns. To obtain its independence, the United States of America, gradually drove out the three colonial powers, which in fact represent the cradle of this nation with « Greco-Roman » origins: Spain (associated with The Netherlands and Portugal (which will colonize an important part of South America (Brazil)) with Spain), France and England. It was at the end of the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) that France left all its possessions. Through the Spanish-American War (April 15 to August 12, 1898), Spain will lose its last possessions. Through the War of Independence (1775-1783), Great Britain will lose all its possessions. According to the prophecy of Daniel, the United States of America, is an expression of a « Late Roman Antiquity Influence », as are the three other nations that founded it.
Even though this leading world power is known for its freedom of speech, it is written that it will persecute the holy ones, the serves of God. In doing so, the Divine Court will remove its rulership, as well as that of the other nations (the horns), and give it to the Kingdom of God, composed of King Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, and the 144,000 who will accompany him (Apocalypse 14:1-5). This vision of the four beasts truly emotionally exhausted the prophet Daniel:
“He will speak words against the Most High, and he will continually harass the holy ones of the Supreme One. He will intend to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the Court sat, and they took away his rulership, in order to annihilate him and to destroy him completely.
27 “‘And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulerships will serve and obey them.’
28 “This is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts alarmed me greatly, so that I turned pale; but I kept the matter in my own heart” (Daniel 7:25-28).
The visions of the four huge beasts coming out of the sea, as described by the prophet Daniel, have a similar interpretation to that of the dream of the statue made of four metals and its conclusion. For a better understanding of this study of the four beasts, you can read the study page on the statue beforehand (by clicking on the link).
The meaning of the vision of the four beasts is identical to that of the statue (in chapter 2), namely that the four metals, representing four world powers, correspond to the four beasts (in chapter 7). The first beast represents Babylon (the gold of the statue). The second beast represents the Medo-Persian power (the silver of the statue). The third beast represents the Greek empire (the copper of the statue). The fourth beast represents the Roman empire (the iron extending to its feet and toes). Here is the detailed description of the four wild beasts:
“In the first year of King Bel·shazʹzar of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream; he recorded a complete account of the matters. 2 Daniel declared:
“I was watching in my visions during the night, and look! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. 3 And four huge beasts came out of the sea, each different from the others.
4 “The first one was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and was made to stand up on two feet like a man, and it was given the heart of a man.
5 “And look! another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Get up, eat much flesh.’
6 “After this I kept watching, and look! another beast, like a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. And the beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 “After this I kept watching in the visions of the night, and I saw a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and unusually strong, and it had large iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it trampled down with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns. 8 While I considered the horns, look! another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before it. And look! there were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and there was a mouth speaking arrogantly” (Daniel 7:1-8).
The third wild beast, like a leopard with four wings, aptly symbolizes the Greek empire at the time of Alexander the Great’s extremely rapid territorial conquests. A leopard symbolizes speed, accentuated in this vision by the presence of four wings. This leopard has four heads, signifying that these territorial conquests were divided among Alexander the Great’s four generals after his untimely death. Furthermore, there is another prophetic description illustrating this historical situation in the prophecy of Daniel, chapter 8:
“I saw it closing in on the ram, and it was filled with bitterness toward it. It struck down the ram and broke its two horns, and the ram was powerless to stand up to it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one to rescue it from its power.
8 Then the male goat exalted itself exceedingly, but as soon as it became mighty, the great horn was broken; then four conspicuous horns came up instead of the one, toward the four winds of the heavens” (Daniel 8:7,8).
Here is the angel’s interpretation of this vision:
“The two-horned ram that you saw stands for the kings of Meʹdi·a and Persia. 21 The hairy male goat stands for the king of Greece; and the great horn that was between its eyes stands for the first king. 22 As for the horn that was broken, so that four stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from his nation that will stand up, but not with his power” (Daniel 8:20-22).
This text prophetically describes the military superiority of the Greek empire (the goat with one large horn) over the Medo-Persian empire (the ram with two horns, broken and then trampled). The goat’s horn breaks to announce the premature death of the conquering king (Alexander the Great), replaced by four other horns, representing the four generals who would inherit the territorial conquests. The goat’s four horns represent the four heads of the leopard with four wings (the third beast mentioned in chapter 7).
Next, the visions of the four beasts conclude with the establishment of a court presided over by the Heavenly Father himself, which will decide on the destruction of these wild beasts. This part of the prophetic vision is similar to the vision of the statue (Daniel 2), which was struck by a stone that destroyed it completely. Here is the narrative of the conclusion of these visions (Daniel 7):
“I kept watching until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days sat down. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool. His throne was flames of fire; its wheels were a burning fire. 10 A stream of fire was flowing and going out from before him. A thousand thousands kept ministering to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The Court took its seat, and books were opened.
11 “I kept watching at that time because of the sound of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking; I watched until the beast was killed and its body was destroyed and it was given over to be burned in the fire. 12 But as for the rest of the beasts, their rulerships were taken away, and their lives were prolonged for a time and a season.
13 “I kept watching in the visions of the night, and look! with the clouds of the heavens, someone like a son of man was coming; and he gained access to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him up close before that One. 14 And to him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership is an everlasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:9-14).
The last part of this vision mentions that a son of man receives a kingdom from his Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ himself referred to himself as this son of man who has been anointed as an offspring of king David, during his baptism (Matthew 12:40; 13:37; 24:27-31,36-44; 25:31-46; 26:1,24,45,64).
An important point to note: The biblical account shows that the investiture of a king at the head of a kingdom occurs in two stages. The first step is the anointing process, or designation by God, of the human who will be king. The second stage is when he receives a kingdom over which he will exercise his authority as king.
Jesus Christ has been anointed as King by his Heavenly Father, Jehovah God, at his baptism in 29 CE. Before the birth of the child Jesus, the angel Gabriel told Mary, his future mother, that her son would become king: « He will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom » (Luke 1:33). Thus, Jesus Christ became King anointed by his Father, at the beginning of his first visible presence on earth, in the year 29 CE.
When he ascended into Heaven to join his Heavenly Father, according to Psalms 110, he sat at the right hand of the Father expecting to receive the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, or the governance both in Heaven and on Earth: « Jehovah declared to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet »” (Psalms 110, compare with Luke 19:12). In 1914, according to the prophecy of Daniel chapter 4, and the book of Apocalypse, it would appear that King Jesus Christ was invested with this kingship with a kingdom.
The action of the Kingdom of God, will be the fulfillment of the request made in the Lord’s Prayer: « Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth » (Matthew 6:9,10).
Let your Kingdom come: it is a heavenly government whose king is Jesus Christ, with 144,000 kings and priests, the New Jerusalem, according to the Book of Apocalypse (21:1-4).
The presence of these kings (the New Jerusalem), with the King Jesus Christ, is mentioned in Daniel chapter 7: « And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulerships will serve and obey them » (Daniel 7:27).
« Seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he grants it to whomever he wants »
(Daniel 4:10-25)
“‘In the visions of my head while on my bed, I saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was enormous. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached the heavens, and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth. Its foliage was beautiful, and its fruit was abundant, and there was food on it for all. Beneath it the beasts of the field would seek shade, and on its branches the birds of the heavens would dwell, and all creatures would feed from it. “‘As I viewed the visions of my head while on my bed, I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from the heavens. He called out loudly: “Chop down the tree, cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit! Let the beasts flee from beneath it, and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a banding of iron and of copper, among the grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let its portion be with the beasts among the vegetation of the earth. Let its heart be changed from that of a human, and let it be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over it. This is by the decree of watchers, and the request is by the word of the holy ones, so that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he gives it to whomever he wants, and he sets up over it even the lowliest of men.” “‘This was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw; now you, O Belteshazzar, tell its interpretation, for all the other wise men of my kingdom are unable to make the interpretation known to me. But you are able to do so, because the spirit of holy gods is in you.’ “At that time Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was alarmed for a moment, and his thoughts began to frighten him. “The king said, ‘O Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and the interpretation frighten you.’ “Belteshazzar answered, ‘O my lord, may the dream apply to those hating you, and its interpretation to your enemies. “‘The tree that you saw that grew great and became strong, whose top reached the heavens and was visible to all the earth, which had beautiful foliage, abundant fruit, and food for all, beneath which the beasts of the field would dwell and on whose branches the birds of the heavens would reside, it is you, O king, because you have grown great and become strong, and your grandeur has grown and reached to the heavens, and your rulership to the ends of the earth. “‘And the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from the heavens, who was saying: “Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a banding of iron and of copper, among the grass of the field. And let the dew of the heavens make it wet, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field until seven times pass over it.” This is the interpretation, O king; it is the decree of the Most High that must befall my lord the king. You will be driven away from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and you will be given vegetation to eat just like bulls; and you will become wet with the dew of the heavens, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he grants it to whomever he wants” (Daniel 4:10-25).
As the prophet Daniel indicates, this dream has been later fulfilled in the person of the king of Babylon. Because of his pride, God was going to teach him a lesson in humility and modesty by afflicting him with a mental illness (a form of lycanthropy that would make him believe he was a wild bull) that would prevent him from exercising his kingship for seven times, or seven prophetic years of 360 days. This period corresponded to the felling of the tree, with its stump being preserved in the ground. Here is the historical account of this event in the same chapter:
“Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king was saying: “Is this not Babylon the Great that I myself have built for the royal house by my own strength and might and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from the heavens: “To you it is being said, O King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘The kingdom has gone away from you, 32 and from mankind you are being driven away. With the beasts of the field your dwelling will be, and you will be given vegetation to eat just like bulls, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he grants it to whomever he wants.’”
33 At that moment the word was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from mankind, and he began to eat vegetation just like bulls, and his body became wet with the dew of the heavens, until his hair grew long just like eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.
34 “At the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to the heavens, and my understanding returned to me; and I praised the Most High, and to the One living forever I gave praise and glory, because his rulership is an everlasting rulership and his kingdom is for generation after generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does according to his own will among the army of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth. And there is no one who can hinder him or say to him, ‘What have you done?’
36 “At that time my understanding returned to me, and the glory of my kingdom, my majesty, and my splendor returned to me. My high officials and nobles eagerly sought me out, and I was restored to my kingdom, and even more greatness was added to me.
37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and exalting and glorifying the King of the heavens, because all his works are truth and his ways are just, and because he is able to humiliate those who are walking in pride” (Daniel 4:29-37).
The important question that arises is this: could this dream have a second fulfillment? For those who think not, even if this story is only anecdotal, it nevertheless teaches an important lesson of modesty and humility applied to the king of Babylon and also to each of us. For example, after understanding the lesson, the king says this: « And there is no one who can hinder him or say to him, ‘What have you done?’ ».
While we certainly don’t always understand Heavenly Father’s actions, we can respectfully ask questions and research them to better understand them. For example, why does He allow wickedness and suffering? However, it would be entirely inappropriate to address Him as if He owed us an explanation, asking, « What have you done? ». In another book of the Bible, of Job, the Heavenly Father prompts reflection through a series of rhetorical questions because Job tended to equate his own justice with that of his Creator (see Job chapters 38-42):
“Who is this who is obscuring my counsel And speaking without knowledge? Brace yourself, please, like a man; I will question you, and you inform me. Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you think you understand. Who set its measurements, in case you know, Or who stretched a measuring line across it?” (Job 38:2-5). The Heavenly Father compares Job’s brief existence with the fact he could not even be present at the beginning of the creation, a very firm way of putting him in his place…
Now, placing the narrative of this dream recorded in the prophetic book of Daniel in a merely anecdotal domain, confined only to the past, raises questions.
It is true that nothing indicates, in chapter 4, that there would be a second fulfillment. In any case, in the Bible, there is not always direct indication or written indication that there would be two fulfillments. It is only the context that allows us to understand it. Furthermore, sometimes there are historical biblical narratives that have, at first glance, no prophetic dimension, and yet, it exists. Let us take two examples. The story of manna falling from heaven (Exodus 16:31-36). Nothing in the historical context of this passage shows the prophetic dimension of this story. However, Jesus Christ considered that it did indeed have a prophetic dimension (John 6:31-58). The historical account of the making of the copper serpent (Numbers 21:7-9). Nothing in the historical context of this passage shows the prophetic dimension of this narrative. However, Jesus Christ considered that it did indeed have a prophetic dimension (John 3:14,15).
Let us look at the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel chapter 4. First of all, it should be noted that it is his second dream sent by God to this king (Daniel 2). In his first dream, Daniel says that God has revealed to him (through the interpretation of this dream) « what is to happen in the final part of the days ». Thus, the historical account of Daniel 2 has more than a simple anecdotal value, but also a prophetic value, concerning our time. The question that arises is: should we expect less from the story of the second dream given by God to King Nebuchadnezzar? Namely, that the scope of this second prophetic dream would concern « the final part of the days ». Basing ourselves, this time on the whole context of the book of Daniel, if we were to consider the second dream of King Nebuchadnezzar as applying only to his time, and to his person alone, then it would be the only prophetic vision which would not concern our time, while the whole of this book is directly related to « the final part of the days » (Daniel 12:9). Therefore, it would be rather the failure to not admit that there would be a second fulfillment of this dream, concerning the last days, which would not respect the entire context of the prophetic book of Daniel.
Therefore, in the following Bible study, also based on this dream, there will be an application that could concern the last days, beginning, particularly at the start of the 20th century, and continuing to the current days…
« You, O king, were watching, and you saw an immense image. That image, which was huge and extremely bright, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. The head of that image was of fine gold, its chest and its arms were of silver, its abdomen and its thighs were of copper, its legs were of iron, and its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. You looked on until a stone was cut out, not by hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and of clay and crushed them. At that time the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold were, all together, crushed and became like the chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a large mountain, and it filled the whole earth » (Daniel 2:31-35).
The interpretation of the dream
“This is the dream, and we will now tell the king its interpretation. You, O king—the king of kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the might, the strength, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given men wherever they may dwell, as well as the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and whom he has made ruler over all of them—you yourself are the head of gold. “But after you another kingdom will rise, inferior to you; then another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that will rule over the whole earth. “As for the fourth kingdom, it will be strong like iron. For just as iron crushes and pulverizes everything else, yes, like iron that shatters, it will crush and shatter all of these. “And just as you saw the feet and the toes to be partly of clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom will be divided, but some of the hardness of iron will be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. Just as you saw iron mixed with soft clay, they will be mixed with the people; but they will not stick together, one to the other, just as iron does not mix with clay. “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever, just as you saw that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The Grand God has made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy” (Daniel 2:36-45).
In this dream, it is prophetically described the succession of world powers, from the time of Daniel, when the kingdom of Babylon was the ruling world power, until the great tribulation, when the destruction of human sovereignty, followed by the establishment of the earthly administration of the kingdom of God. This statue is made of four metals:
1 – The golden head: the Babylonian empire, represented by the king Nebuchadnezzar, at the time of the prophet Daniel:
“You, O king—the king of kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the might, the strength, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given men wherever they may dwell, as well as the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and whom he has made ruler over all of them—you yourself are the head of gold” (Daniel 2:37,38).
2 – The chest and arms in silver: the Medo-Persian empire (Daniel 2:39a).
The historical narrative of the transition from Babylonian power to Medo-Persian power is found in Daniel chapters 5 and 6.
3 – The abdomen and the thighs made of copper: the Greek empire (Daniel 2:39b).
The prophetic announcement of the transition from the Medo-Persian empire to the Greek empire, through Alexander the Great, is found in Daniel chapter 8 (this chapter will be studied later):
“It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one to rescue it from its power. Then the male goat exalted itself exceedingly, but as soon as it became mighty, the great horn was broken; then four conspicuous horns came up instead of the one, toward the four winds of the heavens. (…) The two-horned ram that you saw stands for the kings of Media and Persia. The hairy male goat stands for the king of Greece; and the great horn that was between its eyes stands for the first king. As for the horn that was broken, so that four stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from his nation that will stand up, but not with his power” (Daniel 8:7,8,20-22).
Two hundred years in advance, this prophecy foretold the advent of Alexander, the Great (the great horn of the male goat) and his very fast conquests (the male goat without touching the ground). The book of Daniel has been completed around 536 BCE, in Babylon. Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE. In 336, he began his reign. He died very young, in 323 BCE: “the horn was broken”.
4 – The Iron Legs: The Roman Empire (Rome (Western Empire) and Constantinople (Eastern Empire)) (Daniel 2:40).
The prophetic announcement of the transition from Greek to Roman power is detailed in the prophecy of Daniel chapter 7 (this chapter will be studied later):
“After this I kept watching in the visions of the night, and I saw a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and unusually strong, and it had large iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it trampled down with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7).
This fourth beast represents Roman imperial power; here is how the angel describes its destructive force:
“This is what he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there is a fourth kingdom that will come to be on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour all the earth and will trample it down and crush it” (Daniel 7:23).
In Chapter 2, the iron, symbolizing Roman power, extends to the feet and toes, signifying its continued existence to this day. This historical continuation is a late Romanization, reflected in its political, religious, and cultural system. Historically, and in a very simplified way, after the decline of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the Eastern Roman Empire continued until 1453.
These Germanic Peoples (as “Spearhead” of the Eastern Roman Empire), will install Royal dynasties, as Merovingian Dynasty, Carolingian Dynasty, in the Western part of Europe, and by means of the Holy Roman Empire, placing themselves under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church (representation of the extension of the Western Roman Empire, Roman Late Antiquity Influence).
Thus, the Western Roman Empire found its continuation through Rome and its extension to the present day, under the banner of Late Roman Antiquity, largely perpetuated by the Roman Catholic Church, which crowned the kings of Western Europe and also in its Germanic part in Eastern Europe. The continuation of Roman culture in the Eastern Roman Empire was achieved through the Orthodox Church in the Slavic countries of Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
The global expansion of this Roman culture occurred through voyages of exploration and research into new continents, followed by conquests and colonial wars that led to genocides of indigenous peoples (in the Americas (North, South, and Central), Asia, Australia, and Africa). The primary exporters of this Roman culture were Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and France. The United States of America is the result of wars of conquest waged by European nations of Roman origin. Thus, one could say that the United States of America is an extension of this Roman heritage.
On a political and governmental level, the « Caesars » were replaced by tsars, kaisers, kings, presidents, and prime ministers, with chambers of deputies or senates, as in the former Rome.
On a religious level, the Catholic Church fully embraces its Roman identity by identifying itself as Roman. Its teachings, fundamentally Christian (as well as those of the Orthodox Church), have been largely blended with Greco-Roman teachings, such as the Trinity, the concept of hell, the immortality of the soul, the veneration of saints, the cult of the Virgin Mary resembling the worship of the goddess Artemis of Ephesus, and the practice of venerating images, icons, and statues. The current general philosophy of Western nations is based on consumerism, pleasure, and the industrialized entertainment and tourism industries—the famous « bread and circuses » of ancient Rome (Panem et circenses)—to prevent any revolution or social unrest.
5 – The feet of iron mixed with clay (as well as the toes of iron mixed with clay)).
The presence of clay with the iron of the feet and toes, which in fact weaken the whole structure of the statue (world human sovereignty), represents the movements of uncontrolled crowds, in the forms of street, social and revolutionary, terrorist acts perpetrated by small groups, and alternative media outlets undermine the official propaganda of the authorities in power. This antagonism between iron and clay seriously weakens the authority of current governments. This counter-power seriously weakens the iron authority of current governments (Daniel 2:41-43).
« I kept watching in the visions of the night, and look! with the clouds of the heavens, someone like a son of man was coming; and he gained access to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him up close before that One. 14 And to him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership is an everlasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed »
(Daniel 7:13,14)
The main theme of the prophetic book of Daniel is the restoration of the sovereignty of God on earth, through the kingdom of God, whose kingship has been entrusted to the « son of man », Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31-46). Based on the chronological basis of the prophecy of Daniel chapter 4:10-27, we can say that this heavenly enthronement took place in 1914 C.E.
The kingdom of God will establish its earthly administration through the New Jerusalem, made up of the 144,000 heavenly holy ones: “And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulerships will serve and obey them » (Daniel 7:27; Revelation 21:2-4). According to the prophecy of Ezekiel, the kingdom of God will have earthly holy ones, such as princes and priests (Ezekiel 40-48) (the expression « holy ones » found in the prophecy of Daniel, simply refers to the servants of God Jehovah and his son Jesus Christ).
The historical and prophetic narrative is based on these three main axes, mentioned above, the restoration of the sovereignty of God on earth, the disappearance of bestial human sovereignty, and the establishment of the earthly reign of the kingdom of God, of which the king is the « son of man », Jesus Christ and the 144,000 heavenly holy ones. Therefore, any historical event which does not have a direct link with these three aspects, is not mentioned.
For example, the book of Daniel there are mainly four World Powers, from the time of the writing of this biblical book of Daniel, to the present day: Babylon, the Medo-Persian Empire, Greek and Roman. It is obvious that there have been many other world empires. However, these four empires have had a direct connection with the prophetic narrative of the book of Daniel and even to the present days, regarding the last world power.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”
(Matthew 24:29,30)
The verse 29, describes the signs before the « coming, » not the « presence, » of the Son of Man. According to verse 30, it will be King Jesus Christ who will come, this time in a visible way, through a worldwide vision, to settle accounts with all of humanity (Matthew 25:31-46). The rest of this study provides specific indications that we are in this brief period of signs before the (visible), the sign of the Son of man in heaven.
« Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken » (Matthew 24:29): Since the biginning of this period, there have been exceptional heavenly and atmospheric phenomena that have brought humanity into a reality never observed since then. The expression « Immediately after the tribulation of those days », seems to indicate a break in the prophetic narrative of Jesus Christ, which this time describes events which would announce the nearness of the end and the great tribulation.
By reading Matthew 24:4-22, from the beginning of the presence of Christ, in 1914 CE (option retained by the editorial line of this biblical site), to the great tribulation (in the second fulfillment, at the global scale), this period is relatively long, it is currently more than 110 years.
Furthermore, when Jesus Christ begins his description, from verses 4 to 6, it is written: « For these things must take place, but the end is not yet ». So that an observer of the events at the beginning of the presence of Christ, during the first and then the second world war, even until the beginning of the cold war, he was relatively further from the imminence of the end (the great tribulation). It would be in the time described in verses 4 to 6, see 7 and 8, where again, Jesus Christ said: « All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress » (Matthew 24:8).
Then after the description of these dramatic events, which would demonstrate the beginning of the presence of Christ (reigning as King, in the midst of his enemies (Psalms 2)) and which would announce the end of this system of things, in Matthew 24:4-28, this time, Jesus Christ begins to describe world events which would announce the nearness of the end or the great tribulation. This time, in addition to quoting Matthew 24:29-31, there will be a presentation of parallel quotes to this same description, in Mark and Luke. The description in Mark’s Gospel is quite similar to Matthew’s; however, regarding Luke’s Gospel, there are other, complementary descriptive details:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity” (Matthew 24:29-31).
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling out of heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from earth’s extremity to heaven’s extremity” (Mark 13:24-27).
“Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near” (Luke 21:25-28).
***
The beginning of the period mentioned in First of all, the texts of Matthew and Luke have two distinct parts which concern two stages which will lead to the great tribulation:
1 – “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).
2 – “And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity” (Matthew 24:30,31).
1 – “Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25,26).
2 – “And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near” (Luke 21:27,28).
Description number 1 from Matthew and Luke would correspond to the period which began in 1990/1991, and from which the wicked generation would not pass away and which would culminate in events number 2, which would very shortly precede the great tribulation (Matthew 24:34). Let us focus on events number 1, from Matthew and Luke.
Description number 1
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).
“Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25,26).
These descriptions are so aberrant that the first reaction might be to say that at no time since 1990/1991 has humanity witnessed such supernatural events, described prophetically by Jesus Christ. Still others would be tempted to give only a spiritual interpretation, seeing in this description only a symbolic aspect. If we read these two descriptions, seemingly surreal, at first glance, understanding that Jesus Christ describes events through the prism of human perception, then we can realize that currently, they are happening under our eyes. For example, when Jesus Christ said that « stars » would fall on the earth, it is obvious that these are not the stars or planets of the universe, but rather points of light, with the size of the luminosity of the stars which would penetrate our earthly atmosphere, and which for some would reach the ground. Likewise, for the luminosity of the sun and the moon, certain exceptional cataclysmic events occurring on earth could change the perception of the luminosity of these stellar bodies.
The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light: the factors which could seriously obscure the luminosity of the sun, both day and night, for several days, are the very numerous cataclysmic fires, volcanic eruptions which have sometimes paralyzed air traffic, sandstorms, the increase in pollution of large cities which creates fog…
The stars will fall from heaven
this could be an increase in meteorite falls to Earth. However, these natural space phenomena have always existed and cannot necessarily be described as abnormal. If Jesus Christ mentions this unusual visual phenomenon of stars falling the heaven to the Earth, it is because it must be the result of human intervention, as in the case of the wars, plagues, and famines he previously mentioned.
Indeed, currently, sometimes in some parts around the earth, visual effects of stars falling from heaven have been observed—that is, the regular fall of thousands of pieces of space debris, sometimes even old satellites, disintegrating upon entering the atmosphere in a shower of stars…
The disintegration of the Starlink-2382 satellite,
on August 27, 2024
There are millions of fragments of old satellites, abandoned rockets and other drifting objects.
It’s important to know that there are tens of thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth. In addition to satellites, there are millions of pieces of space debris, such as fragments of old satellites, abandoned rockets, and other drifting objects, also orbiting the Earth. Besides the phenomenal number of satellites orbiting the Earth, this space debris poses a very serious collision risk to all currently operational satellites. Of course, satellites are equipped with collision avoidance systems. Nevertheless, the danger is very real.
There are millions of fragments of old satellites, abandoned rockets and other drifting objects surrounding the earth at the center. Photo of Sirius Space Vision Web site: https://siriusspacevision.com/ (French Web site).
There are millions of fragments of old satellites, abandoned rockets and other drifting objects surrounding the earth at the center
For example, SpaceX, whose president is Elon Musk, currently has 4,400 satellites in orbit. In 2026, he decided to put all of SpaceX’s satellites into low Earth orbit, where there would be less space debris, in order to avoid the consequences of Kessler Syndrome (Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome ).
Kessler syndrome and the chain reaction of general satellite collisions, causing a shower of stars on Earth.
The principle is simple: Kessler’s Syndrome is a global phenomenon characterized by the presence of tens of millions of debris pieces of various sizes that disrupt satellite operations. The more debris there is in orbit, the more it will collide with objects or other debris, triggering a chain reaction that will exponentially increase the number of debris. Ultimately, space exploration and satellite launches could become impossible.
Within this catastrophic scenario, there is an indicator called the « CRASH Clock » which represents the estimated time before a major collision of all the satellites. This scenario occurs if the satellites become unable to maneuver. The crash clock is the clock for the collision. In the context of Kessler syndrome, a scenario of a chain reaction of satellite collisions, in 2018, the reaction time to avoid this situation was 121 days. By 2026, it had dropped to less than three days (2.8 days)… Consequently, the decision by the CEO of SpaceX to lower its satellites into low Earth orbit becomes more understandable (Link for more information about the Crash Clock).
This simplified explanation shows that the vision of Christ’s prophecy announcing a widespread fall of stars to Earth is entirely possible and plausible, through a future chain reaction of satellites causing them to fall to Earth.
In addition to Kessler syndrome, there is also the risk of major solar storms that could disable them and cause them to fall to Earth.
A SpaceX Starlink satellite fell over Puerto Rico on February 7, 2022. 40 satellites fiery death by a solar flare, which SpaceX knew about (during February 2022).
Therefore, this is not merely a figment of the imagination or a science fiction scenario, but a tangible reality currently unfolding. However, if a solar storm like the one that occurred in 1859, the Carrington Event (Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event ), which ignited a network of telegraph cables in the United States, were to recur, it could have apocalyptic consequences for all satellites currently in operation, rendering them unusable and potentially causing them to fall to Earth. Thus, this aspect of Jesus Christ’s prophecy concerning the fall of stars to Earth is being fulfilled. However, given the alarming information regarding the number of millions of pieces of space debris and solar storms that can damage satellites, this suggests that in the very near future, the phenomenon risks taking on apocalyptic proportions…
The powers of the heavens will be shaken
These may be cataclysmic weather phenomena which would increase in number and intensity, due to global warming observed since the 1970s. This climatic warming causes extreme and opposite weather phenomena, in different places in the world, but sometimes in the same geographical location, such as droughts, followed by deadly floods, or even an increase in cyclones (or typhoons and hurricanes) and tornadoes…
Nevertheless, it is possible that Jesus Christ was describing cataclysmic weather phenomena directly caused by human intervention (as we examined above regarding the fall of stars (satellites and other space debris)). In this case, it could refer to scientific experiments aimed at directly influencing the climate, for example, to increase the frequency of rain or snow, or to prevent rain altogether. This science is called geoengineering. It encompasses all the techniques that aim to manipulate and modify the Earth’s climate and environment (Wikipedia definition of geoengineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoengineering).
Regarding the field of rainfall modification, there is the technique of cloud seeding. This method has been discovered in 1946 by a scientist named Vincent Schaefer, an engineer at General Electric (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Schaefer). Cloud seeding was done with silver oxide, using aircraft to take advantage of the updrafts of cumulonimbus clouds. Currently, in addition to silver oxide, salt, titanium dioxide, and metallic nanoparticles are used (Cloud seeding, Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_seeding).
* Cloud seeding should not be confused with chemtrails (chemical trails).
This technology has been used by the United States, China, India, and many other nations. In 2008, China used geoengineering in preparation for the Beijing Olympics, specifically to prevent rainfall. However, over time, continuing this practice has had serious consequences for the climate, resulting in massive flooding. The 2020 floods, in addition to hundreds of deaths, forced the evacuation of millions. These floods destroyed significant infrastructure.
Photo of the floods in China, in June 2025
Still in the realm of geoengineering to create rain, the United Arab Emirates used another method in 2021 by charging clouds with electricity. This was tested in Dubai. The consequences were massive floods in Oman and Dubai in April 2024. Dubai’s weather station has a Doppler radar. Is there a cause-and-effect relationship? To form an opinion on either side, we must revisit the catastrophic flooding of Valencia, Spain, on October 29 and 30, 2024, based on an analysis of satellite images (see the HAARP program).
The strange phenomenon observed, based on images from the Eumetsat MTG geostationary weather satellite on October 29, 2024, shows a close link between convection originating from a fixed source and a geographical location precisely at the Cullera Doppler Weather Radar, in the south of Valencia, Spain. These images, which resemble a spray of convective clouds pushed by south/southeast sea wind towards the mountains north-northwest of the villages and the city of Valencia, appeared regularly from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM on October 29, 2024 (see detailed satellite animation below).
It is worth mentioning the use of Doppler weather stations (which operate on the same principle as microwave ovens) in geoengineering. It seems clear from satellite imagery that the Doppler radar in Cullera, south of Valencia, Spain, played a significant role in artificially intensifying convection, coinciding with naturally occurring Saharan rains during the DANA event of October 29 and 30, 2024. The situation was exacerbated by much later natural convection originating from Albacete on the evening of October 29, 2024 (see the two satellite animation videos below, one of which is from Meteo Swiss).
This flooding in Spain, in the province of Valencia (and also in Albacete), on October 29 and 30, 2024, is estimated to have caused 240 deaths. This figure is widely considered an underestimate. Given the numerous reports and videos showing thousands of cars on the highway, swept away by rain and mudslides, there is no doubt that the number of victims is much higher.
Flooding in Spain, the DANA report of October 29, 2024, in the province of Valencia, which officially caused 240 deaths, but there is no doubt that the number of victims is much higher…
In the case of the Valencia floods, photos from the Eumetsat MTG geostationary weather satellite clearly show that during the hours of the deluge (from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the morning of October 29, 2024), one of the convection currents was located at a fixed geographical point, above the Cullera Doppler radar, which was officially out of service that day.
However, satellite images in this YouTube video show that the convection of rain originating from the Sahara has been clearly intensified by an artificial and stationary convection current at the Cullera Doppler weather radar (See the video by clicking on the secure link https://youtu.be/z4U8xyeTzqE).
Satellite image from DANA dated October 29, 2024, of spray convection above the Cullera Doppler radar
Same sequence on Meteo Swiss (click on the link):
The convection process in the form of a spray began at 6:00 a.m. This satellite image shows the same phenomenon at 4:30 p.m., more than 10 hours later… It will cease around 10-12:00 p.m. on October 29, 2024…
By viewing the animation of images from the Eumetsat MTG geostationary weather satellite, you can see both the date and time, from 6:00 AM to midnight on October 29, 2024, in the upper left corner. Now, try it out by hovering your mouse cursor over the point where the first convective explosion occurred above Cullera, south of Valencia, starting at 6:00 AM (see also the YouTube video, linked above). You can consult the much more complete report on Meteo Swiss (article in French) by clicking on the link: https://www.meteosuisse.admin.ch/portrait/meteosuisse-blog/fr/2024/11/intemperies-devastatrices-espagne.html
Doppler radars operate on the same principle as microwave ovens. The average frequency of microwave ovens used for cooking food is 2450 MHz. Most modern airborne weather radars are systems that emit between 18 watts and 10 kW of power, using microwaves at a frequency between 9.3 GHz and 9.5 GHz. Different methods of generating heat using thermal radiation include gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared radiation, and microwaves.
Based on images from Eumetsat’s MTG geostationary satellite, the conclusion is as follows: the Cullera Doppler weather radar has clearly created artificial convection by superheating the atmosphere with its microwave radiation. This radiation, driven by sea winds (south, southeast), is directed towards cold air masses in the mountains north and northwest of Valencia, successively creating immense convective explosions with monstrous cumulonimbus clouds, causing apocalyptic rainfall… The images are there to prove it…
It is also important to mention the HAARP program, the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, generally referred to by its acronym HAARP, an American research observatory dedicated to the study of the ionosphere. It is primarily a military project to study the impact of the ionosphere on long-distance radio communications (Wikipedia link).
The two examples in geoengineering show that cloud seeding and the use of Doppler radar (as seen on October 29, 2024, in Cullera, Spain) cause meteorological disasters for which humans are primarily responsible (there is also the solar geoengineering project, which aims to reduce solar radiation in order to lower the Earth’s temperature).
Thus, when Jesus Christ mentioned that the powers of heaven would be shaken, it seems evident that their exceptional nature would be due to the intervention of man, who plays the sorcerer’s apprentice with natural elements such as rain, snow, and even solar radiation, with catastrophic consequences for people, whether in China, the United States, and, as we witnessed, during the DANA (flood) in Valencia (and Albacete), Spain, on October 29 and 30, 2024…
On the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation: this may be an increase in particularly deadly tsunamis. For example, the tsunami of December 26, 2004, in Indonesia, left 250,000 people dead or missing in a dozen countries on different continents. March 11, 2011, the Fukushima tsunami, 18,000 dead. This tsunami worried all nations, because the waves and numerous debris blocked the cooling systems of the nuclear power plant reactors. This caused a major nuclear disaster, with hydrogen accumulation explosions damaging three reactors and causing major radioactive pollution.
People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth: given the many cataclysms mentioned above, people feel great anguish, seeing that the politicians of their respective countries do not find solutions to prevent and protect their people from these cataclysms. Added to the global spread of the military virus, from the P4 laboratories in the Chinese city of Wuhan, on November 16, 2019, and the lethal experimental injection, which followed and which plunged all of humanity into a great torpor.
Description number 2
“And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity” (Matthew 24:30,31).
“And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near” (Luke 21:27,28).
These are future events that will shortly precede the end or the great tribulation. This time, the coming of King Jesus Christ will be visible to the entire world population. It will shock many of them, as it is written: “All the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation”. While another part of humanity will lift up their heads, seeing their deliverance approaching. Matthew chapter 25 is much more explicit about what will happen. According to Matthew 25:1-30, King Jesus Christ will settle accounts with the members of the worldwide Christian congregation, both on an individual level and at the level of the Christian administrators. According to Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus Christ will come to judge humanity as a whole, shortly before the great tribulation. The gathering of chosen ones to survive the great tribulation concerns both the remnant of the 144,000 on earth, who will have everlasting life in heaven, which should number 7,000 people (number of the earthly remnant) according to Apocalypse 7:1-8 and 11:11-13, and the great crowd of all nations who will survive, for everlasting life on earth, according to Apocalypse 7:9-17.
The text of Matthew 24:36-44 shows that at the time of the end, of the great tribulation, there will be a selection between humans who will be « taken » and others who will be « abandoned »: « Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it » (Matthew 24:36-44).
***
We have seen that in a way, the year 1914 is a historical landmark in time, showing that we are in the period announcing the end of this system of things. Therefore, what is the other historical landmark, that would allow us to understand that we have entered into the period mentioned by Jesus Christ, by the expression « Immediately after the tribulation of those days », of Matthew 24:29 or “But in those days, after that tribulation”, from Mark 13:24? (In the explanations that follow, the conditional tense is mentioned in the mind that the presentation is not made in a dogmatic spirit, to impose a single way of thinking).
Before giving an answer, it is appropriate to read what Jesus Christ said after describing this period, very close to the end (the sign of the Son of man and after, the great tribulation). In fact, he sets the limits in terms of length of time: « Now learn this illustration from the fig tree: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise, also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:32-35).
The « generation » represents contemporaries who are currently seeing the signs before the vision of King Jesus Christ in the heavens, and not the people who lived through the early signs mentioned in Matthew 24:4-8, who are almost all dead.
In all of Christ’s statements that contain the word « generation, » it has no chronological value that would allow us to roughly estimate its duration. The word « generation, » as used by Jesus Christ, refers to the contemporaries who lived during his time. Moreover, when he used this word, it had a negative connotation. The word « generation, » in the teachings of Jesus Christ, means the contemporaries of wicked men:
“With whom will I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to their playmates, 17 saying: ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.’ 18 Likewise, John came neither eating nor drinking, but people say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of man did come eating and drinking, but people say, ‘Look! A man who is a glutton and is given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works” (Matthew 11:16-19; 12:38-45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:33-36, compared with 24:34).
There is no doubt that these prophetic words, of the wicked generation which would not pass away, were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E. The beginning of Christ’s first visible presence began in the year 29 CE. The destruction of Jerusalem took place in 70 CE. So that this period, at that time, was approximately 40 years. Thus, some of the Jews, of this wicked generation, maybe directly or indirectly responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, who lived in those days, experienced the judgment of the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 27:25). This valuable information allows us to understand that this short period, which would precede the great tribulation (from Matthew 24:29), which has already begun, should fall within this timeframe (time will tell)…
Regarding the historical moment of the entry into the period of Matthew 24:29, it could be the end of 1990 and the beginning of 1991, during the first Gulf War. It was during this period that the American president, George Bush (the father), proclaimed the beginning of the globalist era, the New World Order. It was during this same time that the UN issued Resolution 666 (along with other Resolutions related to the first Gulf War (660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674, 677 and 678)). Resolution No. 666 legislates on how to proceed with the embargo decreed by Resolution 661, stipulating that the humanitarian needs of the countries concerned (Iraq-Kuwait) must be taken into account at the same time. Resolution 666 concerns the rules governing embargoes, quite similar to what is written in Apocalypse (Revelation) (13:16-18):
“It puts under compulsion all people—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—that these should be marked on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name. 18 This is where it calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man’s number, and its number is 666” (Apocalypse 13:16-18).
The Greek word translated as « presence, » mentioned in Matthew (24:3), is “πάρειμι”, “parousia” (Strong’s Concordance (G3952)): The primary meaning of « presence » for parousia is often translated by words like « the coming », « the arrival » or « the advent », which creates confusion. The words « the coming », « the arrival » and « the advent », suggest a much shorter space of time than the time of a « presence », which can be quite long in time. The translation of the Greek word parousia by, « the coming » or « advent », is all the more inaccurate as this word « coming » corresponds to another Greek word: « Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory » (Matthew 24:30). In this same chapter which answers the same question (in verse 3), the coming of the son of man is translated by the Greek verb « erchomai » (ἔρχομαι (G2064) Strong’s Concordance).
Matthew 24:23-28 is an important transition with the second part. This rather short passage answers the question concerning the sign of the « presence » of Christ: « Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will perform great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have forewarned you. Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For just as the lightning comes out of the east and shines over to the west, so the presence of the Son of man will be. Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together ».
We can also say that this passage would have two accomplishments (the biblical explanation in the conditional of caution, is presented as possibilities or probabilities while being open to any need for readjustments). Regarding the presence of Christ, there are two ways of understanding among those interested in this prophecy. The first, think that this presence would precede the great tribulation by many years and in addition that it would be invisible. This presence would be linked with another important event, the heavenly enthronement of King Jesus Christ in 1914 CE, reigning among his enemies ever since (Psalms 2).
Other Christians believe that this presence, is a visible coming or returning of Christ, particularly shortly before the great tribulation as the sign of the Son of man, as King judging the whole humanity (Matthew 24:30 and also 25:31-33). This understanding is entirely plausible. Even if the current editorial line of this biblical site, on the invisible presence of Christ and his enthronement in 1914, has been retained, the explanations will not be presented to discredit the faith of sincere Christians who think that his presence would only be visible, but rather with a possibility of complementarity of both understandings.
In Matthew 24:23-28, Jesus Christ speaks of the discernment of his presence which would only be understood by humans with the insight of spiritual eagles with high visual acuity (the Holy Ones) (acuity three times greater than that human).
The first visible presence of Christ
There was a first visible presence of Christ which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem in the 70 CE. This earthly, visible presence began at the time of Christ’s baptism and ended at his ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9). This first visible presence was mentioned in the prophecy of the 70 weeks of years and announced that its conclusion would result in the destruction of Jerusalem: « And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations” (Daniel 9:24-26).
This first fulfillment is based on the prophecy of the 70 weeks (of years), in Daniel chapter 9:24-27, which foretold both the coming of Christ to earth and the end of God’s special covenant with earthly Israel (verse 27a). The last week of years (7 years) would begin with the anointing of Christ in the autumn of 29 CE, and his cutting off (his death) in the middle of the week (3 and a half years later), the spring of 33 CE (Daniel 9:26a and 27a): “And after the 62 weeks, Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. (…) And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease” (Daniel 9:26a and 27a).
The second part of this last week of years, this period of 70 weeks of years, ended in the year 36 CE, with the baptism of the Roman officer Cornelius, at the moment when God turned his attention to all the nations. From then on, God’s special relationship with the earthly nation of Israel had definitively ceased (Acts 10).
The prophecy (of Daniel) of the 70 weeks of years foretold the first presence of Christ on earth and the imminent end of the special relationship with the former nation of Israel, culminating in its destruction, particularly its administrative structure, in the year 70 CE, through the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies. This description of Jesus Christ in Matthew (24:15-20) is its first fulfillment.
The second presence of Christ
The second presence of Christ, concerning our time, announces the end of this system of things, during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:4-22).
Just after the ascension of Jesus Christ, two angels said this, to the apostles and disciples who were witnessing this supernatural spectacle: « And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, suddenly two men in white garments stood beside them and said: “Men of Galʹilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky » » (Acts 1:10,11). The angels mention that he would return in the same way, quite visibly, as mentioned in Matthew 24:30 (the sign of the Son of man), comparing with Matthew 25:31-33, shortly before the great tribulation. Moreover, in the book of Apocalypse, there is also talk of his visible and spectacular coming: « Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen” (Apocalypse 1:7). Nevertheless, it is important to differentiate between the « coming » or return of Christ, shortly before the great tribulation mentioned in the three biblical texts, above and his « presence », this time mentioned in the written question in Matthew 24:3.
In the question of Matthew 24:3, there are three important words that allow us to understand its meaning and the answer of Christ: The « sign » (σημαίνω (sēmeion) (Strong’s Concordance (G4591)), which has the sense of indication by « things that will take place ». The « sign » refers to two groups of events, stated by Christ: events which show that Christ is present and that he has begun to reign in the heavens (since 1914) (Matthew 24:4-14 and 24:23- 28). The « sign » of the nearness of the end and the end itself (Matthew 24: 15-22 (« sign » focused on the city of Jerusalem) and Matthew 24:29 at 25:46).
Thus, the sign or indication of the presence of Christ, would be done over a long period of time, unlike his coming to judge the nations, shortly before the great tribulation, which will be brief: « When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne » (Matthew 25:31 « comes » (erchomai)). The first presence of Christ took place during the three and a half years of his ministry, from the year 29 to the year 33 (C.E.), until the time of his death. This first presence was discerned by the « eagles », the disciples who were present especially at the time of his death (Matthew 24:23-28). The second presence of Christ began in 1914, and will end at the end of the thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20:1-6 (Matthew 24:4-14 ; Daniel 12:3,10b). This second presence is discerned by « eagles, » a group of Christ’s disciples (Matthew 24:4-14; Daniel 12:3,10b).
As indicated by Jesus Christ, the first « eagles » were at the feet of the dead body of Jesus Christ, at the end of his first presence on earth, from the year 29 to the year 33 CE, at the time of his death: « Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together » (Matthew 27:55,56; John 19:25-27). Among these spiritual « eagles » was the apostle John who would write the book of Apocalypse. Jesus Christ says that from now on, they should no longer believe anyone who claims to be Christ or to have seen him somewhere: « Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:23-28).
And for good reason, because at the moment when the signs would be realized, Jesus Christ would have ascended to heaven, and during the years which would precede the great tribulation, he would not be more visible. He will only be visible by his return, at the very end of this system of things, just before the great tribulation (Matthew 24:30; 25:31-33; Revelation 1:7).
This is how Jesus Christ describes his future presence (as he was speaking): « For just as the lightning comes out of the east and shines over to the west, so the presence of the Son of man will be » (Matthew 24:27). By this enigmatic sentence, is Jesus Christ suggesting that his presence would be visible? To fully understand what he means, we must read the words which precede this declaration: « Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it » (Matthew 24:26). In this verse, Jesus Christ designates specific places. When Jesus Christ describes his presence with the metaphor of lightning tearing the sky from east to west, he is only illustrating his presence on the entire earth. And according to verse 28, it would only be perceived by the spiritual eagles, as the ones having insight who were, at the end of his first presence, at the feet of his human dead body: « Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together » (Matthew 24:28).
The meaning of the current presence of Christ
How to define in a concrete way what the presence of Christ means? This is the moment when King Jesus Christ reigns among his enemies. This hostility of the nations towards this heavenly kingship is described in Psalm 110, when Christ sat down at the right hand of God, awaiting this heavenly kingdom:
“Jehovah declared to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet””
(Psalms 110:1).
And then Psalm 2 describes the hostile attitude of the nations towards the current kingship of Christ:
“Why are the nations agitated
And the peoples muttering an empty thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And high officials gather together as one
Against Jehovah and against his anointed one.
3 They say: “Let us tear off their shackles
And throw off their ropes!”
4 The One enthroned in the heavens will laugh;
Jehovah will scoff at them.
5 At that time he will speak to them in his anger
And terrify them in his burning anger,
6 Saying: “I myself have installed my king
On Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 Let me proclaim the decree of Jehovah;
He said to me: “You are my son;
Today I have become your father.
8 Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance
And the ends of the earth as your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron scepter,
And you will smash them like a piece of pottery””
(Psalms 2:1-9).
During his first visible presence on earth, during his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ paid special attention to the earth in order to lay the foundation for the new Christian congregation, which would become the Spiritual Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Likewise, when Jesus Christ, in Heaven, as King, was present a few years before his coming before the great tribulation, he would prepare a people, both heavenly and earthly, who would survive the great tribulation (Apocalypse chapter 7 (the 144,000 and the great crowd)).
According to Daniel’s prophecy, some insightful, spiritual eagles, have understood the moment his second presence, since 1914 and will discern in advance, his future coming for the world judgment, at the great tribulation (Matthew 25:31; Apocalypse 3:3): « Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand » (Daniel 12:10).
« While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things? » »
(Matthew 24:3)
In the question of Matthew 24:3, there are three important words that allow us to understand its meaning and the answer of Christ: The « sign » (σημαίνω (sēmeion) (Strong’s Concordance (G4591)), which has the sense of indication by « things that will take place ». The « sign » refers to two groups of events, stated by Christ: events which show that Christ is present and that he has begun to reign in the heavens (since 1914) (Matthew 24:4-14 and 24:23- 28). The « sign » of the nearness of the end and the end itself (Matthew 24: 15-22 (« sign » focused on the city of Jerusalem) and Matthew 24:29 at 25:46).
“In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you, 5 for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. 8 All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress” (Matthew 24:4-8).
In his introduction, Christ indicates that there would be false Christ, that there would be a false presence of a self-proclaimed « Christ » who would lead many astray. He then describes the beginning of dramatic events. When he says, « but the end is not yet », he implies that the historical period in which these events would unfold would have a certain (indefinite) duration. This idea of »all these things are a beginning of pangs of distress », is repeated in the last verse (8).
“Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. 10 Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. 13 But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:9-14).
Jesus Christ describes the extremely difficult living conditions of Christ’s disciples, marked by persecution with hatred, betrayal, and the presence of false prophets and teachers who spread religious lies. Within the context of this description, Jesus Christ states that the disciples who persevere to the end will be saved (13).
The Good News would be preached as a witness to all nations, implying that the spread of this message would occur on a national scale, and not just on the scale of an individual (or groups of individuals). This means that the end of this proclamation campaign (decided by God) would not be when the last person would be contacted, but rather when all nations would be sufficiently informed of the Good News, from the perspective of the Heavenly Father; then the end would come (14).
“Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), 16 then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains. 17 Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, 18 and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. 19 Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! 20 Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; 21 for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:15-22).
This part of the description of Christ is not easy to understand, as the parenthetical phrase demonstrates: let the reader use discernment. To understand these explanations, in addition to God’s help through prayer, one must have read and understood the prophecy of Daniel, specifically the part in chapter nine, about « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » and the « great tribulation, » mentioned in chapter twelve of Daniel’s prophecy. There would be two fulfillments: one in the time of Christ’s contemporaries, and the other in our time, when we are experiencing the signs announcing the end of this system of things.
This first fulfillment is based on the prophecy of the 70 weeks (of years), in Daniel chapter 9:24-27, which foretold both the coming of Christ to earth and the end of God’s special covenant with earthly Israel (verse 27a). The last week of years (7 years) would begin with the anointing of Christ in the autumn of 29 CE, and his cutting off (his death) in the middle of the week (3 and a half years later), the spring of 33 CE (Daniel 9:26a and 27a): “And after the 62 weeks, Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. (…) And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease” (Daniel 9:26a and 27a).
The second part of this last week of years, this period of 70 weeks of years, ended in the year 36 CE, with the baptism of the Roman officer Cornelius, at the moment when God turned his attention to all the nations. From then on, God’s special relationship with the earthly nation of Israel had definitively ceased (Acts 10).
The prophecy (of Daniel) of the 70 weeks of years foretold the first presence of Christ on earth and the imminent end of the special relationship with the former nation of Israel, culminating in its destruction, particularly its administrative structure, in the year 70 CE, through the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies. This description of Jesus Christ in Matthew (24:15-20) is its first fulfillment.
“Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment)” (Matthew 24:15): This prophecy mentioned by Christ is in the book of Daniel 9:27b: « And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate » (Daniel 9:27b).
The « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents the Roman armies, which carried out the execution of Christ (Matthew 27) and later, the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, the « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents military forces causing great devastation. It represents a world power (in the time, Rome), primarily in its military power (and not only its political power).
The first fulfillment (not mentioned in the Bible), happened in the year 66 CE. The Roman general Cestius Gallus, during the first siege of Jerusalem, partially came into the city by destroying part of the outer wall of the great temple. However, for unexplained reasons Cestus Gallus left without completing this siege. This unprecedented situation allowed the Christians of Jerusalem (the chosen ones), to flee the city, before its destruction in the year 70 CE, by the Roman general Titus.
In Matthew 24:21, Jesus Christ mentions a great tribulation: “For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again” (Matthew 24:21). This prophecy has not been fully fulfilled in 70 CE, with the destruction of Jerusalem, but it will be in our time.
Indeed, by this statement, Jesus Christ mentions a destruction (a tribulation), which is written in Daniel 9:27b, but its full fulfillment will be in our time (as the great tribulation). It is mentioned in Daniel 12:1: « During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time » (Daniel 12:1).
The second fulfillment of Christ’s signs
concerning the end of this system of things
What biblical evidence proves that the description in Matthew 24:4-20 would have a second fulfillment centuries later? It is the biblical book of Apocalypse (Revelation), written a little less than thirty years after the first fulfillment of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In Matthew 24:7-8, it is written that there would be wars, food shortages, and great suffering. We can read similar information in Apocalypse (6:1-8), which precedes by a few years the great tribulation mentioned in Apocalypse 7:14, but also detailed in a terrifying description in Apocalypse 14:15-20 and 19:11-21.
Currently, the city of the former Jerusalem has been rebuilt, but it no longer biblically holds the status of the world capital of God’s worship (see Matthew 23:38, « Look! Your house is abandoned to you »). This former Jerusalem will be replaced by a heavenly « new Jerusalem » that will rule from heaven over the whole earth (Apocalypse 21:1-4).
The future destruction of present-day Jerusalem during the great tribulation, announced prophetically by Jesus Christ, is also confirmed in the prophecy of Zechariah: « Jehovah will go out and war against those nations as when he fights in the day of a battle. In that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in half, from east to west, forming a very great valley; and half of the mountain will move to the north, and half of it to the south. You will flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains will extend all the way to Azel. You will have to flee, just as you fled because of the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. And Jehovah my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with him » (Zechariah 14:3-5).
In the same way that this prophecy mentions that the holy ones would flee from Jerusalem to save their lives, so Jesus Christ has advised them, in our time, to flee the city before the coming the great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21).
The second fulfillment of Daniel 9:27b and Matthew 24:15 (concerning the disgusting thing that causes desolation), takes place in our days, shortly before the future great tribulation, mentioned in Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21.
An important reminder: The « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents the Roman armies, which carried out the execution of Christ (Matthew 27) and later, the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, the « the disgusting thing that causes desolation » represents military forces causing great devastation. It represents a world power (in the time, Rome), primarily in its military power (and not only its political power).
Today, « the disgusting thing that causes desolation », represents an extension of the Roman power in our time (see Late Roman Antiquity). This extension of Late Roman Antiquity represents the United States of America (through its founding nations with Latin origin, primarily Spain, France, Portugal, and England (also occupied by Roman armies)), representing the current world power with its army possessing formidable destructive power.
In the prophecy of Daniel of the King of the North and the King of the South, it is written that the King of the South, the current American world power and its ally Israel (in the Middle East), would set up his « royal tents » in Jerusalem, a holy place, shortly before the great tribulation: « And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration » (Daniel 11:45) (The following information is presented in the conditional tense, out of caution and as possibilities or probabilities, open to any necessary readjustments).
The fulfillment of this biblical prophecy took place on May 14, 2018, during the inauguration of the « royal tents » of the king of the south, the American embassy in Israel, located very exactly at the foot of the « holy mountain of Decoration » and between the « grand sea » ((South/south west of Mount Zion (Old City (East Jerusalem)), between the Karyat Moriah neighborhood (See Genesis 22:2 (Moriah), 14 (Jehovah Yireh)), to the east and the Arnona neighborhood to the west (direction « grand sea »)). It is in West Jerusalem (which did not exist when Daniel’s prophecy was written). Therefore, being slightly outside the Old City, the « Royal Tents » are between the « Old City » of Jerusalem (East Jerusalem) and the « Grand Sea », the Mediterranean Sea)).
The fulfillment of this prophecy is to be connected with the second fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus Christ, regarding the proximity of the destruction of Jerusalem, in the future great tribulation: « Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains » (Matthew 24:15,16).
This would be an indication that we are very close to the great tribulation, according to the end of the prophecy of Daniel, of the two kings, and also the converging end of the prophecy of Jesus Christ:
“During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time” (Daniel 12:1).
“For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:21,22).
The very fact that Jesus Christ mentions the great tribulation from the geographical location of present-day Jerusalem shows that the day and hour of the beginning of this dramatic global event will be determined by his time zone (UTC+2) (Matthew 24:2, 21; Zechariah 14:3-5). Jerusalem is expected to be the epicenter of this future world-changing event.
