The Day of the Lord

 (1Thes. 4:13 – 5:3). “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:….For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. {5:3} For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. {5:4} But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”

The “Day of the Lord” commences with the 2^nd coming of Jesus.

The above New Testament reference is also reflected in Old Testament prophecy, where the “Day of the Lord”  events start at the second coming of Jesus, and include commencement of the ‘Wrath of God’.

Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. {13:7} Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: {13:8} And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. {13:9} Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. {13:10} For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. {13:11} And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. {13:12} I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. {13:13} Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. Isaiah 13:6-13

• Matt 24:29 “Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: {24:30} And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
• and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
  {24:31} And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (the rapture) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matt 24:29-31

As we saw in post 4.1, Matt 24:29 above also lines up with Rev 6:12-16, and shows that our resurrection (rapture) is AFTER the great tribulation (Matt 24:29) but on the SAME day that (Rev 6:17)’..the great day of his wrath is come,…(KJV)’.

This is confirmed by what Jesus says to us in Luke 17:28-30, speaking about Lot being removed from Sodom on the SAME day that God’s wrath, as fire from heaven, was rained down on Sodom. In Luke 17:30 Jesus says: “Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed”

Very simple, very clear… We are resurrected (raptured) on the same day (but slightly before) God pours out his wrath on this world. Just as Lot was rescued a few minutes before God’s wrath was poured out, so will we be rescued by Jesus! In addition, Jesus also mentions the flood (Matt 24:37-39, Luke 17:26-27). On the SAME day that God closes the door of the ark, the flood comes.

Its therefore very important that our timeline reflects the above.

God plucks out his people at the last moment. We have to endure everything before that. We have to endure man’s wrath, and Satan’s wrath on believers, but thankfully not God’s wrath. Believers will not suffer the wrath of God (1 Thess 5:9, Rom 5:9).

The Day of the Lord. ( Is 1:12, 13:6,9, Ez 30:5, Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,3:14,31, Amos 5:18,20, Obad 1:15, Zeph 1:7,8,14,18; Zech 14:1, Mal 4:5.

The Day of the Lord is linked to Jesus’s words in Matt 24:29 in much of Old Testament scripture, prophesying that the sun & moon will darkened, stars falling and the powers of the heavens shaken. There is great consistency in the prophecies regarding these ‘marker’ events, as shown below. These same marker events re-occur in Rev 6:12:15, linking the “The Day of the Lord” to the sixth seal.

Old Testament ”Day of the Lord” prophesies:

Each prophecy is supplied with an introductory verse, preceding the prophecy, indicating that this is an ‘end-time’ prophecy. subsequently supplied is the marker verse , associated with this prophecy, linking this prophecy to Jesus’s words in Matt 24:29 about His second coming. (the sun & moon darkened, stars falling and the powers of the heavens shaken):

• Isaiah 13:6 & 9 : v6 “ Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty…. 9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it”

The introduction:  IS 13:v4 “The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

The markers (Isaiah & Matt 24 coincident events) Isw 13v10 “ For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.”

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• Joel 1:15; “Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” ………….”Joel 2:1 “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;”

The introduction: v6 “ For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion”

The markers (Joel & Matt 24 coincident events) Joel…“A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations”

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• Joel 2:11; “And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executes his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

The introduction: v 9 “They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief”

The markers (Joel & Matt 24 coincident events)Joel 2:v10: The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining”

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• Joel 2:31; “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord

The introduction:  Joel 2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The markers (Joel & Matt 24 coincident events):Joel 2: v30,31; “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come”.

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• Amos 5:18-20: Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. 19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

The introduction: 16 “Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning,…”

The markers (Amos & Matt 24 coincident events) Amos 5:18-20: Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. ….. 20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

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• Zephaniah 1:7-10; Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. 8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. 9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit. 10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

Zephaniah 1; 4 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hastes greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

The introduction:  v2 “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord”…

The markers (Zephaniah & Matt 24 coincident events) Zeph 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

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• Zechariah 14:1-2; “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

The introduction: Zech 13:1;”In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. 2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land,….”

The markers (Zechariah & Matt 24 coincident events): Zech 6-7“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.(the brightness of Jesus’s 2^nd coming?)

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Compare the above signs (darkness & unbelievers in great fear) with similarities in Rev:6

Revelation 6: 6-10 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The scenarios:

You may perhaps now have acknowledged, at this stage, that ‘The Day of the Lord’ refers the second coming “after the tribulation” (Matt 24:29), just before “God’s wrath’ is poured out.  There will clearly be no pre-tribulation rapture, based on the clear teaching of Jesus in Matt 24:29-31 and other scriptures mentioned in post 3.7. You will also be clear that the ‘post tribulation scenario, which describes the second coming as being at Armageddon, is indefensible after doing the study on the ‘Day of the Lord’ above.  Refer to Xchart-c for the timeline of the events surrounding the second coming. Also refer to the link HM PP Study 1a Paul-Jesus for a re-cap of the pre-wrath rapture, illustrating the above. Steven Anderson’s Revelation series is also a good place to start, with the study of the sixth seal second coming and rapture. (watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTmZHDb_sP8 to get you started).  Even then, you may still be left with some questions.

Nevertheless, the important point is that both ‘post-tribulation’ views have the following in common:

1. The we, as the elect, will have to endure the first five seals as a minimum.
2. The fifth seal includes a persecution such as the world has never seen, for which we need to be emotionally and spiritually prepared.
3. That we are given an unmistakable sign for the start of the Great Tribulation, which is when the antichrist’s abomination is erected in Jerusalem, the daily sacrifices cease, and when worship of the antichrist is enforced. At this stage we will know that the rapture is weeks away and the establishment of Jesus’s millennial kingdom is a mere 3.5 years away.
4. That we will not take the mark in any form, nor worship the beast.

The best preparation now is to be clear on the gospel (ref post 4.2 and Appendix F), rooted in His Word, living our lives as believers in Jesus and walking with Him with passion and commitment. As the saved elect, we trust God, die to the world, abandon seeking after material gain and seek the kingdom first.

Interpretations of Old Testament prophecy:-

How do we go about further developing a clearer picture regarding the timing of Jesus’s second coming? How do we do with the abundance of interpretations in circulation regarding the lead-up to the millennium, or the ‘end times’, as it’s commonly referred to.

We may be confident that the details of the events leading up to “The end” will follow O.T. biblical patterns previously established, as discussed in blog section 3 and below.  Ignoring these patterns and primarily studying current world events, as some do, and then ‘force-fit’ these events to fit O.T. prophecy is a futile exercise. There have been many failures. We can certainly conclude that those who have attempted to fit current events to prophecy over the last 2000 years have failed and consequently have been embarrassed. They may have had their own agenda to achieve notoriety or have been too prideful of their abilities. The proud will be humbled. That is a fundamental spiritual law that we should keep in mind throughout this study.

Multiple fulfillment.

As already mentioned in section 3, God’s plan for humankind goes beyond the limitations of our western fixation on logic. From examples in scripture it may be seen that prophecy, in many cases, is fulfilled in a layered fashion. In other words, two parties may have different interpretations yet both can be right. They are merely each considering a different time or layer of fulfillment. God astounds us by being able to achieve such layering of fulfillment and we can praise Him all the more for this ability. There is no end to His abilities!

But everyman in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

The concept of ‘first fruits’ is an indication of this.  Paul describes Jesus as the first fruits of our resurrection in 1 Cor 15:20 and 23. In such a way the promised future resurrection of the dead in Christ is ‘foreshadowed’ by Jesus as the first fulfillment or ‘first fruits’ of this promise. Another example of such ‘foreshadowing’ is Isaiah chapters 11-14. In Isaiah chapters 11 and 12 we note that these are clearly millennial chapters and contain praises to God (Chapter 12) for our salvation.

However when we get to chapter 14 Isaiah has switched back to current events. Throughout the book Isaiah weaves back and forth between current and end-time prophecy. The current events leading up to their prophesied exile are used as a picture of that final ‘day of the Lord’, the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy.

Refer to  2304 Joel & Zacheriah for a illustrations on the above concepts of ‘multiple fulfilment’ and ‘weaving’ by accessing this link, or by studying Appendix G2.

The Day of God

History concludes, as 2nd Peter 3:7-13 below shows, with the ‘passing/melting/burning/dissolving’ of the elements of the heavens and the earth. (Refer  Xchart-c). This complete destruction of sin-corrupted creation marks the beginning of the Eternal New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of the Father, at the end of human history, when all rebels have been destroyed and all foes of God eternally judged. Thus the “Day of the Lord” will include the period of the subjection of the enemies of God, a process that begins with the second coming, but which runs to the end of the Millennium (including, for example, the suppression of the Gog-Magog rebellion: Rev.20:7-10), and the Last judgment (Rev.20:11-15):

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. {3:8} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. {3:9} The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.{3:10} But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.{3:11} Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, {3:12} Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? {3:13} Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2nd Peter 3:7-13 (cf. Rev.21:11 – 22:3)

While there is only one “Day of the Lord”, at Jesus’s 2nd coming, note that references to various other “days” occur from Armageddon through the entire length of the Millennium, after which Jesus delivers up the kingdom to Father God:

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. {15:23} But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming (i.e. all believers). {15:24} Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power (i.e. hostile human and angelic control). {15:25} For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” 1^st Corinthians 15:23-25 (cf. Psalm 110:1)

Various other end-time ‘Days”:

New Testament references are consistent with the old testament, and confirm the prophecies about the “Day of the Lord”. However there are other references to a “day” which include:

1. The New Testament “The Day of the Lord: “Paul describes the resurrection of the elect (deceased believers and rapture of all living believers) as the “Day of the Lord” (1Thes. 4:13 – 5:3). “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {4:17} Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. {4:18} Wherefore comfort one another with these words. {5:1} But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have  no need that I write unto you. {5:2} For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. {5:3} For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. {5:4} But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.. “(1Thes. 4:16 – 5:4). This is consistent with the old testament use of the day of the Lord.
2. The Day of Christ: “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {2:3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2Thes.2:2-3)….”God who will also keep you firmly grounded until the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1^st Corinthians 1:8 (cf. 3:13) This is also consistent with the old testament use of the day of the Lord.
3. “The Day of Vengeance”; “For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates( Jer.46:10) ….Also Isaiah 34:8 “For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.”    Compare this to Luke 21:22 ^“Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.²² For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled…” 
4. These verses refer to the wrath of God, being poured out immediately after the Day of the Lord, similar to Lot being dragged out of Sodom, just before God’s wrath was poured out. “ But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ³⁰ Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:29-30
5. The great “day of God Almighty“ For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty (Rev.16:14)
6. “The day He comes to be glorified” (2Thes.1:7-10). This is also consistent with the old testament use of the day of the Lord.
7. “That day“:  The use of ‘That Day’ can not be assumed to necessarily always be referring to “the Day of the Lord”, for obvious reasons. Refer to Appendix G2 for a description of how prophecies often weave between events, referring to the various timeline events as illustrated. In the New testament: 2 Tim.1:12 & 18uses this term.  Other Old Testament references are, for example: Is.2:10-21; 3:7; 3:18; 4:1-2; 5:30; 7:18; 10:20; 10:27; 17:4; 17:7; 17:9; 24:21; 25:9; 26:1; 27:1-2; 27:13; 31:7; Jer.46:10; Hag.2:23. “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. {2:12} For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: Isaiah 2:11-12 
8. “The day of judgment” (Matt.10:15; 11:24; 12:36; Acts 17:31; 2Pet.2:9; 3:7; 1Jn.4:17; Jude v6
9. “The last day” (Jn.6:39-54; 11:24; 12:48).

Other ‘Day of the Lord’ occurrences:

 Ezekiel 30:3 “ For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day.”

The introduction: “Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!”

The markers (Matt 24 coincident events) v3,4: ”…. a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen. 4 And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia

Malachi 4:5; “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

The introduction: v1: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch

The markers (Matt 24 coincident events)v1 “v1: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;..”…v5 .. “the great and dreadful day of the Lord”

Also see the “Day of the Lord’s anger, or, of the Lord God’s vengeance”. Is 34:8, Jer 46:10, Ez 13:5, Obadiah 1:15.

 

The battle scenario

 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. {14:2} In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {14:3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3

We come to the final preparations… So far we have:

• Established a clear vision of our eternal dwelling place and also our current purpose in the Christ’s army.
• Assessed our condition and preparedness. Built a determination to trust and follow our leader’s orders first and to put our own interests second. Be prepared to drop our worldly agendas.
• Obtained an insight into the enemy’s tactics and propaganda to derail us.
• Built hope and resilience for times of discouragement and weakness, to keep our spirits alive and engaged with God.
• Cultivated spiritual fitness and endurance and avoid panic, an ability to face hardship without falling apart. Taken full advantage of the resources, strengths, armor and circumstances available to us.

We are fortunate that our Commander in the ‘throne room in heaven’ has given us a reasonably clear picture of what is to transpire in the near future.

That we need to be prepared for the darkness that will descend on the world prior to the coming of Jesus is clear from the parable of the ten virgins. Five were prepared, and five not, with dire consequences…:

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Clearly, Jesus’s coming will catch some unawares. Tragically, it may be too late for the unprepared.

Why do we find the parable of the ten virgins in the middle of Jesus’s Matt. 24-25 end-time sermon? Is it not perhaps the central to the theme of Jesus’s end-time teaching? We conclude that this parable has been deliberately given the central position in this teaching because it is the central theme. The preparation of our hearts, so we can remain alert and ready to respond when the cry goes out to meet Him, after waiting out the coming darkness, is Jesus’s main concern!

The bridegroom will not be coming in such a way that we can get through the darkness with our tanks on empty. Preparation is key. When the final 3.5 years (Dan 7,9) before His second coming commences, our tanks should be full! Prepared and ready.

Understanding of the following can be added in due course:

1. Whether we interpret that those who will experience the trumpets and bowls can still be saved.
2. Whether we interpret that Israel will experience a revival before , during or after the second coming.
3. Whether the wedding supper is before or after the millennium.
4. Understanding regarding Babylon, the 144 000, the witnesses, false prophet, etc.

I believe these things will become clear as time progresses, and that is perhaps unprofitable to spend too much time now researching and debating the various details before we’ve answered the question: Will you remain standing in the face of death?

Only by the power of God will we be able to navigate the deception and confusion, but we can start now by being steadily reading the word, and trusting God to reveal details to us, and not listen to ‘the wisdom of men’ too much. (me included). This attitude will go a long way to retaining your peace now and growing in clarity. I believe  that many issues will be clarified as we endure whatever faces us first. It is good to know what the bible says about these lesser events, but we also need to await the details and the sequences with patience.