First 3 1/2 years

WWIII

While we know the event which triggers the final seven years to the battle of Armageddon is the peace agreement, we do not know if WWIII will precede that agreement or come after. Either is a possibility. As I write these notes on this Tuesday morning 2/26/19, I read in our news today (Fox News) the following headline and article:

Russian state TV takes unusual step to list potential US nuclear strike locations

"Russian state TV on Sunday listed potential targets in the U.S. in the event of a nuclear strike and claimed that its new hyper-sonic missile technology could reach them in less than five minutes.

Reuters called the report “unusual even by the sometimes bellicose standards of Russian state TV.” The targets included the Pentagon and Camp David. The report came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the U.S. against deploying intermediate-range missiles in Europe.

Putin reaffirmed that Russia will not be the first to deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Europe, but warned that it will retaliate if the U.S. puts such missiles on the continent. He said it will not only target the host countries but field new weapons that will target U.S. decision-making centers.

A Putin spokesman said he did not name any “geographic site Russian missiles” might be aimed at. The spokesman said the government does not interfere with news programs.

The Guardian reported that other U.S. sites included Maryland’s Fort Ritchie, McClellan air force base in California and Jim Creek naval communications base in Washington state."

Jesus, when explaining the end-time specifically said, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars..." (Matthew 24:6 KJV). He went on to explain that there are several other things that have to take place before the end will come. If Russia, China, US or anyone else wanted to start a nuclear war today, it would not be very hard to do. At the press of a button we will be launched into WWIII which the Bible teaches will kill 1/3 of the world's population. This is one of several thing that have to happen before Jesus returns.

Whether WWIII comes before the peace agreement or after, we know that this war will take place during the first 3 1/2 years or just before it starts. This war could send our world into an outcry for world peace when its all said and done, thus forcing parties to participate in this peace agreement which would sound the alarm of the final seven years to the battle of Armageddon.

The Peace Agreement

The peace agreement between the Israeli's and Palestinians will obviously be during the first 3 1/2 years as it is the event that pushes us into the prophesied final seven years to the battle of Armageddon. You can read about this in Daniel 9:27.

Third Temple Built

The third temple will be built during the first 3 1/2 years to make way for more prophecies of the Bible to be fulfilled. The Bible says, "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; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

The Antichrist (man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition) cannot sit in a temple and claim to be God if there is not a temple built. We know that this does not happen after the first 3 1/2 years because of what Daniel said in the scripture.

Daniel 9:27, "27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

The Antichrist will sit in the temple in the "midst of the week" (half way through the seven year period) and make his claims. This is called the Abomination of Desolation.

So in short, the temple will be built during the first 3 1/2 years and the Antichrist will sit in that temple and claim to be God at the end of those 3 1/2 years, marking the abomination of desolation.

Animal Sacrifices

The Bible says that after the temple is built, animal sacrifices will resume as Jewish law requires. (Daniel 11:31-32) Its most likely that this process will start as quickly as possible to allow the Jews to be lawfully clean and pure through the process of animal sacrifice. The Bible also teaches that the Antichrist will put a stop to animal sacrifices half way through the seven year period at the time of the abomination of desolation. (Daniel 9:27)

He would not need to stop animal sacrifices if they were not in process during the first 3 1/2 years.

Abomination of Desolation

You could say that this event takes place at the end of the first 3 1/2 years or one might say that it is the start of the second half of 3 1/2 years. Both would be correct as the abomination of desolation happens in the middle.