Signs of the End
7th Grade Bible Class
Lesson 27: “Beginning of the End”
© 2013 Bennie
The Disciples’ Question
The disciples said to Jesus,
“What will be the sign of Your coming
and of the end of the age?”
Jesus’ Answer
• Many will claim to be
the Christ
• Wars and rumors of wars
• Famines and
earthquakes
• Faithful followers will be
persecuted and killed
• False prophets will
deceive many
Jesus’ Answer
• The sun will be darkened
• The moon will not give its light
• The stars will fall from the sky
Overview
1st Sign: 1260-day Prophecy
• Daniel 7:24, 25
“Another king will
arise… He will speak
against the Most
High and oppress His
saints and try to
change the set times
and the laws. The
saints will be handed
over to him for
a time, times, and
half a time.”
1st Sign: 1260-day Prophecy
• In the Bible . . .
“The saints will be handed over to him
for a time, times, and half a time.”
– 1 year = 360 days
• So . . .
– 3.5 years x 360 days =
1,260 days
One “time” = 360 days
+ Two “times” = 720 days
• And if . . .
– 1 prophetic day =
1 actual year
+ Half a “time” = 180 days
• Then . . .
– 1,260 days = 1,260 years
Total Time = 1,260 days
1st Sign: 1260-day Prophecy
• Began in 538 A.D.
– Roman Empire armies drove the Ostrogoths out of
Rome because they opposed the Church
– Emperor Justinian issued a decree that assigned
absolute preeminence to the Church of Rome
• Ended in 1798 A.D.
̶ The French
captured Pope
Pius VI and
removed him
from power
• 1798 – 538 = 1260
1st Sign: 1260-day Prophecy
• Beginning of the Dark Ages
• Millions of God's true people were martyred
• The Church taught the following:
– Pope acts as sinners’ mediator (instead of Jesus)
– Long pilgrimages, acts of penance, and the worship
of relics reduce time spent in purgatory
– Indulgences forgive sins
2nd Sign: Signs in Heavens: The Dark Day
Revelation 6:12
“the sun turned
black”
•
•
•
•
Matthew 24:29
“the sun will be
darkened”
WHEN? May 19, 1780
WHERE? New England
WHAT? Massive black cloud covered 25,000 mi.2
Eyewitnesses:
– “The darkness was so thick it could be felt.” --Anonymous
– “Between the hours of ten and eleven, a.m., and continued until the
middle of the next night . . . persons could not see to read
common print in the open air, for several hours."
--Samuel Williams, Harvard
2nd Sign: Signs in Heavens: Blood-red Moon
Matthew 24:29
“the moon will not
give its light”
• WHEN? May 19, 1780
• Eyewitness:
Revelation 6:12
“the whole moon
turned blood red”
– “My father and mother, who were pious, thought the day of
judgment was near. They sat up all night, during the latter part
of which they said the darkness disappeared, and then the sky
seemed as usual; but the moon, which was at the full, had the
appearance of blood.” --Milo Bostwick
• What makes May 19, 1780, so spectacular?
– Both the mysterious darkness of the sun and the redness of
the moon occurred on the same day.
2nd Sign: Signs in Heavens: Falling Stars
Matthew 24:29
“the stars will fall from heaven”
• November 13, 1833
• Meteors showered
North America from
Mexico to Canada
• Over 60,000 meteors
fell every hour
– How many stars fell
per minute?
– About how many fell
per second?
3rd Sign: Rise of the
United States
• Revelation 13:11
“I saw another beast which rose out of the earth.
He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a
dragon.”
• Characteristics of nation:
–
–
–
–
Arise toward end of 1260-day prophecy
Become a world leader
Rise in a relatively uninhabited place
Lamb-like or Christ-like traits (at first)
3rd Sign: Rise of the United States
• The U.S. appears to be
the lamb-like beast
– Immigrants sought religious
freedom in America
– First country to establish
separation of church and
state in their official laws
– Constitution guaranteed
church and state
separation starting
September 17, 1787
All Signs Considered =
Prophecy Fulfilled
Fulfilled Signs of the End of Time
D
a
t
e
s
1833
1780
The Dark Day &
Blood-red Moon
1798
1787
U.S.
Constitution
Passed
Pope Pius
Removed
Events
Falling of the
Stars
What next?
• Matthew 24:27
“As lightning that comes
from the east is visible
even in the west, so will
be the coming of the Son
of Man.”
Be ready!
• Matthew 24:44
“You also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will
come at an hour when you do
not expect him.”
• Matthew 24:36
“No one knows about that day or
hour, not even the angels in
heaven, nor the Son, but only
the Father.”
Here’s the Good News:
Jesus Saves!
• John 11:25 - “Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in
Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
• John 14:6 - “Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by Me.”
• John 6:40 - “And this is the will of Him that
sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son,
and believeth on Him, may have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Jesus Saves!
• Acts 26:18 - “To open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
• Romans 10:13 - “For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• Galatians 3:26 - “For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus.”
• Acts 16:30, 31 - “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
So Paul and Silas said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and you will be saved.”
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and
the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will
rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always
be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 NKJV
Guided Notes
3 Signs of the End:
1. _______-day Prophecy
* Began in _______ A.D.: Emperor Justinian decrees
Church of Rome as preeminent
* Ended in _______ A.D.: Pope Pius removed from power
2. Signs in the __________
* Dark _________
* Blood-red ________
* _________ __ ___ Stars
3. Rise of the _________ _________
* Rev. 13:11 “I saw another ______ which rose out of the earth.
He had two horns like a _____, but he spoke like a ________.”
Guided Notes (cont.)
Years of Prophecies Fulfilled:
•
•
•
•
_______
_______
_______
_______
= Dark Day & Blood-red Moon
= U.S. Constitution
= Pope Pius Removed
= Falling of the Stars
Be Ready
• Matthew 24:36 “No one knows about that ____ or _____, not even
the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the _______.”
Jesus Saves
• John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the ____, the ______, and
the _____: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ___.”