We know from history that the Holy Place and Most Holy Place of the Temple have been defiled at the hands of the nations, and the Jews have been forced to flee for their lives. There have been many antichrists who have sought to overturn the God of the Jews and gain the worship of their fellow man.

But, in keeping with the principle of multiple fulfillment, there will be an end-time fulfillment that will be the most devilish, the most mature in wickedness, of all the manifestations of the antichrist spirit.

Notice the order of events as set forth by the Lord Jesus. They begin with the worldwide preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which we believe is commencing today with renewed authority and power, and extend to the return of Christ in the glory of His Kingdom. The events are set forth in Matthew 24:14-31.

The preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom for a witness to all nations.

The enthroning of Antichrist as God in the Temple in Jerusalem.

The fleeing of the elect from Judea.

The tribulation resulting from man making himself God.

The arising of false Christs and false prophets.

The darkening of the sun and moon, and disturbances in the heavens.

The coming of the Son of Man with power and glory.

The gathering together of His elect at the sound of the trumpet.

We would suggest that there is an interval of time between Zechariah 14:2 and 14:3. It appears to us that Antichrist will enter Jerusalem and claim to be God. At that point there will arise a persecution of the Jews, and also of the true Christians because they have been grafted on the olive tree of Israel.

The result of man sitting as God in the Temple of God will be an unparalleled desolating of the whole earth.

Whenever man attempts to discard God and rule as God without God, the result always is desolation—the wrecking and impoverishing of everything of value. Today the nations of the earth, in their "sophistication," are attempting to guide their destinies apart from God. We can expect economic collapse, disease, war, and every other painful, terrifying situation to result from the current folly.

Immediately after the tribulation there will be catastrophic events in the heavens. One can imagine the effect on the earth of the darkening of the sun and the moon. Men will cry out in anguish when they behold the fearful events taking place in the sky above them.

When life returns to normal, after the stupendous signs in the heaven, and people are confident of peace and safety, the Lord Jesus will suddenly appear and send His angels to gather together all His elect, whether in the heavens or on the earth. They all will be gathered together in Him.

Now He will go forth to fight against the nations that have harmed the holy city.

Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3)

To be continued.