This Revelation Timeline Decoded post reviews a video by Joel Richardson of FAI STUDIOS, called ‘THE BOOK OF REVELATION // Session 19: The Sun Goes Black, The Moon Turns Red, The Earth Trembles.’
Video Description: MARANATHA Global Bible Study // The Book Of Revelation. Session 19: The Sun Goes Black, The Moon Turns Red, and the Whole Earth Trembles – Joel Richardson
Let me start by saying that the historical fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel 9 from 27-34 AD, Messiah’s Olivet Discourse which describes events leading to the Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 AD, and most of prophecies in Revelation during the last 1,900 years; validates the authority of Scripture and the deity of Messiah. Joel’s futuristic explanations serve to hide those proofs.
The Protestant Reformers and great theologians of the 16th-19th centuries all taught the historical fulfillment of prophecy. It’s only during the few centuries that the futuristic deceptions have taken hold as the enemy has deceived even the very elect.
The concept of a future 70th week of Daniel 9, in which a one-man antichrist appears and most of Revelation is fulfilled, is a deception from the enemy. I know that sounds crazy since most people teach these concepts, but the enemy has worked hard to mislead the end-times saints so that even the very elect are deceived. I pray that you will seek truth, not to defend a belief.
Please understand that I declare these things not because I think that I know it all, and I’m not saying that everything that Joel Richardson teaches is false. He seems to be very sincere in his beliefs and His love for Messiah. What I’m showing is that what he teaches about prophecy fulfillment is false, because it’s based on the futuristic model that was created by the enemy to deceive the end-times saints.
I don’t proclaim this for my sake, because this isn’t about me. You can dismiss what I’m saying and defend your beliefs, but now you’re accountable and I’ve fulfilled my role as the watchman blowing the trumpet.
Joel Richardson says that the earthquake of the sixth seal will occur when Messiah returns.
The second-fourth seals point to times of bloody civil war (red horse), economic strife (black horse), famine, pestilence and death (pale horse) in the pagan Roman Empire. The fifth seal points to the martyrs who the Roman Emperors killed, whose blood symbolically cried out for vengeance against the Romans.
Revelation is not to be taken literally, as Joel Richardson is doing. Messiah uses symbols to point to a literal fulfillment. Read Revelation Is Symbolic And Literal
Earthquakes in the prophecy represent great political upheavals. Eastern Emperor Constantine defeated Diocletian’s army in 312 AD, which ended the persecutions. Diocletian (the Sun) was so panic stricken, he died insane. Constantine defeated emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of both west and east by 324 AD.
The Roman leaders (stars) fell and their power receded as a scroll. The mountains and islands that were moved out of place, were the countries and people that were affected by this political change.
Joel Richardson points to the physical sun being black as he says that Revelation is describing literal cosmic events.
He says that Old Testaments Jews would understand many passages point to the final day of the Lord, end times. That is inaccurate as they would know that the symbolism is pointing to the fall of leadership systems.
The sun, moon and stars symbolize earthly dignitaries, great political authorities and great lights in the political or religious heavens.
We know this because in Genesis 37:8-10, Joseph had a dream, ”And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me. So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” It is symbolic of power structure.
Joel cites Isaiah 13, which is not about the end times, but the fall of Babylonian leadership. Isaiah used this same terminology when he referred to the judgment of God against the leadership of Babylon in Isaiah 13:10 “For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.“ And indeed, the power of Babylon was destroyed by the Medo-Persian empire.
Read Revelation 6 – 6th Seal Earthquake
Joel Richardson cites Joel 2:28-32 and says that it’s the same time as the sixth seal.
He says that the passage in Joel about the sun, moon and stars being darkened has not been fulfilled, but that’s not true.
In Matthew 23, we see Messiah rebuking the Jewish leaders, proclaiming that judgment was coming upon them in that generation. Then He declared that the Jews’ temple would be desolated.
All that Messiah describes in His Olivet Discourse took place in the first century and led to the tribulation for the Jews during the Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 AD, when 1.1 million Jews died in and around Jerusalem from famine, pestilence, infighting, suicide, evisceration, crucifixion and by the Roman sword.
The result of that war is that the Jewish leadership system was removed from power. The High Priest is symbolized by the sun, the Sanhedrin by the moon and the Jewish priests by the stars.
So all that Joel foretold was fulfilled in that generation of wicked Jewish leaders, who rejected Messiah and delivered Him up to be killed.
Read The Olivet Discourse Deception
Joel Richardson cites Matthew 24:29-31 and says that it’s the same time as the sixth seal.
The enemy has deceived people about the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars being darkened; Messiah coming in power and glory; and the elect being gathered. But the Bible gives the proper definitions for the symbols.
We need to take Messiah at His Word and look at how the things that He described were about the Jewish nation, for their punishment of continuing their rebellion against the Father, for delivering Messiah up to be killed, and for persecuting His disciples.
The Olivet Discourse is directed related to the 70th Week of Daniel 9, which says that the city and temple will be desolated because of the abominations of the Jews.
If you’re seeking for truth, and not to defend a belief, The Olivet Discourse Decoded book will prove out the fulfillment of Messiah’s Olivet Discourse. It will help you see that it’s not about the end times so that you’re not misled about the fulfillment of Revelation, as we await Messiah’s promised return.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OLIVET DISCOURSE DECODED BOOK
Joel Richardson shows a simplified chart of the fulfillment of Revelation, which is all based on a futuristic 70th week of Daniel 9.
Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas are basing their explanation of the fulfillment of Revelation on the concept of a futuristic 70th week of Daniel 9, but that is a false foundation.
The 70th week of Daniel is the only prophecy in the Bible that foretold exactly when Messiah would start His ministry and when He would die for our sins. Daniel was not praying about the end times or the antichrist. He was praying about what would happen to the Jewish people when they’re released from their captivity in Babylon. He was given a vision that the promised Messiah would appear in the 70th week of Daniel and atone for their sins.
When you understand that the 70th week of Daniel 9 foretold the exact time that Messiah would carry out His ministry and die for our sins; then you know that it’s not about the antichrist.
We’ll all stand before our Righteous Judge to account for what we believe and teach about the most important prophecy in the Bible. I pray that you will read the explanations in this book about the 70th week of Daniel, compare it to Scripture, and discern it for yourself.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL 9 DECODED BOOK
I pray that Joel Richardson and Dalton Thomas find the truth about prophecy fulfillment, for they are declaring things which they will regret when they stand before Messiah.
Messiah’s apocalyptic vision is a war manual, designed to hide the explanation from those who should not understand it. It uses symbolic words that are defined in the Old Testament to point to a literal fulfillment. If you read Revelation only from a literal perspective, the interpretation is hidden.
Understanding the vision is like taking a Biblical final exam. If you’ve read the whole Word, you will have seen the symbolism that Messiah uses and can apply it to the fulfillment.
If you read Revelation as one chronological narrative, the prophecies seem out of sequence. That’s because it has four chronological layers, each of which spans from when it was written until Messiah returns.
This book explains the prophecies of Revelation on a timeline to help you see how the four chronological layers interact with each other, so that you can comprehend the whole vision.
You will learn how to identify who fulfills the role of the son of perdition, the antichrist beast, the false prophet, and the harlot called ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great.’ You will understand the proper context of the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments; the little book of Revelation 10, and the two witnesses of Revelation 11.
Whether you’re a novice at Bible prophecy or someone who has studied it extensively, I provide an explanation that is easy to understand yet has the depth of verse by verse explanations to provide you the evidence you need to prove it out.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE REVELATION TIMELINE DECODED BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
