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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. (Joel 2:30-31 KJV)

When God Intervenes
The Beginning of the End

By Douglas Berner 

Paperback © 2013
396 pages
Subject and Scripture Indexes
Dimensions:  6 x 9 inches

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When God Intervenes
The Beginning of the End

List of Illustrations

 

 Chart: Pretribulational Rapture ..................................................................................... 45
 
Chart: Midtribulational Rapture ..................................................................................... 46
 
Chart: Pre-Wrath Rapture ............................................................................................. 48
 
Chart: Posttribulational Rapture .................................................................................... 49
 
Chart: No Rapture ......................................................................................................... 50
 
Table: A Comparison of Rapture Views ........................................................................ 51
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: OT Support for Rapture ......................................................... 56
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: NT Support for Rapture ......................................................... 58
 
Table: Characteristics of Christ’s Second Coming ........................................................ 71
 
Chart: Two Witnesses vs. Antichrist .............................................................................. 85
 
Table: Summary of Scriptural Support for the Timing of the Rapture ........................... 86
 
Table: The Characteristics of the Day of the LORD ...................................................... 96
 
Chart: The Day of the LORD = The Great Day of Christ’s Revelation .......................... 99
 
Chart: Shower’s Broad and Narrow Sense of the Day of the LORD .......................... 100
 
Chart: Pre-Wrath Rapture View of the Day of the LORD ............................................ 101
 
Chart: The Day of the LORD = The Great Tribulation ................................................ 102
 
Chart: The Day of the LORD = Daniel’s 70th Week .................................................... 103
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2; 6th Seal; Acts 2 ......................................................... 110
 
Table: Scriptural References for the Day of the LORD ............................................... 114
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2; 6th Seal; Acts 2; Isaiah 2 .......................................... 117
 
Table: Focused Characteristics: Similarities and Differences...................................... 120
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Isaiah 13; Mt 24; 1 Thes 5 ................................................... 123
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Isaiah 13; Mt 24; 1 Thes 5; Ezek 38–39 .............................. 129
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Great War ............................................................................ 130
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Global Earthquake ............................................................... 132
 
Graphic: Seven Sealed Opened Scroll ....................................................................... 133
 T
able: The Beginning of Sorrows vs. The Seal Judgments ........................................ 134
 
Chart: The Breaking of the Seven Seals = The Beginning of Sorrows ....................... 138
 
Chart: The Beginning of Sorrows as a Mushroom Cloud of Cataclysmic Events ....... 139
 
Table: Characteristics of the Beginning of the Day of the LORD ................................ 142
 
Chart: The Church Age and the Sign of the End of the Age ....................................... 148
 
Chart: The Relationship of the Rapture to the Seven Seals ....................................... 151
 
Chart: The Relationship of the Rapture to the Seven Seals ....................................... 155
 
Chart: Pre-Day of the LORD Rapture View ................................................................ 165
 
Chart: Day of Christ vs. Day of the LORD .................................................................. 168
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Joel 2:11; Na 1:6; Mal 3:2; Rev 6:17 ................................... 175
 
Table: Characteristics of the Beginning of the Day of the LORD ................................ 189
 
Table: Characteristics of the End of the Day of the LORD .......................................... 190
 
Chart: The Beginning of the End vs. The End of the End ........................................... 191
 
Chart: Prophetic Telescoping: The Day of the LORD ................................................. 194
 
Table: The Beginning vs. The End .............................................................................. 199
 
Table: Similarities between the Beginning and the End .............................................. 201
 
Table: Distinctions between the Beginning and the End ............................................. 202
 
Table: 24 Elders: Redeemed Men vs. Angelic Beings ................................................ 224
 
Table: Seven Prophetic Days ...................................................................................... 230
 
Table: The Prophetic Ages .......................................................................................... 232
 
Chart: Broad Pattern of the Ages ................................................................................ 233
 
Table: The 24 Elders ................................................................................................... 236
 
Chart: Israel the World’s Target .................................................................................. 248
 
Chart: The Curse: The Inner Circle attacks Israel ....................................................... 251
 
Chart: God’s Backlash: Israel regains the Promised Land .......................................... 252
 
Chart: Gog & Magog encompasses the Promised Land ............................................. 256
 
Chart: The Curse: Gog & Magog invades Israel ......................................................... 256
 
Chart: God’s Backlash: Israel’s sphere of influence expands over the Middle East ... 257
 
Chart: The Nations of the world assemble against Israel ........................................... 262
 
Chart: The Curse: The Campaign of Armageddon ..................................................... 263
 
Chart: God’s Backlash: Israel becomes the head of the nations ................................ 264
 
Chart: Satan’s Final Rebellion .................................................................................... 265
 
Map: The Possible Territory of the Psalm 83 Confederacy ........................................ 271
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Psalm 83; Obadiah; Amos 1; Isa 11:13-14 .......................... 283
 
Table: The War of Gog & Magog ................................................................................ 301
 
Table: Betach   בטח   in Ezekiel 38 & 39 .................................................................... 304
 
Chart: Prime Times for Gog & Magog ........................................................................ 314
 
Chart: The Timing of the War of Gog & Magog .......................................................... 326
 
Table: Gog vs. Antichrist ............................................................................................. 336
 
Table: War of Gog & Magog vs. War of Armageddon ................................................ 337
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: Global Earthquake ............................................................... 344
 
Table: Ezekiel 38 & 39 vs. Revelation 20 ................................................................... 348
 
Graphic: Puzzle Pieces: The Beginning of Sorrows ................................................... 353
 
Chart: The Prophetic Intersection of the Beginning of the End ................................... 354
 
Table: Interconnecting Puzzle Pieces of Beginning Events ........................................ 355
 
Chart: The End Times ................................................................................................. 357
 
Table: Estimated World Population Milestones .......................................................... 366
 
Chart: The Reduction of Earth’s Population ............................................................... 367
 
Chart: Satan’s Little Season ....................................................................................... 369

 

When God Intervenes
The Beginning of the End

Table of Contents

 

 List of Illustrations ......................................................................................................... 8
 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 11

 1. The Beginning of the End ........................................................................................ 13
        Genesis to Revelation .......................................................................................... 13
        The End Times ..................................................................................................... 15
        The Beginning of the End ..................................................................................... 22

 2. The Rapture of the Church ...................................................................................... 29
        Issues regarding the Rapture ............................................................................... 29
            Literal vs. Allegorical Interpretation .................................................................. 31
            The Sudden Coming ........................................................................................ 33
            Tribulation and Wrath ....................................................................................... 34
            The Church vs. Israel ....................................................................................... 36
            The Issue of the Partial Rapture ....................................................................... 37
            The Symbolism of the Jewish Wedding ........................................................... 42
        Major Rapture Issues ........................................................................................... 44
            The Pretribulational Rapture View .................................................................... 45
            The Midtribulational Rapture View ................................................................... 46
            The Pre-Wrath Rapture View ........................................................................... 46
            The Posttribulational Rapture View .................................................................. 48
            The No Rapture View ....................................................................................... 50
        The Rapture Timing Problem ................................................................................ 51
            Why the Rapture? ............................................................................................. 51
            Observations ..................................................................................................... 52
        Pieces of the Rapture Puzzle ............................................................................... 54
            The Fullness of the Gentiles ............................................................................. 54
            Old Testament Support for the Rapture ........................................................... 56
            New Testament Support for the Rapture .......................................................... 58
            Saints in Heaven - Clothed in White ................................................................. 64
            Christ Returns with His Saints .......................................................................... 70
            Sequence of Resurrections ............................................................................... 72
            Sequence of Judgments ................................................................................... 74
            The Removal of the Restraining Force ............................................................. 77
        The Rapture Logic Problem .................................................................................. 81
        Consequences of the Rapture .............................................................................. 88
        Rapture Conclusion .............................................................................................. 90

 3. The Day of the LORD vs. The Day of Christ ............................................................ 91
       
Day of the LORD ................................................................................................. 91
        The Timing of the Day of the LORD ..................................................................... 97

           
The Great Day View ....................................................................................... 98
       
    Pre-Wrath Rapture View ............................................................................... 100
           
Great Tribulation View .................................................................................. 101
            Daniel's 70th Week View ................................................................................ 102
        Issues Regarding the Timing of the Day of the LORD ....................................... 105
            The Time of Jacob's Trouble .......................................................................... 107
            The Great and Terrible Day of the LORD ........................................................108
            Hiding in Fear of God ..................................................................................... 115

       
    Birth Pangs: The Beginning of Sorrows ........................................................ 120
           
The Beginning of Sorrows and the War of Gog & Magog ............................ 128
            The Beginning of Sorrows and the Seal Judgments ...................................... 129
            As a Thief; Peace and Safety; Sudden Destruction
....................................... 140
            Acts 2: The Apostle Peter Quotes Joel 2 ........................................................ 143
            A Sign: The Sign of the End of the Age .......................................................... 145
            The Rapture and the Day of the LORD .......................................................... 148

       
    A Period Longer Than Seven Years ............................................................. 156
            Conclusions - The Timing of the Day of the LORD ......................................... 161

           
Pre-Day of the LORD Rapture View ............................................................. 163
       
Day of Christ ..................................................................................................... 166

 4. Who Can Stand? ................................................................................................... 172
       
Who Can Stand? Who Can Abide? .................................................................. 174
       
When God Intervenes (Stands) ........................................................................ 176
        The Foolish Shall Not Stand ............................................................................... 180
        God's Alternative: His Call to Stand and Abide ................................................... 181

       
Last Man Standing ............................................................................................ 183

 5. The Beginning of the End vs. The End of the End ................................................ 188
       
Prophetic Telescoping ...................................................................................... 192
        The Beginning vs. The End ................................................................................ 195
        Conclusions and False Conclusions ................................................................... 197

 6. 24 Elders ............................................................................................................... 205
       
24 Elders in Heaven ..........................................................................................205
            Thrones .......................................................................................................... 208
            Elders ..............................................................................................................209
            White Robes ................................................................................................... 209
            Crowns ............................................................................................................ 210
        Prominent Views - The Identity of the 24 Elders ................................................. 212
            The Church ..................................................................................................... 212

           
Israel and the Church ................................................................................... 213
            Problems with the Church, and Israel + Church Views ................................... 214
            Angelic Beings ................................................................................................ 219
            Redeemed Men vs. Angelic Beings ................................................................ 223
            The Resurrection and Judgment of a Group of Men ...................................... 226

       
    Just Men Made Perfect ................................................................................. 227
        An Alternative Interpretation - The 24 Elders of Genesis ................................... 229
            Seven Days of Creation vs. Seven Thousand Years of Human History ......... 229

            24 Elders on Earth
........................................................................................ 234
        The 24 Elders Conclusion ................................................................................... 240

 7. Target Israel ........................................................................................................... 243
       
Israel the World's Target ................................................................................... 243
       
A Sequential Pattern .......................................................................................... 249
        The Inner Circle - The Promised Land War ........................................................ 251
        The Outer Circle - Gog & Magog ........................................................................ 255

       
The Outermost Circle - The Campaign of Armageddon .................................... 258
        Satan's Final Rebellion - The Four Quarters of the Earth ................................... 264

 8. The Psalm 83 Confederacy ................................................................................... 266
       
The Author - the Prophet Asaph ....................................................................... 266
        Psalm 83 - A Song or Psalm of Asaph
............................................................. 266
        The Plea (Psalm 83:1-4) ..................................................................................... 267
        The Inner Circle - The Confederates (Psalm 83:5-8 .......................................... 268
        A Comparison to History (Psalm 83:9-12) .......................................................... 272
        A Request for God's Intervention (Psalm 83: 13-17) .......................................... 272

       
The Ultimate Purpose (Psalm83:18) ................................................................. 273
        Psalm 83 vs. Armageddon
................................................................................ 274
        God's Response ................................................................................................. 275

       
Israel's Expanded Borders ................................................................................ 283
        Surrounding Desolation
..................................................................................... 285

 9. The Burden of Damascus ...................................................................................... 286

 10. Ezekiel 38--39: The War of Gog and Magog ....................................................... 295
       
Synopsis ............................................................................................................ 295
            The Aftermath ................................................................................................. 299

            Key Questions
.............................................................................................. 302
        Dwelling
Safely: A False Sense of Security ...................................................... 302
            Betach of betah .............................................................................................. 304
            Observations regarding Ezekiel 38--39 .......................................................... 308
            Dwelling Safely Conclusion ............................................................................ 310
        Gog & Magog in the Chronology of the End Times ............................................ 312

       
    Key Factors ................................................................................................... 312
           
Missing Pieces of the Puzzle ....................................................................... 313
            Prime Times for Gog & Magog ....................................................................... 314
            Chronology Conclusion ................................................................................... 325
        Gog & Magog vs. Antichrist & Armageddon ....................................................... 327

            Gog Are You the One?
................................................................................. 327
            Gog vs. Antichrist - Is Gog the Antichrist? ...................................................... 330
            Gog & Magog vs Armageddon ........................................................................ 337
            God's Presence Revealed .............................................................................. 340
            Gog & Magog vs. Antichrist & Armageddon Conclusion ................................. 347

        Ezekiel 38 & 39 vs. Revelation 20 ...................................................................... 348

 11. The End of the Beginning .................................................................................... 353
       
Pieces of the Prophetic Puzzle .......................................................................... 353
       
The End of the Beginning .................................................................................. 356

 Appendix 1: Cosmic Disturbances ............................................................................. 363
 Appendix 2: Earth's Population
.................................................................................. 365
 Appendix 3: Satan's Little Season
............................................................................. 369

 Subject and Author Index .......................................................................................... 373

 Scripture Index ........................................................................................................... 383

 

Book Summary

When God Intervenes: The Beginning of the End is an examination of God’s Day of the LORD. How does the Church Age end? What is the Beginning of the End? What role does the rapture of the church play in these events? God has committed Himself to intervene in the affairs of mankind to glorify and magnify His own Holy Name. The Bible refers to that time of divine intervention as the Day of the LORD.

The entire world faces a time of great change, chaos, and upheaval. A time of cosmic disturbances, war, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes looms on the horizon. It is a time of contrast between God’s judgment of sin through divine wrath and God’s reward for those who walk with Him by faith and who bask in God’s love, mercy, and grace. It is a time of contrast between the Day of the LORD and the Day of Christ. It is a time of contrast between the nations of the world and the nation of Israel. Israel becomes the target of the world. It is a time that begins suddenly as a great cataclysmic metamorphosis between the present Church Age and the coming Messianic Kingdom.

When God breaks His heavenly silence and intervenes on earth, the Day of the LORD begins with the Beginning of Sorrows. What is the Beginning of Sorrows? How will it affect every person on the face of the earth? What Biblical war marks God’s dynamic intervention in the affairs of the world? How do the pieces of the prophetic puzzle fit together at the Beginning of the End? How does the Beginning of the End compare to the End of the End?

When God Intervenes: The Beginning of the End reveals groundbreaking new insights into the understanding of God’s Day of the LORD and the Beginning of Sorrows. Douglas Berner is a retired Criminal Investigator who applies skills of case analysis and  the evaluation of criminal evidence to the examination of the prophetic puzzle of the End Times.