Ten and a Half Years: Intro

Explanatory notes

Overcomers

Those Christians who have met the Lord's requirements of faithfulness and self-denial and thereby inherit the Kingdom of God and will rule and reign with Christ forever.

Calling Away

This term is used to refer to the coming of Jesus Christ 'as a thief in the night' to take His bride to Himself. This is referred to in Scripture in Matt 24:36-44, for example. Believers who are ready and partake in this event are overcomers. This is not the only group of Christian overcomers.

Rapture

At the end of the great tribulation Jesus comes again, this time not as a thief in the night, but 'coming on the clouds with power and great glory'. At this instant, all Christians alive on Earth are raptured and meet Him in the air. These are also overcomers.

First Resurrection

Coinciding with the rapture, all overcoming Christians who have died in years past since Adam, are raised from the dead and also meets Jesus in the air. Only overcoming Christians partake in this resurrection. E.g. Phil 3:11-14.

Antichrist

Antichrist is the major political figure at the end and will dominate the political scene during the final seven years. Nearing the end he will declare himself to be God and to be the Messiah to the Jews and to the world. As we do not know his real name yet we apply the term Antichrist to him, which literally means 'in the place of Christ'.

New world order

A world wide government system in which the world has been subdivided into ten regions, each with its own governing body. These all co-operate on a higher level in an attempt to form a unified single world government.

Periods' names

The final 10½ years are divided into three periods of 3½ years each. These are referred to as the clay-, bronze- and iron periods. These period names originated from one of the visions where the times were depicted in these different mediums.

Introduction

The final 10½ year period is subdivided into three periods of 3½ years each, which is then followed by a short period of about 3 months of massive war and turmoil on earth terminated by the return of Jesus and His heavenly host with the battle of Armageddon. Hereafter the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth begins.

The three periods mentioned above can also be depicted as

1. The Clay period: Relatively weak world government.
2. The Bronze period: Stronger world government and the Antichrist increases his own power.
3. The Iron period: The Antichrist declares himself to be God and tramples the saints underfoot.

On the following pages the main events under each period shall be elaborated upon.

Clay Period