Appointed Times & Seasons Calendar References

The Judgment Court Convenes in Heaven to Deal with Satan & His Counterpart—Antichrist

The Courtroom drama is seldom investigated, even though it is revealed in the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation as a future end-time event. The first reference to the courtroom scene is found in Daniel 7. This chapter introduces four governmental creatures of the end-times, and the little-horn (country) from which Antichrist (with eyes and mouth) will ascend to power (verses 1-7). Daniel 7:9-10 then announces Heaven’s decisive response: “As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days [Father] took His seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of His head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before Him. Thousands upon thousands attended Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.” The Supreme Court, in the truest sense of the word, is called into session with Judge, jury, witnesses and books to review the evidence and render a decision.

The King James Version of the Bible reads “thrones were cast down”; while the New International Version translates what might seem an inconsistency—“thrones were set in place.” However, the original Hebrew “râmah” supports both thoughts: thrones “cast down” and thrones “to be placed, to be set.” There is divine purpose in using this Hebrew word, which allows for both a casting down as in the “destruction” of thrones, and the setting up of the thrones for the court proceedings which follow.

Events on earth during the appointed time of the end depict the spiritual struggle that will unfold in the heavens. Satan, once a covering cherub who was closest to the throne of Elohim, will be exposed as a malicious tyrant. The prince and power of the air will attempt to conquer all dominion and territory for himself during the last great conflict. We imagine Heaven as an oasis of peace where no evil can enter, but Revelation 12 tells of war which will be fought in the streets and Sanctuary of Heaven, a battle between the forces of good and evil. This battle will be as real as any on earth, and it will reach Heaven, where the thrones of the Temple[1] will be “cast down” during the attempt to take over the Sanctuary of the Universe. The daily activities of the Sanctuary in Heaven will be taken away, as God’s military host (Hebrew: “tsaba”—army of angels) goes into full battle mode. Jehovah Sabaoth and His militia of angels will fight against the Dragon (Samael) and his angels. So vicious is Lucifer’s attack that his tail, in the symbolism of a great dragon, “swept a third of the stars [good angels] out of the sky and flung them to the earth” (Revelation 12:4). However, the Dragon and his army will not be strong enough to overcome Heaven’s forces. Michael will defeat the evil ones and expel them permanently from Heaven. Their descent will cause great distress around our planet as the battle between the forces of good and evil continue here until the closing hours of history.

Daniel 8:10-12 also portrays the coordinated assaults on sacred ground in Heaven and on earth, and the vision places it during the appointed time of the end. Just as the prophet John depicted the great battle in his apocalyptic scroll (Revelation 12), hundreds of years earlier, Daniel gave witness to the Satanic attack on the Sanctuary above. The language is nearly identical to Revelation: “it [the satanic foe] reached the host [“tsaba”—army of angels] of the Heavens, and it threw some of the starry host [good angels] down to the earth and trampled upon them [in battle]. It set itself up to be as great as the Prince [“Sar”—“Captain”] of the host; it took away the daily… [worship] from Him, and the place [“makown”—“dwelling place”] of His Sanctuary was brought low.” Holy sites in Heaven and on earth will be desecrated: for it “took away the daily” and “the place of His Sanctuary was brought low.” In the aftermath, Daniel saw in vision that “thrones were set in place… the Court was seated, and the books were opened,” (Daniel 7:9-12). This Court of Law will deal with Lucifer and Antichrist’s rebellious attempt to overcome and destroy the holy ones. The conflict encompasses both Heaven and earth, “because of [Satan’s/Antichrist’s] rebellion the host of the saints and the daily… were given over to it[’s control]. It [the rebellion] prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground,” (Daniel 8:12).

Isaiah prophesied of Lucifer’s military crusade to conquer both God’s throne and earthly kingdoms during the last days. His decisive defeat in Heaven leads to horrible wars on earth as he is thrown out: “How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee… saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?” (Isaiah 14:12-16, KJV).

Paul understood the battle that rages for the souls of men, especially in these last days. He instructed the saints to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand,” (Ephesians 6:10-13). The day of evil is upon us.

The Sevenfold Connection between Antichrist & Heaven’s Court of Law

Daniel’s prophecies were presented in an inspired order to reveal vital information concerning the last days. Seven passages describe Antichrist, and immediately thereafter seven sections describe the Court of Law. The seven are charted below to show the connection between each of the passages. They also provide a progressive description of the Courtroom Judgment throughout Daniel starting with the opening scene and finalizing with the ending of the Tribunal and the subsequent punishment. The Courtroom drama begins as Satan and Antichrist’s evil activities come into focus; it ends just before Lucifer’s incarceration and the man of sin’s demise.

Seven descriptions of the Immediately thereafter, seven descriptions

Little Horn—Antichrist of the Courtroom Judgment

1) Daniel 7:7-8 .....................................................9-10 Court Opens: thrones set; books opened

2) Daniel 7:11-12 .................................................... 13 Jurisdiction: over all nations

3) Daniel 7:19-21 .................................................. 22 Verdict: in favor of saints

4) Daniel 7:23-25 ................................................... 26 Sentence: Antichrist's power destroyed

5) Daniel 8:9-13 .....................................................14 Length: 2,300 evenings/mornings (1,150 days)

6) Daniel 8:23-25 ...................................................26 Beginning: at unsealing of Daniel

7) Daniel 11:21-45 ...............................................12:1 Finale:: Messiah reigns, Great Tribulation begins

Heaven’s Sanctuary is to be the most consecrated place of worship to the God of the Universe, but Satan’s army will assault Heaven and desecrate it; likewise, Gentile armies under Antichrist’s control will overrun Jerusalem and defile the holy Temple area. For this reason, Elohim will call into session a legal Court of Law to deal with these evil events. All of Heaven will scrutinize the evidence and understand why Satan, this once honored angel and his militia, along with his counterparts here on earth, must soon be punished for their crimes. Until the Court is finished and the death sentence is given, the battle will continue to rage here on earth. We are obligated to decide which side we will stand for in the greatest conflict of all ages. Faith will determine our decision, and our decision will determine the eternal blessing of our faith.

Daniel saw the thrones, which had been toppled in battle, “were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat… thousands upon thousands attended Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The Court was seated, and the books were opened,” (Daniel 7:9-10). One of the two witnesses in the vision of the final conflict asked, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily [worship], the [end-time] rebellion that causes desolation [in Heaven and on earth], and the surrender of the Sanctuary [in Heaven and on earth] and of the host [good angels/righteous saints] that will be trampled underfoot [in battle]?” (Daniel 8:13). The response: “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Sanctuary will be reconsecrated [for holy use].”[2]

The King James Bible translates the length as “two thousand and three hundred days.” Even so, scholars have long understood this is an interpretation by theologians who worked on behalf of the King of England centuries ago and is not how the original Hebrew reads, which is “2,300 evenings and mornings.” In the Hebrew Bible, the Eternal One ordained that there should be evening and morning sacrifices at the Temple. Exodus 29:38-42 describes the burnt offerings made on the altar twice a day. The “2,300 evening and morning” sacrifices would be completed in 1,150 days, and this is the length of Daniel’s timed prediction.

By reading the book of Daniel, we know the Judgment commences after Antichrist comes into power[3], and Antichrist will rule for 1,260 days. Also, the Judgment will end just prior to Antichrist’s punishment, for this is the verdict of the Court[4]. The Heavenly Judgment must, of necessity, be a shorter duration than the 1,260 days of Antichrist’s reign. The 2,300 day interpretation would have to begin well before any other timeline, or extend way beyond the other prophetic time periods of prophecy, whereas, 1,150 days would allow the Court of Law to begin and end during Antichrist’s rule, which fits the Hebrew prophecy as written long ago.

The Word of God places both Father and Son side by side in daily activities in the Heavenly Sanctuary. “When this Priest [Yeshua] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God,” (Hebrews 10:12)[5]. Nevertheless, Daniel 7:13-14 reveals that Father and Son will be separated for an undisclosed period of time. The Court will decide Messiah’s right to rule, then one “like a son of man [Messiah]” will approach the Ancient of Days, the Father, led by a great cloud of witnesses into His presence. Christ will be given authority, glory and sovereign power; all people, nations and men of every language will worship Him. His dominion will be everlasting.

Daniel 7:21-22 is further evidence the Courtroom drama will occur during the appointed time of the end. The little horn will wage war against the saints and defeat them “until” the Ancient of Days comes and pronounces “judgment in favor of the saints,” just before they possess the kingdom.

Once again, Daniel writes of Antichrist’s 1,260 day rule, but adds a promise in the verses that follow (7:26-27): “the Court [in Heaven] will sit [in session], and his [Antichrist’s] power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole Heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High.” The heavenly tribunal will pour over the evidence; however, the verdict has already been foretold—Antichrist will not reign beyond the prophetic time given him. Once the Court ruling is executed and the man of sin destroyed, the saints will take over the kingdom. To finalize the chapter, Daniel was told the “vision concerning the evenings and mornings [1,150 days]… is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future [at the end of the age],” (Daniel 8:26).

Zechariah 8:19 speaks of four annual fasts: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth [Tammuz], fifth [Av], seventh [Tishrei] and tenth [Tevet] months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah.” Thus, God promises the fast of the fifth month, Tisha B’Av, as well as the three other annual fasts, will one day be turned into holidays of joyful festivity in the earth made new. Until that day, the fasts of mourning remain times of reflection upon terrible events in Israel’s history, as well as future tragedies of the last days; particularly Tisha B’Av, the fast of the fifth month, which arrives annually in July or August, depending on the Hebrew Calendar of holy days.

Tisha B’Av (which falls on the ninth day in the fifth Hebrew month of Av) is one of the most solemn fast days of the Jewish calendar, second only to Yom Kippur. It marks the culmination of a three-week period of mourning, known as “bein ha-metzarim” (literally, “between the straits”) or more commonly known as the “Three Weeks”, which reflects upon the destruction of both the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. The Three Weeks begin on the 17th day in the fourth Hebrew month of Tammuz, when Jerusalem’s second Temple walls were first breached. By the end of three weeks on Tisha B’Av, both the first and second Temples were burned to the ground. For this reason, restaurants and theaters are closed in modern day Israel on Tisha B’Av, and there are additional forms of mourning, which the most devoted observe.

As the fast of Tisha B’Av arrives during the last days, God’s Appointed Times and Seasons Calendar announces the Courtroom of Judgment in Heaven is coming into session, and will continue for 1,150 days, ending just before the most solemn fast day of the Hebrew Calendar—Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Investigative Court will be reviewing chronicles of evidence and determining life and death decisions. Considering the magnitude of judicial decisions to be made, God inserted the 1,150 days of judgment between the two most sorrowful and reflective days of Jewish culture. For centuries, every year like clockwork, Tisha B’Av has come and gone as a reminder of tragedies past and of calamities future.

From Michael’s galactic battle with Satan’s army onward, Heaven’s Sanctuary, a place for worship, will be turned into a Court of Law and trampled underfoot during the legal proceedings, just as Daniel’s second vision foretold long ago. The Courtroom leads inevitably to the voice of God. “See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire,” (Hebrews 12:25-29).

Statements by Jewish Writers & Scholars Concerning...

TISHA B’AV

“The observance of Tisha B’Av is marked by many of the Jewish customs for mourning the death of a loved one. The time of grieving begins during the month of Tammuz since this was the month that the invading forces breached the walls of Jerusalem. This time period is known as the Three Weeks or Between the Straits, taken from the verse, “All her [Judah’s] persecutors overtook her in dire straits” (Lam. 1:3). During the Three Weeks, no weddings or festive celebrations are held. Observant Jews also do not cut their hair or wear new clothing during this time… Since Tisha B’Av is a major fast day, all food and drink are banned… It is also forbidden to wear shoes, bathe, wear perfume, shave, wash clothes or exchange greetings. Mirrors are traditionally covered, and mourners sit on the ground or a low stool just as one would do when mourning the loss of a loved one,” The Feasts of the Lord, 1997, by Kevin Howard/ Marvin Rosenthal, p. 155.

“The ninth of Av stands out from the other fasts related to the destruction of the Temples. Tisha B’Av is so important because it marks the day when both Temples were destroyed—the first Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. and the second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. It is a major fast day and therefore bears resemblance to the only other one in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur… [according to] tradition the decree condemning all the Israelites to die in the desert was issued on Tisha B’Av (emphasis added),” The Jewish Holidays: A Guide & Commentary, 1985, by Michael Strassfeld, p. 87 and 89.

Five tragic events happened on Tisha B’Av:

1. The generation of the Exodus was told they were all to die in the desert for their disbelief in God’s power to

lead them into Canaan.

2. & 3. Both the first and second Temples went up in flames.

4. The city of Betar… was captured by the Romans; thousands were slain.

5. The city of Jerusalem was plowed under, to be rendered uninhabitable.

[5] see also Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 12:2