By COGwriter
When is the end of the world?
Many have wanted to know that.
But which end?
Are there many ends that the Bible tells of?
Yes.
The end of "all things" and burning of the planet?
The end in Matthew 24:14?
The end of this age?
The end of which part of the age of humans?
What about the appointed time of the end?
What about the end of the millennium?
The end of a 100 year period?
The end of death?
The end of sorrow and pain?
What about the end of the Israelite descended nations like the USA and UK?
In the 21st century, there is a term TEOTWAWKI, which stands for the end of the world as we know it.
Could that be the start of the Great Tribulation?
From a biblical perspective is the start of the Great Tribulation one of the ends the Bible refers to?
What about the end of this world's governments and the return of Jesus?
This article will try to cover various ends that the Bible discusses.
Before going into prophecies related to the end of certain events, let's begin by considering our own end:
5 For the living know that they will die (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
The 90th Psalm states:
9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.
10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:9-12)
So, realizing we have an end should teach us wisdom.
The New Testament tells us:
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)
Furthermore, the New Testament points out that our days may be less than we might think:
13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:13-17)
So, we can die any time because physical life is like a vapor.
Therefore we should not put off doing good.
Yet many do.
That is part of why most end time Christians are not Philadelphian.
Believing in God is not enough:
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:19-20)
Now, notice the following from the Apostle Paul:
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
The will of the Lord is to support the Philadelphian proclamation work per Revelation 3:7-8 and Matthew 24:14.
Do not waste your time. Redeem your time and support the Philadelphian remnant in these end times (see also Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God?).
Let's notice a translation from the KJV Bible from the 24th chapter of Matthew:
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:1-3, KJV)
But the Greek word translated here as "world" does not mean the planet, it is the word transliterated as aionos, meaning eon or age. 'Age' is how the NKJV and Literal Strandard Version translate it.
Additionally, the Greek word translated here as "end" means end or consumation, it is the word transliterated as sunteleias. It is not the same word translated as end in verse 14, which is transliterated as telos.
The word sunteleias was also used by Jesus in the following:
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:20, NKJV throughout unless noted otherwise)
This suggests that sunteleias is used essentially for the entire process of events until Jesus returns.
Whereas telos seems to refer to a more specific end.
Bing Copilot gave the following definitions:
Sunteleia means a consummation or culmination of a whole series of events, while telos means a simple end‑point or termination
Now, let's go back to Matthew's Gospel account:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-8)
So, Jesus made it clear that the beginning of sorrows was not yet the end.
Jesus then teaches about when the end of something happens.
9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)
Verse 6, like verses 13 & 14, uses the word telos.
Telos is also used in Luke's account:
9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. (Luke 21:9)
In Matthew 24:6 and Luke 21:9, Jesus is telling us that despite seeing a lot of problems, also called troubles in Mark 13:8, they are not the end, the telos. That does NOT happen until after the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of God Matthew 24:14 goes to the world as a sufficient witness in God's eyes.
Mark's Gospel also mentions proclaiming the gospel and the end:
10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Mark 13:10-13)
While the same word telos is used here, as do the other "endures to the end" passages, that "end" seems to be until the end of one's life per Matthew 13:13, as opposed to only be an end related to the end times.
That said, let us further consider Matthew 24:14.
What end is that?
Although he often taught that the church age ended when Jesus returned, the late Herbert W. Armstrong sometimes taught that the church age ended when Matthew 24:14 was fulfilled:
Matthew 24:14 ... this gospel of the KINGDOM [That's the gospel Jesus preached.] shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and THEN shall the end [of this church age, the end of this time — this present world] come. (Armstrong HW. We are the Temple. Sermon Date: August 22, 1981)
Could God have possibly inspired him to say that for us in the 21st century to consider that the end of the 6,000 years is the start of the Great Tribulation? Well, that is a possibility.
Jesus, when referring to the "beginning of sorrows," stated that the end is not yet (Matthew 24:6). The "end" Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:6 and 24:14 looks to point to the start of the Great Tribulation--so that may be the end of the 6,000 years. Of course, instead the end of the 6,000 years could point to His return--which will not be before 2033.
While they do not teach that the 6,000 years ends at the start of the Great Tribulation, the Living Church of God teaches that the end is when the Great Tribulation begins:
In fact, we see that the “gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)! There will be a group of God’s people doing this right up until the onset of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:3–28). (Why the Living Church of God? https://www.lcg.org/articles/why-living-church-god accessed 12/06/25)
Herbert Armstrong also taught:
Matthew 24: ... And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved ... For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be ...
When Will the END Come?
The disciples had asked Jesus when His Coming would occur, and the end of the world — the end of this AGE! The false preaching was not the end. The wars and rumors of wars were not the end. But in Matthew 24:14, Jesus interrupted to tell them WHEN the end shall come ..."And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." THERE is Jesus' answer. (Armstrong HW. The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last. 1972)
Now, next I want you to notice; I want to go back to verse 14. What is to happen at the same time, or just before this Great Tribulation? In Matthew 24 back here in verse three; Jesus' disciples had been asking Him to tell them what would be the sign of His coming and the end of this world, not the end of the earth, but the end of this civilization, this world, the end of this world. Now He talked about some other things that they had asked Him first before He came to that, because they had asked Him two questions; but in verse 14 He said: "And this gospel of the kingdom [the Kingdom of God] shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matthew 24:14) Then it goes on and immediately after that will come this Great Tribulation. (Armstrong HW. Tribulation. World Tomorrow Radio Broadcast. https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?InfoID=1567869049&action=getbroadcast&utm)
Matthew 24:6 And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, BUT THE END IS NOT YET. ...
Matthew 24:9 ... That is not the sign of the end. ...
THE SIGN OF THE END ...
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel [this gospel Jesus was preaching]of the KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and THEN SHALL THE END COME.
When will the end come? ... I wanted to show you that it comes down though to the time when this gospel of the kingdom was to be preached in all the world, and that is the sign that we are reaching the end. (Armstrong HW. Times and Seasons. Sermon: March 15, 1980)"And [He said] this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matthew 24:14) That's the end of this world. (Armstrong HW. The Unthinkable Will Happen. Sermon Date: June 19, 1982)
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel [this gospel Jesus was preaching]of the KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and THEN SHALL THE END COME. ... Matthew 24:15 When you (therefore) shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place... [then you shall flee ... Matthew 24:19-22 (And) woe unto them that are with child and to them that gives suck, in those days! (20) (But) pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: [But that is really those that happen to be in Jerusalem at that time. That might be some of us.] 21) For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION (Armstrong HW. Times and Seasons. Sermon Date: March 15, 1980)
this gospel to the world and as a witness only. And Matthew 24:14 says that it will be preached in all the world and Mark 13:10, Mark's version of the same identical speech by Jesus, says it is to be published in all the world as a witness unto all nations. ... Now the very next thing to come then is The Great Tribulation, and here you find it, Matthew 24, verse 21, "then shall be great tribulation." But just before that another thing is to happen. There is to be a flight of those who really believe in God and really trust Him and obey Him. Now, you find it right here in Matthew 24 (Armstrong HW. Outline of Prophecy 01 - Bitterness. Radio broadcast, https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getbroadcast&InfoID=1332508759).
The old WCG taught:
Remember our commission in Matthew 24:14. (Faulker D. Just one more thing: The fruits of fear. Worldwide News, November 4, 1985)
Significantly, one of the major signs cited by Christ himself of the nearness of the end of this present age is that the gospel announcement would be proclaimed worldwide. Notice Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Stump K. There Is a Perfect Government. Plain Truth, September 1984
The old Radio Church of God taught that the fulfillment of the gospel proclamation would be prior to the time to flee:
The great door that God has opened to this work is the facility to go into all the world and preach the gospel; the door of radio, the door of the printing press, plus many other such doors. God has set before us an open door and no MAN can shut it. God can shut it, and He will when the work is finished and the Philadelphia Church goes to a place of safety. … The Laodicean Church is not going to he worthy to escape to a place of safety. When it is too late, they will find that the Church of Philadelphia has gone to safety. (Neff L. What Is the “LAODICEAN CHURCH”? Good News Magazine, August 1959 Vol. VIII, Number 8).
So, the end associated with the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 has long been taught to be just before the start of the Great Tribulation, which is when the Philadelphian Christians are to flee.
It may be that the 6,000 years ends, not when Jesus returns, but 3 1/2 years prior to that as the Philadelphians flee for 3 1/2 years (cf. Revelation 12:14-16). If the Great Tribulation is the end of the 6,000 years and it starts in less than 5 years from now (that math is the year 2031 less the year 2026 = 5, presuming Acts 2 was 31 A.D.), then I am inclined to believe Acts 2 was towards the beginning of day 5. And that we would need to see the peace deal of Daniel 9:26-27 confirmed in 2026 or 2027.
In Revelation 12, we see that Satan will be cast down and then the Philadelphian faithful will be protected for 3 1/2 years:
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. (Revelation 12:7-15)
Verses 10 to 13 look to be supportive of the idea that the 6,000 years could end about the start of the Great Tribulation/Day of the Lord, which combined also last 3 1/2 years. Notice that immediately after Satan and his angels are cast out, the Bible teaches, Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down," yet, the faithful will be protected "for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent," which is 3 1/2 years.
This could support the view that the 6,000 years ends when the Great Tribulation begins.
But, of course, Jesus did not point to whoever did the best calculation--but did list the proclamation of the gospel as a sign of the end.
There is a specific end mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures, normally translated as the appointed time or the appointed time of the end.
Daniel 8:9 mentions it, and the late Dr. Herman Hoeh tied it in with the rise of the final King of the North:
Turn in your Bible to verse 9: "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." ...
The King of the North
The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING of one of the four divisions of Alexander's Empire. He is, in fact, the final "King of the North" described in Daniel 11. (Hoeh H. The 2300 Days. Plain Truth, August 1965)
Daniel 8. ... What is important now is to note what follows that out of one of them came forth a little horn ... will be at the latter end of the indignation. Because all of this really pertains to the appointed time of the end. ... I've already read that in the latter end of the indignation. For it pertains to the appointed time ... (Hoeh H. Daniel 8 Parallels. Sermon given October 20, 1979)
Notice something from when Daniel heard about it, that time was a long way off:
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; (Daniel 10:1)
Daniel later wrote about something that would happen just before the appointed time of the end:
27 Both these kings' hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:27)
Daniel 11:27 discusses some type of a lying deal made by the King of the North and the King of the South. This deal looks to happen during the beginning of sorrows. That suggests that the appointed time of the end itself would be at the start of, or during, the Great Tribulation.
An appointed time is then mentioned in verse 29 and relates to verse 30:
29 At the appointed time he turns back, and has come against the south, and it is not as the former, and as the latter. (Daniel 11:29, LSV)
30 For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant. (Daniel 11:30, NLT)
More on the naval confrontation can be found in the article: Who is the King of the North?
The appointed time in Daniel 11:29 is just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation as can be shown in the following from Daniel who continues with:
31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. (Daniel 11:31-35)
The above happens just before the start of the Great Tribulation. This is mainly persecution pointed towards the Philadelphian Christians prior to them ending up in a place of protection in the wilderness (Revelation 12:13-16) from the "hour of trial" (Revelation 3:7-10).
Daniel also wrote:
12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?"
14 And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."
18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. (Daniel 8:12-19)
The appointed time of the end above relates to the Great Tribulation. The daily sacrifices get stopped around when it starts, whereas the "two thousand three hundred days," which literally means "two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings" (BLB) happens during the Great Tribulation.
Daniel also wrote:
39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:39)
Verse 39 is the end of the USA and its British-descended allies who descended from Israel's adopted sons Manasseh and Ephraim respectively (see also Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?). It is the USA that has the strongest fortresses in the 21st century.
Furthermore, notice what will happen to various descendants of Israel according to the Book of Lamentations:
1 How lonely sits the city
That was full of people!
How like a widow is she,
Who was great among the nations!
The princess among the provinces
Has become a slave!2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
Her tears are on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers
She has none to comfort her.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies. (Lamentations 1:1-2)2 The precious sons of Zion,
Valuable as fine gold,
How they are regarded as clay pots,
The work of the hands of the potter! (Lamentations 4:2)8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;
They go unrecognized in the streets;
Their skin clings to their bones,
It has become as dry as wood.9 Those slain by the sword are better off
Than those who die of hunger;
For these pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.10 The hands of the compassionate women
Have cooked their own children;
They became food for them
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,
He has poured out His fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion,
And it has devoured its foundations.12 The kings of the earth,
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could enter the gates of Jerusalem — (Lamentations 4:8-12)
17 Still our eyes failed us,
Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched
For a nation that could not save us.18 They tracked our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.19 Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the heavens.
They pursued us on the mountains
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, (Lamentations 4:17-20)
The USA was great among the nations and was prophesied to be great by Israel when he adopted Manasseh as one of his sons (Genesis 48:19). And notice its end will come (see also Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?)!
Now back to Daniel 11:
40 "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-44)
Consider that the Great Tribulation starts with verse 39, where the power with the strongest military, which currently is the USA, gets conquered. Yet groups like LCG officially point to verse 40, despite the late LCG evangelists Dr. Meredith and Richard Ames agreeing with me that verse 39 is the correct start.
For an English language reader, on the surface verse 40 seems correct.
Yet consider some of what Bing Copilot provided when I asked on 4/22/26:
The beginning of Daniel 11:40 has been translated as "At the time of the end" and "And in the time of the end." Are both valid? Is one more valid than the other?
Bing Copilot responded with:
Both “At the time of the end” and “And in the time of the end” are valid translations of Daniel 11:40. The Hebrew grammar allows either rendering, but “At the time of the end” is the more common and more natural translation in English. ...
Why both translations are possible
The Hebrew phrase in Daniel 11:40 is:
וּבְעֵת קֵץ uve·ʿet qēts
Breaking it down:
וּ (u-) = “and” or a connective prefix
בְעֵת (beʿet) = “in/at the time”
קֵץ (qēts) = “end”
Because the prefixed וּ can function either as:
a simple connective (“and”), or
a narrative/temporal marker that is not translated into English,
translators have legitimate flexibility.
Thus, both:
“And in the time of the end” (more literal to the Hebrew structure), and
“At the time of the end” (more idiomatic English)
are grammatically correct. ...
The more literal “And in the time of the end” is not incorrect—it simply reflects a more word‑for‑word approach. ...
“At the time of the end” is the smoother, more idiomatic English rendering.
- “And in the time of the end” is more literal ...
Did you catch that?
In other words, "And in the time of the end" is what the Hebrew literally says, but English translators tended to use their preference over the literal.
The phrase "the time of the end" appears in Daniel 8:17; 11:35; 11:40; 12:4; and 12:9. We will get to the 12 chapter of Daniel later.
The appointed time of the end appears in Daniel 8:19; 10:1; 11:27; 11:29; and 11:35 and have been quoted earlier.
Let me add that Lamentations 2:7 suggests that the appointed time has parallels to the Great Tribulation.
Perhaps the following from the prophet Hosea also refers to the appointed time as it does refer to the time during the Great Tribulation:
1 Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, For you have played the harlot against your God.You have made love for hire on every threshing floor. 2 The threshing floor and the winepress Shall not feed them, And the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in the Lord's land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And shall eat unclean things in Assyria. 4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of mourners to them; All who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own life; It shall not come into the house of the Lord.
5 What will you do in the appointed day, And in the day of the feast of the Lord? 6 For indeed they are gone because of destruction. Egypt shall gather them up; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver; Thorns shall be in their tents.
7 The days of punishment have come;The days of recompense have come. Israel knows! (Hosea 9:1-7)
LCG teaches this happens during the Great Tribulation (Winnail D, McNair R. Germany in Prophecy. LCG booklet, 2022) as does PCG (Flurry G. HOSEA REAPING THE WHIRLWIND. PCG booklet, 2015).
There is one other place in the Old Testament where the word for appointed and end are together, and that is in Habbakuk:
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
"Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)
And what happens then? Habakkuk wrote:
6 "Will not all these take up a proverb against him,
And a taunting riddle against him, and say,
'Woe to him who increases
What is not his — how long?
And to him who loads himself with many pledges'?
7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly?
Will they not awaken who oppress you?
And you will become their booty.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
All the remnant of the people shall plunder you,
Because of men's blood
And the violence of the land and the city,
And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:6-8)
The above prophecy involves the destruction of a nation, highly indebted to foreigners. This is NOT a reference to the modern state of Israel which does not have enemy creditors. But it does refer to the USA which is the most indebted nation in history--see also Commentary on Habakkuk and the End of the United States.
The destruction of the United States happens towards the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
Hence could it be that the appointed time of the end is the end of the 6,000 years?
Daniel wrote:
4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." (Daniel 12:4)
Note that based on the fact of jet travel, space travel, computers, and artificial intelligence, we are in the time of the end that Daniel was told to write about above.
Then Daniel asked for a time period:
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:5-10)
Some are prophecied to be purified and made white prior to the Great Tribulation in Daniel 11:35; whereas the bulk of Christians in the end time are told be made white by Jesus (Revelation 3:18) by the start of and/or during the Great Tribulation.
Related to precise timing, Daniel wrote:
11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. (Daniel 12:11-12)
Consider that the King of the North Beast power will reign for 42 months per Revelation 13:5 listed as "a time and times and half a time" in Daniel 12:7 as well as Daniel 7:25.
This ties into the meaning of the 1290 and 1335 days in Daniel 12:11-12.
But before going there, consider that for the daily sacrifices to stop in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11, it would be necessary that they start for a period of at least some days prior to the 1290 in order for them to be considered "daily." It may actually be that part of the justification that the King of the North will give himself (and possibly the United States) for this invasion is that it is necessary for him to go to Jerusalem to stop the "fanatics" in Israel from inciting world war by performing these sacrifices (see also Daniel 9:27). (Note: Although some teach that a physical temple must be built in Jerusalem to allow the daily sacrifices, it should be understood that only an altar is necessary per Ezra 3:6 and not a temple in that location--much more information is included in the article Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?)
The Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) begins 30 days after Daniel 11:31 is fulfilled. Herbert W. Armstrong taught that the Church's efforts to proclaim the gospel would stop 45 days prior to the abomination in Daniel 11:31 (cf. Daniel 12:7 and 12:11 and Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General's Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2). Thus this is when the "one thousand two hundred and ninety days" (1290 days) of Daniel 12:11 begin.
In Revelation we also read:
2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth (Revelation 11:2-3)
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. (Revelation 13:5-6)
Note that 42 months, 1260 days, and a time, times, and half a time all point to the same amount of time.
Now, what about these 1260, 1290, and 1335 days?
Three and one-half years is 1260 biblical prophetic days--that is half of a seven-year week.
Now, here is some of what Herbert W. Armstrong taught about the beginning of the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days:
And the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15 ... From this time (Daniel 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to the 1335 days.” Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290. and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us–GOD”S CHURCH–who wait and endure until the 1335 days–approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming. But since no one can know the day or hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day this 1335 days begins. But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” (Armstrong HW. Personal. Good News magazine January 1980).
The organized work of proclamation has not stopped. The abomination of desolation has not been set up. The 1335 days have not begun--but that is expected to start relatively soon!
As his writing above shows, Herbert W. Armstrong clearly wrote that there would be a future fulfillment of Daniel 11:31 and other verses in Daniel. And as the above shows, he taught that something would afflict the Church/work forty-five days prior to Daniel 11:31. And that around when the revival of the "Roman Empire"–which scripture shows will be led by the King of the North–will occur and the 1335 days will begin (which is apparently 75 days prior to the start of the Great Tribulation). Hence those writings support the idea of looking at the few verses prior to Daniel 11:31 to see what might stop the work, and that is consistent with the intent of what he wrote. In addition, Matthew 24:14, which comes just before Matthew 24:15, states that the gospel will be preached and then the end will come, thus this is another reason why confirmation for the organized work ending should be found prior to Daniel 11:31 or perhaps Daniel 11:33 as many will be reached then. The formation of that revival of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ will occur once Europe reorganizes and gives power to the Beast (Revelation 17:12-13)–that has not happened yet (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? and The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17).
Because the 1290 days starts with Daniel 11:31, the 1335 days must begin prior to that, such as in Daniel 11:28 or 11:30–a time of persecution which will mainly target the Philadelphian Christians. The basic understanding that the old WCG had was that the Philadelphian Christians may have up to 75 days notice that the Great Tribulation would start, and that they would need to flee per Revelation 12:14-16. The idea is/was that one would wait 1335 days, as Daniel 12 states, that being 1260 days in a place of safety plus the 75 days prior (1260 + 75 = 1335). And essentially a famine of the word would occur (see also Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word).
That said, let's look at soething the prophet Jeremiah wrote:
20 "Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying, (Jeremiah 5:20)28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?' says the Lord.
'Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?'30 "An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:28-31)
That end is pointing to the Great Tribulation, which Jeremiah refers to as the time of Jacob's trouble in Jeremiah 30:7.
That is consistent with what the prophet Amos wrote:
1 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2 And He said, "Amos, what do you see?"
So I said, "A basket of summer fruit."
Then the Lord said to me:
"The end has come upon My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
3 And the songs of the temple
Shall be wailing in that day,"
Says the Lord God —"Many dead bodies everywhere,
They shall be thrown out in silence."4 Hear this, you who swallow up the needy,
And make the poor of the land fail, (Amos 8:1-4)
Again, a prophecy for the time of Jacob/Israel's trouble, the Great Tribulation of Matthew 24:21-22.
Ezekiel wrote of what could be called another end:
1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel:
'An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
3 Now the end has come upon you,
And I will send My anger against you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations.
4 My eye will not spare you,
Nor will I have pity;
But I will repay your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst;
Then you shall know that I am the Lord!'5 "Thus says the Lord God:
'A disaster, a singular disaster;
Behold, it has come!
6 An end has come,
The end has come;
It has dawned for you;
Behold, it has come!
7 Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land;
The time has come,
A day of trouble is near,
And not of rejoicing in the mountains.
8 Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury,
And spend My anger upon you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations. (Ezekiel 7:1-8)
That end refers more towards the 'Day of the Lord' which occurs 2 1/2 years after the start of the Great Tribulation.
Isaiah wrote the following:
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
"Say to the daughter of Zion,
'Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.'"
12 And they shall call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken. (Isaiah 62:11-12)
The above "end of the world' refers to when Jesus comes again as He returns a second time for salvation per Hebrews 9:28.
That is the end where the saints of this age, who are part of the first resurrection are resurrected and rule:
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations —
27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' -- as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. (Revelation 2:26-28)
After that comes the end of the millennium and the second resurrection:
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 20:4-5)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:11-13)
Those in that resurrection will:
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord,
And their offspring with them. (Isaiah 65:21-23)
They will for live 100 years and then they will die:
20 "No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old,
But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isaiah 65:20)
Then they will be resurrected.
There is also a later end which happens after the third resurrection:
37 He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, and the darnel are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil, and the harvest is [the] full end of the age, and the reapers are messengers. 40 As, then, the darnel is gathered up, and is burned with fire, so will it be in the full end of this age; 41 the Son of Man will send forth His messengers, and they will gather up out of His kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing the lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of the fire; there will be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth. 43 Then will the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who is having ears to hear—let him hear. (Matthew 13:37-43)
Darnel (Lolium temulentum) is a poisonous annual ryegrass that closely mimics wheat, often called "false wheat" or "tares."
Anyway, that end comes after the third resurrection when:
14 "Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death:. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)
The end of death is another end--that happens AFTER the second death.
The Apostle Peter, nearly two thousand years ago, wrote:
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:7-8)
The end of all things did not come in Peter's day.
Peter also warned that it would come:
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation. (2 Peter 3:1-15)
So, prophecies will be fulfilled and the end will come. But let me add that the fulfillment of this end, the end when the physical things near the surface of planet Earth are burned does not come until after the third resurrection--and this has to do with the lake of fire (for more details see Second Peter & Jude: Scriptures and Commentary).
Then the end of death will come as the Apostles Paul and John were inspired to write the following:
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For "He has put all things under His feet." (1 Corinthians 15:22-27)
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:2-4)
Those point to the end of humanity as we have known it.
Eternity begins then, and that never ends:
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)11 ... the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11)
There are several prophetic ends referred to in the Bible.
There are several ends in the Bible.
There is our personal end, death.
Because we know this, we are to live our lives according to the Bible. And in the end times, the most faithful are to live as Philadelphian Christians and support the Philadelphian work (see also Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God?).
Regarding prophesied ends, there is the end times.
Then there is the appointed time of the end.
There is the end associated with Matthew 24:14.
That and the appointed time of the end leads into the Great Tribulation.
If there is a 7000 plan, could the 6000 years end then?
If Jesus was killed in 31 A.D., that would seem to be when the end of the 6000 years would be, particularly if the prophesied deal of Daniel 9:27 is confirmed by the end of 2027--though that would also seem to support the idea of a 34 or 35 A.D. crucifixion.
The next end could be considered the start of the Day of the Lord.
The Bible teaches Beast will be in power for the 42 months of the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord (Revelation 13:5) also called a time, times, and 1/2 a time in Daniel 7:25. So it may be that some or all of that is not part of the 7000 years.
The next end would be the return of Jesus and the first resurrection.
That is also the other time when the 6000 years could end.
This is likely the end if Jesus was killed in 34 or 35 A.D.
Particularly, because that would be the total number of years from when Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden of Eden and Jesus would return. This also us the start of the millennium.
Then the millennium will end and the second resurrection will take place.
Then there is a short period after the millennium:
7 Now when the thousand years have been completed, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison; 8 And he shall go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, of whom the number is as the sand of the sea, to gather them together for war. 9 Then I saw them go up upon the breadth of the earth and encircle the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them; 10 And the Devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet had been cast; and they, Satan and the demons, shall be tormented day and night into the ages of eternity. (Revelation 20:7-10, AFV)
Then the 100 year period of Isaiah 65:20 begins, and 100 years later that ends.
That is followed by the third resurrection.
For the unrepentant, that will result in the second death--that is their total end. And that is when death ends.
For all others at the third resurrection, there will be no end as eternity will begin.
All associated with previous humanity will be done:
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."
6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. (Revelation 21:1-26)
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)
The end of suffering will come.
For the faithful, the end of death and pain will really be the beginning.
Thiel B. When is the End? Which End? COGwriter (c) 2026 https://www.cogwriter.com/theend.htm 2026 0531