- National Youth Ministries

Transcription

What will happen in the last days? How am I to understand
what will happen? While we cannot fully understand all
that will take place, end times will help answer basic
questions on the end times and the rapture.
GOSPEL PUBLISHING HOUSE · SPRINGFIELD, MO 65802
NATIONAL YOUTH MINISTRIES
p: 417.862.2781 e: [email protected] w: www.youth.ag.org
GOSPEL PUBLISHING HOUSE
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI
© 2003 by Gospel Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Files may be stored electronically and printed for personal, church
or other non-commercial purpose only
Hungry? Spiritual Food for Today’s Student
A Study in the Doctrine of End Times
© 2003 by Gospel Publishing House · 1445 N. Boonville Ave. · Springfield, MO 65802
All rights reserved. Printed in United States of America. www.GospelPublishing.com
All Scripture quotations, unless indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Dan and Loralie Crabtree, authors
Sharla Moody, Jill Cook, Shoji McGee, editors
Jeff Fulton, design
© 2003 by Gospel Publishing House. All rights reserved. Files may be stored electronically and printed for
personal, church or other non-commercial purpose only
Suddenly, she’s gone! In an instant he’s missing! In a nanosecond,
the sound of a trumpet blast punctures the course of history and
changes the world forever. In that very moment, people all over the
world are unexpectedly missing—missing from their homes, cars,
jobs and schools. Stunned, those left behind scramble to restore
some form of normalcy to life and find an answer to the riddle of
the missing millions.
Sounds pretty dramatic! Indeed it is; and more importantly, it’s really going to happen. In this booklet you will learn more about this
and other events that will take place in the last days, the final chapter of human history. Some of these events will be surprising; others
dramatic, joyful or even terrifying. We will see future events which
will engulf not only the world, but the entire universe! Some of
these events you will witness, and there are others in which you
will actually participate. While others, by the grace of God, you can
avoid altogether. So while we talk about the future of the world,
understand that we are talking about your future.
© 2003 by Gospel Publishing House. All rights reserved. Files may be stored electronically and
printed for personal, church or other non-commercial purpose only
How can we know about the future?
We don’t have to depend on a crystal ball, horoscope, psychic or someone’s intuition. All of these are just a game of guesswork because they
all depend upon human ability. Try as they may, nobody who trusts on
their own abilities and knowledge can know the future with any real
certainty. But there is One who does know the future! God knows all
things, including the things that are to come. In the past, God chose
to reveal certain future events which are recorded in the Bible to
prophets. These revelations usually happened in the form of visions or
dreams which were often filled with unusual creatures or strange
sights. They were intended to be understood as symbols representing
actual end time events and personalities. But what do these strange
creatures and unique sights represent? The prophets themselves were
often surprised, confused, and even frightened by the things they saw
and faithfully wrote down. How can we know what they mean? First,
we can study Bible prophecy, carefully comparing scripture to scripture.
We can also benefit from many able scholars who have faithfully interpreted God’s Word. Second, as we move closer to the final days, it
becomes increasingly more apparent what the symbols represent. (See
Daniel 12:9,10.) Third, we can benefit from the interpretations God
gave the prophets when they originally received the revelations which
are recorded for us in Scripture. (Examples include Daniel 2:36–45,
7:15–28, 8:15–27; Revelation 7:14).
One thing we have to be careful about is trying to know more about
the future than the Bible tells us. Some things are clearly revealed,
but not everything is. For example, we know that Christ will return,
triumph over the Antichrist, and establish the millennial kingdom on
earth before the final judgment of the wicked takes place. But other
things are not so clearly spelled out in Scripture. Sometimes we may
know what is going to happen, but we don’t know exactly how or the
exact sequence in which it will happen. Remember, the prophets had
dreams and visions in which they saw future events. In a sense they
caught glimpses or “snapshots” of the future. Of those things we can
be certain, but the connective details between the “snapshots” were
not always revealed and therefore cannot be known with absolute
certainty.
Another position we should avoid is the suggestion that because we
can’t be certain about the details of the end times, and because the
symbolism of the prophetic dreams and visions can be difficult to
interpret, we shouldn’t even try. People who feel this way throw their
hands up in the air and declare, “It will all pan out in the end anyway.” The problem with this view is that the Bible has a lot of specific
things to say about the end times. God speaks through His Word, not
with the intention of confusing us, but to reveal to us His plans and
purposes. The passages of scripture that deal with the end times may
be more difficult to interpret than other parts of the Bible and require
careful study. Nevertheless, God wants us to understand it. God
always intends for His Word to reveal, that is, to make plain and
understandable, things that otherwise could not be known.
Why study end time events?
We all have a natural desire to know what’s coming. Maybe you’re
one of those curious people who love to read the last chapter of a
novel before the first. The biblical story of the end times is definitely
exciting, filled with intriguing creatures, a twisting plot, the rise and
fall of world leaders, and dramatic events. All that and good wins
out in the end! Hopefully the study of the last things will become
much, much more than a matter of mere curiosity for you.
The study of the end times should be important to you because the
Bible gives a great deal of attention to it. The Second Coming of the
Lord is referred to eight times as often as His first coming and twice
as often as His atonement (Christ’s work on the Cross). Christ’s
Second Coming is mentioned 318 times in the 216 chapters of the
New Testament.1 If it’s that important to God, then it should be
important to us!
By studying end time events, you can capture a sense of God’s vision
for the future. It’s important for you to believe in the vision of your
pastor, youth pastor, or youth group leader, so you can work in cooperation with him or her. In the same way, by understanding the end
times, you can get a sense of God’s vision and plan for the world. The
really exciting thing is that God wants you to be a part of what He’s
doing! In the Bible He invites you to be a “co-laborer” with Him. God
wants your life to have significance beyond the present as you look
to the future and invest yourself in His eternal kingdom. Your life can
matter for eternity, but if you are going to be effective in your work
with and for God, you need to embrace His vision. When you know
what God is “up to,” then you’ll better understand what you need to
do so you can be “on the same page” with Him.
What are the signs of the end times?
Just like you, Jesus’ disciples were curious about the future, so they
asked Him what the signs of the end would be. The twenty-fourth
chapter of Matthew records Jesus’ answer.2 First, He warned there
would be many false religious leaders claiming to be the “Messiah” or
“the Christ.” (See Matthew 24:5, 23–25.) Their teachings will sound
persuasive and some will even perform miraculous signs and wonders
(Matthew 24:24) thereby deceiving many (Matthew 24:5). Today, false
religions abound. Some have millions of followers. Religious pluralists
proudly proclaim that all religions are equally true, believing that “all
roads lead to heaven.” Nothing could be further from the truth! The
Bible is clear that salvation is possible only by responding to the gospel, by repenting of our sins, and accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.
The present religious climate shouldn’t confuse or surprise us,
because Jesus warned us in advance that this would happen. “See, I
have told you ahead of time” (Matthew 24:25).
A second sign is that we will hear of “wars and rumors of wars”
(Matthew 24:6). War has been common throughout history, so how
could this be a sign of the last days? One way to know is that the
wars will be more devastating than any that have come before. We
have just left the twentieth century, by far the bloodiest in all of history. Jesus also talked about “rumors of war.” Think of “rumors of
war” as meaning the “threat of war.” Today we can understand this as
perhaps no other generation before, because of the possibility of
nuclear war. With terrorist organizations seeking to acquire weapons
of mass destruction, the possibility of nuclear disaster has increased
exponentially. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah, writing 2,500
years ago, accurately described the devastation of nuclear war. Not
knowing what else to call it, he simply referred to it as a “plague.”
(Zechariah 14:12.) Jesus reminds us, “but see to it that you are not
alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come”
(Matthew 24:6). You need not fear, because God is on the throne and
in control!
A third sign Jesus gives is that “there will be famines and earthquakes
in various places” (Matthew 24:7). Famines and earthquakes have
been with us from the beginning of time. How do they function as a
sign of end times? In verse eight, Jesus explains that these are the
beginning of the “birth pains.” When a woman has birth pains, her
contractions become increasingly intense and come closer together as
she draws nearer to the time of her delivery. In the same way, the gap
in time between wars, famines, and earthquakes will become shorter
and shorter as we draw closer to the time of our Lord’s Second
Coming.
A fourth sign, which is often overlooked, is that the saints will be persecuted and, in some cases, martyred on account of Christ. (See
Matthew 24:9.) At that time Jesus warns, “many will turn away from
the faith and will betray and hate each other…Because of the increase
of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:10–12).
Then Jesus adds words of comfort, hope, and victory, “But he who
stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations,
and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:13,14). While the final victory is never in doubt, the last days will be a time of intense spiritual
warfare. As you read this, believers around the world are persecuted
for their faith, and some make the ultimate sacrifice. Although we
live in a nation that has provided us with religious freedom, we must
prepare ourselves for the reality that someday we, too, may be called
upon to endure persecution for the sake of Christ. Some interpret the
teaching of the Rapture of the Church to mean that, “Before things
get tough, we’re out of here!” This is only partially true. The Rapture
does not mean we will be spared from persecution; it does mean that
we will not be on earth to endure the wrath and judgment of God to
be poured out during the Tribulation. Although difficulties may
come, we can cling to the promise, “He who stands firm to the end
will be saved!” (Matthew 24:13).
End Time Events—Seeing the “Big Picture”
Before examining some of the details, it would be good for us to step
back and take a look at the “big picture.” This will help you to get a
better grasp of the “flow” of end time events. What’s next? The
Rapture of the Church, which was described at the beginning of this
booklet. This is when Christians are taken out of the world to meet
Christ in the air. It could happen at any moment. The Rapture could
happen today, tomorrow, or possibly some time in the more distant
future. Since we don’t know exactly when it will happen, we should
live in a constant state of preparedness by having our hearts right
with God and living righteous lives.
What happens to you if you are raptured? You will go to heaven to
be with Christ for seven years. During this time you will experience
at least two things: first, the judgment seat of Christ, where you will
be rewarded for your good works and faithful service to the kingdom.
Second, you will participate in the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, the
greatest celebration in the history of the universe.
What about those who aren’t raptured? They will be left on earth to
experience seven years of intense suffering and cataclysmic disasters
known as the Tribulation. The world has always known difficulty, but
the Tribulation will be unlike anything that has happened before.
The Antichrist, the most evil dictator of all time, will rise to political
prominence. Empowered by Satan, he will cast his evil shadow over
the whole earth. God’s response will be a display of awesome power
resulting in massive destruction. In a series of judgments, known as
the seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls, God’s wrath will be
poured out on the followers of the Antichrist.
At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return to earth in what is
known as the “revelation of Christ.” He will come back riding on a
white horse and defeat the Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon.
The believers who were raptured and spent the previous seven years
in heaven will return with Him. This means that if you are a believer,
you will be there—an eyewitness to Christ’s triumph over the forces
of darkness.
Having defeated the Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon, Christ
will remain on earth and establish the millennial kingdom, a 1,000
year golden age of peace and prosperity on earth. At the outset of the
millennium, He will “bind” Satan for 1,000 years. During this time
Satan will be prevented from interfering with daily life on earth.
Imagine living in the world without the devil! The whole world will
be at peace; even the wolf and the lamb will lay down together (See
Isaiah 11:6; 65:25.) Christ, himself, will rule the world from the holy
city of Jerusalem.
The Two “Phases” of the Second Coming
Two “phases” to the Second Coming are to be understood. The first is
the Rapture of the church when Christ will gather the believers to
meet in the air. At the Rapture Christ only comes as far as the clouds;
He will not physically touch the earth, or reveal Himself to unbelievers. This is a “secret” coming which is for the Church only (See 1
Thessalonians 4:16,17.) Seven years later, after the Tribulation is over,
the second “phase” happens. This is called the “revelation of Christ”
when He will set foot on earth at the Mount Olives and make himself
known to the whole world.
Some sincere Christians in their interpretation of Scripture fail to distinguish between the “Rapture of the Church” and the “revelation of
Christ.” Unfortunately, this leads to a confused understanding of the
end times. Since it is crucial to distinguish between the two parts of
the Second Coming, let’s take a moment and look at this in detail.
An excellent source for understanding more about the Rapture of the
Church is the Assemblies of God position paper entitled The Rapture
of the Church. At the Rapture, Christ will come for the Christians;
whereas at the revelation of Christ, the believers are with Him. The
position paper clearly explains this difference:
Passages which pertain to the Rapture describe the
coming of the Lord for His people. Passages which refer
to the revelation of Christ describe the coming of the
Lord with His saints…Since Scripture does not contradict itself, it seems reasonable to conclude that the
passages describing Christ’s coming for the saints and
with the saints indicate two phases of His coming. We
believe it is scripturally correct to assume that the
intervening period between the two is the time when
the world will experience the Great Tribulation, involving the reign of the Antichrist and the outpouring of
God’s wrath on the wicked (Daniel 12:1,2,10–13;
Matthew 24:15–31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12).3
A second way to distinguish between the Rapture and the revelation
of Christ is by examining what the Bible says about the condition of
the world when these two events take place. At the time of the
Rapture, the world will be eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in
marriage (see Matthew 24:36–44); in other words, life will be “business as usual.” At the time of the revelation of Christ, the world will
have undergone seven years of tribulation including the most horrific
natural disasters in the history of mankind. The Antichrist will be tyrannizing the world and marshalling his forces at Armageddon.
(See Revelation 6–19.) Life will be anything but “business as
usual.”
At the time of the Rapture, Christ never sets foot on earth. He comes
back only as far as the clouds in the air, from which He gathers the
Church, His bride, to himself. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.) At the
revelation of Christ, He sets foot on the Mount of Olives and defeats
the Antichrist. (See Revelation 19:11–21.) At the Rapture, Christ
returns with the saints to heaven (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; John
14:1–3); at the revelation of Christ, He remains on earth and establishes the millennial kingdom. (See Revelation 20:1–6.) The Rapture is
a “secret coming” for believers only; at the revelation of Christ, everyone will recognize and be directly effected by His return, both believers and unbelievers. At the time of the Rapture, there is no judgment;
at the revelation of Christ, He will judge the nations. (See Matthew
25:31–46.) The Rapture and the revelation of Christ are two separate
phases of the Second Coming which are separated by seven years,
during which time the Great Tribulation will take place on earth.
The Next Big Event—The Rapture of the Church!
A loud command and the trumpet call of God will announce the
Rapture of the Church. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the
righteous dead will be resurrected and the bodies of living believers
will be transformed. All of them will be taken up to meet Christ in
the air. First Thessalonians 4:16,17 is the key passage which describes
this remarkable event: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,
with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are
still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Notice two things that happen nearly simultaneously. First, the “dead
in Christ” are resurrected. But you say, “I thought that when
Christians die they go to be with Christ. If they are already with Him,
why would they need to be resurrected?” That’s a good question and
some are confused by this. The Bible clearly teaches that when believers die, they go to be with Christ. Jesus said to the thief on the cross,
“Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Paul, who
looked forward to being with Christ in glory, wrote, “I desire to
depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), and we “would prefer
to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians
5:8). When the Bible speaks of the resurrection of the righteous dead
at the time of the Rapture, it refers to their bodies, which are still in
need of being resurrected and changed into the new and glorified
body. At the time of the Rapture, the believers who are already with
Christ will be reunited with their resurrected and glorified bodies.
The second thing that happens at the Rapture is that the believers
who are living will be “caught up” in the air to meet the Lord and
their deceased loved ones. If you have faith in Christ, you’ll be there.
What an incredible reunion! Imagine seeing your family member or
friend in perfect health, happiness, and peace! Maybe the last time
you saw them they were suffering, but on that day there will only be
rejoicing! Imagine what it will be like to look into the face of Jesus!
Right now it’s a matter using your imagination, but on that day it
will be your reality. If you are alive at the time of the Rapture, your
body (like those of the righteous dead) will be instantaneously and
gloriously changed. It will happen “in a flash, in the twinkling of an
eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52).
To explain this incredible change, the Apostle Paul compared the resurrection of the body to farming. Just like a farmer sows seed into the
ground, at death the body is buried in the ground. When that seed
that is buried “dies,” it is transformed into something much greater
than it ever was before. One seed can become a flower, a stalk of
grain, or even a tree. The same will be true of the believer’s body. The
glorified body will be far superior to the earthly body. In 1
Corinthians 15:42–44 Paul wrote, “So it will be with the resurrection
of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
What will your resurrected, glorified body be like? The best example
is to look at Christ’s resurrection body. For forty days after His resurrection, He remained on earth making various appearances before
ascending to heaven. During this time, Christ, in His resurrection
body, could walk through walls. (See John 20:19.) He could also eat,
although He does not appear to have needed food (see John 21:9,10),
and could be readily identified by others (see John 20:20,28).4
Philippians 3:21 tells us that He, “will transform our lowly bodies so
that they will be like his glorious body.” So your resurrection body
will be like Jesus’ resurrection body. Will you be able to recognize
your friends and loved ones in heaven? Yes! The disciples were able
to recognize Jesus in His resurrection body. In the same way, you will
be able to recognize others and they will be able to recognize
you in your glorified resurrection body.
When will the Rapture happen? The signs of the times are pointing
to the fact that we may very well be in the last days and the Rapture
of the Church could be very soon. The global political situation
seems to be moving in the very direction prophesied in Scripture. The
Bible encourages us to live with the attitude that Christ could return
today. In our excitement and eager anticipation, we must be careful
to avoid making the mistake of trying to determine the exact time of
Christ’s return. Jesus warns us against “date setting.” “No one knows
about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven” (Matthew
24:36). What we do know is that the Rapture is imminent; that
means it can happen at any moment. Christ’s coming will be sudden
and unexpected, “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other one
left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken
and the other left” (Matt. 24:40,41). Jesus compared the Rapture to
the flood at the time of Noah. Just as the flood came suddenly and
unexpectedly upon the whole earth, so the Rapture will be both sudden and unexpected. At the time of Noah people went through their
daily routine thinking it was just another day, and continued to fill
their time as they always had with “eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage” (Matthew 24:38). In the same way, at the
time of the Rapture people will think, “It’s just another day.”
How Can I Be Ready for the Rapture?
If you don’t know exactly when the Rapture is going to happen,
how can you be prepared for it? The best way isn’t “date setting” or
“stargazing.” At the ascension of Jesus, the disciples (who must have
been amazed to see Jesus rise up into the heavens) were told that He
would come back in the same way He had left. They were also challenged, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” (Acts 1:11).
Instead of “stargazing,” the disciples needed to get busy proclaiming
the gospel; the Holy Spirit would empower them to do this effectively (Acts 1:8). You see, the best way to be prepared for the
Rapture is to be busy doing what is right. That’s exactly the message
Jesus wants to get across.
Matthew 24 records Jesus’ teaching on the end times. At the conclusion of that chapter and the next, He tells a series of parables in
which He explains how you can be ready for His return. All of them
focus on the importance of living a righteous life. The first parable
is about a servant who has to make a choice. (See Matthew 24:45–
51.) He has been put in charge of other servants in his master’s
absence. He can treat others with caring kindness and be rewarded
at the time of his master’s return, or he can say to himself, “My
master is staying away a long time,” and begin to beat and mistreat
his fellow servants. (See Matthew 24:48,49.) Because of his poor
mistreatment of others he is unprepared for his master’s return:
“The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not
expect him and at an hour he is not aware of” (Matthew 24:50). At
that time his unrighteous living will result in terrible punishment
instead of reward (Matthew 24:51).
In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30), Jesus reminds us
that we must be busy investing in the kingdom. It’s not okay for us
to bury our talent5 (Matt. 25:24–30). At the time of His coming, we
should be busy using whatever resources God has put at our disposal for His glory. After all, we know that this present world is passing
away. So it only makes sense to begin now to invest in the kingdom
of God which will last for eternity.
In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13), we learn that
moral purity alone is not enough to prepare us for His return. The
parable is a story about ten virgins who are part of a bridal party. In
the ancient world (without our modern means of communication)
they did not know the exact time the groom would show up and
the wedding feast would begin. They had to live in a constant state
of preparedness. Five of the virgins were wise and ready because
they had oil in their lamps, but five of the virgins were foolish and
unprepared because they did not have oil in their lamps when the
groom arrived at the midnight hour. In this parable, oil is a symbol
of the Holy Spirit, the groom is a symbol for Christ, and the the
bride is a symbol for the Church. The foolish virgins were morally
pure; they are, after all, virgins. But they failed to have the oil, that
is, the Holy Spirit, living in them. You can be a good person, morally pure, and still not be ready for the Rapture. It’s possible to “look
the part” (like the five foolish virgins certainly did) but not be truly
ready. Only if the Holy Spirit lives in you are you prepared. When
do we receive the Holy Spirit? At the moment of conversion, He
becomes the “seal of our salvation.”6 The foolish virgins tried to
borrow oil from the wise, but they couldn’t because you can’t borrow the Holy Spirit from someone else. You must experience
Him for yourself. Perhaps you have never experienced salvation or you have grown up in church, but as you read
this you say in your heart, “I have become content
with ‘looking the part’ but at this moment I’m not really experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit.” Right now, you can pray a
prayer of repentance, make things right with God, and invite the
Holy Spirit to come into your life. God is always willing to forgive.
Talk to someone about your decision, perhaps a parent, youth pastor or leader, Christian friend, or someone who is spiritually mature
and can encourage you.
Pre- or Post-Tribulational Return of Christ?
Bible scholars and teachers have debated whether or not Jesus will
return before or after the Tribulation.7 Those who teach that the
Rapture will happen before the Tribulation are called Pre-Trib. This is
the position of the Assemblies of God8 and most evangelical
Christians. It is also the position taken in this booklet and what has
been described up to this point. Post-Trib, on the other hand, teaches that Christ will not return until after the Tribulation. Adherents
of Post-Trib teach that there is no difference between the Rapture of
the Church and the revelation of Christ, collapsing the two into
one event. They also do not believe that the Tribulation will be
seven years in length,9 teaching instead that tribulation is something the Church has endured throughout its history. Many of them
would concede, however, that there will be an intensification of
persecution just prior to the return of Christ.
Let’s look at four arguments for why the Rapture will happen before
the Tribulation. First is the difference between the Rapture of the
Church and the revelation of Christ. It will only be mentioned here
since this has been discussed earlier. Second, the Post-Trib position
denies the “any-moment” return of Christ. They deny He could
come today because they feel there are still some end time events
that need to take place before the Second Coming can happen. For
instance, the Antichrist has to be dominating the world, since
Christ will defeat Him in the battle of Armageddon when He
returns. The Antichrist will also desecrate the Temple and therefore,
the Temple will have to be rebuilt, since it would have to be standing in order to be desecrated.10 Those advocating a Post-Trib position sometimes talk about Christ’s soon return; however, by this
they mean in a “year or two,” not that Christ could come today. But
the Bible clearly teaches that Christ’s return could happen at any
moment and that we must at all times be ready for His coming.
According to the Pre-Trib position there are no prophetic end time
events that must take place before the Rapture of the Church. When
will the Antichrist rise to political dominance and the rebuilding of
the Temple take place? These events can and probably will take
place during the first half of the Tribulation. The Pre-Trib position is
in harmony with the biblical teaching of the imminent, anymoment return of Christ.
Third, Jesus died on the Cross so that those who believe in Him
would be spared the judgment of God’s wrath. (See 1 Thessalonians
5:9; Revelation 3:10.) The Tribulation will be a time when God
pours out His wrath on the face of the earth. The Lamb of God
(Jesus) and angels are prominent in executing a series of calamities
described in the book of Revelation. (See Revelation 6:1,3,5,7,12;
8:7,8,10,12; 9:1,13.) Those on earth will recognize that the disasters
to come upon them are the wrath of God. They will voice this when
they cry out to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us
from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of
the Lamb!” (Revelation 6:16). Christ was crucified to save you from
wrath, so He will return for you before the Tribulation when God’s
wrath is poured out. This is in keeping with how God has dealt with
the righteous throughout history. He spared Noah from the flood,
which was an act of His judgment on a sinful world. When God
poured out His judgment on Egypt in the form of the ten plagues,
the children of Israel were supernaturally protected. So it will be in
the last days: The Church will be raptured before the Tribulation!
A final argument for the Pre-Trib position is that Christ’s return is
called our “blessed hope.” (See Titus 2:13.) It is something to which
we are to look forward. His return should not bring us fear, but
rather hope and comfort. We are to encourage each other by
reminding one another of the blessed hope we have of His soon
appearing (See 1 Thessalonians 4:18.) However, according to the
Post-Trib position, it’s not Christ’s coming for which we should be
looking, but for persecution and the reign of the Antichrist. How
can that be a “blessed hope?” Is the next big event tribulation associated with the Antichrist or Jesus’ return? The Bible does not teach
us to look for tribulation, but to look for Christ’s appearing, because
that is the next great event to take place. The Rapture of the Church
will happen before the Tribulation!
What Happens to the Raptured Believers During the Seven
Years of the Tribulation?
In John 14, Jesus reminded His disciples of His impending death.
Knowing that their hearts would be troubled, He sought to comfort
them with the promise of His return. He explained to His disciples
that although He would be absent, He was going to prepare a place
for them. When He came back, they could go there with Him. (See
John 14:1–3.) The promise Jesus made that day to His disciples
extends to you, His modern-day disciple. At the Rapture, you will
meet Jesus in the air and return with Him to heaven.
Once you are in heaven, two events will take place while those left
on earth are experiencing the trials and judgments associated with
the Tribulation. First is the Judgment Seat of Christ, where you will
be judged for your works. (See 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians
3:10–15.) Paul declares, “For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
Let’s make it clear what the Judgment Seat of Christ is not. It does
not determine your eternal destiny. That was decided on the day of
your salvation when you repented of your sins and put your faith in
Christ. You are already in heaven so this judgment cannot be about
whether or not you will go to heaven. What will be judged are your
works—how you lived your life. The Judgment Seat of Christ is not a
place of punishment. Christ will not drag up all your past failures and
throw them in your face. What has been forgiven is cast away “as far
as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).
Instead, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a time of reward for faithful service. Christ’s judgment will be both perfect and penetrating. As
He examines your life, He will look not only at your good works, but
also at the motivations of your heart. (See 1 Corinthians 3:10–15.)
You see, it’s possible to fool others, but you cannot fool God. Your life
will be tested by fire; what remains will be rewarded. (See 1
Corinthians 3:12–14.) As a result, some will have greater rewards than
others in heaven. This bothers some people who think that it’s somehow unfair. But it won’t cause a problem because in heaven there will
be no jealousy. It’s only right that those who work faithfully with
pure motives should receive a greater reward. Someone might say, “I
don’t care what kind of reward I have in heaven as long as I make it
there.” But that same person will work overtime on the job to make a
few extra dollars. Think of all the effort people make for earthly
rewards that will fade away. How much greater are eternal rewards!
The second event that will take place in heaven during this time is
the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. (See Revelation 19:6–9.) When we
hear the word “supper,” we immediately think of food; however, the
Wedding Supper of the Lamb is not primarily about tasty cuisine.
That’s not to say there won’t be any food present, but feasts and banquets in Scriptures often symbolize fellowship. This is particularly
true of the parables in which Jesus extended an invitation to a great
banquet. Consider the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. When you
take communion, “you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1
Corinthians 11:26). Jesus told His disciples that He would not “drink
of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it
anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). The
Wedding Supper of the Lamb is the final fulfillment of all those
hopes and expectations.
For Christ, the Wedding Supper of the Lamb will be a special event.
At the Rapture, Christ, the groom, comes back to earth for His bride,
the Church. After years of waiting, He will be finally be joined to His
bride for whom, out of love, He laid down His life at the Cross. (See
Ephesians 5:25.) The joy of looking forward to this glorious day gave
Christ the strength to endure the shame of the cross. (See Hebrews
12:2.) As a believer you are a part of the bride for whom Christ died.
Imagine what it will be like on that day to look into the eyes of the
One who died for you. No doubt it will be a transforming moment!
The Bible speaks of this, “When he appears, we shall be like him, for
we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). How should we as a part of
the bride prepare ourselves for this great day? By dressing in “fine
linen, bright and clean” (Revelation 19:7,8). “Fine linen stands for
the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). “Everyone who has
this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).
On that day you will be dressed in your righteous deeds which stood
up to the fiery test of the Judgment Seat of Christ. It’s the only clothing you will have. On that day you will realize what really matters in
life is not the things the world values, but having done what’s right.
In the end, that’s all you have left.
The Length of the Tribulation
How do we know the tribulation will last for seven years? A couple of
different verses indicate this, but the key passage is found in
Daniel 9:24–27. In this passage he gives the time frame for
future events. All of the events Daniel described were
future for him, but only some of them are future for us.
Daniel tells us with amazing accuracy that these events will take
place within a 490-year time period, which he calls “seventy ‘sevens’”11 (i.e., 70 x 7 = 490 years). (See Daniel 9:24.) Sixty-nine of
those “seventy ‘sevens’,” or 483 years (69 x 7 = 483), will take place
between the time when the decree is issued to “restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until the Anointed One” comes (Daniel 9:25). The
Anointed One is Jesus, who will “atone for wickedness” (Daniel
9:24), but will suddenly find Himself “cut off and will have nothing” (Daniel 9:26). This refers to Christ’s death on the cross. So, 483
years will transpire between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the
time of Christ. At the time when Daniel was writing, Jerusalem had
been destroyed and the Jews were living in captivity in and around
the ancient city of Babylon. In 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Persians
and the Jews were permitted to return to the ancestral homeland in
Palestine and rebuild Jerusalem. They did this in successive “waves”
of returning immigrants who first rebuilt their houses, the Temple,
and later, the wall around Jerusalem. The rebuilding of the wall was
significant because without a wall, a city could not keep out its enemies and therefore could not prosper. The decree to rebuild the wall
was issued in 444 B.C., a commission which Nehemiah faithfully
carried out. If you add 483 years to 444 B.C., you come up with 39
A.D. That’s very close to the time of Christ who died somewhere
between 27—33 A.D. When you take into consideration that the
Jewish year was only 360 days instead of 365 1/4, the number of
years is reduced so that it hits right at the time of Christ’s earthly
ministry. According to Josh McDowell’s calculations, Daniel’s prophecy lands on the day of the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem
in 33 A.D.!12
The first “sixty-nine ‘sevens’” have already been fulfilled in history,
which leaves us with the last “seven” (1 x 7 = 7). When will this last
seven-year period take place? According to Daniel 9:27, the last
seven years belong to the time of the Antichrist who will put an
end to sacrifice and desecrate the Temple in Jerusalem. This means
the final seven-year period describes the Tribulation, the time of the
Antichrist’s reign. Further confirmation for this can be found in
Revelation 12:6 and 11:3 which describes the second half of the
Tribulation (the last three-and-a-half years) as lasting 1,260 days (3
1/2 x 360 = 1,26013). This is also true of Revelation 13:5 and 11:2
where second half of the Tribulation is described as lasting forty-two
months (42 months = 3 1/2 years).
The First Half of the Tribulation—The Rise of the
Antichrist
The story of the Tribulation is a fast-paced narrative of political
intrigue and awesome displays of power. It is both fascinating and
challenging. The books of Daniel and Revelation are the primary
source of information about these events; however, in telling the
story of the Tribulation, we are immediately confronted with a problem. It’s difficult to establish a precise sequence of events because
Daniel and Revelation are not always chronological. The prophets
were simply seeing “snapshots” of the future, which they themselves
did not always fully understand. The narration which follows is the
author’s best attempt at fitting the pieces together using commonly
accepted interpretations; however, it is freely acknowledged some of
the chronological details can not be known with certainty.14
After the Rapture of the Church, the restraint that has held the forces
of darkness in check will be removed. In speaking of the Antichrist,
whom Paul called the “man of lawlessness,” he wrote, “And now you
know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the
proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work;
but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is
taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:6,7). Being “taken away”
refers to the Rapture. The one who holds back the “the man of lawlessness” is the Holy Spirit working through the Church. Imagine
what it will be like when all the Christians are taken out of the world.
Darkness will reign supreme.
The first half of the Tribulation is relatively calm because the outpouring of God’s awesome judgment is primarily reserved for the second half of the Tribulation. This affords the Antichrist the opportunity to consolidate his political leadership of the world. He will accomplish his meteoric rise to political prominence by increasingly gaining
control over a ten-nation confederation. Three of the nations will
rebel against his tyrannical ways, but they will be quickly crushed
and the other seven nations will fall in line. How do we know this?
Because Daniel saw a vision in which he described the end-time
regime of the Antichrist as a terrifying creature with “large iron teeth;
it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever
was left” (Daniel 7:7). This creature also had ten horns (Daniel 7:7)
which represent ten kingdoms or nations (Daniel 7:24). Three
of these nations were crushed by the “little horn”
(Antichrist) with “a mouth that spoke boastfully”
(Daniel 7:8).
Based on the current world-political situation, the most likely place
for the Antichrist to establish himself is Europe; however, we must
exercise caution on this point. What will be said in the following
sentences is true only of our current political situation. Should the
Lord delay in coming, the future world-political situation could be
dramatically different. In a historically unprecedented event, the
European nations are setting aside their long-standing hostility
toward each other and coming together in unity. Currently,
European nations are tying their economies together and have instituted the use of a common currency. Political unity is only one step
away. Should Europe unify, they would replace America as the leading superpower of the world. At the same time, Europe is drinking
heavily from the well of Postmodernism. Postmodernism is a philosophy that teaches there are no absolute truths; consequently, there
are no moral absolutes. Each individual is free to decide his or her
own version of “truth.” According to this philosophy, no one
should sit in judgment on anyone else, with tolerance reigning
supreme. If there are no moral absolutes, then what is “right” will
be determined by the person in power. This philosophy is perfect
for the Antichrist’s rise to dominance. In spite of all this, we must
be careful not to assume that Europe has to be the location of the
Antichrist’s ten-nation confederation. In the past, some assumed
that an evil dictator like Adolf Hitler had to be the Antichrist. They
were wrong. We must exercise caution on this point.
Having established his leadership over the ten-nation confederation,
the Antichrist will turn his attention to negotiate peace in the
Middle East. He will succeed where past politicians have repeatedly
failed. According to Daniel 9:27, he will “confirm a covenant with
many [Israel] for one seven.” As part of this treaty, Israel will be
allowed to rebuild her Temple, apparently on the sacred site of the
temple mount.15 This stunning accomplishment will bring the
Antichrist world acclaim and catapult him to the position of being
the world’s leading politician. Having entered into a covenant with
Israel, the Antichrist will use his ten-nation confederation to promise them military protection. Today, Israel, while very determined
not to lose their homeland, has nonetheless become weary of the
incessant wars and terrorist attacks, and longs for peace. The
Antichrist will appear to satisfy that longing. “Anti-” in the Bible
does not mean “against,” but “substitute.” The Antichrist will not
come off as being against religion or even against Christianity.
Instead, he will promote himself as a substitute “Christ.” The Jews,
who only believe in the Old Testament and have not accepted Jesus
Christ, are still looking for the promised Messiah. Many of the Jews
at this time will mistakenly believe that the Antichrist is their messiah and put their political hopes in his devious and deceptive
hands.
Not all of Israel is fooled. Two witnesses will faithfully proclaim
God’s truth in the holy city of Jerusalem. For the first half of the
Tribulation, they will be supernaturally protected from the
Antichrist and will be given the power to call for a drought and perform other miraculous signs. (See Revelation 11:1–6.) Will anyone
listen to them? Yes. Although there are numerous interpretations
concerning the 144,00016 described in Revelation 7:1–8, the best
explanation is that they are Jews who come to faith in Christ during
the first half of the Tribulation. Paul foresaw a revival among the
Jews in the last days when he declared, “all Israel will be saved”
(Romans 11:26).
The Antichrist will seek to create a religious delusion that will not
only deceive Israel, but the whole world. In this endeavor he will be
aided by the false prophet, a charismatic, religious miracle worker.
(Revelation 13:11–17.) Together they will set up a false world superchurch which, in the name of “religious tolerance,” will reach out
to and embrace a number of different religious faiths. (See
Revelation 17:1–18:24.) Millions will be deceived. Apparently this
will be accomplished by denying the existence of absolute truth and
dismissing doctrine as unimportant. Some see these trends already
developing in the modern ecumenical movement.17
How can the meteoric rise and astonishing political and “religious”
success of the Antichrist be explained? Although he will surely be a
charismatic, “smooth-talking” individual, his success will not be
based on human talents and abilities; he will enter into a covenant
with the powers of darkness. The book of Revelation symbolizes
Satan with a dragon, who is described as empowering the beast
(Antichrist). “The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne
and great authority” (Revelation 13:2). The great cosmic struggle
between light and darkness, good and evil, builds toward the final
showdown!
The Mid-Point of the Tribulation—The Antichrist Turns
Against Israel
At the mid-point of the Tribulation, Israel will suffer a stunning political reversal. The Antichrist, their hoped-for Messiah, breaks his covenant with them and launches a savage persecution of the Jews
(Daniel 9:27). The two witnesses who have faithfully proclaimed
God’s truth are killed. For three and a half days, their bodies are left
rotting in the street while the world celebrates. Suddenly, the breath
of God enters their bodies. A voice from heaven declares, “Come up
here.” The resurrected two witnesses ascend up to heaven while their
amazed and fearful enemies watched (Revelation 11:7–12).
Despite this temporary setback, the Antichrist continues his murderous onslaught of God’s people. He desecrates the Temple in what
Scripture calls the “abomination that causes desolation” by setting up
an image of himself and demanding to be worshiped. (See Daniel
9:27; Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:13–15.) This brings the Antichrist
into direct conflict with the Jews and Gentiles who have come to
faith in Christ during the Tribulation. These true believers will be
martyred for their refusal to participate in this idolatrous worship.
(See Revelation 13:15; 20:4.) The only way to escape persecution will
be to accept the Antichrist’s mark which is the number 666. Having
this mark will be necessary to function in daily life; without it, no
one will be unable to “buy or sell.” (See Revelation 13:16–18.)
Accepting the Antichrist’s mark, however, comes at a great price. It
makes you his and results in eternal damnation.
Over the years much has been said about the number 666. Some
have pointed to its prominent use in barcodes and computers. All
this may be true, but the number 666 has a symbolic meaning. “Six”
is man’s number. God’s number is “seven.” The Antichrist wants to
replace God, but he falls short of seven—the number of perfection.
The best he can do is repeating sixes.
The Second Half of the Tribulation—The Outpouring of
God’s Wrath
For forty-two months, corresponding to the second half of the
Tribulation, the Antichrist will exercise authority, blaspheme God and
make war on the saints. (See Revelation 13:5–7.) Empowered by the
forces of darkness, he will seem invincible. At the height of his power
the Antichrist will suddenly be cut down by a serious head wound,
only to experience a miraculous recovery. In delirious astonishment
the world follows after him. (See Revelation 13:3.) Bowing in satanic
dragon worship, men will declare of the Antichrist (beast), “Who is
like the beast? Who can make war against him?” (Revelation 13:4).
The answer comes swiftly in the form of God’s judgment. In a series
of devastating events, God begins to pour out His divine wrath on a
world drunk with satanic Antichrist worship.
Seated on His throne in heaven, God holds out a scroll that will
unleash His divine destruction on the wicked and rescue the righteous. But who is worthy to take the scroll, break its seals, and hurl
forth its devastating judgment? Only the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ,
slain for mankind’s sin is found to be worthy. (See Revelation 5:6.) It
is He who reaches out and takes the scroll from the hand of God and
begins to rip open its seals. (See Revelation 5:7; 6:1.) The first four
seals unleash the four horsemen of the apocalypse: conquest, war,
famine, and death. (See Revelation 6:2–8.) The fifth seal reveals the
martyrs praying for justice; the sixth, unprecedented natural disaster.
A great earthquake shakes every mountain and island. The sun turns
black, the moon blood red, and stars fall from the sky which itself
rolls up like a scroll. (See Revelation 6:9–14.) At this, all men, great
and small alike, cry out to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and
hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the
wrath of the Lamb!” (Revelation 6:16). While there are different interpretations of the seals, the best is to see them as representing an
“overview” of the destruction that takes place during the Tribulation.
Conquest, war, famine, and death will take place throughout the
Tribulation, as well as great natural disasters. The seventh seal releases
the trumpets followed by the seven bowls which represent the specific acts of God’s judgment. For this reason, when the seventh seal was
opened, “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour”
(Revelation 8:1). There is hushed awe in heaven at the power of God
about to be put on display. As a raptured believer, you will be an eyewitness to all of these heavenly events!
The trumpet, or shofar, was used in the Old Testament as a warning
signal of impending danger. At the sound of the first trumpet, hail
and fire mixed with blood are hurled onto the earth, wreaking havoc
on the earth’s vegetation (Revelation 8:7). The seas, rivers and marine
life are devastated by the second and third trumpets
(Revelation 8:8–10). The waters turn bitter, but driven mad
by thirst, men drink from them anyway. Tens of thousands die (Revelation 8:11). The fourth trumpet realigns
the stars which produces darkness, reflecting the worsening spiritual
condition of earth’s inhabitants (Revelation 8:12). At the sound of the
fifth trumpet, huge locusts emerge out of the smoke-filled Abyss
(Revelation 9:3). They torture those who have taken the mark with a
powerful sting, like that of a scorpion. So painful is it that men seek
death, but it will elude them (Revelation 9:1–11). At the sound of the
sixth trumpet, an army of 200 million sulfur-breathing demonic
horsemen are released and empowered to kill a third of the world’s
population (Revelation 9:13–19).
Why will God pour out His wrath in a series of judgments? Why
not simply destroy the earth in one final act of judgment? Is He
toying with the world? That would be out of character for God. He
sends a series of judgments over a period of three-and-a-half years
to get the attention of those who still live on earth and give them
one last opportunity to repent.18 It’s actually an act of God’s mercy.
Tragically, the survivors of the first six trumpet judgments refuse to
repent (Revelation 9:20,21).
The sound of the seventh trumpet announces the next series of
judgments—the seven bowls filled with the wrath of God
(Revelation 15:7; 16:1). The first bowl afflicts beast worshipers with
painful sores (Revelation 16:2). The second and third bowls turn the
seas and rivers into blood (Revelation 16:3,4). The fourth bowl
results in the sun heating up until it scorches those living on earth.
Seared by the intense heat, men curse the name of God but still
refuse to repent and glorify Him (Revelation 16:8,9). The fifth bowl
causes total darkness, anticipating the certain doom of the
Antichrist and his followers (Revelation 16:10,11). The sixth bowl
dries up the Euphrates River, preparing the way for the armies to
gather for the final showdown at Armageddon. Froglike, demonic
spirits come out of the mouths of Satan (dragon), the Antichrist
(beast) and the false prophet (second beast) (Revelation 16:12–14).
The final bowl results in an earthquake of unprecedented seismic
proportions followed by huge 100-pound hailstones. In spite of all
this, the inhabitants of earth refuse to repent, choosing to curse
God instead (Revelation 16:17–21). Filled with fury and anger at the
all-powerful and holy God, the unrepentant and deluded followers
of the Antichrist will gather at Armageddon19 in a vain attempt to
prevent Christ from returning and establishing His kingdom on
earth.
The Climatic Conclusion—The Battle of Armageddon
When the Antichrist has marshaled his forces at Armageddon, Christ,
the true King, will return riding on a white horse and wearing many
crowns (Revelation 19:11,12). Following Him will be the army from
heaven also mounted on white horses and “dressed in fine linen,
white and clean” (Revelation 19:14). The clothing designates that
these are the raptured believers returning with Christ. If you are a
Christian, you will be there riding with Christ’s army! The battle itself
is a slaughter, sealing the doom of those deluded by the forces of
darkness. The Antichrist and false prophet are captured and “thrown
alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 19:20). Satan is
also captured, chained, and thrown into the Abyss for 1,000 years to
keep him from deceiving the nations (Revelation 20:1-3).
Christ Establishes His Kingdom—The Beginning of the
Millennium
After the battle of Armageddon, Christ will remain on earth and set
up His 1,000- year earthly kingdom. He will rule the world from the
holy city of Jerusalem. The raptured and glorified saints who return
with Him from heaven will rule and reign with Christ (1 Corinthians
6:2,3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 3:21). As a believer, your destiny is
one day to be a part of God’s government. God has big plans for you!
Those who came to faith during the Tribulation and were martyred
will be resurrected, receive their glorified bodies, and also join in the
running of Christ’s earthly kingdom. (See Revelation 20:4). Over
whom will you rule? The survivors of the Tribulation. Not everyone
living on earth will have been at Armageddon. Now they will have
the opportunity to experience Christ’s rule which will be glorious
compared to the tyranny of the Antichrist, but they will still have
natural bodies since they have not yet experienced the resurrection.
So there will be two kinds of people living on earth during the millennium: those with natural bodies and those with resurrected, glorified bodies.
What will the millennium be like? Absolutely wonderful! Imagine
what daily life would be like without Satan’s interference. It will be
the “golden age” spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. Old
Testament prophets, like any faithful preacher, primarily spoke to the
needs and situation of their generation; but they also had
visions of a future hope when a golden age ushered in by
the Messiah’s rule would dawn upon the earth. Isaiah
foresaw a day when “the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).
From the pen of the prophets we get much of our understanding of
what the millennium will be like. First, the prophets tell us, it will be
a time when the nations are at peace (Isaiah 2:4). Since Satan has
been bound, he can no longer deceive the nations. Second, nature
will be at peace (Romans 8:21). “The wolf will live with the lamb, the
leopard will lie down with the goat” (Isaiah 11:6). Third, all the
promises made to Israel that were not fulfilled in history will be fulfilled during the millennium (Ezekiel 40–48).
The Final Rebellion—The End of the Millennium
At the end of the millennium, Satan is released from the Abyss and
goes out to deceive the nations. The deceived nations come from the
“four corners of the earth” and are called “Gog and Magog.” As they
gather their forces for an assault on the holy city of Jerusalem where
Christ reigns, they will be consumed by fire from Heaven (Revelation
20:7–9). Satan will then join the Antichrist and the false prophet in
the lake of fire where they will be “tormented day and night for ever
and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
Why will God allow Satan to escape? Those born during the millennium will only have known the personal reign of Christ and therefore will never have had to make a choice between good and evil.
Who will give birth to children during the millennium? Not you,
because you will already have your changed and glorified body. You
will be like the angels who, “neither marry nor [will] be given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30). Those who survived the Tribulation will still
have their natural bodies and be able to conceive and give birth to
children.
Why Have a Millennium?
So, why have a millennium? Why not after the battle of Armageddon
go straight to heaven, or more precisely, the New Jerusalem? Let’s
consider four reasons for having a millennium. First, it is an opportunity for God to honor His promises to Israel. Second, it is a time
when Christ can reign on earth in fulfillment of Scripture. (See 1
Corinthians 15:25.) Third, God fulfills His original intention in creating the earth. The world was originally created so that God’s image,
man and woman, might participate in God’s universal government
by ruling over the earth. (See Genesis 1:27–30.) Adam and Eve’s sin in
the Garden of Eden disrupted, but did not destroy, God’s plan.
During the golden age of the millennium, the earth will again
become a “Garden of Eden” in which humanity can fulfill their Godgiven purpose. If there is no millennium and God simply “snatches”
believers away at the Rapture, then Satan will have triumphed in that
he prevented God from accomplishing His purpose for creation.
Fourth, the millennium demonstrates the justice of God in condemning sinners. Put back into a “Garden of Eden,” man chooses to sin all
over again. This answers the objection of some who argue that it is
unfair for God to judge humanity who, since the time of Adam, are
born sinners, contaminated by Adam’s original sin. The millennium
demonstrates that, given a second opportunity, man makes the same
choice all over again. So much for blaming Adam for all our problems!
God Is In Control!
In a world of political uncertainty, when terrorism threatens the lives
of innocent civilians and evil tyrants shake their fists at the world
community, we need to remember who is in control. God sits on His
throne in glory! As the all-powerful sovereign Lord, He determines
the final outcome of history. This is a message that the persecuted
Christians who first read the book of Revelation desperately needed
to hear. The powerful Roman Empire had turned on them. The world
was closing in on them. They were so few in number and, in the natural, powerless to resist the encroaching darkness. Revelation came to
the elderly apostle John, who himself was being persecuted by the
Roman Empire and living in exile on the island of Patmos. (See
Revelation 1:9–11). It was there that he saw the vision of how all
things will end. In times of suffering, isn’t that what you want to
know? When will this be over and how will it all end? The answer is
found in Revelation which shows God on His throne and Christ victorious! The forces of darkness lie crushed beneath the Lord’s feet.
Perhaps you are going through a time of difficulty and need to be
reminded of who is in control and what the final outcome will be. In
the end, Christ will win. If you put your faith in Him, you will win,
too!
End Notes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
G. Raymond Carlson, Our Faith and Fellowship. GPH. 1977.
Luke 21 and Mark 13 are parallel passages that also record Jesus’ conversation
with his disciples about end time events.
Where We Stand. GPH. 1994, p. 128.
On the road to Emmaus the disciples were unable to recognize Jesus because they
did not expect to be talking to someone whose death they just witnessed. Their
state of mind explains why they could not initially recognize Him. Of course, eventually they did when their eyes were opened (Luke 22:13–35).
The talent was part of the currency of the first-century world, like the dollar is for us
today. In this parable, talent does not specifically refer to a special gift or ability
one possesses, although we should, of course, use everything we have to build
God’s kingdom.
After receiving the Holy Spirit at salvation, we can and should seek after another
experience called the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is
an empowerment for ministry and accompanied by the sign of speaking in other
tongues. The Rapture of the Church is for all true believers, including those who
have not yet experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is true because all
true Christians have the Holy Spirit living in them (Romans 8:15–17).
There are more than two positions, including Mid-Trib, Partial Rapture and Multiple
Rapture. These are simply too many for us to discuss in this booklet. The third
most commonly held position is Mid-Trib. Most of the arguments that are used
against Post-Trib can also be used against Mid-Trib.
The thirteenth Fundamental Truth of the Assemblies of God is called “The Blessed
Hope” (i.e., Rapture) and states, “The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep
in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church (Romans 8:23;
1 Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Titus 2:13). The Assemblies of
God also has a position paper called “The Rapture of the Church” which further
clarifies their position on this doctrine. Visit <www.ag.org> for more information.
We will discuss later why we believe the Tribulation is seven years in length.
The Jews currently cannot rebuild the Temple because the Muslims control the
temple mount area where the Temple must be rebuilt. The reason it must be rebuilt
on the temple mount area is that this is the sacred ground where Solomon’s temple
and Herod’s temple once stood. At present no other location will satisfy orthodox
Jews.
The King James Version uses “weeks.” This is because the Hebrew word for
“seven” over time came to mean “week.” However the word “week” can be somewhat misleading, because Daniel was talking about years, not days.
Josh McDowell. The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1999. Pages 197–201. Assemblies of God theologian Stanley Horton favors
using 458/457 B.C. when Ezra participated in the rebuilding of Jerusalem as the
date for calculating the time of the arrival of the Anointed One. See Stanley Horton.
Our Destiny. Springfield MO: GPH. 1996. Page 98.
When doing the calculation, remember that the Jewish year only has 360 days.
Different options will not be discussed for the sake of simplicity and clarity.
We know that the Temple will be rebuilt because the Antichrist will desecrate it.
16
17
18
19
How could he desecrate a Temple that is not standing? The temple mount area is
the sacred site where the orthodox Jews insist the Temple must be located. This is
the site of Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple. The problem is that Israel currently does not have access to the temple mount area because two Muslim
mosques are located there (Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa). For the Muslims, this
is the third-most holy site after Mecca and Medina, so they are extremely reluctant
to surrender it. How the Antichrist will negotiate this difficult religious issue which
lies beneath the tensions in the Middle East is difficult to imagine, but that is what
will make his diplomatic success so remarkably stunning.
The number need not be taken literally since Revelation is filled with symbolism.
Twelve is the number of Israel and 1,000 is the number of completion. “12 x 12,000
= 144,000” symbolizes the complete number, or all from Israel who are to come
into salvation. Surely the 144,000 are Israel, since John goes to great length to list
off all the tribes of Israel (with the exception of Dan).
The Assemblies of God disapproves ministers participating in the modern ecumenical movement. Article IX, section 11c explains one of the reasons for this, “We
believe that the combination of many religious organizations into the world superchurch will culminate in the religious Babylon of Revelation 17 and 18.
It’s too late for those who have accepted the mark of the beast to repent, but not
everyone on earth during the Tribulation is under the direct control of the Antichrist.
Those living in the ten-nation confederation controlled by the Antichrist will be
forced to accept the mark or die. Those living in other parts of the world will not
necessarily be forced to take the mark.
Armageddon is a valley in northern Israel. Throughout history many battles have
been fought in this strategic valley, including Deborah’s victory over Hazor,
Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites, Saul’s defeat at the hands of the Philistines, etc.
Notes
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- National Youth Ministries

Transcription

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