Overview of the End-Times
John Hoole - November 21, 2010
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Last week we began our new series of lessons on what the Bible says about the End Times. We looked at what End-Time Prophecy is defined. We also learned why a study of this topic is important. After all, Predictive prophecy makes up 27% of the entire Bible, and 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that "All Scripture ... is profitable."
It is my opinion – and I don’t think that I am going out of a limb here the Bible is the only reliable source for information about the end of the world. But you won’t have to take my opinion for it. During this series, I will show you why the Bible can be trusted. Then you can decide for yourself.
What is so important about knowing how things will end, or about knowing what is going to happen when I die.” Knowing what is going to happen when you die just may change the way you live in the here-and-now. The Bible says that God has an intricate plan all worked out, and everything is going according to his schedule. He is going ahead with it whether you of I believe it or not. He won’t cancel the whole thing just because we deny it.
I think you owe it to yourself to see what the Bible says about God’s plan for the world and for you. Your life will depend on it…..and your life after death will be determined by it.
The very fact that the Bible contains predictive prophecies makes it a unique book. No book of any other major world religion can make such a claim. And history has consistently taken the stand as a reliable and authentic witness to the accuracy of Bible prophecies.
Isaiah shows us why God considers prophecy to be very important. He tells us how prophecy demonstrates the uniqueness of God and how, because of already fulfilled prophecy, there is none like Him.
Let’s look at three Passages in the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 46:9-10 NIV
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.
Isaiah 42:9 NIV
9 See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
Isaiah 48:5 NIV
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, `My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'
The Scriptures we just read tell us that God is unique in that He alone knows the end from the beginning. He says, in effect: “You have seen things come to pass as I had told you beforehand. This proves that I am God.” Then He goes on to tell us that, because former things have come to pass as He had said, then we should also believe Him when He tells us things about the future which are yet to come to pass. We can trust biblical prophecies which are yet unfulfilled because of God’s past track record.
In my opinion, already fulfilled prophecy is quite possibly the greatest internal evidence of the divine inspiration of the Bible. You just don’t see these kinds of prediction in the writings of other major world religions.
The Bible says that God has a timetable. He has had one ever since the creation of this world. But, in His Word, He has given us a glimpse of some of the detail of this timetable. Some of the things in God’s timetable have already occurred.
Galatians 4:4-5 NIV
4 In the fullness of time [according to God’s timetable], God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.
5 In order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
We all were born under the law of God, and all of us have broken that law and sinned. So God sent His only Son to pay the penalty of that broken law – which was death. What’s more, He didn’t just set us free, but He adopted us as His sons & daughters.
Forty days after He paid the price for our sins, we find Jesus about ready to return to the Father. He and his disciples were standing atop the Mount of Olives. One moment they had been talking to Jesus, and the next moment they saw him rise through the clouds, hidden from view.
Acts 1:9 (KJV)
“….while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”
I can imagine that for a few second there was complete silence, and they gazed at the cloud that engulfed Him. For 3½ years, they had been with Jesus nearly every moment. In the most recent 40 days following his resurrection from the dead, Jesus had been coming and going, as He showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive……and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)
Would He come back again. There had been many times when He had left them alone. Sometimes He just disappeared out of their sight (Luke 24:31). But this time, somehow His return would be different..
For the rest of the time we have today, I want to devote it to a general overview of end time prophecy, as the Bible depicts it. I want you to raise questions and/or make comments. This will give me some idea of what to talk about when we get to the detailed study of these events.
I believe the most significant single truth in all the Bible – both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, is the certainty of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. While there may be some disagreement as to when the second coming will happen there exists absolutely no disagreement among fundamental believers that Jesus is coming again.
CAN YOU QUOTE OR READ TO ME SOME SCRIPTURES WHICH SHOW, WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT JESUS IS COMING AGAIN?
John 14:1-3 (KJV)
1. Let not your heart be troubled; Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Acts 1:10-11 NIV
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Hebrews 9:28 NIV
28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Matt 24:44 NKJV
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
While we do not know precisely when this event will take place, we are given some clues that indicate that it is close. It could happen within the hour, or be delayed 5 to 10 years or more. But it will happen. And we can never take the chance that we are not ready for when He comes.
And Paul gives the Corinthian believers some much needed assurance concerning the return of Christ. He speaks of Christ in Heaven, ……and we on earth
1 Thess. 4:16-17 tells us…….the Lord will descend……from heaven…..
And when He does, 3 things will accompany that descent.
He will descend with a shout,…with the voice of the archangel….and with the trump of God.
Then Paul turns towards the earth, and said…
…the dead in Christ will rise first….then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.
Then He gives a very comforting promise....and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
WHAT IS THIS EVENT MOST OFTEN CALLED?
The event where we rise to meet Christ in the air, is called the Rapture.
ONCE WE HAVE MET CHRIST IN THE AIR, WHERE DO WE GO?
We all go to heaven with Him. We go to the place He has been preparing for us.
ONCE THE CHURCH HAS BEEN TAKEN TO HEAVEN, WHAT HAPPENS ON EARTH?
Shortly after the rapture of the Church, there will be the beginning of a period of turmoil such as this world has never seen.
WHAT IS THIS PERIOD KNOWN AS??
The Tribulation.
Most of the Book of Revelation deals with what happens during this time on earth.
IF THE “DEAD IN CHRIST” HAVE BEEN RESURRECTED AT THE RAPTURE, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE UNGODLY DEAD?
WHEN ARE THEY RESURRECTED?
Rev 20:4-6 NIV
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 The rest of the dead (the ungodly dead) did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Those who have died without knowing Christ as their personal savior, are not resurrected for another 1,000 years. This introduces the subject of the resurrection, which we will study in detail later.
What we see in these verses is that everybody will be resurrected, regardless of their relationship with God. We also learn here that not all are resurrected at the same time. What we will learn as we study this subject in detail, is how each resurrection takes place, what happens to each of these groups of people.
IF CHRIST HAS MET US IN THE AIR AND TAKEN US WITH HIM TO HEAVEN, DOES HE EVER ACTUALLY COME TO THE EARTH?
WHEN?
A few minutes ago, we just briefly mentioned what is going on here on earth while we are with Christ. The tribulation, and all that may portend, is taking place. It is after this tribulation time when Christ come back to earth.
Matthew 24:29-30 NAS
29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken,
30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
We have mentioned the Rapture, when Christ descends from heaven, and we rise to meet him in the air. And now we have this event, where Jesus comes all the way to earth, immediately after the Tribulation. This event is mentioned many places, among them Revelation 1:7. NAS
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.
Not everyone sees him at the Rapture. But here, at the completed 2nd Coming, all eyes will witness his return.
HOW LONG AFTER THE RAPTURE DOES CHRIST’S COMING TO EARTH OCCUR?
7 years.
I know this will be a point of possible dispute, and we will have plenty of time to discuss the myriad of views in a later lesson.
If there is 7 years between the Rapture and the complete return of Christ to the earth, that indicates the Christians, who went to heaven following their meeting Christ in the air, will have been with him for those 7 years.
DURING THE 7 YEARS THAT WE ARE IN HEAVEN WITH CHRIST, WHAT IS TAKING PLACE THERE?
Two things occur in heaven while we are there with Christ.
1. The Judgment Seat of Christ.
This event is mentioned in multiple places. One is in Romans 14.
Romans 14:10 NKJV
10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
First of all, this verse as well as the others that address this event, show us that only believers are at this judgment. Remember what we read a moment ago in Revelation 20:4-6 how the ungodly dead are not resurrected for more than 1,000. The Judgment Seat of Christ is not an event where all the bad you have ever done is revealed. It’s not that kind of judgment.
This is sometimes referred to as the BEMA judgment because that is the Greek word translated “judgment seat.” It takes that name from the elevated platform where the judges sat at the original Grecian Olympic games. The winners of each event would parade before this BEMA, and receive a laurel wreath, signifying their victory. That is the kind of judgment which will occur with only believers. They will be rewarded for their faithfulness.
Another event that takes place in heaven during the 7 years we are there.
2. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
This event is also mentioned in several places, with the greatest information about it mentioned in Revelation 19.
WHAT IS A MARRIAGE SUPPER?
This harks back to Jewish tradition, both in the Old and New Testaments. It is a wedding feast. This is no small event. This could go on for days, according to Jewish customs. I believe this wedding feast will be of such magnitude, that it might go on for months or years.
WHOSE MARRIAGE SUPPER IS IT?
It is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We need to make sure everyone understands who this is.
WHO IS THE LAMB?
It is Jesus Christ. In John 1:29, we find John the Baptist speaking about Jesus, saying "behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
WHO IS THE OTHER PARTY IN THIS MARRIAGE FEAST?
WHO IS THE BRIDE?
It is the church.
Ephesians 5 shows us that the relationship between Christ and the church is illustrated by that of a husband to his wife.
Before leaving this event, let’s read the place where it is mentioned in Revelation 19.
Revelation 19:6-9 NKJV
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
In this same chapter, immediately following the record of this glorious event, we are told that Christ comes back to the earth, putting an end to the Tribulation. So we know this event occurs prior to Christ’s complete return to the earth.
IS CHRIST ALONE WHEN HE COMES BACK TO EARTH?
No!!
All the saints that were caught up to meet Christ in the air, at the Rapture will accompany Him back to earth. They are the Bride of Christ.
Jude 14 NKJV
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
Now let’s go back to Revelation 19, in the verses following the record of the Marriage Feast.
Revelation 19:14 NKJV
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Earlier, when we read Revelation 19:6-9, we learned who these are who are clothed in fine linen, clean and white. They are the Bride of Christ, who is celebrating the marriage to the groom, Christ, at the wedding feast.
AT THE TIME CHRIST COMES TO EARTH WITH HIS SAINTS, WHAT IS TAKING PLACE ON EARTH AT THAT VERY MOMENT?
The Battle of Armageddon will be at its height.
Revelation 16:16 NKJV
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
WHAT DOES CHRIST DO IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVING ON EARTH?
Four things are mentioned, three of which take place if fairly short order. The fourth takes a little time to complete. The first three things that happen quickly are:
1. He destroys the armies of the Antichrist.
Returning again to the sequence of events portrayed in Revelation 19.
Revelation 19:19 NKJV
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
The beast is the Antichrist. He is often referred to in this manner in the book of Revelation. And he is making war against the one sitting on the horse, and against his army. According to verse 11, earlier in the chapter, we know that the person sitting on the horse is Christ. And his army are the saints, clothed in white – his bride – which accompany him back to earth.
Revelation 19:21 NKJV, tells us the action Christ takes.
21 And the rest [that’s all the armies of the Antichrist] were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
So one thing that happens upon Christ’s arrival to earth, is the destruction of the armies of the Antichrist.
Again, return to the sequence of events in Revelation 19 for the second thing Christ does..
2. The Antichrist and his right-hand man, the False Prophet, are cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 19:20 NKJV
20 Then the beast (that’s the Antichrist) was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Here we have the second thing that occurs when Christ arrives. The Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire.
Later, we will study these two people in much greater detail. And we will look at who makes up the armies of the Antichrist.
Now for the third thing Christ does in short order.
3. Satan is put in chains and cast into the bottomless pit
With point #2, we have completed Revelation, chapter 19, and now, with point #3, we begin chapter 20.
Revelation 20:1-3 NKJV
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
So, this is the 3rd thing that happens. An angel, having a chain, binds Satan and throws him into the bottomless pit.
The fourth thing that takes place after Christ returns to earth is the setting up of His (Christ’s) kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years. We find that in the next verse.
Revelation 20:4 NKJV
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.
WHAT WILL LIFE BE LIKE DURING THE 1000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST?
1. Justice & Equity (Isaiah 11:4, Jer. 23:5)
2. The saints will reign with him (Rev. 20:4)
3. Peace
4. Long life
5. Restoration of Creation
Satan is loosed from the Bottomless Pit
Revelation 20:7 NIV
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
WHAT ARE WE TOLD THAT SATAN DOES?
Revelation 20:8 NIV
8 and [Satan] will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
How many times in your life have you (and I) questioned why God allowed some things to happen? You could probably ask that question again here. Doesn’t it seem strange that once Satan was bound and gagged, God would allow him to come back and stir up trouble again? We will address this question in greater detail later, but let me give two observations from this series of events. Satan’s release will reveal two things.
1. It reveals that Satan never changes.
He continues his evil deception. He goes all over the earth to convince people to make war against Christ.
HOW SUCCESSFUL IS SATAN IN CONVINCING PEOPLE?
He is very successful. The last phrase of the Passage we just reads: In number they are like the sand on the seashore. Even though these people have lived most or all of their lives under the peace and equity of the reign of Jesus Christ, people will still be deceived by Satan. So the first thing revealed after Satan’s release is that Satan never changes. He is still a deceiver and is out to kill and destroy.
2. The second thing that is revealed is that man still has a sinful nature.
Because people are sinful by nature, people will be easy targets for Satan’s enticements. When Satan is released for a time, he will gather some of his old cohorts – Gog and Magog the nations that hated Israel, and march one more time on Jerusalem, where Jesus is. And, even though people have lived under ideal conditions of Christ’s kingdom, human hearts do not change. The Scripture is correct when it describes the human heart as “desperately wicked.”
DOES THIS BATTLE LAST VERY LONG?
Not very long.
Revelation 20:9 NIV
9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
The battle doesn’t last long. Fire comes out of heaven and zaps them.
IS THAT THE END OF SATAN?
IF NOT, WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM NEXT?
Verse 10 says Satan is now cast into the Lake of Fire?
UP TO THIS MOMENT, WHO ARE THE ONLY INHABITANTS OF THE LAKE OF FIRE?
Remember what we read in Revelation 19:20. It tells us that the Antichrist (Beast) and the False Prophet were cast alive into the Lake of Fire. The third person is Satan himself.
Revelation 20:10 NAS
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also;
Notice what happens to people who are cast into the Lake of Fire. The verse we just read says “where the beast and the false prophet are,” indicating they are still alive. They were cast alive into the Lake of Fire (19:20) and they are still alive after 1,000 years.
I point that out to show that people who are cast into the Lake of Fire are not just burned up, and then cease to exist. Like the antichrist and the false prophet, they will continue to exist in a state of torment. And it won’t end after a thousand years either. The last phrase of the verse we just read says, “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
WHAT TAKES PLACE NEXT?
The Great White Throne judgment.
Revelation 20:11-13 NAS
11 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Earlier in this 20th chapter of Revelation, we read about the 1st resurrection. The event described here is the second resurrection. This is when the unsaved dead from Adam until the end of the Millennium are raised, and their tormented souls are reunited with their bodies.
AGAIN, WHO IS JUDGED AT THE “WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT?”
Only the ungodly.
WHAT IS THE FINAL DESTINATION OF EVERYONE AT THIS JUDGMENT?
Revelation 20:15 NAS
15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
WHAT IS THE NEXT THING JOHN WRITES ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION?
Revelation 21:1 NIV
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
There are a number of other Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testaments, that address these changes mentioned here. I won’t say much about the new heaven and new earth at this time, but it will be addressed in a later lesson. The physical makeup of the new earth will be drastically different. 75% of the earth we now live on is covered by seas. In the new earth, there will be no seas.
WHAT IS THE NEXT THING JOHN SEES?
He gets a vision of the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:2 NKJV
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.
This is the place where we will live forever. This is what Jesus has been preparing for his bride and those that followed God. We will not be sitting on clouds strumming our harps. This will be a place of great activity. It will be pure “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8)