God’s Plan for Man – Prophecy

GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN (Prophecy)

Compiled by Rev. Jerry Schmoyer

OUTLINE

I. BEGINNINGS (Eternity Past to Abraham) p 1-2

A. GOD’S PLAN p 1

B. SATAN’S REBELLION p 1

C. GOD TELLS MAN THE FUTURE p 1

D. ULTIMATE VICTORY PREDICTED p 2

II. ISRAEL (Abraham to The Church) p 2-6

A. CREATION TO ABRAHAM p 2

B. ABRAHAM AND THE NATION OF ISRAEL p 3

C. SEVENTY ‘WEEKS’ OF DANIEL 9:24-27 p 3

D. MESSIAH’S FIRST COMING p 4

III. THE CHURCH AGE (Crucifixion to the Rapture) p 6-14

A. CHURCH AGE (GRACE) p 6

B. THE RAPTURE p 7

C. THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB p 9

D. ISRAEL DURING THE CHURCH AGE p 10

E. WHEN – SIGNS OF THE TIMES p 11

IV. TRIBULATION (Rapture to Millennium) p 14-30

A. SATAN AFTER THE RAPTURE p 14

B. THE ANTICHRIST p 15

C. THE FALSE PROPHET p 167

D. THE NATIONS p 18

E. THE TRIBULATION p 18

F. THE EVANGELISTS p 19

G. DURING THE FIRST 3 ½ YEARS p 20

H. MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION p 22

I. DURING THE SECOND 3 ½ YEARS p 24

J. AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION p 25

K. THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS p 26

L. JUDGMENT ON GOD’S ENEMIES p 28

M. REWARD AND BLESSING ON GOD’S PEOPLE p 29

V. MILLENNIUM & ETERNITY FUTURE p 30-35

A. THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM p 30

B. AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM p 32

C. ENTERING THE ETERNAL STATE p 33

D. ETERNITY FUTURE p 35

CONCLUSION: How This Applies to Us p 35-36

APPENDIX p 37

APPENDIX A. OUTLINE OF PROPHECY (FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT) p 39-40

APPENDIX B. IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING PROPHECY p 41

APPENDIX C. DANIEL OUTLINE p 42-47

APPENDIX D. 490-YEAR PERIODS IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY p 48

APPENDIX E. BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF THE MESSIAH p 49

APPENDIX F. RESURRECTIONS p 50

APPENDIX G. HEBREWS 8-10: LAW & GRACE p 51

APPENDIX H. ASCENSION OF JESUS p 52

APPENDIX I. RAPTURE p 53

APPENDIX J. REWARDS p 54

APPENDIX K. TIME LINE OF PROPHECY (valley) p 55

APPENDIX L. SIGNS OF THE TIMES p 56

APPENDIX M. SIGNS IN MATTHEW 24 – 25 p 57

APPENDIX N. TRIBULATION p 58

APPENDIX 0. REVELATION OUTLINE p 59-60

APPENDIX P. SEAL, TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS p 61

APPENDIX Q. RAPTURE & SECOND COMING CONTRASTED p 62

APPENDIX R. MILLENNIUM p 63

APPENDIX S. GENESIS & REVELATION p 64

APPENDIX T. THE UNDERWORLD p 65

APPENDIX U. TIME LINE (Creation to Present) p 66-71

APPENDIX V. TIME LINE (Jesus & Early Church) p 72

APPENDIX W. THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT p 73-74

APPENDIX X. HOW TO INTERPRET PROPHECY p 75

APPENDIX Y. GLOSSARY OF TERMS p 76-85

SUBJECT INDEX p 86-87

SCRIPTURE INDEX p 88-90

 

GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN

(All scriptures are from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated)

(Compiled by Jerry Schmoyer – Feb. 14, 2000)

I. BEGINNINGS (Eternity Past to Abraham)

A. GOD’S PLAN

1. God always existed

Gen 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. God planned all that would happen before the world was even created

1 Pet 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy & blameless in his sight. In love

John 17:24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

B. SATAN’S REBELLION

Satan wanted to be worshipped instead of God, so he rebelled and was kicked out of heaven, taking about 1/3 of the angels with him (now called demons). He still wants to be worshipped, that is his motivating ambition.

Isa 14:12-15 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

Ezek 28:17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

1 Cor 10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

Matt 4:9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

(For more information about the function of Satan and demons today, as well as how we can have victory over them, see “The Spiritual Warfare Mini-Handbook” by Jerry Schmoyer.)

C. GOD TELLS MAN THE FUTURE

1. God’s way has been to reveal His future plans to man, not keep them hidden (SEE APP.X ).

Gen 18:17-19 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

ABRAHAM knew he would be the father of Israel : Gen 18:18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

The JEWS knew they would be in Egypt 4 generations: Gen 15:13-16 Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. … In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

The PROPHETS knew the Jews would go into captivity (Babylonian)

2. Men have known about and looked forward to Jesus’ coming to earth.

ENOCH – Jude 14-16 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

JOB – Job 19:25-26 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;

DAVID – Ps 2:4-6 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion , my holy hill.”

ISAIAH – Isa 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

The JEWS IN JESUS’ DAY were looking for the Messiah, knowing it was time for Him to come: Matt 11:23 -When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (also see Luke 7:19)

3 God’s prophetic plan for man is revealed in the Old Testament (APPENDIX A). It isn’t something new, something just in the New Testament. (SEE APPENDIX W, X)

4 God promises special blessings for those who study prophecy, for it keeps their perspective of this life in balance (for the importance of studying prophecy see APPENDIX B, X).

Rev 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

D. ULTIMATE VICTORY PREDICTED

The first prophecy in the Bible is that the seed of the woman, will ultimately defeat Satan, the serpent. Jesus, born of a woman, fulfilled this. This important theme is taught throughout the Zodiac as well.

Gen 3:14-15 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

II. ISRAEL (Abraham to The Church)

A. CREATION TO ABRAHAM

1. Man was made to be with God in Eden, but sin separated man from God. Man longs for reunion with God. but that won’t happen until the Millennial Kingdom returns things to Garden of Eden conditions.

Rom 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

2. Even after Eden, man repeatedly failed to follow God, so God judged sin and tried again (Flood, Babel). NIMROD tried to counterfeit one world reunion, but without God. BABEL/BABYLON stands for man without God rebellion against God. Satan will try this again in the Tribulation with the Antichrist and rebuilt Babylon (Revelation 17-18).

B. ABRAHAM AND THE NATION OF ISRAEL

1. God set apart Abraham to start a special nation (Zech 2:8; 13:1).

2. The Jews were to spread God’s word.

Deut 4:5-8 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? (see also Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

3. They were also to produce the Messiah.

Rom 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

4. They are unconditionally His special people for all eternity ( Jeremiah 25:11-13).

Gen 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Gen 15:12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.

5. First the Jews went into Egypt because of disobedience, then He gave them the law

6. When they continued to fail to obey He sent them into the Babylonian captivity, prophesied to last for 70 years.

Jer 25:11-12 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. “But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the LORD, “and will make it desolate forever.

Jer 29:10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon , I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.

C. SEVENTY ‘WEEKS’ OF DANIEL 9:24-27

1. Not only was Daniel a great man of God, but he also received from God the outline of what would happen from his time to the end of the ages. In Chapters 2, 7 and 8 God said there would be 4 world empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. We live in the time of Rome, for the West, which dominates the world, is an extension of Rome (same basic government, measurement, finances, philosophy, culture, etc.). (SEE APPENDIX C)

2. As the 70 years in Babylon drew to a close, Daniel asked God what would happen next. God told him there would be 70 7-year periods left in Israel’s history, or 490 years (APPENDIX D) (‘Heptad,’ translated ‘seven,’ is used of a 7-year period in Genesis 29:17).

Dan 9:24-27 24 “Seventy `sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. 25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,’ and sixty-two `sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two `sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’ In the middle of the `seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

God told him that the 70 years of captivity would be followed by 70 “sevens” (Daniel 9:24 -27). The word for these “sevens,” ‘heptad,’ can be translated “7 year period” (Genesis 29:17). Thus God told Daniel that Israel ’s future would consist of 70 7-year periods, or 490 years (Daniel 9:24 -27). This period would start with “the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem ” (Daniel 9:24 ), which we see as happening March 14, 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:1-8). The first 69 of these 7 year ‘heptads,’ or 483 years, would end when “the anointed One will be cut off” (Daniel 9:26). We see this to have been fulfilled April 6, 32 AD . It was that day, called Palm Sunday, that Jesus publicly offered Himself as the Messiah-King and was turned down (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40). The period between March 14, 445 BC and April 6, 32 AD was exactly 483 years, to the day! People then and there went by 360 day years, following the 12 month, 30 day lunar calendar (Esther 1:4; Revelation 12:6, in referring to the 70^th ‘heptad,’ says the last 3 ½ years will be 1260 days long which equals 360 day years for these ‘heptads.’). Thus 483 years of 360 days each equals 173,880 days. Now, from 445 BC to 32 AD is 476 calendar years, times 365 days in a calendar year. This results in 173,740 days. Add to this 116 leap year days during that time and include 24 days from March 14 to April 6 and the grand total is 173,880 – the same as prophesied! If the first 69 ‘heptads’ were literally fulfilled, we believe the last will be, too. We believe this is still future. It will begin when the “ruler who will come” (Daniel 9:26 – we call him the ‘Antichrist’) will make a 7-year peace treaty with Israel , which he will break in the middle (Daniel 9:26 -27). He will be similar to Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8:9-14) but much, much worse (Daniel 11:36 -45). He will “destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26 ). We see these things as yet future.

Numbers, as well as colors and materials, often have symbolic significance in the Bible. The Tabernacle is a perfect picture of this. The number 7 is the most-used number in the Bible (600 times). It refers to perfection and completeness (Genesis 2:2-3; Lev. 13:5-6). Revelation is structured around 7 7’s (churches, seals, trumpets, bowls, etc.) (SEE APPENDIX O, page 2) Seven times 7 intensifies the significance of 7 (49 – Lev 23:15 ; 25:8) as does 7 times 10 (70 – Gen 50:3; Dan 9:2; Ps 90:10). 490 is the ultimate completeness (7 x 7 x 10). It is no surprise that God uses 490 years to show the completeness and perfection of His work with His people. Three is the number of God (Trinity), so three 490 year time periods is the ultimate in God’s sovereign outworking.

The Jews in Jesus’ day were looking for the Messiah, knowing it was time for Him to come: Matt 11:23 -When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (*also see Luke 7:19)

3. The reasons given for these 490 years are four-fold:

a. “Finish transgression & put an end to sin” (death for sin on the cross)

b. “Atone for wickedness” (Second coming to remove all sin)

c. “Bring in everlasting righteousness” (establish Millennial kingdom)

d. “Seal up vision and prophecy” (fulfill all prophecy)

e “Anoint the Most Holy” (Christ on Millennial throne forever)

4. This is the third 490-year period in Israel’s history (APPENDIX D).

D. MESSIAH’S FIRST COMING

1. This is the Incarnation of the Messiah Jesus (5 BC), when God left heaven to come to earth as a baby.

Phil 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!

Matt 1:20 -23 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”-which means, “God with us.”

2. Jesus’ FIRST coming was prophesied, and all those prophecies were fulfilled (SEE APPENDIX E) so we know His second coming will be just as clearly fulfilled. Chicago’s Rabbi Eckstein says that all of this climatic ferment epicentered in the middle east, seems to him to be messianic times. And if this is it, if the messiah appears, rabbi Eckstein says that he can’t wait to ask him one question: Is this your second visit or your first?

3. When He came the first time, Jesus was rejected by the nation as a whole as the Messiah.

Matt 21:4-17 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, `See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem , the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee .” … And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany , where he spent the night.

4. Jesus went to the cross to pay for the sins of mankind (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

5. Jesus’ resurrection guaranteed our coming resurrection and victory over death (for a complete picture of all the resurrections see APPENDIX F)

1 Cor 15:3-8 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

1 Cor 15:12-28 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

For accounts of the resurrection of Jesus see: Matthew 28:2-15; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18

6. It was on the cross that Satan’s power was broken — his ‘head crushed’ (Genesis 3:16). He won’t meet his final doom until after the Millennium, but his eternal doom and fate were sealed on the cross.

Gen 3:14-15 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

7. The Old Covenant (Law) was replaced by the New Covenant (Grace) (SEE APPENDIX G).

Jeremiah 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah .

Luke 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Hebrews 8:8 But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah .

Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

8. After Jesus came back to life and He ascended back to heaven (SEE APPENDIX H)

Mark 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Luke 24:51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

9. Jesus is now seated in heaven, interceding and mediating for us.

Acts 7:55-56 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

See also Acts 9:3-5; 22:6-8; 26:13-15; Rev 1:13-18; col 3:1; Eph 2:6; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2

III. THE CHURCH AGE (Crucifixion to the Rapture)

A. CHURCH AGE (GRACE)

1. Because of their rejection of the Messiah, Israel is temporarily set aside and God’s focus is now on the Church, His Bride (Grace).

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Eph 5:25-28 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

2. Some see the 7 churches in Revelation, while being addressed to literal churches then in existence, also as revealing the stages the church will go through during the age of grace

EPHESUS : Empty of love 40-100 AD (Apostolic)

SMYRNA Persecuted/Suffering 100-313 (Persecution)

PERGAMUS Worldly Compromise 313-500 (Roman Church)

THYATIRA Paganized, Tolerating 500-1500 (Dark Ages)

SARDIS Lifeless 1500-1800 (Reformation)

PHILADELPHIA Faithful, Missionary 1800-Rapture (Revived Church)

LAODICEA Lukewarm, Indifferent 1900-2^nd Coming (Apostasy)

3. During this time there are three groups of people on earth: Jews, Gentiles and Christians (composed of both Jews and Gentiles who accept Jesus as their Savior), also called the Body of Christ or the Bride of Christ.

Gal 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

4. The Jews are set aside as a nation, but individually they can still come to Jesus as the Messiah. Their setting aside isn’t permanent, for God’s promises to Israel are unconditional. One day they will reenter the center stage and God’s focus will again be on them. Romans 9-11 tell about this in detail. (SEE APPENDIX W)

Rom 10:1-4 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Rom 11:1, 7-12 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. … What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! … If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

B. THE RAPTURE

1. Jesus will return to take His Bride to heaven (SEE APPENDIX I). This will include all believers, Jew or Gentile, who have come to Jesus from the crucifixion to the Rapture.

John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Acts 1:9-11 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.”

1 Thess 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

1 Cor 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

2. Note that the Rapture is NOT the ‘Second Coming,’ which follows the Tribulation (SEE APPENDIX Q).

3. This follows the pattern of the Palestinian wedding.

4. cf in Rapture sermon in Rev folder

cf “The Ancient Jewish Wedding” bk & video on sermons stack

Something similar happened to Elijah and Elisha in the Old Testament.

Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

2 Kings 2 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. … The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.” … As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

5. It is important to realize that the Rapture will take place BEFORE the Tribulation, not during or after it. There is much proof that it is BEFORE the Tribulation period

Believers are not under God’s judgment – not ever! (The Tribulation is judgment.)

Rom 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Rev 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

1 Thess 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God removes and protects His people from Judgment: Noah safe from Flood, Lot out of Sodom , Rahab out of Jericho , Jews safe from plagues 4-10 in Egypt

The Rapture is ‘Imminent,’ – there is nothing that needs to happen before it.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

James 5:8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Phil 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

The church will be delivered from the wrath to come, referring to the Tribulation.

1 Thess 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

The Rapture is called the ‘blessed hope,’ and that wouldn’t be true if tribulations came first.

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

The Holy Spirit will be gone before the Antichrist will be revealed. The Holy Spirit indwells

us, so we will be gone before the Antichrist is known at the start of the Tribulation.

2 Thess 2:3, 5-9 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. … Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 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. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

The church isn’t mentioned in the Tribulation.

The church is mentioned 17 times in Rev 1-3, but not at all in 4-18 (which is about

the Tribulation (SEE APPENDIX 0)

C. THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

1. Immediately after the Rapture will come the ‘Bema’ seat (receiving of rewards, believers reconciled, positions and responsibilities for eternity are assigned)

1 Cor 3:12-15 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

2 Cor 5:10 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.

Rom 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

2. Rewards given will be for living in victory (I Cor 9:25), leading others to salvation (I Thes 2:19), righteous living (II Tim 4:8; I Jn 3:3; 2:29), faithful living, even unto a martyr’s death (Rev 2:10; James 1:12) and looking for His coming glory (I Peter 5:2-4). (SEE APPENDIX J).

3. Then, still following the pattern of Palestinian weddings, there will be a wedding feast, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, a 7-year celebration by the Bride and Groom in heaven.

Rev 4:4, 10 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. … the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne. (The 24 elders are the symbolic representation for us, the Bride, at the throne).

Rev 5:6, 8, 14 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. … And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. … The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped.

4. The guests at the Marriage feasts will be the Old Covenant (Old Testament and Tribulation) believers who have died. (see also Mark 6:22, 26; Luke 14:16)

Matt 9:15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Matt 22:10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

D. ISRAEL DURING THE CHURCH AGE

1. Because of their rejection of the Messiah, the Jews are temporarily set aside and the focus is on the Bride of Christ, composed of born-again (John 3) Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:28).

2. Individually Jews can come to Jesus and become part of the Bride of Christ. (See III. A. 3 and 4 above), although as a nation they are blinded because their rejection of Jesus hardens their hearts.(SEE APPENDIX W).

Rom 11:7-10 What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

Isa 6:9-10 He said, “Go and tell this people: “`Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people callused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

3. It was prophesied that the Jews would be scattered as a nation This began in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

Deut 28:64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods–gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

Lev 26:33 will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.

4. Is was also prophesied that the land of Palestine would become desolate.

Lev 26:33 will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.

Deut 29:22-23 Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it. The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur–nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah , Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in fierce anger.

5. In addition, the Bible says the Jews will be persecuted.

Deut 28:65 Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.

6. Despite all this, God will preserve the Jews from destruction.

Isa 66:22 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure.

Isa 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Jer 30:11 I am with you and will save you,’ declares the LORD. `Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’

Jer 31:35-36 This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar– the LORD Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.”

7. Then the Jews will be regathered back into their own land, but still in unbelief.

Ezek 36:22-28 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. “`For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezek 37:1-7 :The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, `Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

“no breath” = no wind, spirit, no Holy Spirit in them (atheists today)

Deut 30:3-8 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today.

Isa 10:22-23 Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land.

8. The land of Israel will be reclaimed.

Isa 35:1-7 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom .Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon ; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool ,the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

Joel 2:21-26 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things. Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. Be glad, O people of Zion , rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. `I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm- my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.

9. Israel will become a nation again

Isa 66:7-8 “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

10. The nation Israel will be strong militarily.

Zech 12:6 On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.

11. The nation will return to the Hebrew language.

Zeph 3:9 “Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

12. Remember many Old Testament prophecies don’t distinguish between the First and Second Coming but lump them together. (SEE APPENDIX K).

E. WHEN – SIGNS OF THE TIMES

1. There were hundreds of prophecies about the first coming. Jesus rebuked Israel’s rulers for not recognizing the signs of His first coming (Simeon and Anna knew – Luke 2) (SEE APPENDIX E) 100 prophecies about 1^st Coming, 500 about 2^nd coming (318 promises of Christ’s return) 28% of Bible.

Matt 16:3 and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

.2. Prophecy is ‘shut up’ until the end when it would be better understood (as happening now).

Dan 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

Signs of the end times = 1) speed & frequency of travel and 2) knowledge increases

3. The time of Jesus’ return is unknown, so always be ready (Matthew 24:42-44). We don’t know day or hour (Acts 1:7; Mt 24:36) but do know ‘season’ — general time.

4. While there are no events that have to come to pass before the Rapture, if we look at conditions on earth at the start of the Tribulation, which follows the Rapture, and compare them to conditions today, we can see that the time could be very near (SEE APPENDIX L).

5. Jesus Himself gave several ‘signs’ of what would be happening when the Tribulation was near. These he likened to labor pains. They start small and gradually grow until culminating in birth. In His analogy, the ‘birth’ is His return to earth at the end of the Tribulation. These prophecies are given by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, Matthew 24 – 25 (APPENDIX M).

Matt 24:8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

1 Thess 5:1-3 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

GENERAL SIGNS (MATTHEW 24:4-14) (“Labor Pains Begin” Mt 24:8)

1. DECEPTION 6. MARTYRDOM

2. WARS 7. FALSE PROPHETS

3. FAMINES 8. LAWLESSNESS

4. EPIDEMICS 9. LOSS OF LOVE

5. EARTHQUAKES 10. EVANGELISM

6. The stage was set in 1914-1918 when the nation was planted (fig tree of Mt 24:32-34). Israel grew into a full-grown fig tree (symbol of Israel) capable of budding in 1948 (fulfilling Ezekiel 37:1-8). The generation that sees this will not pass away (Mt 24:32-34) until Jesus returns (some from the generation that saw the early birth pains, being 1948 or even 1967, will see Jesus come back before dying).

Matt 24:32-34 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

7. The main seven sins of the tribulation show how close we are to them today.

Rev 9:20-21 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood-idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

These are: 1. Rebellion against God (‘did not repent”) 5. Sorceries (drugs)

2. Worship of demons 6. Sexual immorality 3. Idolatry 7. Thefts

4. Murders

8. Paul’s list of signs of the last days shows how close we are.

2 Tim 3:1-7 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

These are: 1. Selfish: “lovers of themselves” 10. Truce breakers & false accusers

2. Covetousness: “lovers of money” 11. Incontinent (without self-control)

3. Boasters, proud 12. Fierce

4. Blasphemers 13. Despisers

5. Disobedient to parents 14. Traitors

6. Rebellion 15. Heady and reckless

7. Unthankful 16. High-minded (arrogant, proud)

8. Unholy 17. Lovers of pleasure

9. Without natural affection 18. No power with God

9. Jesus says the last days will be like “in the days of Noah” when He returns.

Luke 17:26-30 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot . People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom , fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Gen 6:1-9 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth–men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.

Signs from the days of Noah 1. Sexual perversion

2. “The thoughts of their hearts were turned to evil continually”

3. Routine living with disregard to the consequences of impending judgment

10. Peters sign of the last days is that men will scoff about Jesus coming back.

2 Peter 3:3-7 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this `coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Peter’s proof that things don’t always continue just the same (‘uniformitarianism’) are the things that men scoff about most today:

1. Creation by God 4. The Life of Jesus

2. The Fall of man 5. The Second Coming of Jesus

3. The worldwide Flood in Noah’s day

IV. TRIBULATION

(Rapture to Millennium)

A. SATAN AFTER THE RAPTURE

1. When the church is raptured Satan will know his time is short. He won’t have God’s people, the Church (Bride of Christ) to attack, so He will turn his attention to attacking God’s people, the Jews. The Jews and Gentiles who become believers will be attacked especially hard.

Rev 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

2. Thus Satan will do all he can to destroy Israel.

Rev 12:13 -17 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

3. Satan will rule the world, which he has been wanting to do since he was cast out of heaven. He will rule through the Antichrist (see B. 2. Below)

B. THE ANTICHRIST

1. The Antichrist will counterfeit the work of Christ.

2. He will be empowered by Satan himself and will do miracles.

Rev 13:4 Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?”

3. He will be indwelt by Satan. This will happen in the middle of the Tribulation when the Antichrist will set himself up to be worshipped in the temple. Judas, who was clearly indwelt by Satan, is a type of the Antichrist. It is said of both of them that they are both “doomed to destruction” (“son of perdition” in KJV). Judas was clearly Satan-possessed, so we must assume the Antichrist will be as well.

Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

John 13:26-27 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

John 17:12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

2 Thess 2:3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

4. The Antichrist will not be revealed until after the church is raptured. Believers on earth won’t know who he is, for they will be gone before he takes over the world.

2 Thess 2:3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

5. He will be a Gentile.

Rev 13:1 Ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.

6. He will come from the Revived Roman Empire. This refers to the land area and countries that are colonies of that area (like the United States). Much of Rome’s form of government, language, law, world view, educational system, etc., are still prevalent in Europe and America today.

Dan 7:7-8 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast-terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

Dan 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,’ and sixty-two `sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

7. He will be very proud and self-centered, he will exalt himself over God Himself.

Dan 11:36-39 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

8. The Antichrist will eliminate 3 horns (countries or rulers) on his way to power (Dan 7:8, 24; Rev 17:10; 13:3). This probably is 3 of the 10 countries of the Revived Roman Empire (10 toes, 10 horns). They are quickly and totally defeated by the Antichrist. Perhaps this is where the United States fits in – one of those who rebel and lose their power.

9. He will come bringing world-wide peace, so all will follow him because all want world peace.

Rev 6:2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

10. He will be very, very deceptive and totally mislead the whole world (all unbelievers).

Dan 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

11. The Tribulation will officially begin with when the Antichrist makes a peace treaty with Israel (and they and the rest of the world disarm).

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’ In the middle of the `seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

12. The antichrist will be the last Gentile king (Rev. 18:1-24), a world-ruler like NIMROD (Rev 13:7; Dan 11;36; 7:23). He will have supernatural intelligence and persuasiveness (Dan 7:8, 20; 8:23). He will be very crafty and subtle, more than anyone has ever been (Ezek 28:6).

13. It seems he will die and come back to life, counterfeiting Jesus’ resurrection. This ‘miracle’ will win the following of the world. This will probably be close to the start of the Tribulation, maybe even before it. It may be one of the things that causes everyone to follow him.

Rev 13:3-4 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?”

Rev 13:14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

C. THE FALSE PROPHET

1. The false prophet is the third person of Satan’s counterfeit Trinity.

Satan counterfeits God the Father

Antichrist counterfeits God the Son (Christ)

False Prophet counterfeits Holy Spirit

Rev 16:13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

2. The False Prophet will counterfeit the work of the Holy Spirit.

HOLY SPIRIT FALSE PROPHET

Glorifies Christ Magnifies Antichrist

Seals Believers Seals Unbelievers

Leads in worship of God Causes all to worship ‘god’ *(Satan/Antichrist)

Ministry comes from Christ Authority comes from Antichrist

Miracles authenticate Miracles authenticate (power from Satan)

3. He will be the head of apostate church which forms after Rapture of true Church. Those who are ‘religious’ but never accepted Jesus as their Savior will be left behind, forming this ‘church.’

1 Tim 4:1-2 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

4. He will receive power from Satan and the Antichrist. He will do miracles like Elijah, which will win people to the Antichrist. He is a traitor (like Judas) and kills true believers.

Rev 13:11-18 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

5. He will be Jewish.

Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. (“earth” = “land” referring The Land – Palestine )

6. He will control all commerce (Rev 13:16-17).

Rev 13:16-17 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

7. He will build a statue of the Antichrist in the temple for all to worship and kill any who do not worship him. He will make the statue talk, either miraculously or through trickery. Either way, people will believe it is supernatural. This is the same as when Nebuchadnezzar, in his pride and world rulership, built a statue for all to worship him (Daniel 2, 3).

Rev 13:13-17 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

D. THE NATIONS

1. WEST – led by the Antichrist

ISRAEL – under the Antichrist by covenant Dan 9:27

REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE (10 nations – area of Europe)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, if still around, will be aligned with these

2. NORTH – (area of Russia) will oppose the Antichrist (Ezek 38:2-6)

ARAB nations around Israel aligned with the north

together they will challenge the Antichrist for Palestine (Ezek 28:7; Dan 11:40-42)

3. EAST – 200 million man army from across the Euphrates (India China, Japan)

waiting for chance to take Palestine themselves (Rev 16:12-16; 9:13-21; Dan 11:40-44)

4. SOUTH (Egypt) Dan 11:40, allied to North

E. THE TRIBULATION

1. This is the 70^th week of Daniel (Dan 9:24-27) (SEE APPENDIX N) (see II. C. 2. Above)

2. This is the prophesied time of destruction worldwide (Ezek 38:19-23; 39:9, 25-29; Revelation 6 – 19) (for an outline of Revelation see APPENDIX 0).

3. Grace is over and the Law is back in effect, like in the Old Testament (SEE APPENDIX G). In quoting Isaiah 61:2 Jesus stopped before “the day of vengeance of our God” because that would come next, after Jesus was gone.

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

Luke 4:16-21 He went to Nazareth , where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

4. The tribulation starts with the Antichrist making a 7-year covenant with Israel, assuring them of peace and protection for their disarming. This makes them vulnerable to attack.

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’

5. There is a time gap between the Rapture and the Tribulation. The Antichrist won’t be known until after the rapture (II Thes 2:3). He will be alive but not seen in the position and power he will have as the Antichrist. The Tribulation itself starts with his 7-year covenant with Israel being signed. How long it will take the Antichrist to assert himself into such a position of power could be 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years (probably several months – Satan will work fast and the Rapture will panic everyone). He will bring stability to a world reeling from the panic the rapture leaves.

6. The Antichrist will come to power by deceiving the world. There is a ‘lie’ of his they will believe.

2 Thess 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

7. No one knows what this lie will be, but it could be his explanation of what happened to everyone just raptured. He could state that the bad were taken and good left (as in Noah’s day). He could say they were taken by space invaders, a confluence of electromagnetism in the atmosphere combined with an unknown atomic ionization process generated by the world’s nuclear power and weaponry stockpiles triggered by lightning (and another reason to have everyone disarm), or some other cause. People will want answers and strong leadership.

8. Despite all that happens, God is in sovereign control over everything (as in Job 1, 2 where Satan had to get permission from God before he could do anything to man).

Rev 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Dan 7:25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. (GOD allows him access to the saints)

Rev 6:11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (God will end the tribulation at HIS timing, when elect are saved.)

F. THE EVANGELISTS

1. All true believers will be taken at the Rapture, along with the Holy Spirit and His restraining influence

2 Thess 2:5-9 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 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. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,

2. Therefore God will set aside others to carry his word throughout the world. There will be 144,000 Jewish evangelists, like Elijah, Elisha or John the Baptizer. They will be st apart for God and not die. The will preach throughout the whole earth.

Rev 7:1-8 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel . From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

Rev 14:1-5 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion , and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

3. These 144,000 will be sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is the ultimate fulfillment of that which was only pictured at Pentecost (Acts 2).

Joel 2:28-32 `And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls

3. Many Jews and Gentiles will come to God for salvation because of the pressures of the tribulation. This is one of the main purposes of it, to turn Israel to God.

Zech 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Hos 3:4-5 For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

Rom 11:25 -30 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion ; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

Rev 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

G. DURING THE FIRST 3 ½ YEARS

1. Seal judgments will take place (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-2) (SEE APPENDIX P).

Seal 1. Rider on a white horse – peace (bloodless conquering) (6:2)

Seal 2. Rider on a red horse – war (6:3-4)

The Antichrist will eliminate 3 horns (countries or rulers) on his way to power (Dan 7:8, 24; Rev 17:10 ; 13:3). This could be 3 countries that were part of the 10 which rebel against him and are quickly defeated. Perhaps this is where the United States fits in!

Seal 3. Rider on a black horse – famine (6:5-6)

Seal 4. Rider on a pale horse – death (6:7-8)

Seal 5. Persecution (martyrs in heaven, especially Jews) (6:9-11)

Seal 6. Destruction (great convulsions, earthquakes, volcanoes, sun black, moon red,

stars fall, heavens roll, every mountain & island moved (6:12-17)

Seal 7. Silence (awaiting greater judgments of second half) (8:1-2)

2. During this time the Antichrist will make Babylon the new world capital (like the tower of Babel) It will be the center of the false religious system (Revelation 17) as well as world political center (Revelation 18).

3. The North and allies (Russia and Arab nations around Israel) will move to take control of Palestine, despite the Antichrist’s promise of peace. The Antichrist will tell them to stop but they won’t listen to him (see 4 below). The South (Egypt) will lead an attack against Israel (Dan 11:40). Being disarmed made Israel very vulnerable. The Arabs will have gotten all the concessions they can through treaties and peace summits, thus weakening Israel. When they get no more through peaceful means, they will use warfare. (If Russia doesn’t attack soon she’ll be too weak. Also, controlling Palestine could give her back the power and wealth she has lost.

Dan 11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.

Ezek 38:1-9, 15-16, 18-19, 21-23 The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army-your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia , Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops-the many nations with you. “`Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel , which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. … You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. … This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel , my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel . … I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’

4. The reason for this attack is to get the spoils in unprotected Israel (Ezek 38:11; Joel 2:2-21; Isa 10:12; 30:31-33; 31:8-9). The West, under the Antichrist, will protest but won’t be able to stop them (Ezek 38:13).

5. God will immediately and supernaturally destroy the north and allies, as He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It will take 7 years to burn all the weapons.

Ezek 39:1-4, 9, 11-12 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel . Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. … “`Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up-the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. … `On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel , in the valley of those who travel east toward the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog . “`For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.

6. By the middle of the Tribulation, the third Temple will be rebuilt and functioning in Jerusalem on the site of the Dome of the Rock. It could be built before the Rapture or after, but it will be fully functioning by the middle of the Tribulation.

Matt 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place `the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand-

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’ In the middle of the `seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Dan 11:31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

2 Thess 2:3-4 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Rev 11:1-2 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months

7. What about the Dome of the Rock? Perhaps settling this issue will cause Israel to trust the Antichrist. The Arabs will be weakened greatly after the north (Russia) is destroyed. The Antichrist may relocate the Dome of the Rock to the new Babylon as a special privilege for the Arabs. However he will do it, this will cause the Jews to further trust him.

8. The first half of the Tribulation will be full of war and its results: famine and death. Great earthquakes will shake the earth and move every mountain and island. Still, the first 3 ½ years will be relatively peaceful and prosperous. Literally all hell will break loose in the second half.

H. MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION

1. This second half of the tribulation will be much, much worse than the first half.

Matt 24:20-22 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Rev 6:17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Rev 7:14 And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Rev 11:1-3 was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

2. It will be especially bad for the Jews, it will be the time of Jacob’s troubles. It will be FAR worse than the Spanish Inquisition or the Holocaust of Adolph Hitler. (see also Deut 32:35; Obadiah 1:12-14

Jer 30:7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.

3. The Day of the Lord begins now and continues through the Kingdom

1 Thess 5:2-3 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4. Jesus gave some specific signs to know when the labor pains have reached this point (SEE APPENDIX M).

SPECIFIC SIGNS (MATTHEW 24:15-26) (‘Hard Labor’ Occurring)

1. ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

2. JEWS REGATHERED

3. WORLDWIDE DECEPTION

5. The worst demons, now bound in chains, will be released to torment people on the earth. Satan himself will be go wild, knowing his end is near.

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

Rev 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

6. Two special witnesses are set apart for God 3 ½ days before the middle of the Tribulation. These will be men very similar to Moses and Elijah. They can’t be harmed and will kill all who try to harm them. They will bring terrible drought and plagues.

Rev 11:1-13 was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt , where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

7. The Antichrist will break his treaty with Israel and forbid them to worship God.

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.’ In the middle of the `seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Dan 12:11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

8. He will set his image up in the temple to be worshipped, like Antiochus Epiphanes. Everyone must worship him (see Revelation 17).

Dan 11:36-39 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

Rev 13:14-15 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

2 Thess 2:4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

9. All who aren’t believers will worship him as god.

2 Thess 2:11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie

10. Anyone who doesn’t worship him as seen by wearing 666 will be killed

Rev 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Rev 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.

I. DURING THE SECOND 3 ½ YEARS

1. Trumpet judgments will be spread out through these 3 ½ years (Revelation 8:7-9:19; 11:15-9) culminating with Armageddon (SEE APPENDIX P).

Trumpet 1. Hail, fire and blood (1/3 of earth on fire, 1/3 trees & all grass burned) (8:7)

Trumpet 2. Falling meteor (1/3 ships gone, 13 fish dead, 1/3 sea to blood) (8:8-9)

Trumpet 3. Falling star (poisons 1/3 fresh water) (8:8-10-11)

Trumpet 4. Sky (1/3 sun/moon & all stars dark, 1/3 day & night dark) ( 8:12 -13 Mt 24:27-31)

Trumpet 5. Woe 1 – Locusts (scorpions/demons sting unbelievers only 5 months)(9:1-12)

Trumpet 6. Woe 2 – Satan’s Army (200 million army; 1/3 men killed by demons (9:13-19)

Trumpet 7. Woe 3 – Earthquake (7000 die in Jerusalem) (Rev 11:15-19)

2. Bowl judgments during the final year or 2 of the tribulation (Revelation 16:2-21), also culminating with Armageddon (SEE APPENDIX P).

Bowl 1. Boils (sores on all with 666 – Plague 6 in Egypt) (16:2)

Bowl 2. Sea to blood (all in ocean dies) (16:3)

Bowl 3. Rivers to blood (all in rivers die – Plague 1 in Egypt) (16:4-7)

Bowl 4. Heat (sun scorches all) (16:8-9)

Bowl 5. Darkness (all in dark – Plague 9 in Egypt) (16:10-11)

Bowl 6. Euphrates Dried Up (Army to Israel) (16:12)

Bowl 7. Hail (cities crumble – Plague 7 in Egypt) (16:17-21)

3. With the North defeated by God and the balance of powers thrown off, the West with the Antichrist (Dan 7:7-8) will move in and take over Palestine (Dan 11:36-42). He will set up a coalition of nations (Rev 13:7; 17:13; Ps 2:1-3). They will fortify the mountains in anticipation of an attack by the East (Zech 12:2-3; 14:1-3). Because the North is out of the way, the East (with a 200 million man army) wants Palestine for herself (Rev 9:14-16). This sets the stage for Armageddon.

J. AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION

1. This is the culmination of the labor pains predicted by Jesus- the culmination (Jesus’ Second Coming) will be any moment. (SEE APPENDIX M)

RETURNING SIGNS (MATTHEW 24:27-31) (Culmination – Birth!)

1. SUN DARK 4. HEAVEN SHAKES

2. MOON DARK 5. GLORY OF CHRIST SEEN

3. STARS FALL

2. Now everything gets as bad as it will ever get – the final end is near. Thus this is called the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

Joel 2:31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

Mal 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

3. The two witnesses will be killed and lie dead in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days where all will see them, then be miraculously brought back to life and taken to heaven.

Rev 11:7-12 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt , where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

4. The last Trumpet and bowl judgments are taking place during this time (SEE APPENDIX P)

5. Armageddon is when all the armies of the world are gathered ready to fight each other, Jesus will appear with us and instantly and totally destroy them all.

6. The nations will gather from Megiddo (Ezek 38:9; Rev 16:16), south through the Valley of Jehosophat (Joel 3:2), and into Jerusalem itself (Zech 12:2; 14:1-3), then down to Edom (Isa 34:1-6; 63:1) – an area 200 miles long.

7. These armies will be completely destroyed by Jesus when He returns with His saints (Rev 11:5; 19:11-20; Psalm 2:2; Zech 12:1-9; 14:1-4; Isaiah 33:1 – 34:17; 63:1-6; 66:1-6; Jeremiah 25:27-33; Daniel 11:45).

8. The following passages are the main ones about the Battle of Armageddon:

Joel 3:2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat . There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel , for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

Joel 3:11-16 Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD! `Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat , for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow- so great is their wickedness!` Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem ; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel .

Dan 11:40-45 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Zech 12:1-9 This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, `The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’ “On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

Zech 14:1-5 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

Isa 33:10 “Now will I arise,” says the LORD. “Now will I be exalted; now will I be lifted up. (All Isaiah 33 – 34 are about Armageddon)

Isa 34:2-4 The LORD is angry with all nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will send up a stench; the mountains will be soaked with their blood. All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.

Jer 25:27-33 “Then tell them, `This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword I will send among you.’ But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, tell them, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: You must drink it! See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all who live on the earth, declares the LORD Almighty.’ “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: “`The LORD will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD will bring charges against the nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword,'” declares the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth.” At that time those slain by the LORD will be everywhere–from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground.

9. With their defeat, the Times of the Gentiles comes to a close. It started with the Babylonian Captivity and marked the time when Gentiles ruled in Jerusalem. Some say it ended in 1948, but the Jews don’t control the whole city of Jerusalem even today.

Luke 21:24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

K. THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

1. The Second Coming, also called the Glorious Appearing, is prophesied 318 times in the Bible.

Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

2. Jesus Himself will return from heaven and with us with Him – a word from His mouth will destroy all the gathered armies of the world

Rev 19:11-20 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.

3. Jesus of Nazareth is the one who will be returning.

PROPHECY Dan 7:13-15 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

JESUS’ CLAIM OF FULFILLMENT Matt 26:62-65 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

4. Jesus will return physically, not just ‘spiritually.’

Zech 14:3-5 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Acts 1:9-11 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.”

PROPHECY Dan 7:13-15 JESUS’ CLAIM OF FULFILLMENT Matt 26:62-65 (see 2. Above)

5. The Jews will mourn when they realize they have rejected their Messiah

Zech 12:10-14 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives.

6. Jesus will come down on the Mt of Olives (Zech 14:5) where the 144,000 will be gathered awaiting His return (Rev 14;1). He will then enter Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate (Ezekiel 43:1-4). This is the same place God’s Glory departed earth in Ezekiel’s day (Ezekiel 10:18-19; 11:22-24). During Jesus’ time on earth God’s Glory indwelt Him (John 1:14; Matthew 17:1-3; Mark 9:2). Now God’s Glory indwells Christians, for His Spirit indwells us (I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; II Corinthians 6:16).

Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Ezek 43:1-4 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell face down. The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.

Ezek 10:18-19 Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

Ezek 11:22-24 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God.

John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. … He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (literally ‘ Tabernacled ’ – as God’s Glory did in the Old Testament Tabernacle) among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matt 17:1- 3 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. (see Also Mark 9:2)

1 Cor 3:16-17 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

1 Cor 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

2 Cor 6:16 For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

7. This Second coming is not to be confused with the Rapture, they are two separate events (SEE APPENDIX Q).

Zech 14:3-5 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

L. JUDGMENT ON GOD’S ENEMIES

1. Satan and his demons will be bound in prison for 1,000 years.

Ezek 28:1-10 The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “`In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud. “`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “`Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god, I am going to bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations; they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom and pierce your shining splendor. They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. Will you then say, “I am a god,” in the presence of those who kill you? You will be but a man, not a god, in the hands of those who slay you. You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners.

Rev 20:1-3 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

2. The Antichrist and False Prophet will be cast alive into hell and will remain there alive for all eternity (SEE APPENDIX T).

Rev 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Dan 7:26 “`But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

Dan 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

Dan 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

3. All unbelievers will be physically killed (they will be judged later for their eternal destiny).

Rev 19:21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Matt 24:36-41 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Matt 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

M. REWARD AND BLESSING ON GOD’S PEOPLE

1. Believers alive on earth who have not been martyred will live on into the Kingdom (see Matthew 25:31-46 above).

2. Believing Jews on earth will be regathered back into Jerusalem, which will become the center of the world and the seat of God’s throne.

2 Sam 7:9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth.

Mic 4:1-8 In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. 7I will make the lame a remnant, those driven away a strong nation. The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever. As for you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”

Isa 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (see all Isaiah 60 – 62)

Deut 30:1-10 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,

3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. (fulfilled May 1948)

5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. (fulfilled June 1967)

7 The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today. (fulfilled Tribulation)

9 Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers,

3. Old Testament/Covenant believers who have died and gone to heaven before the cross, their bodies are resurrected and they are rewarded.

Dan 12:1-2 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

4. Tribulation era believers who have died and gone to heaven, their bodies are resurrected and they are rewarded.

Rev 20:4-6 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 worshipped 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. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 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.

Isa 26:19 But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.

Rev 14:11-16 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one “like a son of man” with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

Rev 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

V. MILLENNIUM & ETERNITY FUTURE

A. THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM

1. This is the culmination of all that has happened since creation. It is what would have happened 2,000 years ago if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their Messiah when He came the first time. The earth will return to Garden of Eden conditions (SEE APPENDIX R).

Matt 13:31-33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (The Kingdom of Heaven Parables in Matthew 13 are about the development of the Kingdom from Jesus’ day until it comes)

2. Many Scriptures tell about the conditions during this time.

Christ will reign on the throne (Zech 14:9). He is Prophet (Old Testament – past); Priest (New

Testament – present) and King (Millennium – future)

Jerusalem will be the center of the world (Zech 8:3; 3:14-17).

The temple will be rebuilt and the land settled (Ezekiel 40 – 48).

We believers will rule with Christ (Rev 3:21; 5:9-10; 11:15-18; 15:3-4; 19:16; 20:4-6).

The Jews will finally be safe in the land (Ezekiel 20:33-38).

Jew and Gentile believers who weren’t martyred will live on into the Millennium in physical

bodies on earth (Matthew 25:31-46).

This will fulfill the promises to Abraham and his descendants (II Samuel 7:8-17).

The code of conduct will the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

Righteousness will prevail everywhere (Isa 11:1-5; Jer 33:15-16; Ezekiel 34:23-24).

There will be rest, peace and joy everywhere (Isa 11:10; 25:1-12; 54:11-14; Jer 23:5-6; 31:10-

14; Ezek 34:11-15; Zech 8:3-6).

The land will be blessed and made fruitful (Ps 72:16; Isa 27:6; 35:1-2, 7-9; 55:12-13; Ezek

34:11-15, 26-27; 36:30-38; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:13-15; Zech 8:12).

Animals will not be afraid of men (Isa 11:6-8; Ezek 34:25)

Israel will be exalted (Isa 62:1-12)

Israel will have a new heart (Jer 31:33-37; 32:37-41; Ezek 36:24-28).

Everyone will worship Christ (Isa 12:1-6; 26:1-19; 35:10; Amos 9:11-12)

Pain & death will be gone (Isa 65:20, 22; 11:9; 60:18; Jer 23:5-6)

3. The main passages about conditions during the Millennial Kingdom are as follows:

Ezek 40:1-4 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city-on that very day the hand of the LORD was upon me and he took me there. In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. The man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.” (see all of Ezekiel 40 – 48)

Joel 3:17-21 `Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. `In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias. But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.` The LORD dwells in Zion!

Isa 11:7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

B. AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM

1. Satan will be released and lead in a final revolt against God. Those who are born during the Millennium and outwardly keep God’s law but in their hearts didn’t put faith in Him will join in this rebellion. Perfect conditions do not keep man from sinning. Sin is from within (‘nature’) not without (‘nurture’). Satan and his followers will be immediately destroyed and cast into hell. (SEE APPENDIX T)

Rev 20:7-10 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and 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. 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. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Rev 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

2. This will be the ultimate fulfillment of the first prophecy in the Bible, about Jesus defeating Satan.

Gen 3:14-15 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

3. Unbelievers of all ages, from Adam and Eve on, will be judged at the Great White Throne judgment, then cast into hell. (SEE APPENDIX T)

Matt 13:37-43, 48-50 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. … This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (The Kingdom of Heaven Parables in Matthew 13 are about the development of the Kingdom from Jesus’ day until it comes)

Rev 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

4. All demons will be sent to hell also (SEE APPENDIX T).

Jude 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

5. This is a literal, eternal judgment. It is not symbolic. Unbelievers, as well as Satan and his forces, are not annihilated and cease to exist.

Mark 3:29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” (literally “eternal condemnation,” as in KJV).

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (KJV) ( NASU , RSV, NAS all translate it in the present tense. NIV says “had been thrown.” The English is unclear here but the Greek tense clearly has the idea of something happening in the past with present results) (They were cast into hell 1,000 years earlier but still ARE there.)

C. ENTERING THE ETERNAL STATE

1. Believers alive on earth at the end of the Kingdom will receive resurrection bodies, as will kingdom age believers who died during the kingdom.

Rev 21:24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

2. The earth will go through some minor adjustments in settling into its eternal form, including the formation of the New Jerusalem.

2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

Rev 21:1-2 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. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3. The end of Revelation regains all that was lost at the start of Genesis. There is a close connection between the start of the Bible and the end of the Bible. The results of the fall (sin and the curse) are gone. (SEE APPENDIX S)

4. Life will be perfect on earth.

Rev 21:1-22:20 21:1 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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man’s measurement, which the angel was using. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” 10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

5. There are some things that won’t be in heaven for eternity: (Revelation 21 – 22 – see above)

-no more sea 21:1

-no more tears, death, sorrow, crying or pain 21:4

-no more sinners 21:8

-no more fear 21:12

-no more sun or moon 21:23

-no more night 21:25

-no more sin or evil 21:27

-no more disease or injuries 22:2

-no more curse 22:3

6. There are other things that will be in heaven for eternity (Revelation 21 – 22 – see above)

-unending fellowship with God 21:3, 7, 22

-unending newness 21:5

-unending water of life 21:6; 22:1

-unimaginable beauty 21:11, 21

-uncompromised security 21:12

-unbroken unity between believers 21:12, 14

-unlimited holiness 21:16

-unparalleled size 21:16

-untold wealth 21:18-21

-unending light 21:23; 22:5

-unrestricted access 21:25

-unending fruit from the tree of life 22:2

-unceasing service to God 22:3

-unending reign 22:5

7. Other passages that tell about heaven

-rest (Hebrews 4:1-11; Revelation 14:13)

-full knowledge (1 Corinthians 13:12)

-holiness (Hebrews 12:14; Ephesians 2:21)

-joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19; Jude 1:24)

-glory (2 Corinthians 4:17)

-worship (Revelation 7:9-12; 19:10)

D. ETERNITY FUTURE

Then things will continue for all eternity (all Bible verses that say “always,” “forever,” “eternally,” never ending,” etc., apply here!

Rev 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

CONCLUSION

The application to us: (SEE APPENDIX B)

1. Stay faithful in service to God in light of this.

Luke 19:11-27 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. `Put this money to work,’ he said, `until I come back.’ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, `We don’t want this man to be our king.’ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. “The first one came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ “`Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. `Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ “The second came and said, `Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ “His master answered, `You take charge of five cities.’ “Then another servant came and said, `Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ “His master replied, `I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ “Then he said to those standing by, `Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ “`Sir,’ they said, `he already has ten!’ “He replied, `I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me.'”

Matt 24:45-25:30 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 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. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: `Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “`No,’ they replied, `there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!’ they said. `Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with the two talents also came. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received the one talent came. `Master,’ he said, `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “`Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

2. Have hope and assurance during these days on earth.

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

3. Live a holy life now, and keep growing in God’s grace.

2 Peter 3:11-15, 18 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. … But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

 

APPENDIX

APPENDIX A. OUTLINE OF PROPHECY ( FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT) p 39-40

APPENDIX B. IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING PROPHECY p 41

APPENDIX C. DANIEL OUTLINE p 42-47

APPENDIX D. 490-YEAR PERIODS IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY p 48

APPENDIX E. BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF THE MESSIAH p 49

APPENDIX F. RESURRECTIONS p 50

APPENDIX G. HEBREWS 8-10: LAW & GRACE p 51

APPENDIX H. ASCENSION OF JESUS p 52

APPENDIX I. RAPTURE p 53

APPENDIX J. REWARDS p 54

APPENDIX K. TIME LINE OF PROPHECY (valley) p 55

APPENDIX L. SIGNS OF THE TIMES p 56

APPENDIX M. SIGNS IN MATTHEW 24 – 25 p 57

APPENDIX N. TRIBULATION p 58

APPENDIX 0. REVELATION OUTLINE p 59-60

APPENDIX P. SEAL, TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS p 61

APPENDIX Q. RAPTURE & SECOND COMING CONTRASTED p 62

APPENDIX R. MILLENNIUM p 63

APPENDIX S. GENESIS & REVELATION p 64

APPENDIX T. THE UNDERWORLD p 65

APPENDIX U. TIME LINE (Creation to Present) p 66-71

APPENDIX V. TIME LINE (Jesus & Early Church) p 72

APPENDIX W. THE PLAN OF SALVATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT p 73-74

APPENDIX X. HOW TO INTERPRET PROPHECY p 75

APPENDIX Y. GLOSSARY OF TERMS p 76-

 

HOW TO INTERPRET PROPHECY

By Jerry Schmoyer

Prophecy composes about 20% of the Bible, so correct interpretation of it is important. Many prophecies have already been literally fulfilled, so we know the remaining ones will be fulfilled literally. For example, the destruction of Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Cush and Egypt in Isaiah 13-21 have been literally fulfilled.

All scripture is to be taken in its normal, literal sense. The language of Scripture is no different than any other written or spoken language. All language is full of figures of speech. Similes, metaphors, etc., about when we talk, but that doesn’t mean we interpret everything as symbolic. When Jesus said “I am the door,” everyone knew what He meant. The use of figures of speech doesn’t take away from literal interpretation.

This is especially true in Revelation. No one expects an eagle to rescue a pregnant woman and fly her to the desert (Revelation 12:13-17). The symbols represent another reality either in the past (from our perspective) or yet to occur in the future. We need to be careful how we interpret the meaning of the symbols. It is doubtful that the eagle represents the United States, as someone once suggested, in spite of the fact that the eagle is our national symbol. We need to interpret the symbolism in terms of how it would have been understood by its original readers. Since the interpretation of this kind of prophetic symbolism is so difficult, it is probably best not to hold on to a given interpretation with unbending certitude. Even though we can’t understand all the details of a symbolism, those alive when it happens will recognize it clearly. We can know the general interpretation: a person/nation who gives birth to someone else is rescued from those trying to kill it. That part is clear and is enough to work with.

It is important to put yourself in the position of those who first read the Scripture. What would they have thought? How would they have taken the meaning? After all, it was written first to them then, not just to us now. Therefore it is important to know the historical context of the passage. What were the readers experiencing? What was happening in their lives? Why did the writer say what he did? How would he have assumed they would have taken what he wrote. You see, prophecy must be understood the same normal communication.

To interpret prophecy in its normal meaning, we must take it in context of what is written before and after it. Look at the sentence, paragraph, chapter, book and whole Bible. Let the context interpret the prophecy. Scripture should witness to scripture. Contradictions are never acceptable. Since God’s Word is inerrant (I Timothy 3:16, etc.) it cannot be self-contradictory. It two passages seem to contradict, truth has not yet been discovered.

Remember that some prophecies have a near (immediate) and far (future) fulfillment (SEE APPENDIX K). Quite often a prophet would prophecy something that was to happen in his lifetime as well as the far future. Isaiah 7:14 about a virgin/young woman giving birth was fulfilled in Isaiah’s day and also by the Messiah Jesus (Matthew 1:23). Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:31 about the “abomination of desolation” had a near fulfillment (Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC) and far fulfillment (Antichrist in Tribulation).

God has not made prophecy hard to understand – He WANTS us to know what He is saying or He wouldn’t say it! (Amos 3:6-8; Isaiah 55:8-11; Mark 13:23). He wants us to study and understand it, so He doesn’t hide His truths from us. He sends His Spirit to teach us His truths (John 16:12-15). Pray and ask for guidance as you study prophecy, and read it like you would any literature, and He will make it clear to you. It’s His plan for us!

 

 

OUTLINE OF PROPHECY (from the Old Testament)

God’s way has been to reveal His future plans to man, not keep them hidden ( Gen 18:17 -19). From the Old Testament we can clearly see God’s plan for man. The New Testament adds details and elaborations, but the original plan was given to the Jews.

God set apart the Jewish nation as His specially chosen people to spread His Word (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; 6:4-9) . They (you) have always been the “apple of God’s eye” (Zechariah 2:8) and the object of His grace (Zechariah 13:1). However because of their disobedience and unfaithfulness, God sent them into captivity in Babylon. His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) was unconditional (Genesis 15:12 ) so no matter what, He will still keep His promises to Abraham and his descendants.

God said this dispersal in Babylon would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). As that time drew to a close, Daniel, who was aware of the prophecy, asked God what would happen next (Daniel 9:1-23). God told him that the 70 years of captivity would be followed by 70 “sevens” (Daniel 9:24 -27). The word for these “sevens,” ‘heptad,’ can be translated “7 year period” (Genesis 29:17). Thus God told Daniel that Israel’s future would consist of 70 7-year periods, or 490 years (Daniel 9:24 -27).

This period would start with “the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” (Daniel 9:24 ), which we see as happening March 14, 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:1-8). The first 69 of these 7 year ‘heptads,’ or 483 years, would end when “the anointed One will be cut off” (Daniel 9:26). We see this to have been fulfilled April 6, 32 AD. It was that day, called Palm Sunday, that Jesus publicly offered Himself as the Messiah-King and was turned down (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40). The period between March 14, 445 BC and April 6, 32 AD was exactly 483 years, to the day! People then and there went by 360 day years, following the 12 month, 30 day lunar calendar (Esther 1:4; Revelation 12:6, in referring to the 70^th ‘heptad,’ says the last 3 ½ years will be 1260 days long which equals 360 day years for these ‘heptads.’). Thus 483 years of 360 days each equals 173,880 days. Now, from 445 BC to 32 AD is 476 calendar years, times 365 days in a calendar year. This results in 173,740 days. Add to this 116 leap year days during that time and include 24 days from March 14 to April 6 and the grand total is 173,880 – the same as prophesied!

If the first 69 ‘heptads’ were literally fulfilled, we believe the last will be, too. We believe this is still future. It will begin when the “ruler who will come” (Daniel 9:26 – we call him the ‘Antichrist’ ) will make a 7-year peace treaty with Israel, which he will break in the middle (Daniel 9:26 -27). H e will be similar to Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8:9-14) but much, much worse (Daniel 11:36 -45). He will “destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26 ). We see these things as yet future.

Thus we believe we live in the time between the 69^th and 70^th week. We see this as a parenthesis in God’s dealings with Israel, with Israel set aside because of their rejection of the Messiah (Jesus). It was prophesied that the Jews would be scattered (Deuteronomy 28:64, Leviticus 26:33) and the land desolated (Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 29:22-23). The Jews would be persecuted (Deuteronomy 28:65) but preserved (Isaiah 66:22; 49:15-16; Jeremiah 30:11; 31:35-37). They would be blinded spiritually (Isaiah 6:9-10). This began in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

We also see the new nation of Israel as the beginning of the end of this ‘setting aside’ time. God said they will be regathered (Ezekiel 36:22-28; 37:1-7; Deuteronomy 30:3-8; Isaiah 10:22 -23; 11:10 ). The land will be reclaimed (Isaiah 35:1-7; Joel 2:21 -26) and they will again become a nation (Isaiah 66:7-8) with military strength (Zech 12:6). Some even feel the return to Hebrew was prophesied (Zephaniah 3:9).

We believe that the next event in God’s plan will be the ‘Rapture.’ This is when Jesus will return to take to heaven those who believe in Jesus for salvation (Acts 1:9-11; John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:51-53). When this happens the current ‘parenthesis’ we are living in will end and God’s focus will again be on His chosen people, the Jews.

The 70^th 7-year period prophesied in Israel’s future, the Tribulation, will then commence (Daniel 9:27 ; Ezek 39:9). Satan will know his time is short so he will increase his attacks against God by attacking God’s people on earth – the Jews and any Gentiles who turn to God (Daniel 12:1). He will empower a man we label the Antichrist (Dan 7:25; Ezek 28:9-12). He will be Gentile, from the area that the Roman Empire used to rule (Daniel 7:7-28). This man will have supernatural intelligence and persuasive powers (Dan 8:23). He will be very crafty (Ezek 28:6) and all will like him. He will start by bringing peace to the world (Daniel 8:25; 9:27) so all nations will follow his undisputed leadership (Daniel 11:36; 7:25). He will be similar to Nimrod in instituting one world government, monetary system and language (Genesis 10:8-12; Daniel 11:36; 7:23). Israel especially will be taken with him, for he will make a 7-year peace treaty with her, guaranteeing her safety from all her enemies (Daniel 9:27). The Antichrist will be assisted by a man who will unite all world religions into one and lead them. He will be a Jew (Revelation 13:11) and will be able to do ‘miracles’ by Satan’s power (Revelation 13:11-18; 19:20). To counter this God will seal and miraculously empower 2 special witnesses to preach during this time. They will be Jews similar to Moses and Elijah who can do miracles and can’t be harmed (Revelation 11:1-6) . There also will be 144,000 Jewish evangelists (12,000 from each tribe) who will be preaching about Jesus (Revelation 17:1-8).

The Antichrist will be very prideful (Daniel 7:8, 2011:36-39). I n the middle of the 70th ‘heptad’ he will break his covenant with Israel and set himself up in the temple to be worshipped as God (Daniel 12:11; 11:36-39). This “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) will bring much destruction on the earth and its peoples (Ezek 38:19-23; 39:9, 25-29). Satan will go wild in his attacks on God’s people ( Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 11:36). Millions will be killed. Plagues, similar to those God sent upon the Egyptians in Moses’ day but much worse, will be poured out on the earth (Revelation 6 – 18). Any Jew who worships God will be killed (Daniel 9:27; 12:11). Jerusalem, despite being his headquarters (Daniel 11:45) will be devastated (Daniel 9:26-27; 12:10) . God will use this to turn the Jews back to Him. “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zechariah 12:10).

For various reasons such as geographical location, political power and wealth of natural resources, the nations of the world will vie for control of Palestine. They will gather from Megiddo south into Edom (Ezekiel 38:9; Joel 3:2; Isaiah 34:1-6; 63:1) to fight each other and the Antichrist and his armies from the Revived Roman Empire (Europe – Daniel 7:7-28). We call this battle ‘Armageddon’ (Joel 3:11-16; Daniel 11:40-45; Ezekiel 38:19-23; Zechariah 12:1-9; 14:1-4; Isaiah 33:1-34:17; 63:1-6; Jeremiah 25:27-33). God Himself will come from heaven and instantly and completely destroy all His enemies (Psalm 2:2; Zechariah 12:1-9; 14:1-4; Daniel 11:45; etc.).

Then He will set up His thousand-year Millennial Kingdom with the Messiah on the throne (Daniel 12:1-3; Ezekiel 40 – 48; Isaiah 11:7; 65:2-5; Joel 3:17-21). Jerusalem will be the center (Zechariah 8:3; 3:14-17) and the Jews will finally be safe in their land (Ezekiel 20:33-38). God’s unconditional promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:2) would be finally fulfilled (II Samuel 7:8-17).

 

Seven Sevens of Revelation

I. THE SEVEN CHURCHES 2:1 – 3:22

A. EPHESUS 2:1-7

B. SMYRNA 2:8-11

C. PERGAMUM 2:12-17

D. THYATIRA 2:18-29

E. SARDIS 3:1-6

F. PHILADELPHIA 3:7-13

G. LAODICEA 3:14-22

II. THE SEVEN SEALS 6:1 – 8:1

A. SEAL 1. RIDER ON A WHITE HORSE – PEACE 6:2

B. SEAL 2. RIDER ON A RED HORSE – WAR 6:3-4

C. SEAL 3. RIDER ON A BLACK HORSE – FAMINE 6:5-6

D. SEAL 4. RIDER ON A PALE HORSE – DEATH 6:7-8

E. SEAL 5. PERSECUTION (MARTYRS IN HEAVEN) 6:9-11

F. SEAL 6. DESTRUCTION (GREAT CONVULSIONS & EARTHQUAKES) 6:12-17

G. SEAL 7. SILENCE (AWAITING GREATER JUDGMENTS OF SECOND HALF) 8:1-2

III. THE SEVEN TRUMPETS 8:2 – 11:19

A. TRUMPET 1. HAIL, FIRE AND BLOOD (1/3 OF EARTH ON FIRE) (8:7)

B. TRUMPET 2. FALLING METEOR (1/3 SHIPS, FISH, SEA GONE) 8:8-9

C. TRUMPET 3. FALLING STAR (POISONS 1/3 FRESH WATER) 8:8-10-11

D. TRUMPET 4. SKY (1/3 SUN/MOON & ALL STARS DARK) 8:12-13 MT 24:27-31

E. TRUMPET 5. WOE 1 – LOCUSTS (DEMONS STING 5 MONTHS) 9:1-12

F. TRUMPET 6. WOE 2 – SATAN’S ARMY (1/3 MEN KILLED BY DEMONS 9:13-19

G. TRUMPET 7. WOE 3 – EARTHQUAKE (7000 DIE IN JERUSALEM) REV 11:15-19

IV. THE SEVEN PERSONAGES 12:1 – 13:18

A. THE WOMAN (ISRAEL) 12:1-2

B. THE DRAGON (SATAN) 12:3-4

C. THE MAN CHILD (MESSIAH) 12:5

D. THE ARCHANGEL (MICHAEL) 12:7

E. THE REMNANT (BELIEVERS) 12:17

F. THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA (ANTICHRIST) 13:1-8

G. THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH (FALSE PROPHET) 13:11-18

V. THE SEVEN BOWLS 15:1 – 16:21

A. BOWL 1. BOILS (SORES ON ALL WITH 666) 16:2

B. BOWL 2. SEA TO BLOOD (ALL IN OCEAN DIES) 16:3

C. BOWL 3. RIVERS TO BLOOD (ALL IN RIVERS DIE) 16:4-7

D. BOWL 4. HEAT (SUN SCORCHES ALL) 16:8-9

E. BOWL 5. DARKNESS (ALL IN DARK) 16:10-11

F. BOWL 6. EUPHRATES DRIED UP (ARMY TO ISRAEL) 16:12

G. BOWL 7. HAIL (CITIES CRUMBLE – PLAGUE 7 IN EGYPT) 16:17-21

VI. THE SEVEN DOOMS 17:1 – 20:15

A. ECCLESIASTICAL BABYLON 17:1-18

B. POLITICAL BABYLON 18:1-24

C. ANTICHRIST & FALSE PROPHET 19:20

D. ANTICHRISTIAN NATIONS 19:21

E. GOG & MAGOG 20:8-9

F. SATAN 20:10

G. THE UNBELIEVING DEAD 20:11-15

VII. THE SEVEN NEW THINGS 21:1 – 22:21

A. NEW HEAVENS 21:1

B. NEW EARTH 21:1

C. NEW CITY 21:9-23

D. NEW NATIONS 21:24-27

E. NEW RIVER 22:1

F. NEW TREE 22:2

G. NEW THRONE 22:3-5