END-TIMES PROPHECY SERIES

The Major Future Events of End-Times Prophecy… Key Passage: The Gog and Magog attack on Israel Ezekiel 38-39 The Rapture I Thessalonians 4:13-18 The Tribulation Daniel 9:27, Rev 4-19 The Second Coming Matthew 24:29-30 The Millennium Revelation 20:4-7 The Eternal State Revelation 21:1-22:5

Where we have been so far… Overview of End-Times Kingdom Fever Israel in Prophecy Gog and Magog – Ez 38,39 Daniel 2,7, and 9 The Olivet Discourse – Matt 24-25

NEW TESTAMENT WRITIERS ON THE END-TIMES

I. Introduction All of Scripture fits together on the end-times whether one is viewing the Old Testament, Gospels or New Testament teaching. To the church, the most relevant teaching is what the apostles gave us. The other sections of the Bible provides the context to understand these New Testament epistles. The following New Testament pockets of end-times prophecy center around the rapture of the church and the day of the Lord.

II. What are the New Testament hotspots of end-times teaching? I Corinthians 3,15 I Thessalonians 4-5 II Thessalonians 2 II Peter 3 Revelation

III. New Testament hotspots of end-times prophecy: Overview of I Thessalonians. The rapture is mentioned in every chapter of I Thessalonians

1. I Thessalonians 1:10 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

2. I Thessalonians 2:19 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

3. I Thessalonians 3:13 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

4. I Thessalonians 4:15 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

5. I Thessalonians 5:23 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thessalonians 4:13-5:3 – The rapture and day of the Lord (tribulation) Christ is coming again – vs: 14-15 Unlike Matthew 24, there are no signs to watch for as in the second coming. Since nothing must take place first, the rapture is imminent. Expired believer’s souls are coming with Him – vs: 14

II Cor. 5:6-9 - For the believer, to be absent from the body at this time means to be present with the Lord Compare 3:13 w/ 4:16 Paul thought he would be in the group to be raptured – vs: 15 The rapture centers around the resurrection of the body – vs: 15-16 (see I Cor. 15)

As to chronology – expired believers first then living believers second – vs: 15 The Lord descends from heaven – vs:16 Timing is in conjunction with a loud sound: Shout Voice of the archangel Trumpet of God Living believers caught in air with Christ – vs: 17

I Corinthians 15:51-53 is a parallel passage Mystery – New data not revealed previously in the OT. But second coming teaching had been given. Speed – twinkling of an eye Result – resurrection

Is there a difference between the second coming and the rapture?   Rapture Second Coming 1. Timing Immanent – I Cor. 15:50 After signs – Matt. 24:3-15 2. Primary Purpose Resurrection of saints – I Thess. 4 Judgment of the world – Rev. 19 3. Christ’s location In the air – I Thess. 4:17 Comes to earth – Zechariah 14:4 4. Audible conditions Shout, voice of the archangel, and trumpet of God – I Thess. 4:16 Trumpet of God – Matt. 24:31 5. Environmental conditions (Nothing mentioned) Darkness and climatic conditions – Matt. 24:29

Rapture Second Coming 6. Those who experience the event   Rapture Second Coming 6. Those who experience the event Deceased and living believers – I Thess. 4:16-17 The world– Rev. 1:7 7. Reaction Christians are comforted – Thess. 4:18 World mourns – Matt. 24:30 8. Duration Instantaneous and short – I Cor. 15:50 Lengthy enough to judge world – Rev. 19 9. Where the believers go Caught up with Christ in the air – I Thess. 4:17 Gathered on earth to populate the Millennium – Matt. 24:31 10. Called in Scripture Mystery – I Cor. 15:51 Predicted – Zech. 14

Day of the Lord – 5:1-5 Definition: Day of the Lord is God’s coming judgment on the earth which culminates with the second coming of Christ. This is followed by the blessings God provides in His kingdom reign during the millennium. Comes with the unexpectedness of a thief in the night – vs: 2

Observations about the pretrib vs postrib views of when the rapture will occur: When you look at all the passages in the NT which refer to Christ’s coming they emphasize differences just like in the OT the ancient Jewish thought was there was only one coming of Messiah. The best solution is to see two comings.

In Postrib, there is no one to populate the millennium if all the saints go to heaven. I Thess. 1:10 – Believers are not destined for God’s wrath. The tribulation is all about God’s wrath. The removal of the Church as the trigger for the tribulation makes sense as the restrainer in II Thess. 2:7.

Unbelieving world is living in erroneous security – vs: 3 Christians will not be overtaken because they will be with the Lord – 4

II Thessalonians 2:1-12 - The Day of the Lord Problem: Someone forged a message from Paul to the effect that the Thessalonians were in the tribulation. Paul writes II Thessalonians 2 to dispel this erroneous idea. Paul’s main point is that they couldn’t be in the tribulation since the antichrist is the centerpiece of the tribulation and he has not been revealed yet.

Day of the Lord can not come until: Apostasy comes first – vs: 3 Rise of the antichrist – vs: 3 Son of destruction – vs: 3 Claims to be God – vs: 4 Destroyed at Christ’s coming – vs: 8 Powered by Satan – vs: 9a Authenticated with false signs and wonders – vs: 9b

The restrainer – vs: 6-7 Currently keeps antichrist in check The removal of this safeguard unleashes antichrist The restrainer is best identified with the Holy Spirit indwelling the body of Christ

II Pet. 3:3-13 – Mockers who deny Christ’s coming In last days (church age culminating with the tribulation) mocking the Biblical teaching of Christ’s coming will occur - vs: 4 What mockers fail to realize: God is creator – vs: 5 The flood gives historical precedence for the tribulation – vs: 6

God currently is keeping the world from judgment – vs: 7 God does not use the same time standard as man – vs: 8-9 God’s motivation to put off judgment is the salvation opportunity to all – vs: 9b

Day of the Lord: Comes with the unexpectedness of a thief in the night – vs: 10 Earthly destruction – vs: 10-12 New heavens and earth – vs: 13

THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES

III. THE TRIBULATION 9-14

THE SECOND COMING