Eschatology, a Broad Perspective From Genesis to Revelation 7/10/16

Our Considerations The Northern Invasion: Ezek 38-39 Conditions at the Time of the End: Matt 24-25, Mk 13, Lk 21 The Great Apostasy: II Thess 2, II Tim 3, II Pet 3 The Rapture of the Church: I Cor 15, I Thess 4, Rev 4:1 Christ with His Church in the Parable of the Wedding Feast The Book of Revelation

When will the end come?

Context Christ’s final week on earth Captured in three gospels Christ’s words His condemnation of Israel’s leaders (Matt 23:1-36) Powerful: harsh language without mercy Scathing: seven woes in succession Final: nothing more to say to them, they are done His mournful lament (Matt 23:37-39) Their rejection was final They would not see Him again, His death was imminent The widow’s mite The humble exalted in the face of the self-righteous The disciples comments on the magnificence of the temple Christ’s tells of its destruction (Matt 24:2)

Disciple’s Questions (Matt 24:3) When will the destruction of the temple take place? When will be the end of the age? Jerusalem destroyed by Titus in 70 AD Provides a picture of the end time destruction in some elements Those who heeded the warning in Luke left Jerusalem in 70 AD & escaped the massacre Argued by some as fulfilling the prophecy of Matt 24 Differences between Matt 24/Mark 13 & Luke 21 accounts Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Lk 21:20) Abomination of desolation (Matt 24:15, Mk 13:14)

Concerning persecution during the church age Deception concerning the person of Christ (Matt 24:5, Mk 13: 5-6, Lk 21:8) Beginning of birth pangs (Matt 24:6-8, Mk 13: 7-8, Lk 21: 9-11) Wars, rumors of wars, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines and earthquakes Persecution/Tribulation (Matt 24:9-21, Mk 13:9-13, Lk 21:12-19) Being handed over, put to death, hated by all nations because of bearing Christ’s name Falling away, hatred, death, and betrayal as the end approaches Appearing of many false prophets Cooling of the love of most as lawlessness increases Many opportunities to testify of Jesus before officials Believers will endure

Concerning persecution during the church age Endurance of believers “But the one who endures to the end, shall be saved” Matt 24:13 “You will be hated by all on the account of my name, but the one who endures to the end, shall be saved” Mk 13:13 “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives” Lk 21:18-19 The believer’s endurance is the evidence, not the cause of salvation Prior to Christ’s return Worldwide proclamation of the gospel (Matt 24:14, Mk 13:10) God always provides an opportunity to come to Him before judgment Abomination of Desolation (Matt 24:6, Mk 13:7, 21:9) God’s command Do not fear (Matt 24:6, Mk 13:7, 21:9) Rely on Holy Spirit when called to speak (Mk 13:11, Lk 21:13-15) Flee when you see the Abomination of Desolation (Mk 13:11)

When will the temple be destroyed? When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies – Roman legions (Lk 21:20) What to do? (Lk 21:21) Flee to the mountains Get out of the city Do not go into the city Recognize how horrible will be the fate of those vulnerable What will happen? (Lk 21:22-23) All that was written concerning God’s vengeance & punishment will come to pass There will be great distress in the land There will be great wrath against the Jewish people They will fall by the sword They will be taken captive to all nations – the dispersion/diaspora (Lk 21:24) Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled

Sign of Christ’s coming & the end of the age Abomination of desolation in the temple (Matt 24:15-20, Dan 9:27) Defining marker beginning the descriptions of the end of the age With the antichrist in the temple, the pinnacle of Satan’s power over men will be reached as he tries to occupy the place of God Response is to get out immediately, don’t look back, don’t get anything Utter destruction Unequaled in intensity from the beginning of history So severe that all would be destroyed if no time limit was imposed Far more than the 70 AD event horrible as it was. Deception False rumors of Christ 2/15/2019

Christ’s Second Coming Great signs in the heavens (Matt 24:27-29, Mk 13:24, Lk 21:25) Sun will darkened Moon will not give light Stars will fall from the sky Heavenly bodies will be shaken (Mk 13:24,Lk 21:25) Sign of the Son of Man will appear (Matt 24:30, Mk 13:26, Lk 21:28) All the nations will mourn in terror All will see Him coming in power and glory As King and conqueror, not as a Suffering Servant The elect will be gathered (Matt 24:31, Mk 13:27)

The Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (Lk 21:20-24) When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies Get out of the city and flee to the mountains Do not go into the city Realize that the fate of all those in the city will be horrible destruction Recognize that God is judging the city in vengeance for Israel’s disobedience and the rejection of her Messiah, Jesus Christ Recognize that the Jewish people will be dispersed from the land into all nations Recognize that Jerusalem will be under Gentile rule until the times of the Gentiles are over

The Character of the Church Age (Matt 24:5-14, Mk 24:5-14, Lk 21:8-9 Deception concerning the person of Christ Wars and rumors of wars, kingdoms against kingdoms Famines and earthquakes Persecution False prophets Cooling of love as lawlessness increases Opportunities to testify of Christ before officials God’s provision of words to speak when believers are put before courts The worldwide proclamation of the gospel

The Tribulation and the Second Coming (Matt 24:15-31, Mk 13:14-37, Lk 21:25-18) When you see the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place/temple False rumors concerning Christ will come Great signs will appear in the heavens including the sun and moon being darkened and the stars falling from the sky The heavenly bodies will be shaken The sign of the Son of Man will appear Everyone will see Him coming in great power and glory All the nations will mourn in terror at His coming The elect will be gathered together from all over the earth

Takeaways Christ is coming again in power His coming will be proceeded by a period of Unmatched tribulation The Abomination of Desolation Everyone will acknowledge Him as LORD For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:10-11

The Next Several Weeks Jul 17 The Great Apostasy Jim Jul 24 The Rapture of the Church Jon Jul 31 Christ with His Church in the Parable of the Wedding Feast Chris And then begins the Revelation of John

See yOu NEXT week!