Last Things
This article deals with “last things”. That is the sequence of things that are to happen in the end of time as we know it. A few years ago I may have had a slightly different understanding. A few years in the future I might receive more knowledge. This is the flow of events as I understand them at this point in my Christian journey. God saw fit to briefly describe future events in a limited manner to give us hope and encouragement. He also has preserved His written word at great cost, even to the point of blood in many cases.
Church Age
You and I are living in the Church Age, the Day of Grace. It is all we have known. It began about 30 AD and will end soon. This is an anomaly in human history. Things were not like the world that you and I know, in the past. Things will not be like this in the near future, either.
God's Rapture
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)
Who invented the idea of a catching away of the saints? Jesus promised it. It seems that God wants and needs a rapture in order to work His end-time plan.
Bema Seat
The
what? This is not popular, yet it is an appointment that every one of
us Christians must be present at. It is called the Judgment Seat of
Christ (2Cor 5:10). This is not a judgment as in a murder trial. It
is like an Evaluation as in an Olympic event. This event will prepare
us for or eliminate us from a place of reward and responsibility in
next events.
70th Week
While the Church Age Christians are being judged or evaluated in heaven, God is dealing with an unbelieving world and especially with His first covenant people, Israel. With the Church gone, God is going to use 7 years to finish His dealings with unbelieving Israel.
It is during this prophetic “week” of 7 years that God will conduct His final dealings with ethnic Israel. Many call this period the “tribulation”. None of this time period will be fun but it is a small portion at the end of it that is called “Great Tribulation”. So, the Great Tribulation is contained within the week commonly called the Tribulation.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matt 24:22)
The elect is Israel. The time has to be artificially shortened or no one on the planet would survive, especially Israel. Since God does not stop the horrors occurring on earth before the very end of the Great Tribulation, He must mean that He will delay the start of the most severe judgments as long as He can. Here we see God's mercy even in judgment.
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
The marriage supper of the lamb is possibly at this point.
Second Coming
Jesus is coming to earth again. He will set His feet on the literal Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. He will be just in time to deliver His people the Jews from total annihilation. The entire nation, as a whole, will welcome Jesus as the true Messiah.
Judgment of the Nations
One of the first things He will do on earth is judge the nations. This judgment will be severe and will be based upon how the people of the earth helped or refused help to the Jews during the tribulation week.
He will also grant or refuse entrance to the Millennial Kingdom to the people still alive after the tribulation week. No more Mr. Nice Guy. The door of Grace will have been shut. This judgment will be “unreasonably” severe.
Millennial Reign
Jesus and probably His ancestor David will rule the planet from the world headquarters in Jerusalem. It will be a near perfect environment. Satan will be imprisoned. Death will be rare, not non-existent but rare. The animal kingdom will be changed. Food production will be abundant and leave no one in poverty. If someone dies at age 100 he will be considered a child and it will be a strange anomaly.
The population of the earth will probably increase into the billions since death will be rare. Every radio station will be a Christian radio station. All people will give outward indication that they are subject to the King and His co-regent. However, a quiet secret rebellion will be smoldering under the surface. The only thing most of the population of the world will have known is peace and a near perfect environment.
Final Rebellion
Satan will be released from his 1,000 year imprisonment to deceive the nations for one last final time. In a near perfect environment the devil will find enough rebellion in the human hearts of millions to attempt to attack Jerusalem one more time. Fire will come down out of heaven (Rev 20:9) and destroy them. Every single disloyal person will be gone from the earth. The devil is thrown into a lake of fire
...where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)
Great White Throne Judgment
Hades, which is like a county jail or holding cell, is emptied and all its inhabitants are sentenced to go where Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are, the Lake of Fire.
New Heavens and Earth
Many people want to go to heaven. Jesus taught us to pray,
...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. (Luke 11:2)
If the infinite God can have locality, the Father dwells in the highest heaven. Heaven is real place. It is also a temporary place. If you go there after God has caused the first heaven and earth to pass away, all you will find is a big smoking crater where the City of God used to be. God is going to change address. He is moving His entire heavenly city to the earth! God is going to dwell with men.
Marriage Supper and Wedding
It is not until this point in Scripture that we see the Wife of the Lamb. The entire 1,000 year Kingdom of Christ is a feast fit for a king, The King of all lesser kings. Now we see the Bride and the new city, New Jerusalem. It either is the Bride or it is a gift for the Bride.
Father's Kingdom/ Jesus Eternal Reign
After Jesus has put down all evil, sin, and rebellion as a man (though He is also Divine), He hands the Kingdom over to the Father. It now becomes the Father's Kingdom. A divine human has accomplished what no other man could do.
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (1Cor 15:24)
Then will be answered the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come”.
Although Jesus has ruled as World Dictator for one thousand years that does not mean that He stops ruling. The 1,000 years was just to mark the next thing that God wanted to do.
And he (Jesus) shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:33)
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev 11:15 NASB)
Hallelujah!
Feb. 13, 2024