God has given us His infallible, inerrant word. It begins with the book of Moses His prophet and ends with the last book of John His apostle. It begins with God's first acts of creation, and ends with God's final acts of destruction. It shows the mankind how and why their history began, and shows the mankind how and why their history will end. As believers, those who have been given the capacity by the Spirit to understand the words of the Spirit (1Co 2:10), we know that every revelation of God is not without a very important purpose. Since God has chosen to reveal to us the final days of human history for our good and for His glory (Ro 8:28,29), we have a moral obligation toward God to appreciate His revelation and diligently study it; otherwise, we would be refusing to honour the Spirit and His word (1Th 5:19,20). If you see the value of studying and believing God's future timetable, then listen to the following points. DEBUNKING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ESCHATOLOGY "We cannot know the correct eschatology, because God has not made it clear." On the contrary, the apostle John says "blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near" (Rev 1:3). John assumes that we can understand God's revelation about the future, believe it, and be steadfast in our conviction of it. Do not be like the lazy, godless unbeliever, who, though he was given a stewardship from God, refuses to lift even a finger make use of it for God's glory (Mt 25:26). We must make use of the precious truth of God's word. If it is not clear to us, then we must take the proverbial shovel and start the excavation. "Having the correct eschatology is not at all important." The risen Lord disagrees with you; He spent 40 days teaching His chosen apostles about His future coming kingdom (Ac 1:3). The apostle Paul disagrees with you; he solemnly discloses a revelation about a future event that has been kept secret for all ages until 1Corinthians 15:51, the truth by which we may "be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1Co 15:58). Again, Paul wants the Thessalonians to not be ignorant of future events, so that they do not "grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (1Th 4:13). The apostle John disagrees with you; he rightly recognizes God's blessing on those who study his revelation, and know what events are to come (Rev 1:3). The prophets of old disagree with you, who foretold of the death and resurrection of the Messiah, of the coming "abomination of desolation," of the future repentance of Israel (Dt 30:6), of the reign of the Messiah, of the Paradise regained. All the first century believers who sat at the feet of the apostle Paul disagree with you; they were eagerly awaiting the return of the Lord in their lifetime and snatch them away (1Th 1:10). And certainly, all the future believers who will live through the Tribulation under the tyranny of the prophesied "beast" will disagree with you; they will be eagerly studying the Bible in order to learn how to recognize the signs of His coming (Mt 24:33). If one is still apathetic to the topic, it is not because they are superior to the risen Lord and the apostles and the early church, but because they have become complacent in their Christian living. Be warned: sins of omission always lead to sins of commission (Heb 12:1). "Having a conviction about a particular eschatological view creates unnecessary rift among the fellowship of believers." A fellowship of believers will always favour the truth over error. Wrong traditions of beliefs or unbiblical education creates unnecessary confusion and unfounded, strong opinions about what God has revealed. But the proper hermeneutic always yields a clear truth that must not be disregarded if one desires to live a life shaped by God's truth, hence take on Christ-likeness. WHY CORRECT ESCHATOLOGY IS IMPORTANT 1) If we truly knew what kind of days in which we live and what event is next on God's timetable, then we will be able to truly seek after righteousness and the work of the kingdom with the kind of zeal that only a confident knowledge of God's plan generates. The truth of the Lord's imminent, unexpected return (either the Rapture or His second coming) is the most essential motivator for Christian living, because it motivates vigilance (2Pe 3:11), sanctifies (1Jn 3:3), encourages perseverance (1Th 5:11). In contrast, not having this truth leads to complacency, laziness, and evil (1Th 5:6). 2) God commands us to know (Jer 33:3). So we are to obey, and be "diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman, accurately handling the word of truth" (2Ti 2:15). Plain and simple. 3) Having the right eschatology equips us to detect and refute the unbiblical eschatology that gives license to evil behaviour. Let this be clear: we are not like the unbelievers who do not know God or His word. We are not like those whose lives are manipulated by the fears of an unknown future. Alas, the true followers of Christ with an unfounded, strong prejudice toward a particular incorrect eschatology (or, in contrast, a complete apathy toward biblical eschatology) will find themselves to be an easy prey to false teachers selling their wares (1Co 15:12; 2Ti 2:17-19), and unable to fully pursue righteousness and His kingdom (Mt 6:33). It is self-evident that a false eschatology cannot sanctify, encourage, motivate, or glorify God. If we are in agreement so far, then we will begin the excavation to uncover this glorious, wonderful truth in the believer's mind. ESCHATOLOGY IN A NUTSHELL There is nothing worse than reading someone who has a vain sense of self-importance that makes him expect his audience to all slavishly donate unlimited amount of their time following his long trail of arguments just to figure out what his position is. Therefore, we would like to state my position right from the beginning as clearly as we can make it: the final days of the mankind's history is the story of a faithful God finally arresting the loyalty and love of His stiff-necked people Israel, is the story of an adulterous nation finally returning back to her covenant-keeping God. BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING The revelation of God, the Scripture, is a progressive revelation of God. The previous revelations may be fleshed out and elaborated on by the subsequent revelations, but the subsequent revelations do not nullify or contradict the previous revelations. In other words, God is a faithful, trustworthy God who only speaks truth at all times (Nu 23:19; Ro 11:29). To approach the Bible without this fundamental understanding is to approach God without reverence; consequently, that person cannot expect to rightly understand the Bible. However, believing the integrity of God's entire word and using the proper hermeneutic (i.e. reading the text as the Spirit intended) reward a person with the discovery of truth. So the study about the end times must also begin by considering what God has said in the beginning. UNDERSTAND THE COVENANTS, UNDERSTAND ESCHATOLOGY There are four covenants that God has made with Israel: Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New. These covenants are all connected with each other. The Abrahamic, Davidic, and the New covenants are unilateral, unconditional covenants; these covenants contain only irrevocable, unconditional promises from God to Israel, the fulfillment of which depends entirely on God's own faithfulness. The Mosaic covenant, on the other hand, contains two kinds of promise, the fulfillment of either of which depends on Israel's own choice to either honour or break the terms of the covenant. Although it is indisputable that a normal hermeneutic would yield the fact that these covenants are between God and Israel (i.e. the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) -- so much so, that people puzzle over how the Gentiles participate -- the Scripture also shows that Israel-centricity does not mean Israel-exclusivity. The Abrahamic covenant (Ge 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:5,18-20; 17:1-8,19; 22:16-18; 26:3-5,24; 28:4,13-15; 35:9-12; Nu 34:1-12; Dt 7:12-15; 26:18,19; 28:1-14; 30:7,9; Is 35:1-10; 60:1-18; Eze 36:28; Mic 4:3; Zec 8:11-13,23; 12:8,9; Lk 1:54,72-74; Gal 3:18 ...) unconditionally guarantees (hence, predestines) the nation Israel that they will receive the clearly demarcated piece of earthly land, become the ultimate source of divine blessing to all the nations, flourish with good health and economical prosperity and many healthy children, be the preeminent nation in the world, be protected from all enemy threat, be a nation of true worshipers of Yahweh, and be the evangelistic nation that will call the rest of the world to worship Yahweh. In other words, Israel will be the nation used by God to usher in a worldwide utopia. This covenant has not yet been fully fulfilled. Yes, there has been no other nation that was a greater channel of blessing than Israel (i.e. the Bible, the covenants, the Messiah; ref. Jn 4:22; Ro 9:4,5). However, they have not become the nation entirely made of zealous evangelists (Ex 19:6). Yes, they had possessed a great portion of the promised land at the pinnacle of Solomon's Empire. However, they have not taken full possession of it (Nu 34:1-12; 1Ki 4:21; 5:1). Yes, their house grew in size from some tens to some millions (Ge 46:27; Ex 12:37). However, they are constantly in danger of being massacred by enemy nations (Ps 80:12,13; Jer 50:7). The Church today (i.e. the assembly of believers made of both Jews and Gentiles; Gal 3:28) receives an only partial fulfillment of this covenant. Yes, the responsibility (originally given to Israel) to be "a kingdom of priests" were taken from Israel and given to the Church (Mt 21:43; 1Pe 2:9). Yes, the Church has become a channel of blessing (1Co 7:14). Yes, people were healed of sicknesses in the first century (Ac 3:16). However, God's covenant relationship with Israel remains as the channel of blessing from which all peoples drink (Mt 8:11; 13:32; Jn 4:22; Ro 1:16); Paul alludes to this reality when he says that the Messiah of Israel is the only way that the Gentiles (as well as the Jews) will receive the Abrahamic blessing (Gal 3:13,14,16). All believers await the day when God fulfills His covenant promises to all Israel (Ro 11:12,15), for that is when all the fullness of blessing comes to them also (Eph 1:18; Heb 10:34; 11:16), which will continue unto eternity (Is 65:17). The Mosaic covenant (Ex 15:26; 19:5,6; 23:25,26; Dt 7:9-15; 26:16-19; 27:9,10,26; 28:1-68; 29:10-13; 30:1-5,10 ...) conditionally guarantees that God will fulfill either one of two promises for Israel: blessing or curse. The path to blessing is the path to the Abrahamic covenant blessing. The path to curse leads to the anti-Abrahamic covenant blessing (i.e. diseases and death, banishment from the promised land, slavery to other nations, famine, military defeat, oppression, population decimation, dishonour, idolatry). Whether God gives blessing or curse to Israel depends entirely on which path Israel chooses to take. The path to blessing is the path of obedience to God's terms of the covenant, and the path to curse is the path of disobedience to God's terms of the covenant. Quoting the book of Moses, Jesus summarizes all the terms of the covenant in this way: "You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Mt 22:37,38). God's terms of the covenant prove utterly impossible for sinners to obey (Ro 8:6,7). The more they are commanded, the more rebellious they become, due to their inherent sinful nature (Jer 17:9; Ro 7:7-9). Israel can never arrive at the full blessing promised to Abraham due to their disobedience. Instead, in endless cycles, Israel has historically received the curse time and time again due to their disobedience (Jdg 2:20,21; Am 5:25-27; Ac 7:51-53). In effect, the only purpose the covenant ends up serving is to show Israel that they are unable to overcome the power of their sinful nature (Ro 8:2,3), that the path to the blessings is closed to them, and that they are consigned to the path that leads to the curse (Ro 4:15; Gal 3:24). Also, this covenant makes a public example out of disobedient Israel before the watching Gentiles, and shows them how Yahweh judges disobedience (Dt 29:24,25). However, if this makes the Gentiles breathe a sigh of relief -- because they think they are not bound to the laws of the covenant and thus cannot be cursed -- they should let out a gasp of horror instead (Ro 11:21). The laws of the covenant are binding to all peoples of the earth, Jew or Gentile, for "the work of the law" is written in all their hearts (Ro 2:15). Thus, all mankind is under the curse of the law, for all are guilty of disobedience (Ro 3:9,19,20,23; Gal 3:22). To this fact of universal guilt, God attests by judging the idolatrous nations in the promised land (Dt 9:5), the nations in all the world (Ps 75:8; Jer 25:15,26,27), and by binding the entire universe to the curse (and so become a constant testimony to mankind's guilt; ref. Ge 3:17,18; Ro 8:20-22). Ultimately, the one who physically dies while being under the curse of the law will pass into an existence of the cursed state for all eternity (Eze 18:20; Da 12:2; Jn 5:29). The Davidic covenant (Ge 49:10; 2Sa 7:10-13,16; 1Ch 17:11-14; Ps 2:1-12; 89:3-4,20-29,34-37; 110:1-7; Is 9:6,7; 35:4; 61:1,2; Da 2:44; 7:13,14; Zec 2:4-13; 8:2-8,20-23; 9:9,10; 12:1-9; 14:3-9; Lk 1:69-71 ...) unconditionally guarantees David of Judah that his house will be established forever. A son will arise from his lineage, and his throne will be established forever. The Son of David (who is also paradoxically revealed to be Yahweh Himself) will be the King of Israel (Is 44:6), will come rescue all His people once again from the oppression of their enemies (Is 11:11,12; Zec 2:8,9; 8:7; 14:2,12) just as He has done in the days of Moses (Is 44:27), will restore them to their land (Is 44:26; Zec 8:8), will bring them peace and prosperity (Zec 8:12), will gather in the wealth of all the nations (Is 61:6; Zec 14:14), and will restore Israel's privilege of being the channel of blessing to all the other nations (Is 61:6; Zec 8:13). This divine King will not only rule over His people Israel, but over the entire world (Ps 110:1; Mt 2:2), bringing in a new world order where Yahweh alone is worshipped and Israel is the greatest nation (Zec 13:2,3; 14:9,17). The day of His coming will be a day of great joy for all His worshippers who will be granted entrance to His kingdom (Mal 4:2,3; Mt 13:43; 25:34-40), but a day of non-remediable woe for all His enemies who do not acknowledge His Lordship, for they will be barred from entering His kingdom (Zec 14:21; Mal 4:1; Mt 7:21-23; 13:41,42; 25:41-45). In short, the Messiah comes to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant blessing for Israel, and reigns forever in order to secure the blessing for all eternity. There is no dispute that these promises have yet to be fulfilled. The prophets of old have called the Messiah's arrival as "the Day of Yahweh," the day when He will destroy all sinners in the world who do not love Him (Is 2:12-21; 13:9-13; Eze 30:3,4; Joel 3:11-17; Ob 1:15,16; Zep 1:14-18). The prophets call for Israel's repentance in preparation for the terrible day of judgment (Joel 1:14,15; 2:12,13,32; Zep 2:2,3; Mal 4:5,6). Zacharias affirms through the Holy Spirit this yet-future reality of the kingdom when he says that the God of Israel has finally raised up for Israel their long-awaited Messiah from David's house who will accomplish "salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us" (Lk 1:69-71). John the Baptist affirms this when he says that the Messiah will come and incinerate all those who do not repent from their lawless ways (Mt 3:2,12). The Messiah Himself affirms that He will not return unless Israel repents and confesses that He is their Messiah (Mt 23:37-39), but He promises that He will indeed return to restore Israel in the future (Ac 1:6,7). What this covenant means for both Jews and Gentiles is obvious. The King is coming. If you want His mercy rather than His wrath, then you must make peace with God. Repent from your evil ways and pledge your allegiance to the King, lest you perish in the fire of His anger (Ps 2:12). The New Covenant (Dt 30:6,8; Ps 40:6-8; 103:10-13,17,18; Is 42:1-4,6; 53:1-6; 54:10; 59:21; 61:1,2; Jer 31:31-34; Eze 16:60-63; 36:22-27; 37:21; Zec 8:14,15; 12:10-13:1; Mal 4:2 {cf. the light imagery in Is 9:1,2; 42:6,7; 49:6; 51:4-8; 59:16-60:3; Lk 1:78,79; 2Pe 1:19; Rev 22:16}; Ro 3:21-26; 8:2-4; Tit 3:5; Heb 9:15 ...) is the unconditional covenant which removes the path that leads to the curse of the Mosaic covenant, as well as the curse itself. In other words, the New covenant removes both the power of sin, and the penalty of sin from Israel (ref. Ro 6:22; Gal 3:13,14). In turn, it gifts them all with the divine power to keep the law (imperfectly while still in the natural flesh, and perfectly in eternity; ref. Ro 6:16; 7:18,24; 8:30; Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2; Jude 1:24), and the legal imputation of perfect righteousness (Ps 32:1,2; Ro 4:5,13; 2Co 5:21). In a word, this covenant is salvation, the gateway to all the abundance of blessings promised to Abraham and his children, ushering in all the Davidic and the Abrahamic covenant blessings. Once executed, this triggers the coming of the Messiah who brings with Him all the blessings of Abraham. It is the one and only way to enter into the eternal kingdom of the Messiah. However, the mechanism by which any individual (whether Jew or Gentile) in any era, at any geographical location "enters" the covenant or, to be more precise, proves himself to be one of the chosen participants in the covenant (hence predestined; ref. Ps 139:16; Jn 6:39) has remained universally and chronically the same since the beginning of time. This way of salvation is known as faith -- the firm conviction of the mind about the truthfulness and trustworthiness of God when He promises blessings or warns against curses, which results in the person's perseverance with earnest expectation or in his repentance from sinful ways (Ro 3:21,22; Heb 11:1). The Scripture bears witness to this fact, that people cross over the threshold into the sphere of salvation through faith (Ge 15:6; Ps 51:16,17; Is 45:22; Hab 2:4; Ro 4:5; Heb 11:1-12:2). This covenant of salvation is what all the ancient saints had looked forward to in faith, and what all the modern saints look back to in faith. To expand more on this mechanism: according to Jesus and the apostles, the full content of the revelation that God requires His chosen covenant-participants to know and believe have been clearly revealed in the Scripture, and should have been a familiar knowledge for anyone who studies the Scripture (Mt 26:24,56; Lk 24:25-27,44-49; Ac 2:30,31; 3:18; 10:43; 17:11; 1Co 15:3,4; Heb 2:10; 5:9,10; 11:39,40; 12:2; 1Pe 1:10-12). Yes, whatever amount of revelation God chooses to give in a particular era, the individual of an honest (divinely enabled) heart clings to it with faith and is thus justified (Ge 15:6; Job 42:5,6; Ps 19:1,2; Ac 14:17; 17:26-29; Ro 1:19,20); in other words, men are justified by their faith even in the smallest piece of divine revelation. However, (paradoxically) their faith is not yet complete until God (inevitably) brings to their heart the full requisite revelation necessary for salvation (Mt 13:12; Lk 8:18; 19:26; 24:25-27,44-47; Jn 9:35-38; Ac 8:26-35; 10:22; 17:11-12, 26-31; 18:24-26; 19:1-6); in other words, if there is any revelation in regards to salvation that was still lacking, God gives those also in order to complete the individual's faith; for to believe even the tiniest piece of divine revelation is an evidence of the gracious work of God, and God always completes the work that He starts (Ac 16:14; Eph 2:8; Php 1:6,29). Case in point, the formerly blind man believed that he was healed by God, but Jesus had to seek him out and tell him to believe in Him (Jn 9:35-38); Jesus' disciples believed that Jesus is the Messiah, but Jesus had to teach them more correctly from the Scripture how they must believe (Lk 24:25-27,44-47); Cornelius believed in the God of Israel, but God had to send Peter to preach Jesus to him (Ac 10:1-48); the Bereans were committed to the truth of Scripture, but God had to send Paul to show Jesus in the Scripture (Ac 17:10-12); Apollos of Alexandria believed that Jesus is the promised Messiah, but God had to send Priscilla and Aquila to teach him the full message of Jesus (Ac 18:24-26); John's disciples believed their teacher's message and were waiting for the Messiah, but God had to send Paul to show that Jesus is the Messiah (Ac 19:1-7). To wit, what one must know and believe in order to be saved is the answer to the most important question in the world: how can God be just and justify the ungodly (cf. Pr 17:15; Ro 4:5)? This is the question of how God's gracious nature and His great compassion for contrite sinners are able to manifest while God's justice still stands, hence the investigation of the paradoxical co-existence of mercy and justice. If it can be proven that all men everywhere in every era are hardwired to inescapably obsess over this question, then it is not a far reach to trust that the merciful God, who Himself put this question in their hearts, will provide them with the answer. As we have previously established, the Scripture testifies to this fact: that all men are given sufficient divine revelation about God as the merciful Creator and righteous Judge (Ro 1:20,32; 2:4). They know that they are accountable to Him; they know that they constantly violate His laws written on their hearts; they know that they live under divine condemnation, the horror of which is shrouded in mystery till death (Heb 2:15). If men will truly believe this about God and about themselves, then they will seek after and find the answer: God provides a Divine Substitute who will absorb the sinner's curse and dispense His blessing in return. In other words, God sends God into the world of sinful men, so that He may drink the bottomless cup of His wrath on their behalf, and become their righteousness before the holy God. So then, the Bridge which allows man to cross over from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City (to borrow the imagery of Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress) constitutes the necessary full content of faith. In the ancient times prior to the arrival of Jesus the Anointed -- the one and only Prophet, Priest, and King -- we have examples recorded for us of people being taught through divinely prescribed rituals and divinely orchestrated tropes to believe that God would one day send the Anointed who would redeem them from the sin's curse. Although the person of Jesus the Nazarene and the time of His arrival were shrouded in much mystery, the various aspects of whom He would be and what He would accomplish were very much present in typified forms in the object-lessons. Either from the specific examples in the days of prophets or from the vantage point of the apostles' teachings, we can induce as well as deduce that the saints of old had put their faith in a coming Messiah who would die in their place and rise again. Here is the evidence of such defined faith:
It was a common understanding that this salvation was meant for more peoples than only Israel, because the Scripture shows that God has always extended the invitation to the Gentiles to join in this banquet of grace. From the beginning, God has demonstrated His evangelistic zeal when He displayed His unsurpassed glory on the world stage through the Egyptian Pharaoh. The prophets have spoken of the light of salvation reaching the Gentiles. The nation Israel herself was designed to serve as "a kingdom of priests" which would bring other nations to faith in the true God (Ex 19:6). What was kept hidden from the prophets of old, however, was the liminal period which spans the time between the end of Daniel's 69th and the start of the 70th, namely, the Church Age when both Jews and Gentiles become one corporate entity through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with no respect to any social restriction of the Mosaic covenant (Lk 14:16-24; Ac 10:45; 11:8,18; Ro 11:25; 1Co 2:7; Eph 3:9,10; Col 1:26,27; 1Pe 1:12). In this era, God does away with the old theme of condemnation, and brings in the new theme of salvation (Gal 3:23,24); God stops teaching about the inaccessibility to God in any way apart from a Blood Atonement (Lv 16:2), and starts teaching about the accessibility to God through Christ alone (Mt 27:51); the time of preparing peoples' minds through types and shadows comes to a close, and gives way to the time of speaking plainly of the reality of salvation (Col 2:16,17; Heb 1:1,2; 8:4-6; 10:1). Also, due to Israel's rejection of their Messiah, God's mode of evangelism transitions from attracting the peoples to one local nation to reaching out to all nations (2Ki 5:5,6; Jn 4:21,23), from intimidation to a show of fortitude in face of intimidation (Jos 2:11; 1Sa 4:8; Mt 5:11,12,44,45; 1Co 16:13; 1Pe 2:19,21). This is the Church Age when the good news of the New covenant are making its way around the world, gathering many peoples to the faith until "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" (Ro 11:25). PUTTING TO REST ALL OBJECTIONS We cannot emphasize enough how foundational is this understanding of the covenants of Israel. If someone is still inclined to say that the covenant promises are not at all meant for the nation Israel, or that the covenant promises were forfeit due to their incessant disobedience and their rejection of their Messiah, consider these points:
"LORD, IS IT AT THIS TIME?" It is the liminal period after the resurrection and before the ascension. The risen Christ spends forty days teaching His disciples about "the kingdom of God" (Ac 1:3) prior to the commencement of the Church Age. The long lecture on the kingdom of God does not only concern the spiritual kingdom of Christ manifest in the saved community of believers in the present, but also the physical kingdom of the Messiah which is to come in the future, as evidenced by the disciples' follow-up question, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel (Ac 1:6)?" Their question is not from a heart of stubborn insistence on the Israel-centric view of the covenants, against the grain of what Jesus just taught them for the last forty days. Their question is the natural result of being taught the "What" and the "How," and not being told the "When." The way Jesus responds to their question confirms their correct understanding: "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority (Ac 1:7)." Many disciples today wish they were present for those forty days of one-on-one time with Jesus when He was teaching about all things future, to ask any questions. They wish they had more clear details, more event-by-event timetable information that could limit the possible eschatological views that we might have. This wish is relatable to a degree; who would not want to have a personal extra-biblical conversation with God? However, they forget that the Lord has given us sufficient data in the Scripture to discern what the next major event in the history of mankind is. Besides, insofar as eschatology is concerned, there would have been nothing that Jesus revealed to the few disciples in those forty days that He would not have revealed later to all disciples through the pens of the apostles. In fact, there is an argument to be made that the modern disciples today know more about eschatology due to the completed canon of Scripture than those few disciples did (1Co 15:51; 1Th 4:13; 2Th 2:5; Rev 1:1). THE TRIBULATION the time of Jacob's trouble. THE RAPTURE The Scripture talks about the event of what is commonly referred to as the Rapture, full stop. The question is not whether or not the Rapture will happen. The question is when the Rapture will happen. 1Co 15:51,52 1Th 4:17 Jn 14:3 could be an allusion to the Rapture due to the fact that despite what the disciples were hoping -- a kingdom brought from heaven to earth -- Jesus was promising them another hope -- a Rapture out of the world to the Father's house. Jesus tells them of no warning signs before this event happens. In order to discern the timing of the Rapture. we need to examine the utter necessity that drives us to reach the conclusion of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. -----------------------------
----------------------------- (undiscovered caves below) Process of elimination to reach the doctrine of PreTrib Rapture , because it is unmistakable that Rapture will happen at some point 1. The kingdom must be populated by people in the flesh. The rapture cannot happen at the Second Coming, otherwise no one would be left to populate the kingdom. 2. The Church is promised to be saved from the hour of testing, the Tribulation period 3. In the chronology of Revelation, the 24 Elders i.e. the Church are found in heaven right in hte beginning of the revelation of "things that will take place" 4. The believers are not waiting for the Antichrist to show up. They are waiting for Christ to show up imminently (Jn 14:3; Ro 5:1; Eph 1:18; 4:4; Col 1:5; 1Th 1:10; 2Th 2:16; Tit 2:13; 1Ti 1:1; Heb 6:18,19; 1Pe 1:3; 1Jn 3:2). 5. There is no point of the Rapture if the Rapture happens post-Tribulation, because Christ will return to the earth anyway. And if the Rapture happens then, no mortal believers would be left to populate the kingdom. 6. There is no command to start hoarding or stocking for the Tribulation in the Bible. Messiah's coming will be preceded by a great time of distress, salvation of Israel, regathering of Israel, rebuilding of the temple. Apostles affirm the coming restoration of the kingdom and Israel-centrism and prophecy of suffering of Christ >>> Ac 3:18-21,25,26. Church is always part of the plan from OT, after which God will rebuild Israel, after which massive evangelism is done (144000 Jews) >>> Ac 15:14-18; Lk 21:24. God does not change His promises anywhere, like an anchor >>> Heb 6:13-20. Ro 3:3 >>> unfaithfulness of men is not faithfulness of God. Ro 9:6 >>> unbelief does not cancel God's promise. Unbelief is part of God's plan. God is even sovereign over unbelief of Israel. Ro 11:7,11~ >>> after holding guilty unbelieving Israel, Paul rejects that God abandoned them. In fact, church exists to make Israel jealous. acceptance of Israel means fulfillment of covenant (Ro 11:15). Partial hardening until Gentiles have all come in. God's calling is irrevocable. Papias : personal reign of Christ for Millenium after resurrection Ante-Nicene fathers were predominantly Premillenialists. John Calvin was strongly oppposed to allegorical hermeneutic, calling it "source of many evils." Anti-semitism began to crawl into the church. The replacement theology had a profound impact on chruch's attitude toward the Jews through middle, dark ages. Altars, sacrfiices, signs at birth, priesthood, Jubilee year, rituals are all appropriated by quasi- Roman Church, because church is the "new Israel." Judaism recast. sacramental (rituals communion; where you do not celebrated the crucified one but sacrifices over and over again), sacerdotal (hadns of priests), hierarchical (within believers), institutional ( not personal ), not spiritual reality but symbolic dead shadows symbols, centred on the word of God. Impossible to do Jewish evangelism. Jewish people believed in the resurrection? Yes. Ge 5:24; Job 19:26; 2Kings 2:11; Da 12:1,2; Heb 6:1-2 1Th 4:13 Thessalonians were afraid of what happens after they die as Christians before Christ returns. Those who died before Christ's return, will they miss Christ's return? Should they have reason for grief that the dead loved ones will not participate in meeting Christ bodily? Paul reassures them that they have hope of reunion (1Th 4:17). 1Th 4:14,15 Rapture is based on the death and resurrection of Christ, that makes death lose its sting (made into a sleep), guarantees our own resurrection. THEREFORE, Christ will bring all those asleep in Him (all resurrected; ref. Jn 14:1-3; Ro 6:3-8; 2Co 4:14). It is based on revelation from the Lord. There is no advantage of being alive at His coming; no one will miss the event. Imminent return makes us prepared at all times as if the Lord could come at any moment, and love and long for His appearing (Ro 13:11-14; 1Co 16:22; Php 1:20; 3:20; 1Th 3:13; 5:10,23; 1Ti 6:14,15; 2Ti 4:8; Titus 2:12,13; Rev 22:20). 1Th 4:16 Jesus will descend from heaven Himself, with a military cry of command for believers to attention, call for the dead to rise up. Trump announces the coming of the Lord to save, the "last trumpet" to announce the end of church age. All dead will be raised, and those alive will be glorified on the way up. No one will be left out. Comfort each other with this truth. 1Th 4:17 snatching away by force all believers "in the air." (ref. Jn 14:1-3; 1Co 15:51,52) 1Th 1:10 as if coming of the Lord will happen in their lifetime. 1Th 2:19 coming of the Lord 1Th 5:1-9 day of the Lord comes like a thief for deadly destruction of the sons of darkness; implication is they will not go through tribulation, as they are sons of light who will not be caught offguard. If they were to go through, Paul would have warned them how to prepare, and he would not be able to comfort them. Jesus certainly warned seriously how to act during the tribulation in Mt 24. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TRIBULATION from GOD (since our judgment was paid at the cross; God will not dishonour His Son's suffering by making the church go through tribulation); it does not concern you! You are going to be with Jesus! Do not worry about the antichrist. You are going to be with Jesus. Only unbelieving Israel and Gentile nations are destined for wrath, just as God saved his believers from the Noahic flood. So what you are looking for is not the appearing of Antichrist or tribulation, but directly appearing of Jesus Himself. Mt 12:32; Mk 10:30; Eph 1:21 age to come (eternal state) Who is Antichrist? Ge 6:1 demon possession Exodus 1 Jewish genocide 2Ch 21-22 Messianic line assassination Esther salvation of Jews Spirit of Antiochus Epiphanes (trying to kill all Jews making circumcision of a child punishable by death; turned temple into a brothel, offered pigs on the altar, made altar to Zeus' altar), Herod the Great, Devil's temptation of Jesus, Nazarenes trying to stone Jesus, Peter trying to keep Jesus from the cross, Romans' attempt to keep him in the tomb, Hitler. 1Jn 2:18-22; 4:3 2Jn 1:7 2Th 2:3-5 Ezekiel 38~ 39 Gog Da 7 little horn Da 9 prince who is to come Da 11 king who does as he pleases Zec 11 foolish shepherd Revelation the beast Da 7:8,21,23,25,26,27 little horn who rises from obscurity and becomes powerful globally, speaking eloquently and blasphemously, intelligent, who wages war against saints and overpowering them, his kingdom will take over the world. He's a blasphemer who will speak against the Most High, replacing religious ceremonies for his own honour, introduce satanic morality, his reign of terror for only 3.5 years. After which, Lord destroys the horn and sets up His kingdom. Da 8, insolent, fierce face, intimidate people into submission, skilled in intrigue, his master is Satan himself, be arrogantly puffed up, will slaughter innocent people, who opposes and blasphemes God, and be killed by God Himself. Da 9 Jews will make a covenant with the horn. after 3.5 years, the horn turns on them, and does the abomination of desolation (Mt 24), and begins the Great Tribulation, and massacres Jews and Christians. This prince who is to come will destroy the sanctuary. He will look like the savior, but then desecrates after 3.5 years. Da 11 ruthless arrogant, who does as he pleases, a blasphemer, who may be a homosexual like Nero. God will judge him. 2Th 2:3 apostasy >> defection. as evil men get worse and worse, and false teachers proliferate. apostasy is the event when the antichrist is revealed, belonging to hell by nature, foreshadowed by Judas. Apostasy is when he sets up worship of himself. World peace is set up by his intelligence, personality. One world religion; the harlot (rev 17). Mt 24 the abomination of desolation in the holy place. It's then time to flee. Zechariah 11:16,17 false shepherd who is the antichrist who has zero interest in the sheep's well-being. Zec 13 two thirds of Jews will be massacred. Rev 13 the beast goes after everyone. Leopard, bear, lion (ref. Daniel). False resurrection. They worship the beast and Satan. 3.5 years of worship. He slaughters Jews and believers. He will be destroyed. His rule is short (2Th 2:8). Titus 2:11-13 looking for the blessed hope Revelation shows chronological steps of the future events. why the Pre-trib Rapture? 1. nature of the church (parenthetical, mysterious, grafted-in body not revealed in OT) (until the fullness of the Gentiles during the hardening of Israel Ro 11:17-26; the mystery of the church and Christ-indwelling age Col 1:26,27; Jn 14:20; 17:21; Eph 3:3-6,9). Gentiles were always seen as second class in the OT (Is 61:5,6). Church is unique from Israel; Israel received all the curses, and so shall receive all the blessings as well (1Co 10:32). Church (ecclesia: assembly of Christians; body of Christ) is made up of believers. Israel is around during tribulation, not the church. Church will be built by the Lord in the future, and the death will not overpower it meaning that it will not go through the tribulation (Mt 16:18), unlike the saints in the tribulation who will be living in a world dominated by the beast (church began at the Pentecost with the advent of the Spirit Ac 11:15, 1Co 12:13,28; the beast ruling over the saints in the tribulation Rev 13:7; the false church prostitute ruled by the beast 17:3-5). The pure, chaste Bride of Christ will not be molested by the beast in the tribulation, but will be taken away to be with Him because Church does not NEED to go through tribulation and discipline as Israel would need (unlike the adulterous, harlot, unfaithful Israel 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:27,32; 1Th 5:9). Christ from the OT was schedule to simply come and reign. This Rapture of the church was a new revelation, and was spoken of by Jesus as a distinct event. It is a signless event. We are purified by our expectation of Christ, not the antichrist who precedes the coming of Christ. Rev 2:22 those who go into tribulation are false teachers, idolaters, unrepentant. Rev 3:10 church will be kept from tribulation, and testing of all people in the world. Rev 6-19 the whole time tribulation is going on, there is not one mention about the Church. 2Peter 2:9 the godly church is saved from trials and hold the ungodly for judgment. Rev 4:4,10 After talking about the church in the first three chapters, we suddenly are in heaven. The church is already reigning with Christ before the tribulation starts in Revelation 6. white garment is the clothes of the Church. The crown that is given to victors is given to Church. Number 24 is priestly number from 1Chronicles, and represents the church as priests. Rev 5:8-10 The church sings a new song. 2. nature of the tribulation Tribulation is time of God's wrath unleashed on the earth (Zephaniah 1:14-18). three series of judgments (in Revelation): seals, trumpets, bowls. There will be believers in the Tribulation; this necessitates church is distinct from Israel (church had a distinct beginning, and will have a distinct end, hence the church age). Dt 4:30 tribulation in the latter days is for Israel who rejected Christ (to whom much is given, much is required). Jer 30:7 time of Jacob's trouble is for Israel. Rev 6-19 Israel is everywhere found during the tribulation. 2Peter 3:10; Zephaniah 1:7-18; Malachi 4:1-6:1 Day of the Lord is the tribulation. the end of the world is the Day of the Lord, the day of atomic holocaust. Mt 23:39; Lk 19:42-44 Tribulation ends when Israel repents. Tribulation is intended to discipline Israel. Eze 20:33-38 God will regather Israel and judge Israel. Da 9:24-27 God will also save the remnant of Israel at the end of tribulation. At the end of 70 Weeks (490 years of 360 days), Messiah will reign and end all sin. The countdown starts at the restoration of Jerusalem (March 14th, 445 BC) when Artaxerxes decreed that Jerusalem be rebuilt. After 483 years, Apr 6th, 32 AD, the very day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Lk 19:28-40; Zec 9:9). Messiah will then be cut off and rejected at that time. Then there is a time gap until the 70th Week. Then the antichrist will make a covenant for seven years. In the middle of the seven year period, he will blaspheme. Then He will suffer his destruction. Zephaniah 1:12-18; Mt 24:3- Great day of the Lord. Judgments from God on the earth. Beginning of birth pains. Great deception. Then great evangelism effort (144000 and the two witnesses) will happen. Da 7:25; Rev 11:2,3; 12:14; 13:5; The last half of the tribulation time is called Great Tribulation. Mt 24:15; Rev 13:14 The thing that starts the Great Tribulation is the desecration of the temple. Antichrist will set up an idol in the temple. Rev 12:6 Then Israel will flee from the desecration, and hide for 3.5 years. Mt 24:29-31 After the Tribulation, the sun goes dark, moon goes black, stars shall fall. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven to usher in His kingdom era. If there is no gap, then Christ came back in 39 AD. Before this happens, there is the period of Israel's unbelief, the church age. Mt 25:31-46 Lk 21:24 Times of the Gentiles ever since Israel was sold to Babylonian captivity. The judgment of the Gentiles when Jesus comes back. But repent and believe, ye who live during the tribulation before the Messiah comes back to judge (Lk 21:34-36). God always rescues His people before the judgment (2Pe 2:6-9). Eze 36:22-36 After tribulation, God will rebuild Israel. In the tribulation, both nations and Israel will believe. 2Th 2:7,8 Holy Spirit will be taken out of the way, and so the Church will be taken away. Then the antichrist will be revealed. Jer 24:1-10; Joel 1:7,12; Hos 9:10 Israel is a fig tree. The purpose of the Tribulation is to punish and save Israel, and Gentiles (Rev 7). Also, God lets sin and Satan run full course and do their absolute worst, and finally crush it showing who truly is powerful. Also, it shows how much God hates sin, and what kind of wrath and curse Jesus suffered at the cross. Every part of creation that man has abused and worshiped, God will make an instrument of death for the idolaters. Day of the Lord Is 2:12; 13:6,9; 27:1; Jer 46:10; Eze 30:3,4; Joel 1:15; 2:1,11,31; 3:9,12-14; Obadiah 1:15; Am 5:18,20; Mal 4:5; Zeph 1:7,14,15; 3:8; Zec 14:1; Mt 13,24,25; Lk 17:24; Ac 2:20; Ro 2:5; 1Th 5:2; 2Th 2:2; 1Pe 2:12; 2Pe 3:10-12; Rev 6:17; 16:14; 19:17 The day of the Lord (day of wrath), day of doom, day of vengeance, culmination of God's fury. 2Th 2:1-3,13,14,15,16,17 Church CANNOT be in the day of the Lord (2Th 1:8), because they are gathered up to Christ. Meaning, the Rapture comes before the Day of the Lord. "DO NOT BE MIND-DISTURBED, FRIGHTENED, and SHAKEN LOOSE FROM YOUR FOUNDATION BY BAD ESCHATOLOGICAL TEACHING." IF Paul taught Post-Trib Rapture, then they would not be disturbed, but as they are taught by Paul, they thought they missed the Rapture. Paul says the Antichrist must come first. Do not be frightened: you were chosen for glorification. Be comforted (1Th 4:18)!!! You are not looking for the Antichrist. You are looking for Christ!!! There is no adventure in experiencing the wrath of God falling down all around us. Overwhelmingly horrific. God will destroy antichrist, and his demonic and human allies by His word, and cast them alive into the lake of fire. Mt 24:4 "see to it that no one misleads you." Near and far fulfillments (preview of the last version of the Day of the Lord) invasion of Assyrians Babylonian captivity 2Pe 3:12 Day of God referring to eternal state 3. nature of the second coming at the rapture, bodies are taken up. at the second coming, bodies come down. at the rapture, Christ meets in the air. at the second coming, Christ comes down and splits the mount of olives. Sin is not dealt with at the rapture. Sin is judged at the second coming. Rapture is signless. Second coming comes with signs (Mt 24:27,28,33). Rev 6:15-17 all the unbelievers once proud and arrogant, now all cower and fear for their lives. They all run to their bomb shelters cut into rocks. Rev 5 the title deed to take back the earth Rev 6:1~ picture of the antichrist, then war, self-destructive, wholesale bloodbath (Eze 38:21), famine, quarter of world population dies, martyrs from the tribulation, sun blackened and blood moon and stars blackened. Rev 8:7~ seventh seal is the seven trumpets. Hail and fire destroying third of earth, third of marine life and third of ships destroyed by meteor, comet falls into drinkable waters and third of waters become toxic, third of celestial lights blackened, released all bound demons tormenting men short of death, then a great army kills third of population. Rev 16:1~ seventh trumpet blows. Then bowl judgments happen. sore, all marine life dead, all drinkable water gone, sun burns, complete darkness, river dried up so that a great army from the east could cross, then earthquakes and large hailstone and Jerusalem being split into three parts and cities of nations falling and every island sinking and mountains all brought low. When Christ comes, there will be Armageddon. Then sheep and goat judgment. then the millennial kingdom. 4. Kingdom is Paradise regained. Eze 36:35 The Lord Jesus returns in Rev 19, and ends the Tribulation Period. The millennial kingdom starts. Kingdom is distinctly Jewish. Davidic covenant: King Messiah reigns from Jerusalem (only believers enter) Abrahamic covenant: blessing temporal realized Is 11; animal kingdom peace. Is 2; Am 9 agricultural prosperity, gardening Is 35 wilderness to oasis Is 65 long life Rev 20 many will stay unbelievers who are born in the kingdom 5. Eternal state in Rev 21
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CategoriesAll Discourse Doctrines Gospel Humour NT Commentaries OT Commentaries Tactical Life Date
August 2023
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