LESSON 2 ESCHATOLOGY AMILLENNIUM VIEW

 

THE STUDY OF “LAST THINGS”

LESSON 1

Part 2

 

This lesson is an overall introduction to Eschatology.

Eschatology:

“This isn't something for people who have been highly educated… this is something for people who haven't been corrupted by education.” (John Macarthur)

                                 

 

INTRODUCTION: READ REVELATION 20.1-10

What do you interpret as the clear, easy, meaning of this text?

How long is one thousand years? 

When will Christ reign? Before, during or after the 1000 years?

Where will Satan be during the millennium and what will he be doing?

What will Jesus be doing and from where will He be doing it during the Millennium?

What happens after the Millennium?

 

Acts 2.17; 2 Tim 3.1; Heb 1.2; 2 Pet 3.3-13

 

I BELIEVE THAT….

 

There will be a sudden, personal, visible, bodily return of Christ coming back to earth to reign as King over the whole world. His literal feet will be on earth…on the ground in Jerusalem. And then will begin a literal 1000-year reign of Christ.

 

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST or, “The Second Advent”:

The bodily return of Jesus to earth to Reign as King was forecast even in the Old Testament:

 

Ps 2.6-9

 6 ‘‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’’

 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’’ 

(Also, Acts 13.33; Heb 1.5; 5.5)

 

The following verses are a few from the OT that are descriptive of a period when Jesus will reign with the Remnant of Israel and will flourish on earth. I believe it refers to the Millennium. 

 

The Millennium is all about ISRAEL, NOT ABOUT THE CHURCH.

 

Isa 65.18-23                            Ps 78.68; 87.2

Jer 31.12-14                            Jeremiah 3.17

Jer 31.31-37                            Isaiah 24.23

Ezek 34.25-29                         Zechariah 14.9-11

Ezek 37.1-13                           

Ezek 40-48

Dan 2.35

Joel 2.21-27

Amos 9.13-14

Micah 4.1-7

Zeph 3.12-20

 

Isa 65.18-23

 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness.

 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress….

 23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.

 

Jer 31.12-14

12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more…

(“SHALL” is future in the Millennial Kingdom)

 

Jer 31.31-37

32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.

33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

37 Thus says the LORD: ‘‘If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD.’’

 

Ezek 34.25-29

26 And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.

 27 And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.

 28 They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.

 29 And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations.

 

Ezek 37.1-13

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones…

3 And he said to me, ‘‘Son of man, can these bones live?’’ And I answered, ‘‘O Lord GOD, you know.’’

4 Then he said to me, ‘‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

 

Ezek 40-48 (Certain Vagueness of When/How)

Referencing a “Millennium Kingdom Sacrificial System”. 

Portions of the OT Purification system are reinstituted for ethnic Jews as a collective body, I believe it will be a “Memorial, looking back to the one Sacrificial Death of Jesus”…not sin offerings.

It will also be a gathering place for the entire world to witness the past work that Christ did as an historical “rewind” for all to learn and see portrayed the great work of redemption that took place in the past. It will be evangelical and worshipful.

 

Not much different as the Communion and Baptism Ceremony for the church to serve as a memorial looking back at the sacrificial death of Jesus and one’s personal identification with the Savior.  

 

Dan 2.35

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

 

Dan 7.13-14

13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

 

Joel 2.21-27

25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.

26 ‘‘You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

 

Amos 9.13-14

13 ‘‘Behold, the days are coming,’’ declares the LORD, ‘‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.

14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

 

Micah 4.1-7

2‘‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. ’’For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

 3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;

4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

 

Zeph 3.12-20

14  Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

20 At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,’’ says the LORD...

 

In the NT, He said He is coming back:

 

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (Some think this is the Rapture…and so do I…it could also be a comforting promise to each saint that when he dies, Christ comes for each.)

 

Acts 1.9-11                  

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,

11 and said, ‘‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’’ (Is this a physical return?)

 

We should eagerly long for the coming of Jesus, a hope and expectation in our hearts…

 

Rev 22.20

He who testifies to these things says, ‘‘Surely, I am coming soon.’’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

 

Titus 2.11-13

11*  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12* training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13* waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14* who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

 

1 Cor 16.22

22* … Our Lord, come! (Maranantha)

 

We should be longing for the Return of Christ. It is just one measure of our spiritual condition at the moment.

 

Those who are experiencing suffering and whose walk with Christ is vital and deep will have an intense longing for His return.

 

What are some contributing factors that would diminish the longing of 

Christ’s return among Christians?

 

GOOD THINGS:

 

Enjoying a wonderful life and all the blessings of God – there is some longing of Christ’s return but it’s not huge and dominating. Why – maybe being involved with a lot of good things. 

(Not advocating an ascetic, monastic, self-deprecating lifestyle…)

 

Great fellowship in the body of believers.

 

The delights of a wonderful family: wife, husband, children growing up and their marriage and grandchildren and ministry in every direction, enjoying the bountiful blessings of God, freedom to thrive, good health and availability of sound medical care to get fixed whatever ails us, etc. 

 

Enjoying these things and maybe not longing as we ought for the coming of Christ is not being in sin. 

 

How to fix it?

 

Just the hearing of God’s Word and the testimony of the apostles as we read His Word and seeing the pattern of Scripture that we are told and taught to long for Christ’s coming again should push us toward that horizon.

 

Remember, we are told in Matt 24.44 –

Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 

 

You also must be ready…… HOW!??

 

To “be ready” is to be faithfully obeying Him in the present, engaged in work He has called us to. 

 

1 Cor 7.24: So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

 

Ps 37.3: Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

 

Eccl 9.10: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…

 

One can see that anticipating the return of Christ is not just about the future…it has to do with RIGHT NOW! - How it is that we have our being, now.

 

But as this life’s temporal blessings seem to diminish, and health begins to fail without remedy (aging or injury), as persecution rises and freedoms dissolve, society is in shambles, the expectation of the glorious return of The King rises.

 

The more stressful things become in this world – economical, strife and turmoil and plain outright evil, injustice, persecution of Christians, murder, tyranny…the more I want Him to come.

 

The Lord will come back and straighten all this out – He will come back and give pure, wonderful, righteous and good government to this earth.

 

PAUSE…

 

There are many who believe that things are okay now and that Jesus is reigning on His Throne, spiritually, and this is the metaphorical, “Thousand Year reign of Christ”.

Things are not going to get worse, only better or stay the same. I will address this system of eschatology in the next couple of lessons. I disagree with them!

 

When all you hear is that everything is going bad, it should encourage us to say, “Lord Jesus, come back”.

 

When we hear about how good things will be – “Ahhh-”, finally relief. 

Things are right. It will increase our hope for His return. 

 

What about those in my family who have not trusted Him for salvation…when He comes back again (before the millennium), and should they be living, millions may trust in Him. Above that…

 

Ge 18:25 … Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’’

 

There is No chance after death…but during that millennium reign there is hope.

 

Just one of the benefits of these dark times in the closing of the ages may be God’s way of loosing the grip of God’s people from the delights of this life and increasing the affection they ought to have for the next.

 

Hearing the testimony of Scripture and being told and taught according to the pattern of Scripture we should long for Christ to come back.

What about all the things that haven’t been done yet? (Let me get married…have children…have grandchildren…finish this or that)

 

When the Lord comes back, that will take care of all those things. Those things will be lesser.

 

BAD THINGS:

 

Living in outright sin…

 

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

 

Heb 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Loving this world more than the One Who created it: (When the Good things turn Bad)

2Tim 4:10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica...

 

Loving this world more than the One Who created it:

 

Tit 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

 

He does not tell us to deny ourselves of the good things He has given us, but to deny the bad things.

 

Christ should not be #1 in your life…that means there is competition with #2…

Christ should be PREEMINENT in your life…that means there is no competition.

 

Another consideration about anticipating the coming of Jesus is, 

“Should I undertake long-term projects?”

 

If I undertake a direction in my life that will take years of my life and sap me of huge levels of energy, is it worth the endeavor if Jesus is coming and I could have been employed in a more intensified ministry with a “lesser” occupation?

 

Being obedient to Christ in the process of the doing is good enough. Everywhere we go we are there as an Ambassador of Christ.

 

Eph 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

When Jesus comes back everyone will be in preparation for something else. Everybody in every endeavor will be in preparation for something else.

 

Be faithful to God in whatever He has led us to do and that is good enough.

 

This is a long-term project…

 

Matt 28.19-20 making disciples of all the nations… Wherever we are and whatever we are doing!

 

Just be ready in obedience…

 

Matt 24.44 

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Ec 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

 

There is a temptation that when things go from bad to worse, we hear of wars, rumors of wars, turbulence, tribulation… to give into it…

 

“I’m not going to plan for long term projects and life plans/goals, “I’m not bringing a child into this world!” … don’t give into it. We do not know when He is coming. Be engaged in the world.

 

THIS WICKED WORLD NEEDS MORE CHRISTIANS. Christian parents, have children and bring them up and nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Eph 6.2)

 

Moms and Dads, we need the discipline and instruction first.

We can only take our children as far as we have gone ourselves. Answer their questions with your own lives.

 

“Truth never becomes yours until it becomes you!” Lenard Ravenhill

 

Just like when you go to the beach and didn’t take a “Tides Chart” with you, and you lay down on your towel and over time you feel the water hitting your feet and you move further away and the water goes back and then it hits you again the signs of Christ’s return intensify and recede over and over again… There is no need to leave the beach!

 

We do not know when Christ will come - 

“88 reasons why Jesus will come in 1988” written by a Rocket scientist.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses” a hundred times setting the date over and over again.

 

Matt 24.44 when you do not expect

Mt 24:36 ‘‘But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

At present, there is No significant increase in natural disasters.

BUT, We will know when they begin. God’s hand will be unmistakable.

 

Most agree:

Judgment for unbelievers

Reward for believers

 

FOR NOW…. Live for eternity

God will reign in a kingdom with no more sorrow, sin or suffering.

 

Less agree: 

The nature of the millennium.

The relationship of Christ’s return to the millennium – before, after, or, it’s now

The sequence of Christ’s return during a specific tribulation time – before, during, or after tribulation…or no specific Tribulation at all.

What about Israel? Rom 9-11 Is the Church “spiritual Israel” or is ethnic, national Israel different from the church?

Is there a “Rapture”? Is it or is it not the same as the Second Coming?

 

Things that are forward of us…

 

Questions to ask:

 

1. Could Christ come back at any time?

“Sudden and unexpected”

 

Some people don’t think so…they say signs must take place before He can come

 

a. The Gospel preached to all nations

b. The Great Tribulation (He is at least 7 years away)

c. The mass conversion of the Jewish People

d. Wars, rumors of wars

e. The sun, moon, stars falling from the sky

 

If signs have to take place before He can come, how then, could He come this afternoon? …

Can He come this afternoon???????

YES… even this afternoon.

Most certainly for the Rapture,

And certainly, for His Second Coming.

REMEMBER:

 

Matt 24.22-44:

v36 - ‘‘But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.  

v50 - the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know

25.13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

 

YET…One may say:

 

“We may not know the day, nor the hour, but we can know the season or the week or the year!”

 

This is called, “special pleading” – not paying attention to the meaning of what Jesus is saying – we just don’t know when the time will be at all. 

 

Jesus is coming, coming soon, when you don’t expect. Be ready, anticipate and not be ashamed when he comes when we least expect it.

 

1Jo 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

 

Christ’s return is IMMINENT – at any day.

 

Things that are forward of us…

 

“BUT” some may say….

 

“Look, the disciples were expecting that Christ would be coming back in their lifetime, but they were wrong – the Bible is wrong.” 

So, why did they think/speak like Jesus was coming back tomorrow, and He has not?

 

They speak with “Prophetic Fore shorting” or “Telescopic Prophecy” … both the prophets and apostles used it. What is that?

 

Example….

 

Like hiking in the mountains – you see a series of mountains ahead of you. So you make it to the first one thinking the next one is just beyond, but no, it’s just as far away as ever. It sure appeared close on this side of the first mountain, but on top, it’s further away than this one was to me. You see there is another 30 miles till the next one with gorges and valleys and hills between. 

 

If there were multiple transparencies laid on top of one another on an overhead projector… they appear as a unified whole, even though it has multiple layers. 

 

Prophets didn’t understand that there was a lot in between. OT prophets talked a lot about what Jesus would do at the first coming about Him forgiving us our sins and then they’d talk about what he’d do when he comes back in judgment, and they didn’t know that there’d be thousands of years between the two. They didn’t know how far one mountain was from the other. 

 

When the NT authors talked about Jesus coming back soon, they only knew that everything in terms of God’s great major redemptive work had taken place – everything that has to happen has happened…

 

They didn’t know how far the final mountain was beyond the next mountain…Christ has come, He lived a perfect life, He was sacrificed for our sins, and He was resurrected and then ascended back to Heaven, He poured out His spirit and the gospel is being proclaimed throughout the world. Everything is ready. It could be any day – it is soon – any moment the last act is about to commence.

 

Peter answers the question, “Where’s the promise of His coming? Everything is as it has been since the beginning of the world” (2 Pet 3.1-7)

 

2 Pet 3.8-9

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

 

Jesus in Luke 4.18-20 did a very similar thing when He quoted a prophecy about Himself from Isaiah 61.1-2, and quoted verse 1 only, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’’, but did not quote verse 2 in its entirety…He left out,  “…and the day of vengeance of our God…”

 

“The day of vengeance of our God” was yet to come at His Second coming, it is beyond the next mountain. But now at hand, was His First Coming.

 

In His good purposes, He knows the right time. 

 

ON THE OTHER HAND, …

 

There will be many people who won’t come to Christ – they are so locked into the rebellion and unbelief of their hearts, thriving in evil and will want nothing to do with Him. When He visibly comes to reign on the earth, they will obey outwardly, they will rebel inwardly.

 

We may ask, “Lord, why won’t you come and put an end to this evil and restore justice?” 

 

He is giving time for many to repent, not longing that any should perish…He prolongs His coming for the sake of His ELECT…those yet to be redeemed…they may not even be born yet.

Wouldn’t you want someone to hold the train for you until you arrived at the station?

 

BUT… there may be another reason for His delay and one that is too often not addressed.

 

Gen 15:16

And they shall come back here in the fourth generation (Israel for their land), for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’’

 

Another reason why God delays His return is very SOBERING!

It is because sinful man has not yet reached the full capacity of his sin, as a pot steeping on the edge of boiling. Which seems to fit in well with a great tribulation.

 

John Calvin (Comments on Gen 15.16):

“The land, at present, is occupied by its lawful possessors, to whom I delivered it. Until, therefore, they shall have deserved, by their sins, to be rightfully expelled, the dominion of it will not come to thy posterity…. Moreover, the Lord here commends his own longsuffering. Even then the Amorites had become unworthy to occupy the land, yet the Lord not only bore with them for a short time but granted them four centuries for repentance. 

 

John Calvin, cont.,

And hence it appears, that He does not, without reason, so frequently declare how slow He is to anger. But the more graciously he waits for men, if, at length, instead of repenting they remain obstinate, the more severely does He avenge such great ingratitude. 

Therefore Paul says, that they who indulge themselves in sin, while the goodness and clemency of God invite them to repentance, heap up for themselves a treasure of wrath, (Ro 2:4;) and thus they reap no advantage from delay, seeing that the severity of the punishment is doubled; just as it happened to the Amorites, whom, at length, the Lord commanded to be so entirely cut off, that not even infants were spared.”

 

Rom 2.4

4* Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

 5* But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

 

We see this repeatedly throughout Scripture as to what befalls those who disregard the longsuffering of God:

 

Da 8:23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full (run their course), a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

 

Mt 23:32 “Fill up then the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

 

1Th 2:16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

 

But what about these “Signs” that are supposed to precede His return? 

 

a. The preaching of the gospel to all the nations:

 

Mk 13.10  

And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

 

Matt 24.14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

HAS THIS HAPPENED YET?  Some say, “YES”!

 

Acts 2

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 5* ¶ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

 6* And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

 7* And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

 8* And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

 9* Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

 10* Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,

 11* both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians--we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’’

 

But what about these “Signs” that are supposed to precede His return? 

 

b. The Great Tribulation:

 

Matt 24.2-9

2* But he answered them, ‘‘You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’’

 3* As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?’’

 4* ¶ And Jesus answered them, ‘‘See that no one leads you astray.

 5* For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

 6* And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

 7* For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

 8* All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

 9* ‘‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

 

Mark 13.6-8, 19-20 (Matt 24.21)

6* Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.

7* And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.

 8* For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains……..

19* For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.

 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

 

Matt 24.21

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

 

Is the worst that has ever been behind us?

 

THE Tribulation…

 

HAS THIS HAPPENED YET?   Some say, “YES”!

 

c. False prophets??

 

Mk 13.22 (Matt 24.24)

False christ’s and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

 

Has this happened yet? 

Maybe, maybe not. Haven’t seen signs and wonders yet…

 

d. Signs in the heavens

 

Mt 24:29 (Mk 13.24)

‘‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

 

Lk 21.25-28

25* ‘‘And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,

 26* people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 27* And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

 28* Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’’

 

Has this happened yet? 

 

e. The Anti-Christ / The Man of Sin / Lawlessness, have we seen him yet?

 

Was it Nero, when Paul was writing his epistles or Antiochus IV Epiphanes?

Was it the Pope?

Was it Domecian?

Was it Adolf Hitler?  

Was it Iatohla Homeni? Stalin, Lenin? Pol Pot? Evil dictators…

 

Who is this “Anti-Christ or “Man of Lawlessness”?

 

Rev 13.1-6

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

 2* And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.

 3* One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

 4* And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’’

 5* And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

 6* It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

1 Jn 2.18

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.

 

Hinting that there are many, but a greater one yet coming.

 

Satan doesn’t know God’s Time-Table so he is always pushing his next “man of lawlessness” out into the world trying to repel the inevitable plan of God.

Satan may be likened to that Pro-Team Scout who is always trying to find that next MVP for his team.

 

2 Thess 2.1-10

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

 2* not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

 3* ¶ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

 4* who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

 5* Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

 6* And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

 7* For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

 8* And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

 9* The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

 10* and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

 

Look closer at verses 8-10:

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, …

 8 And then THE lawless ONE will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

 

What about the salvation of the ethnic Jewish people of Israel?  (Not a “spiritual” Israel)

 

What about “Israel”, the Remnant?

 

Does the Bible point to a future salvation of a large number of Jews trusting in the Messiah?

 

Perhaps the gathering of Jewish people established as an Official Nation in 1948 as Israel was the first step towards this fulfillment.

 

Some say that it was an “error in history” … an irrelevant event…it isn't prophecy, just providence...it means nothing.

 

Ro 11:12

Now if their trespass means riches for the world (They didn’t trust Christ so the gospel went to the gentiles), and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

 

Israel is not out of the picture…more is yet to come for Israel!

 

Rom 11.24-27

24* For if you (church) were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

 25* Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (The church age).

 26* And in this way all (Great numbers) Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’’;

 27* ‘‘and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’’ ( I believe this to be the Millennium)

 

Many Christians have looked at all these passages concerning these many signs and have felt that Christ cannot return at any moment.

 

Some theologians have stated that they don’t believe that Jesus could come back for at least 30-40 or more years or at least a generation or more according to these signs.

 

What is a solution to this seeming contradiction to be ready and to watch for His coming and calculating these signs?

 

The position of the signs “nullifies” the strong warnings for us to be ready for an hour that we least expect. Do we just ignore or think that the “be ready” verses don’t talk to us?

 

We must not use these signs in the opposite way that Jesus intended. When Jesus said, “when you see these signs, get ready”, He did not mean that when you don’t see these signs, don’t get ready.

 

The signs are meant to intensify our expectations of the coming of Jesus, not to make us think that He is not coming back for a few years more. The Bible emphasis is,  “BE READY”.

 

Here are some “solutions” – systems – doctrines - that have been proposed:

 

1. Dispensationalism and Premillennialism

2. Post-Millennialism

3. A-Millennialism

4. Covenant Theology

5. New Covenant Theology

 

NEXT LESSON…

DEFINING TERMS, SYSTEMS AND DOCTRINES…learning what they mean

	Link To  LESSON 2 ESCHATOLOGY AMILLENNIUM VIEW https://walkingtruth.blogspot.com/2022/09/lesson-2-eschatology-amillennium-view.html