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Eternity After Judgment: New Heaven and Earth

Time Ends-Then Eternity
The time after the white throne judgment is not described in detail, but the Bible does give us some insights that are very interesting.

  1. Earth Aflame
    • 2 Peter 3:10 tells us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up.
    • The whole earth and space around it will be aflame. Everything humanity has made on the earth will be burned and destroyed.
    • Everything humans have sent into outer space will be totally obliterated. The earth and the heavens around it will be completely purged.
  2. New Heaven and New Earth
    • We look for a new heaven and a new earth.
      • Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.
      •  2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
  3. The New Jerusalem
    • John saw a beautiful city coming down from God.
      • “And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).
    • There will be a new heaven, a new earth, and a new city.
      • Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions….I go to prepare a place for you… that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
    • Revelation 21 uses wonderful imagery to describe the splendor of the eternal dwelling place of God’s people.
      • It depicts the city as 12,000 furlongs (1,500 miles) in length, breadth, and height (verse 16).
      • It is made of pure gold like clear glass (verse 18), with walls of jasper and gates of pearl (verse 21).
      • It will not need any power plant, or sun, or moon to shine, for Jesus will be
        the light (verse 13).
    • There time and eternity will meet. The temporal will cease forever, and the hope of the righteous from all ages shall be fulfilled. We shall live with our Lord Jesus Christ forever.

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Understanding the Great White Throne Judgment

The Great White Throne Judgment

  • After one thousand years of the reign of Jesus Christ upon the earth, the great white throne judgment will take place.
  • It will be a judgment of all the dead from the beginning of human existence on the earth.
  • The only people who will not need to be judged will be the redeemed people, both dead and living, who arose to meet the Lord at the Rapture.
    • Revelation 20:11-12
      • And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened.
  1. The Throne
    • John saw an impressive, large white throne.
  2. The Judge
    • Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne.
  3. The Judged
    • The dead from all walks of life will be judged.
      • Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and
        hell delivered up the dead that were in them.
  4. The Evidence
    • The books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works
      • Rev. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
    • The books represent:
      • The Bible, which reveals God’s plan for humanity.
      • The recorded history of each person’s life.
      • The book of life, the book with the names of the righteous of all ages.
  5. The Witnesses
    • The saints of the church will be present with Jesus.
  6. The Judgment
    • Those whose names are not in the book of life will be cast in the lake of fire.
      • Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

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Understanding the Millennium: Christ’s Reign on Earth

The Return of Christ and the Millennium


To the Mount of Olives

  • When Jesus Christ comes with His armies to Armageddon and destroys the Antichrist system, He will then
    stand on the Mount of Olives.
    • And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the
      west, and there shall be a very great valley” (Zechariah 14:4).
  • The landscape around Jerusalem will never be the same again after He comes in glory to set up His kingdom.
  • The mountain will be divided as a monument to the deliverance of the Lord.

Characteristics of the Kingdom Age

  • Jesus Christ Will Be King of the Earth
    • And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one (Zechariah 14:9).
  • He Will Rule on the Earth for a Thousand Years
    • Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).
  • Judgment of the Nations
    • The nations of the world that have blessed or persecuted the Jews, especially during the Tribulation, will then be judged.
      • Matthew 25:31-46
        • “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
        • 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
        • 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
        • 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
        • 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
        • 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
        • 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
        • 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
  • God’s People Will Rule with Christ
    • Revelation 20:1-6
      • And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
      • And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
      • And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
      • And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
      • But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
      • Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
  • The Capital Will Be Jerusalem
    • The nations will come there annually to worship the Lord.
      • Zechariah 14:16-17 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
  • Satan Will Be Bound during this time
    • Revelation 20:2-3 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

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The Battle of Armageddon

The Battle of Armageddon

  • The valley of Jezreel or Esdraelon is located west of the Jordan River and east of the Mediterranean Sea.
    • The Battle of Armageddon will be fought in this area.
  • The name “Armageddon” is taken from the strategic military city of Megiddo, which was the fortified chariot city of Solomon.
  • Armageddon, it has been said, “will be the battleground for the greatest blood bath the world has ever seen!”

144,000 Sealed

  • The Antichrist, with the false prophet, will rule the world with an iron hand for three and a half years. He will extend control over the political, religious, and economic life of the world.
  • God will preserve 144,000 believers during this time. He will deliver this remnant, who will be hidden from the destructive power of the Antichrist.
    • Most believe that the 144,00 will be Jews who turn to Jesus during this time.

Preparation for Armageddon

  • The Jews will be a thorn in the flesh of this world leader. He will be able to break the will of the other nations but not them.
  • He will determine to destroy them and will gather his leaders and armies together for this purpose.
  • At this time the Lord will intervene with a heavenly army.
    • Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army
    • Rev 16:13-14; 16 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty… And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Armageddon Closes Out the Tribulation

  • This battle will be the end of the Tribulation. It will be the final attack of the Antichrist against God and His people.
  • The cup of God’s wrath will be full at this time, and He will personally come to end the wild and savage earthly reign of the beast and his system.
  • After this battle Jesus will set up the millennial reign on earth (one thousand years of peace).

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:11, 14, 16).

  • And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge, and make war
  • And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean
  • And he had on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS

The Judgment of the Beast and False Prophet

  • Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

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The Reign of the Antichrist

The Reign of the Antichrist
A forceful political leader, usually called the Antichrist, will come forth to dominate world leadership during the Tribulation. He will have much help in the person of the false prophet, who will be the world religious leader. A world system of government under one head will envelop the political, religious, and the economic areas of life.

The Antichrist

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 describes this evil leader, calling him the “man of sin.”
    • Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
    • Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
    • Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
    • And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
    • For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
    • And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
    • Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
    • And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
  • It further teaches:
    • The son of perdition, that man of sin will be revealed.
    • He will oppose God (verse 4).
    • He will exalt himself above God (verse 4).
    • He will sit in the Temple, showing himself as God (verse 4).
    • He will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus at Armageddon (verse 8).
    • Satan will empower him with signs and lying wonders (verse 9).
    • He will deceive those who do not love the truth (verse 10).
    • God will allow those who do not love the truth and are deceived by the Antichrist to believe a lie and be damned (verses 11-12).
  • The Devil has the same desires now as when he was in Heaven.
    • Isaiah 14:10-16
      • All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
      • Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
      • How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
      • For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
      • I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
      • Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
      • They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
  • Revelation 13 describes him as a “beast” rising up out of the sea.
    • The dragon (Satan) will give him his power and authority.
      • Rev. 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
    • The one-world system of government will be, in some sense, a revival of the old Roman Empire.
      • Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
    • The people will worship the beast.
      • Rev. 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
    • He will have total power the last three and a half years of the Tribulation.
      • Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
    • He will blaspheme God, His name, and the heavenly dwellers.
      • Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
    • He will make war against those who turn to God during this time.
      • Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
    • He will cause all to receive a mark in the right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell (verses 16-17).
      • Rev 13:16-17  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
    • His number is calculated to be 666.
      • Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

The False Prophet (Religious Government)

  • Revelation 13 also describes a religious leader in the Tribulation who works closely with the Antichrist. He will assist the Antichrist in attaining world supremacy. The false prophet is mentioned three other times (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10).
  • According to Revelation 13:
    • Rev 13:11-15
      • And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
      • And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
      • And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
      • And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
      • And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
        • He will exercise great power.
        • He will cause the people to worship the Antichrist and submit to the world system (verse .
        • He will perform miracles by the power of Satan.
        • He will be a deceiver.
        • He will have an image of the Antichrist made.
        • He will give life to the image and cause the image to speak.
        • He will put to death all that will not worship the image of the beast.

The Antichrist System of Political Government

  • The ten toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar and the ten horns of the beast of Revelation 13:1; 17:12; and Daniel 7:7, 24 are a confederation of ten nations that will constitute a world power in the last days.
  • These nations will help the Antichrist come to power and sustain that power for some years.
  • Their authority will be lessened by the Antichrist after he has used them to gain world power.
  • This confederation will probably develop into a very powerful economic bloc, which will give them great influence in the making of a world leader.
    • Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
    • Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
    • Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
    • Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
  • This world will be greatly dominated by a world religion, which Revelation 17 describes as a great harlot drunk with blood of saints and martyrs. This harlot will ride the beast until the beast kills her. The political-economic system will destroy the false world church, taking its power and wealth.

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The Seventieth Week: Unpacking Tribulation Judgments

The Tribulation
The end time is portrayed in an awesome way in the Scripture.

  • “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

Daniel, the great prophet during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, recorded a period of seven years at the end time. This period of time will bring terrible calamity on the earth. He described seventy “weeks,” or periods of seven, that would relate to Jewish history. Each “week” represents seven years, for a total of 490 years. Daniel did not prophesy about the church age; his prophecy concerns the state of the Jews in God’s plan.

Daniel’s Seventieth Week
To understand the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy, it is necessary to have an understanding of how the Scripture describes the seventy weeks.

  • Daniel 9:24
    • Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Sixty-nine of these weeks were to take place between the decree to restore Jerusalem and the crucifixion of “Messiah the Prince” (Jesus Christ)

  • Daniel 9:25-26
    • Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
    • And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Seven weeks (or 49 years) were used to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
There were sixty-two weeks (or 434 years) from the rebuilding of the walls until the crucifixion of the Messiah. Using the scriptural year of 360 days each, there were 69 weeks or 483 years between 445 BC. and A.D. 32. This leaves one week remaining of the seventy. Daniel 9:27 says that in this week of years the Antichrist system (“the prince that shall come” in verse 26) will break a covenant with the Jewish nation and bring much havoc on the earth.

There is an interval of time between the sixty-ninth week and the seventieth week, during which time the
church age exists. The church age will continue until the time of the Rapture. The seventieth week that follows is the period called the Tribulation.

The Tribulation Judgments
During the seven years of tribulation, evil people will bring various calamities upon the earth, and God will
pour out severe judgment on the earth. These devastating events are introduced by the seals, the trumpets, and the vials (Revelation 6, 8, 9, 15, and 16).
During this time the people of the earth will go through a time of suffering and death such as the world has never known.

  • The Seals (Revelation 6; 8:7)
    • The seals describe the following events:
      1. An evil leader who is usually called the Antichrist will win the world to himself.
      2. Terrible war will come, followed by famine and death.
      3. One-fourth of the world’s population will die.
      4. There will be much persecution of people who turn to God during this time.
      5. Catastrophic earthquakes will disturb the earth.
      6. The moon will become as blood and people will hide in the mountains for fear.
  • The Trumpets (Revelation 8-9)
    1. During these judgments hail will fall, and fire will burn over a third of the earth.
    2. A falling meteor will destroy one-third of the shipping.
    3. The fish of the sea will die.
    4. One-third of the sea will become blood.
    5. Poisons will contaminate one-third of the water supply and many will die.
    6. Great darkness will come over the earth.
    7. For five months scorpions will sting people on the earth.
    8. A 200,000-man army will kill one-third of the population.
  • The Vials or Bowls (Revelation 16)
    • The vials represent God’s final judgments for the Tribulation.
      1. Awful sores will afflict those with the mark of the beast (those who follow the Antichrist).
      2. Everything in the ocean will die.
      3. The water will become blood.
      4. The sun will burn hotter than usual and will scorch people.
      5. The earth will be thrown into darkness, and great pain will come upon people.
      6. The river Euphrates will dry up so the armies of the east can come to Armageddon.
      7. Hail will fall, destroying whole cities.
  • The Terrible Death
    • In the fourth seal, one-fourth of the earth’s population will die. With over five billion people living today, that would be well over one billion people dying in a short time.
    • In the sixth trumpet, one-third of the remaining population, again over one billion, will die in a short period. The population of the United States is a little less than one fourth of a billion, which means that ten times the present population of the U.S. will die. Death brings misery and heartaches. All the world will feel this heartache over and over again.

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Matthew Chapter 24 Explained

Matthew 24 is of great significance when studying the end times. After Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem, His disciples asked Him Privately able what he had said.

  • Matthew 24:1-3
    • And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
    • And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
    • And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Here is Jesus’ answer broken down so that you can better understand it.

Be careful of Deception.

  • Matthew 24:4-5
    • And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
    • For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
  • Matthew 24:7
    • And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

War, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes will become common.

  • Matthew 24:6-7
    • And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
    • For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

This is only the beginning of the end (sorrows).

  • Matthew 24:8
    • All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Persecution shall be bad.

  • Matthew 24:9-10
    • Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
    • And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
  • Matthew 24:12-13
    • And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
    • But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
  • Remember that the persecution did get bad.
    • Acts 8:1-4
      • And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
      • And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
      • As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
      • Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

The Gospel will be preached everywhere before the end.

  • Matthew 24:14
    • And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Remember the question was a two-part question.

  • the 1st question is “when shall these things be?”
    • This is a question to when the temple would be destroyed.
  • the 2nd question is “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
    • This is about the end of the world.

These verses are about the destruction of the temple.

  • Matthew 24:15-20
    • When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
    • Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
    • Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
    • Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
    • And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
    • But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
  • The city was taken. Those that understood these verses had warning about the sign to leave before it was too late.
  • I believe that there will be a third temple build. That temple will be the final fulfillment of the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet.

This part (I believe) is for the end of the world, The Tribulation.

  • Matthew 24:21-22
    • For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
    • And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Still we are warned of deception

  • Matthew 24:23-28
    • Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
    • For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
    • Behold, I have told you before.
    • Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
    • For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
    • For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

There will be signs in the sky.

  • Matthew 24:29-31
    • Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
    • And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
    • And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Next Jesus instructions them to learn a parable of the fig tree.

  • Matthew 24:32
    • Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
    • So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

This generation means that this age or time period will end when all has been fulfilled.

  • Matthew 24:34-35
    • Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
    • Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The Coming of Jesus

The coming of Jesus is compared to the time of Noah.

  • Matthew 24:37-39
    • But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
    • For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
    • And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
  • For more information on this topic, please read Judgment of Mankind: Lessons from Noah’s Days

Then Jesus explained that some would be taken and some left.

  • Matthew 24:40-42
    • Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
    • Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Always be ready

  • Matthew 24:42-44
    • Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
    • But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
    • Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Jesus explains that we are the servants. Those that are faithful and wise will be rewarded.

  • Matthew 24:45-51
    • Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
    • Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
    • Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
    • But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
    • And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
    • The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
    • And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Jesus’ Promise: The Hope of Believers in Christ

Jesus Comes for His Church
The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica of the great hope that was ahead for the bride of Christ, the church. This event is commonly called the rapture of the church. Several things are clear concerning this monumental event as described in I Thessalonians 4:13-18.

  • But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
    • Concerning the dead, we are not to sorrow as one without hope (verse 13).
    • Because Jesus rose again He will raise the dead in Christ also (verse 14).
    • The Lord himself will descend from heaven. There will be a heavenly shout with the voice of the archangel included, and the trumpet of God will sound (verse 16).
    • Those who died after living their lives for Jesus will be raised first (verse 16).
    • The living saints will be caught up together with the dead saints in the clouds (verse 17).
    • All will meet the Lord Jesus in the air, never to be parted again (verse 17).
    • We are to comfort one another with this truth (verse 18).

Jesus, in Matthew 24:40-42, warned of the danger of not being ready for His coming. There will be a separation between those who are ready and those who are unprepared.

  • Matthew 24:40-42 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
    • Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
    • Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

In sum, there will be a resurrection of the righteous dead. Jesus Christ will return for His church. There will be a glorious catching away of the saints of God, and there will be a wonderful reunion with the saints of God who have gone on before. The following passage describes the proper response to this great truth.

  • Titus 2:11-13
    • For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    • Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
    • Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream: A Prophetic Vision of Nations

The times of the Gentiles

  • Nations continue to rise and fall.
  • No story tells it better than the prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (Daniel 2:31-45)

  • Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.
  • He reigned during the fall and captivity of the nation of Israel.
  • One night he had a dream that would foretell events over centuries.
  • Mighty Kingdoms would be represented by this dream.
  • Israel was in Babylonian captivity as a result of sin.
  • God revealed who would rule over Israel.
  • Daniel, a prophet of God, was called to interpret the dream.
  • The Dream:
    • Daniel 2:31-36
      • Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
      • This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
      • His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
      • Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
      • Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
      • This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
        • A giant statue:
          • The head was gold
          • the breast and arms were silver
          • the belly and thighs were made of brass
          • the legs were made of iron
          • the feet were part iron and clay
        • A stone struck the feet and broke them into pieces.
        • The statue was destroyed and became like chaff.
        • The stone then became a great mountain and filled the earth.

The Head of Gold (Babylon)

  • Ruled the Jews and the Middle East at the time of the dream.
  • This kingdom lasted from 606 B.C. to 538 B.C.
  • The Babylonians were known for their wealth in gold.
  • The Babylonians destroyed the temple and took the Jews captive.

The Chest and arms of silver (Medo- Persia)

  • In 538 B.C. Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians. Darius was the king of the Medes.
  • The Persians eventually became the dominant.
  • This kingdom was portrayed by two arms because it was made up of two reigns that joined together as one unit.
  • It lasted until 330 B.C.
  • Silver was important to the Persians. Taxes were paid in silver.
  • Cyrus later became king, and he allowed the Jews to return and rebuild.

The Belly and the Thighs of brass (Greece)

  • Alexander the Great came out of the west with conquest on his mind. He conquered the Persian Empire in 330 B.C. and established an empire based on the Greek language and culture. After Alexander’s death in 323 B.C. the empire was divided into four parts.
  • The Grecian empire lasted until 160 B.C. when the Romans conquered it.
    • Daniel 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
  • The Jewish temple was defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes.
  • The armies of the Greeks used brass helmets and weaponry in their conflicts.

The Legs of Iron (Roman Empire)

  • The legs represented the Roman Empire, which lasted for many centuries.
    • Daniel 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
  • Iron has a twofold meaning:
    • it was the metal the Romans used to make their chariots and weapons.
    • it typified the Romans’s method of war and fighting.
      • they were violent and unmerciful in wartime.
        • This can be seen in their treatment:
          • of the Jews before the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
          • of the Christians for 3 centuries following the birth of Christianity.
  • The two iron legs on the metallic image clearly represented and predicted the two-division split that would occur in the Imperial Roman Empire. This begins in 395 AD.
    • The Roman Empire was divided into the East and West (the two legs)
  • The fall of the Roman Empire
    • the west fell to ten Germanic tribes
      • And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
      • The Roman Church arose to replace imperial Roman power with the influence of the popes.
        • They maintained dominion through much of the Western Europe.
    • the east became the Byzantine Empire.
      • The Byzantines ruled out of Constantinople (Turkey).
      • They constructed Churches in Palestine.
        • marking many of the Holy Sites
      • The Byzantines exercised influence over much of the east including Palestine and Jerusalem until it fell to the Muslim Turks

The Feet or Iron and Clay (?)

  • At the bottom of the statue, the king saw two legs of iron that merged into two feet of iron and ceramic clay.
  • At the conclusion of the age, the two legs will separate into two seperate feet and ten toes.
    • Daniel 2:41-43
      • And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
      • And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
    • The two legs are linked with Rome (west) and Turkey (East)
      • The final east-west division will continue.
        • 1 foot is the east, and 1 foot is the west.
  • Iron and clay do not mix; the kingdom is part strong and part weak (see Daniel 2:41-42)
    • Many Scholars believe that this is a symbolic description of communism and democracy.
      • the east became a strong hold for communism.
        • Communism was depicted as the iron curtain.
        • After the fall of communism, the east is now mixing communism with democracy.
          • Islam is also stronger in the east.
      • The west became a strong area of democracy.
    • As iron and clay begin the struggle to mix, it will be a sign that soon the final 10 toes will emerge.

The 10 Toes (?)

  • A 10-nation confederacy is what the 10 toes represent.
  • This world power will arise on the territory of the original Roman Empire.
    • The antichrist will begin his rule of the world during this time.
  • All of the will lead to the Great Tribulation
    • Daniel 7:7-8
      • After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
      • I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
    • Revelations17:12
      • And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

The Stone (Jesus Christ)

  • Jesus is identified as a stone.
    • Matthew 21:42
      • Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
    • 1 Peter 2:6-8
      • Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
      • Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
      • And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
  • The coming of Jesus Christ at the battle of Armageddon will destroy all the kingdoms of this world system. God will set up a new kingdom over all the earth for a thousand years.
  • This is the millennium (which means a thousand years in Latin).
    • Revelation 20:1-6
      • And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
      • And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
      • And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
      • And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
      • But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
      • Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

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The Biblical Promise of Jewish Return to Israel

The Bible States over and over that the Jews would return to the desolate land and rebuild what was destroyed.

  • Isaiah 11:12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
  • Isaiah 43:5-6 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
  • Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
  • Jeremiah 31:10 Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
  • Amos 9:14-15 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.

History

  • In 1882 there were 24,000 Jews in Palestine.
  • In 1914 there were 85,000 Jews in Palestine.
  • In 1948, at Israel’s declaration as a nation, there were 65,000.
  • Today there are over 3,000,000 Jews in Israel.
  • God is bringing the Israelites home to Israel.

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