what can we know about the endtimes - our daily bread...

WHAT CAN WEKNOW ABOUTTHE ENDTIMES?

AAre the statements in theBible about the future

exact enough for us toknow what lies ahead? Or arethey too vague, too figurative, or too debatable to be of anyreal value to us today? Whatdifference does it make whetheror not we know ahead of time ifit’s all going to happen anyway?Let’s look to the Bible for theanswers to these and otherimportant questions about the future.

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Tony Stone Images/Richard KaylinScripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by ThomasNelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.© 1986,1996,2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

CONTENTSExpectations . . . . . . . . . . 2The Countdown Continues . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Christ: Key To The Future . . . . . . . . . . . 5What We Can KnowAbout The Endtimes

1. Christ Will ReturnIn The Air . . . . . . . . . . 6

2.The Antichrist WillRise To Power . . . . . . . 9

3. Earth Will HaveUnparalleled Trouble . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4. Christ Will ReturnTo The Earth . . . . . . 14

5. Christ Will Rule For 1,000 Years . . . . 16

6. Christ Will JudgeUnbelievers . . . . . . . 19

7.A New World Will Be Created . . . . 22

What We Can’t KnowAbout The Endtimes. . . 25The Two Phases OfChrist’s Return . . . . . . . 27Why Study Prophecy? . 29“My Life Was TurnedAround” . . . . . . . . . . . . 30What Does This Mean To Me? . . . . . . . . . 32

Q1201 Endtimes 2col pp 11/11/04 10:46 AM

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

EXPECTATIONS

AAwoman in her 9th month ofpregnancy.

A college student theweek before final exams.

A teenager before hisfirst date.

A man and woman asthey say, “I do.”

A patient who has beentold he has cancer.

A criminal awaiting thejudge’s sentence.

Do your expectationsturn out to be naivelyoptimistic, undulypessimistic, or surprisinglyrealistic? In most cases,what makes the differenceis whether you acted on thebasis of specific knowledgeor on unfounded feelings.

Opinions about thefuture follow the samepattern. To avoid beingvictimized by false hopes or unrealistic fears, we need to search out reliableinformation and live by it.

Many find it hard toknow whom to believe.Some predict a nuclearholocaust. Others speakominously of mass

starvation. Manyeconomists are forecasting a worldwide financialcollapse. Still others see apeaceful utopia just ahead.

Here are a few excerptsfrom actual conversationswith people who expressedtheir hopes and fears aboutthe endtimes. • “I heard some guy on TV

talk about the book ofRevelation, and it reallyspooked me.”

2

Do yourexpectations turnout to be naivelyoptimistic, unduly

pessimistic, orsurprisinglyrealistic?



• “I believe that I will seethe end of the earth inmy lifetime.”

• “I don’t see why Jesuswould have to comeback. If He was theMessiah, He would have done it right then.”

• “If the judgment daycomes, then I’m going to hell. I enjoy doing thethings I’m doing wrong.”

• “It’s kind of scary tothink that the world isgoing to come to an endsomeday, but if I havefaith there is nothing tobe afraid of.”

• “I think everybody has the same destiny.”

• “The future kind ofscares me. I’m afraid of World War 3 andthings like that.”

• “I think God cares, but I don’t think He’scontrolling things. Ithink He sees whathappens and He hopes for the best.”

• “I believe that Godcontrols the future andthat Jesus Christ willreturn just as Hepromised. I believe in an actual heaven and hell.”

Who’s right? Whichexpectations are in line withwhat we can know for sure?In this study, we will belooking to the Bible foranswers to our questionsabout the endtimes.

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To avoid beingvictimized by falsehopes or unrealisticfears, we need tosearch out reliableinformation and

live by it.



THECOUNTDOWNCONTINUES

NNo amount of effortcan stop the clockof history. No

mortal, no matter howinfluential, wealthy, or well-known can break thetyranny of time. Every daythat passes, every flash of a digital crystal, brings uscloser to the dramatic eventspredicted in the Bible. We can prepare for theinevitable. We can put timeto good use. But we cannotstop it. Not for a moment.

That can be an unsettlingthought. The propheticpassages of the Bible arefilled with frightening scenesand complicated symbols.There are predictions of the sun going dark and the moon turning to blood. Four terrible horsemen are pictured as riding forthover the earth bringing war,famine, disease, and death.

A blasphemous beast willrise out of the sea to shakehis fist in the face of Godand to bring untold sufferingto God’s children. A final,cataclysmic war will befought, and blood will flow 5 feet deep in a valley 200miles long. Finally, peacewill settle over the earth like the warm, benevolentsunshine of spring.

These are frightening,confusing images. And whenwe read about prophecy, wecome across technical termslike the great tribulation, theabomination of desolation,the return of Jesus Christ,the great white thronejudgment, and the lake of fire.

What’s ahead? Howmuch can we know aboutthe endtimes? Well, noteverything, certainly. But the Bible does give us muchinformation. In the pagesthat follow, we will identifyand explain the seven majorevents of the endtimes.

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CHRIST: KEY TOTHE FUTURE

CChrist is the center ofGod’s plan for theendtimes.

1. Return In TheAir: Christ comes back for His own.

2. Rise Of TheAntichrist: Christ ischallenged.

3. UnparalleledTrouble: Christ troubles

the nations and Israel.4. Return To The

Earth: Christ comes torescue and judge Israel, and to judge the nations.

5. 1,000-Year Reign:

Christ rules the world froman earthly throne.

6. Final Judgment:Christ defeats His enemiesand judges unbelievers.

7. New World: Christcreates a new heaven and anew earth.

5

CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble

Returnto the Earth

1000-YearReign

FinalJudgment

NewWorld



WHAT WE CANKNOW ABOUTTHE ENDTIMES

FACT 1:CHRIST WILLRETURN IN THE AIR FOR HIS OWNBecause Christ can betrusted, we know that He willkeep His promise to returnfor His own. He promisedHis disciples: “I go to preparea place for you. And if I goand prepare a place for you,I will come again and receiveyou to Myself; that where Iam, there you may be also”(Jn. 14:2-3).

What Will Happen?This event is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:

The Lord Himself willdescend from heaven witha shout, with the voice ofan archangel, and withthe trumpet of God. Andthe dead in Christ willrise first. Then we whoare alive and remain shallbe caught up togetherwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in theair (vv.16-17).At a predetermined

time, the Son of God willleave the Father’s side anddescend toward earth. As He does, three mightysounds will echo across thehalls of heaven and sweepover the earth: a shout, thevoice of an archangel, anda blast from the trumpet ofGod. When these soundsare heard, all believerssince the time of Christ will be resurrected. Thebodies of the Christianswho have died will arise,

6

CHRIST

Return in the Air



be transformed, be reunitedwith their souls, and betaken to Christ’s side in theair. Then every livingChristian will be removedfrom the earth, “caught up”to join with the resurrectedbelievers for a great andglorious meeting in the air.Christ will take them to bewith Himself, and they will“always be with the Lord”(v.17).

This is also in view in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52,where Paul wrote:

We shall not all sleep,but we shall all bechanged—in a moment,in the twinkling of an eye,at the last trumpet. Forthe trumpet will sound,and the dead will beraised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. In a moment of time the

earth will be emptied ofChristians.

When Will It TakePlace? No one reallyknows when this event

will occur. The time is notspelled out in prophecy. Weare told instead to maintainan attitude and condition ofreadiness, for Christ said:

Therefore you also beready, for the Son of Man is coming at anhour you do not expect(Mt. 24:44).Christ taught this

attitude of watchfulness in two similar parablesrecorded in Luke 12. In thefirst parable (vv.35-40), Helikened His coming to thereturn of the master of thehouse from a wedding. Inthe second (vv.42-48), aman has left his householdaffairs in the hands of aservant.

The key element in bothparables is that the day ofthe master’s return couldnot be known. Because of that, the servants were to maintain constantreadiness. The same is true of us as we wait forChrist’s return.

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This could occur at anymoment. That’s what theword imminent means. Butthat does not necessarilymean His return will occursoon. Yes, it’s imminent—itcould take place before you take your next breath,but it is not necessarilyimmediate. The Lord coulddelay His return anotherfew hundred years.

We believe that thisevent will be the first of the endtime events. It isreferred to as “the raptureof the church.” The wordrapture comes from theLatin word rapere, whichliterally means “to seize” or “to catch away.” For anexplanation of why webelieve that the rapture isseparate from the secondcoming of Christ to theearth, please read pages 27 and 28.

The Judgment Seat Of Christ. Those who aretaken from the earth willmeet Christ in the clouds

and go to be with Him.Then they will stand beforethe Lord in judgment. Thisevent is called the judgmentseat of Christ. Paul foresawit when he wrote:

We must all appearbefore the judgment seatof Christ, that each onemay receive the thingsdone in the body,according to what he has done, whether goodor bad (2 Cor. 5:10).The issue for those at the

judgment seat of Christ willnot be salvation. They areall God’s children—forgivenand adopted on the basis oftheir acceptance of Christ.The purpose is to determinethe degree of reward theyreceive. They will be calledinto account and receivewhat is due them (2 Cor.5:10). The primary issue will be faithfulness (1 Cor.4:2,4). This is emphasizedin three of our Lord’sparables: the worker in thevineyard (Mt. 20:1-16), the

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talents (Mt. 25:14-30), andthe 10 minas (Lk. 19:11-27).

Some will receive rewardat the judgment seat ofChrist; others will suffer

loss (1 Cor. 3:11-15). Weare not told just what thiswill involve. There will be no punishment, for JesusChrist bore all the penaltyfor our sin on the cross. We may be shown ourshortcomings and failures.We may be reminded of ourselfishness and of the sinswe did not confess. The“loss” we suffer will be inthe receiving of less rewardthan we could havereceived.

FACT 2:THE ANTICHRISTWILL RISE TO POWER

According to Bibleprophecy, the next event on the endtime calendar isthe rise of a false christ toworld prominence. He iscalled the Antichrist.

The apostle John saidthat many false christswould appear (1 Jn. 2:18;4:3). Claiming to be theMessiah, they will seek andattract many people. Somehad already appeared whileJohn was still alive. Oneday, however, the ultimate

9

CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

Some will receivereward at thejudgment seat

of Christ; others will suffer loss.



impostor will come. He will gather a huge following.He will deceive Israel intosigning a false peace treaty(Dan. 9:27). And he will be the cause of untoldsuffering in the world,especially for the saints.

Here is what the Bibletells us about Antichrist:• He will receive power

from Satan (Rev. 13:2).• He will receive his

throne from Satan (Rev. 13:2).

• He will receive hisauthority from Satan(Rev. 13:2).

• He will be a ruler (Rev. 6:2).

• His purpose will beconquest (Rev. 6:2).

• He will be guilty ofterrible blasphemy (Rev. 13:5).

• He will make a peacetreaty with Israel andthen cruelly break it(Dan. 9:27).

• He will put himselfabove everything and

everyone (Dan. 11:37).• He will proclaim himself

to be God (2 Th. 2:4).• He will stage a

miraculous “resurrection”(Rev. 13:3).

• He will make war withthe saints (Rev. 13:7).

• He will have authorityover the nations (Rev. 13:7).

• His number is 666 (Rev. 13:18).

• He will kill millions of believers (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17).

• A false prophet will serve him (Rev. 19:20).

• He will demand that hisimage be worshiped(Rev. 13:14).The Antichrist is Satan’s

counterfeit. As Jesus Christwas sent by the Father, sothis false christ will be sentby Satan. The Antichrist isgiven various descriptivenames in the Bible. Forexample, he is referred to as:• The Little Horn

(Dan. 7:7-28).10



• The King Of FierceCountenance (Dan. 8:23-25).

• The Prince Who Is ToCome (Dan. 9:26-27).

• The Willful King (Dan. 11:16,36-38).

• The Man Of Sin (2 Th. 2:3-4).

• The Son Of Perdition (2 Th. 2:3-4).

• The Beast (Rev. 13:1-10).

FACT 3:THE EARTH WILL EXPERIENCEUNPARALLELEDTROUBLE

When the Antichrist isrevealed, the stage will beset for the terrible events of

the tribulation. After thissatanically empoweredleader rises to prominence,the stage will be set for themost distressing period ofall history. For 31⁄2 years he will conduct a reign ofterror, bringing death tomultitudes, both Jew andGentile. But in addition tothis reign of terror, the earthwill experience unparalleledtrouble as God’s wrath ispoured out on all mankind(Isa. 13:6-11).

The NationsTroubled. The nationswill not go unpunished bythe hand of God. They willlive to hate the day theycast their lot with God’sarchenemy. For generationstheir leaders will haverejected God and mockedHis Son. A just punishmentwill befall them in the 7-year period called “thetribulation.”

Two sections of the NewTestament describe theevents of these 7 years:

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CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble



Matthew 24 and Revelation6–16. These propheticdetails indicate howmankind will suffer duringthis frightening time:

Matthew 24• false christs• earthquakes• wars• killing• rumors of war• betrayal• nation against nation• flight• famines• pestilences

Revelation 6–16The Seals (Rev. 6)

1. Antichrist 2. war 3. famine4. death5. martyrdom6. global destruction7. the trumpets begin

The Trumpets (Rev. 8–9)

1. vegetation destroyed2. death at sea3. fresh water poisoned4. the heavens struck

5. terrible locusts6. death by demons7. the bowl judgments begin

The Bowls (Rev. 15–16)

1. ugly sores2. death of marine life3. fresh water contaminated4. unbearable heat5. darkness and pain6. demonic hordes7. earthquake and hail

The suffering and deaththat will fall on the nationsduring the tribulation isindescribably horrible.Millions upon millions will die in the terribleoutpouring of God’s wrath.Yet the majority will notrepent. Though they“gnawed their tongues” inagony, they will continue to curse the God of heavenand refuse to trust in Him(Rev. 16:10-11). There willbe a great multitude ofGentiles, however, who will turn to God during thetribulation. John refers tothem as “a great multitude

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which no one couldnumber, of all nations,tribes, peoples, andtongues” (Rev. 7:9).

Israel Troubled.There are actually twopurposes for the 7 years oftribulation. The first, as wehave already seen, is thepunishment of the nations.A second is to bring Israelto the place where she canbe restored to the positionof spiritual favor she once held in God’s eyes. Israel will suffer with the nations—only moreintensely. This is “the time of Jacob’s trouble”prophesied by Jeremiah:

Alas! For that day isgreat, so that none is likeit; and it is the time ofJacob’s trouble, but heshall be saved out of it(Jer. 30:7).The tribulation will be a

time of suffering and deathfor all mankind. But theJews will be the hardest hitby the terror of those awful

days. Zechariah predictedthat two-thirds of all Jewson earth will die during thetribulation (13:8-9). But thesuffering will bring Israel torepentance.

The prophet Ezekieldescribed Israel’sconversion with thesebeautiful words:

I will take you fromamong the nations,gather you out of allcountries, and bring youinto your own land. ThenI will sprinkle clean wateron you, and you shall beclean; I will cleanse youfrom all your filthinessand from all your idols. I will give you a newheart and put a new spiritwithin you; I will take theheart of stone out of yourflesh and give you a heartof flesh. I will put MySpirit within you andcause you to walk in Mystatutes, and you willkeep My judgments anddo them. Then you shall

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dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers;you shall be My people,and I will be your God(Ezek. 36:24-28).Biblical descriptions of

Israel’s restoration are alsogiven in Ezekiel 37 (thevalley of dry bones) andZechariah 12:10-11.

The spiritual restorationof Israel as a nation willtake place at the return of Jesus Christ to earth atthe end of the tribulation.When He returns to rescue them from beingannihilated by theAntichrist, they willnationally accept Him astheir Messiah and Savior,even though individually a large number of Jews will already have beenconverted (Rev. 7:1-8).

After hundreds ofgenerations of hardhearteddisbelief, the people ofIsrael will trust in JesusChrist as their true Messiah.In terrible agony, inflicted

by the Antichrist, they willturn in faith to the LordJesus. This brings us to thenext event in God’s programfor the endtimes, the returnof Jesus Christ to earth.

FACT 4:CHRIST WILLRETURN TO THEEARTH

As the tribulation draws toa close, the earth will be inturmoil. Millions will havedied in war or its aftermath.The Antichrist’s hatred ofGod will focus on the Jewsas the 7 years reach theirconclusion.

14

CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble

Returnto the Earth



Opposed from the northand east (Dan. 11:44-45),the Antichrist will march his armies into Palestine in preparation for a vastmilitary showdown. Evilspirits will draw the nations together for a final battle on the plains of Megiddo (Rev. 16:12-16).

The armies assembled in Palestine will be madeup of bloodthirsty men who have resisted Godthroughout the tribulation.Both sides—the Antichristand his opponents—willhate the people of God.They will engage in a fiercebattle at Armageddon. The fighting will reachJerusalem, and the Jewsliving there will sufferhorribly (Zech. 14:1-2). A sense of despair willsweep over them as botharmies attack them.

Suddenly, when allseems hopeless, the scenewill change. Jesus Christwill appear in all His glory

and descend to the Mountof Olives. When His feettouch it, the mountain willsplit in half, forming a vastnew valley stretching fromthe Jordan River to theMediterranean Sea (Zech.14:3-9). The Jewishbelievers will be givensuperhuman strength tofight the Lord’s enemies(Zech. 12:6-9), God willsend a plague on the enemysoldiers and their animals(Zech. 14:12,15), and panicwill grip the foreign troops,causing them to attack oneanother (Zech. 14:13).

In Revelation 19:11-21,the apostle John providesus with a beautiful portraitof Christ’s second coming.He is depicted astride awhite horse, His eyesblazing. The Antichrist willrally the armies of earth toattack Him, but they will be crushed in defeat. Israelwill be rescued. The armedhordes of earth will beslain. The Antichrist and

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his cohort will be throwninto the lake of fire. Satanhimself will be bound. Andthe victorious Christ willprepare to ascend Histhrone in Jerusalem to rulein peace for 1,000 years.

Those Who SurviveThe Tribulation. JesusChrist will hold two specialjudgments at the close ofthe tribulation. The first willbe for the Jews who survivethose terrible days. Theprophet Ezekiel describedthe Lord Jesus as ashepherd standing at the door of a sheepfold. The Jews who have trustedHim will be received intoHis kingdom; those whorejected Him will not (Ezek. 20:33-44).

A similar judgment will be held for the Gentiles who live throughthe tribulation. Again, ashepherd metaphor is usedto describe Christ. He ispictured as separating the sheep from the goats

(Mt. 25:31-46). Believers in Christ (the sheep) will be allowed to enter themillennial kingdom;unbelievers (the goats) will die and await the great white throne judgment (see pp.20-21).

FACT 5:CHRIST WILL RULE THE EARTHFOR 1,000 YEARS

The battle is over. Thearmed hordes of the earthhave been defeated. Justwhen all seemed lost, Jesus

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CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble

Returnto the Earth

1000-YearReign



Christ appeared in glory,leading His armies to earth.Before the day ended, theBattle of Armageddon hadbeen won by Him. But theearth is in ruins. Death anddestruction lie everywhere.What will happen?

Rather than returning toHis Father in heaven, JesusChrist will erect His thronein Jerusalem, establish it asHis capital city, reinstate the Jews as His people, and rule over the entire earth in a 1,000-year reign of peace, prosperity, andrighteousness, which we callthe millennium (Rev. 20:4-6).

The Old Testament

prophecies are filled withdetails about the newgovernment Christ willestablish when He returns.Here is what it will be likewhen the Lord Jesus rulesthe world:1. Christ Will Be King.• The Branch of David

will rule (Jer. 23:5).• Christ will fulfill

His prophesied rule (Lk. 1:32-33).

• The believers of thechurch age will reignwith Christ (Rev. 20:4,6).

2. Israel Will BeProminent.• Israel will be the favored

nation (Isa. 2:1-3).• Jerusalem will be

the capital city (Isa. 60:10-14).

• David’s throne will bereestablished (Lk. 1:32).

3. Christ’s Rule WillReflect His Character.• Justice for everyone

(Isa. 2:4).• All will prosper (Mic. 4:4).• He will reign in

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Rather thanreturning to HisFather in heaven,Jesus Christ willerect His throne

in Jerusalem.



righteousness (Jer. 23:5).• The earth will be at

peace (Zech. 8:4-5).• People will be safe

(Jer. 23:5-6).4.The Natural WorldWill Be Transformed.• Climate will be ideal

(Isa. 30:23-26).• Wild animals will be

tame (Isa. 11:6-8).• Fishing will be great

(Ezek. 47:9-10).• People will have good

health (Isa. 35:5-6).• Life will be lengthened

(Isa. 65:19-20,22).• Trees will provide

food and medicine(Ezek. 47:12).

5. God Will BeWorshiped.• His name will be known

throughout the world(Mal. 1:11).

• The temple at Jerusalemwill be the center ofworship (Ezek. 40–48).

• Representatives willcome from everywhere(Zech. 14:16).

• All mankind will come(Isa. 66:23).

• The Jews will lead inworship (Isa. 60:10-14).When Christ rules in

the millennial kingdom, His love, justice, mercy,righteousness, and peacewill be found throughoutthe earth. Since peoplereflect their ruler, the

people of the kingdom willreflect the characteristics of their King. During thisgolden age, the earth will bewhat God intended it to be.

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When Christ rulesin the millennial

kingdom, His love,justice, mercy,righteousness,

and peace will befound throughout

the earth.



FACT 6:CHRIST WILLABOLISHREBELLION AND JUDGEUNBELIEVERS

At the end of the 1,000-yearreign of Christ on the earth,Satan, who had been lockedup during this time, will be released. Immediatelygathering a gigantic army ofunbelievers together, Satanwill lead them in battle

against the Lord. This will beSatan’s final act of rebellion.

All RebellionAbolished. John’sdescription is in Revelation 20:7-10.

When the thousand yearshave expired, Satan willbe released from hisprison and will go out todeceive the nations whichare in the four comers ofthe earth, Gog andMagog, to gather them

19

CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble

Returnto the Earth

1000-YearReign

FinalJudgment



together to battle, whosenumber is as the sand ofthe sea. They went up onthe breadth of the earthand surrounded the campof the saints and thebeloved city. And firecame down from God outof heaven and devouredthem. The devil, whodeceived them, was castinto the lake of fire andbrimstone where the Beastand the False Prophetare. And they will betormented day and night forever and ever. It had all begun

sometime in eternity past,when Lucifer had lookedwith a jealous eye at thethrone of God. In pride he led a rebellion of angelsagainst God and was castout of heaven (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-15). Fromthe time of his deception in the Garden until he was cast into thebottomless pit, he hasbrought immeasurable

suffering to mankind. Now, after 1,000 years ofconfinement, his hatred ofGod has intensified. Hemakes one last, desperateattempt to dethrone theLord. But in spite of all ofhis power, his fate will bethe same as his wickedunderlings, the Antichristand the False Prophet—everlasting torment in hell.

All UnbelieversJudged. When Satan’s last rebellion is smashed, it will be time for the finaljudgment. A new heavenand a new earth will soonbe appearing, and the lastdetails of earth-businessmust be taken care of. Thisjudgment will occur at thegreat white throne of God(Rev. 20:11-15).

We are told that “thedead, small and great,”(v.12) will stand before thethrone. Unbelievers of OldTestament days, the churchage, the tribulation, and themillennium will be there as

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the books are opened. Noone will escape, for “the sea. . . and Death and Hades”(v.13) will give up theirinhabitants. The outcomewill not be in question.Those who rejected God’soffer of salvation in Christwill have sealed their ownfate. Their names will not befound in the Lamb’s Book ofLife. They will be cast intothe lake of fire, which isalready inhabited by Satan,Antichrist, and the FalseProphet. This is the seconddeath—eternal death.

These are not pleasantthoughts. We don’t like theidea of eternal suffering.The idea of flames andanguish appalls us. Butremember, these are people who intentionallyand willfully chose not totrust in Christ. They turnedtheir backs on God’s grace,deciding to leave Him outof their lives. It was theirown choice.

God is not vengeful and

capricious. He does notcause suffering just for thesport of it. His judgmentstems from His holiness,and He is absolutelyrighteous and holy. No one will receive one bitmore or less than hedeserves, because God can only judge rightly.

When questions ofeternal suffering disturb us,let’s remember the words ofAbraham: “Shall not theJudge of all the earth doright?” (Gen. 18:25). Then,in faith, we can leave itsquarely in His hands.

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God is not vengeful andcapricious.

His judgmentstems from His holiness.



FACT 7:A NEW WORLDWILL BE CREATED

We come now to the finalevent on God’s prophetictimetable—which, like acommencement, is more ofa beginning than an ending.That which begins with thenew world will last fromthat point on—forever.From the ruins of the oldheavens and earth, God will bring into existence an

eternal new world free from evil, free from deceit,free from all the harmful,

debilitating things that have marred the earth since Adam’s sin.

The prophetic books are filled with informationabout the millennialkingdom, but they tell usvery little about the newworld to come. Most of ourinformation comes fromRevelation 21–22. It begins:

22

CHRIST

Return in the Air

Rise of Antichrist

UnparalleledTrouble

Returnto the Earth

1000-YearReign

FinalJudgment

NewWorld



I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for thefirst heaven and the firstearth had passed away(Rev. 21:1).What will happen to the

old world-system? It will beburned to ashes in theaftermath of Satan’s finalattack (Rev. 20:7-10). Peterdescribed it as follows:

The day of the Lord willcome as a thief in thenight, in which theheavens will pass awaywith a great noise, andthe elements will meltwith fervent heat, but theearth and the works thatare in it will be burned up(2 Pet. 3:10). From these charred,

smoking ruins, the Creatorwill bring into existence an eternal home of amazingbeauty and grandeur for Hisown. As we consider theelements of this new world,we will be dazzled by thepicture that appears in our minds.

The NewJerusalem. In his vision,John saw the holy citydescend from heaven. Hedescribed it in Revelation21 and 22 as follows:• as beautiful as a bride

dressed for her husband(21:2)

• where God dwells withmen (21:3)

• immense in size (21:16)• a jeweled foundation

(21:19-20)• a 216-foot-high wall of

jasper (21:17-18)• 12 gates of pearl, always

open (21:21,25)• buildings and streets of

gold (21:18,21)• illuminated by God’s

glory (21:11,23)• a crystal river (22:1)• trees of life for healing

(22:2)• the throne of God (22:3)

The city is alsoremarkable for what is notthere. The following thingswill be missing from ourheavenly home:

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• no sea (21:1)• no more curse (22:3)• no tears (21:4)• no death (21:4)• no pain (21:4)• no sorrow (21:4)• no night (22:5)• no temple (21:22)• no sun (21:23)• no moon (21:23)• no impurity (21:27)• no deceit (21:27)

What a wonderful place! There will be nonight because our heavenlyhome will be illuminated by the glory of God, and the Lamb will be its light(21:23; 22:5). There will beno temple because ChristHimself will be the temple(21:22). We will reign thereforever (22:5). We will seethe face of God and bearHis name on our foreheads(22:4). We will have accessforever to the tree of life(22:2,14).

With this description ofheaven complete, the Biblecomes to an end. When we

think of the wonders of thathome awaiting us, wherethe Lord Himself will dwellwith us, we can only saywith John, “Even so, come,Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

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“Blessed are thosewho do His

commandments,that they may have the right

to the tree of life,and may enter

through the gates into the

[New Jerusalem].”Revelation 22:14



WHAT WE CAN’TKNOW ABOUTTHE ENDTIMES

NNo biblical subjectbrings out theimagination in

people more than prophecy.Some people look into theprophetic books and alwaysseem to find things that aresensational. Often theirconjectures cannot besupported—either bycontext or by content. Wehave been talking in thisbooklet about endtimeevents that we know willtake place. Let’s look nowat four things we cannotknow about the future, butthat people often claim tohave special knowledgeabout.

1.The Date OfChrist’s Return. Timeand again, self-proclaimedprophets have used Biblestatements to support their“findings” that Jesus willreturn on a certain day or

in a certain year. Some ofthese charlatans have evenpersuaded their followers to sell their earthly goods,combine their financialresources, and head for the hills to await the Lord’sreturn. But God’s Wordsays clearly, “Therefore you also be ready, for theSon of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”(Mt. 24:44).

Many Christians fell intothe trap of date-setting afterIsrael became a nation in1948. They based theirconclusion on Matthew24:32-34, which says thatthe generation who sees“the fig tree” bud “will byno means pass away till all these things [the eventsprior to and includingChrist’s return] take place.”Since Israel is pictured as a fig tree in the OldTestament, many believedthat the Lord would returnwithin the next generation(40 years). This would date

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the coming of Christ to the earth sometime before1988 and the rapture of the church before 1981—obviously not an accurateinterpretation of the events.

2.The Identity OfAntichrist. Whenever apopular world leader withcharisma, charm, andintelligence appears on the scene, he is tagged bysomeone as the Antichrist.In a sense, the people whomake this kind of predictionare on the right track. The one who will rise tointernational prominenceduring the tribulation will indeed have thosecharacteristics. We have noscriptural basis, however, forknowing beforehand whothat man will be. That willonly become evident whenhe is revealed to mankindduring the tribulation.

3.The UnitedStates In BiblicalProphecy. Some find itexciting to think that God

may have given the UnitedStates special mention inHis Book. They claim, forexample, that Revelation 18 reveals the United Statesas commercial Babylon. Yet nothing in the passagespecifically requires thatconclusion. The evils itmentions are just as true of almost every othercivilization on earth as theyare of the United States.

4. Specific Details.When prophetic experts gobeyond what is clearlyrevealed in the Bible, theyare only speculating. Inother words, we have nobiblical basis for saying thatthe world will run out of oil,that the United States facesa dictatorship, that papermoney will be abolished, or that the number 666 is acomputer number. There isa danger in seeing everycurrent event as afulfillment of prophecy.Details like these are notrevealed in the Scriptures.

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THE TWOPHASES OFCHRIST’SRETURN

TThe endtimes are moreeasily understood whena distinction is made

between the coming ofChrist in the air to removeHis church and the comingof Christ to the earth torescue Israel and set up Hiskingdom. These are the twophases of Christ’s return.This distinction is based on the following evidence:

1. Imminency. TheBible clearly teaches thatChrist could return at anytime. But it also teaches thatcertain catastrophic eventswill take place during thetribulation, prior to Hisreturn—putting the Lord’s people in a state ofreadiness and expectation.This problem can beresolved if the coming ofChrist is seen in two phases.His coming in the air will be

sudden and withoutwarning, but His coming tothe earth will be expected bythose who are alive duringthe tribulation and whoknow the biblical record.

2. Israel And TheChurch. Israel and thechurch are two distinctentities, with distinctmakeup, identity, anddestiny. Israel is a nation;the church is made up ofpeople of all nations(including Israel) who puttheir faith in Christ. Israel is promised prosperity andfulfillment on earth; thechurch is promised blessingsin heavenly places.

3.The Removal Of The Restrainer. In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 we aretold that the way will not be clear for last-day eventsuntil a “restrainer” is taken away. It seems very probable that this“restrainer” is the Holy Spiritas He indwells individualmembers of the church.

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The removal of thesepersons, referred to byChrist as the “salt of theearth” and the “light of theworld,” would clear the wayfor a worldwide deception.

4. DifferingDescriptions OfChrist’s Coming.First Thessalonians 4:17pictures Christ coming in the clouds to “catch up” Hispeople to meet with Him inthe air, but Zechariah 14:5and Revelation 19:14 pictureHim as coming to the earthwith His people.

5.The Church NotDestined For God’sWrath. Revelation 3:10indicates that the church isnot destined for “the hour oftrial which shall come uponthe whole world.” Scripturespeaks of “the time ofJacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) asthat future time when Israelwill be brought to her kneesin preparation for the comingof her Messiah. Israel willsuffer before her restoration,

but 1 Thessalonians 5:9indicates that the churchwill escape that day of God’s wrath.

6.The State Of TheKingdom Inhabitants.According to 1 Corinthians15:51, all the righteous willbe changed. And Matthew25:41-46 says that all theunrighteous will be sent intoeverlasting punishment. If there were no distinctionbetween the two phases of Christ’s coming, onlyglorified, transformedbelievers would be left toinhabit the kingdom. Thisdoesn’t seem possible,because children will beborn in the millennium (Isa. 11:6-8). And moreimportant, who does Satanlead in worldwide rebellionagainst Christ at the end ofthe millennium if not thoseunbelievers born during the1,000 years? Initially, onlybelievers will inhabit thekingdom (Ezek. 20:33-44;Mt. 25:31-46).

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WHY STUDYPROPHECY?

1. It Promotes Love And Respect For God’s Word.An understanding of theScriptures shows that God has fulfilled amazingprophecies in the past. This assures us that He willalso fulfill those that predictthe endtimes. Furthermore,a detailed study of theprophetic Scriptures isbound to give us a greaterunderstanding of all Bibletruth and a deeperappreciation for God’sWord.

2. It PromotesWatchfulness AndPurity. It will motivate us to be ready for the any-moment return of JesusChrist. Our Lord Himselfemphasized this when Hereferred to Noah, to thefaithful servant, to the 10virgins, and to the talents(Mt. 24:36–25:30).

The apostle Johnexhorted us to be faithful,so that when our Lordappears we will be confident and unashamed(1 Jn. 2:28). He went on tosay, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifieshimself, just as He is pure”(3:3).

3. It Promotes APhilosophy Of History.Even though prophecy does not give us an exactlydetailed prewritten history,it does lay out the futurecourse for man and theearth. It tells us that the lifeGod created on earth isworthwhile. It shows thatGod has specific plans forman and for our planet. Hewill correct the injustices;He will right the wrongs; He will rid the world of evil.The long, arduous course ofhuman history will climaxin a golden age of universalpeace, prosperity, andrighteousness that willexceed our fondest dreams.

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“MY LIFE WAS TURNEDAROUND”Clair Hess, senior editor ofRBC Ministries, tells how hisfear of the second coming ofChrist was changed to joyfulexpectation through a correctunderstanding of the Bibleteaching about endtimeevents.

OOne of the memoriesof my childhoodand teen years is

not pleasant; in fact, it is a recollection of fear. I remember actuallytrembling at the thoughtthat the “end of the world”might be near.

I don’t recall hearingmuch teaching as a boyabout the rapture, theglorious appearing of Christ,or the millennium. Instead,the people I worshiped withplaced an emphasis on theearth burning up with greatheat, the sun being

darkened, and the moonturning to blood. Theseimages seared my mindwith fear, dimmed myinterest in the secondcoming, and drained anyassurance I had that Christwould protect His own fromthe coming tribulation.

When I did hear amessage about the Lord’sreturn, I was afraid that Iwould be left behind. Icame home one day afterschool and found no onethere. I was petrified! I wassure that the Lord hadcome, and that I was theonly one in my family whowas left to face the horrorsof the end of time. I had notbeen taught that because Ihad received Christ as mySavior I was really safe—fortime and eternity.

Although I knew thatheaven is the final home ofthe Christian (and surelyeveryone wanted to gothere, not to the otherplace), it seemed that

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only old people spoke of it.No one was really in anyhurry to get there. Songsportrayed the beauties andwonders of the “home overthere,” but they were sungmost often at funerals.

I was secretly hopingthat Jesus would not comein my lifetime. I had toomuch I wanted to do. Living seemed moreprecious, more exciting,than being with Jesus.

After high school, I became interested in theBible teaching I heard onthe radio. I began attendingsummer gospel tentmeetings. I bought a studyBible, and I started readingit with friends. An unclehelped me to understandthe sequence of comingevents in prophecy. Myfears vanished as I readTitus 2:13, “Looking for theblessed hope and gloriousappearing of our great Godand Savior Jesus Christ.”

I learned to live each

day in the sure promise of John 14:1-3, where Jesustold us not to be troubled,that He is preparing a placefor us, and that He willcome back to take us to be with Him.

As I’ve grown older,some of my loved ones andfriends have been called totheir heavenly home. Theyhave gone to be “withChrist, which is far better”(Phil. 1:23). I know theLord more intimately now,and heaven seems muchcloser than it did before. I would be glad if He cametoday.

Christ, who loved meand gave Himself for me, is coming. It may be today!Life is more exhilaratingnow. Each day is anadventure. Yes, anunderstanding of God’sprogram for the future hasturned my life around.

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WHAT DOESTHIS MEAN TO ME?

WW e have answered thequestion, “What

can we know about theendtimes?” Using the Bibleas our guide, we havesurveyed what God hasrevealed about the end ofthis age and the ages tocome. We have looked inon scenes of indescribablebloodshed, horror, anddeath. And we have had aglimpse of bliss andgoodness that surpasseshuman comprehension.

If you have trusted inChrist as your Lord andSavior, you can haveconfidence about the future.A day is coming, perhapssoon, when the Lord willreturn for you. Then youwill return with Christ toshare in His millennial rule.And after the thousandyears are over, you will live

with Him in a new world forever in a life ofhappiness and fulfillmentthat centers on the LordJesus.

But if you are not aChristian, the future is notso promising. The wrath ofGod will be poured out onthe earth, and on you, in atime of terrible war, disease,and famine. And beyondthat lies the second death—a fate every bit as real forthe unbeliever as heaven isfor the person who trusts inChrist.

The countdowncontinues. The time ofopportunity is now. Makeyour decision. Trust Christtoday. Believing that Hedied to pay the penalty foryour sins, ask Him to saveyou. He has promised thatHe would. Then, when youhave done so, your futurewill be secure—both in thislife and in the ages to come.

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