By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #192 ~
1) What is the next major event to take place in this world? The coming of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ, to this earth.
2) What is the coming of Christ? The word coming is a noun that means both arrival and consequent presence. Christ’s coming is not an instantaneous event, but a period of time during which Christ’s presence and working on earth is clearly evident. It begins after the coming of the Antichrist, and after the end of this age. Matt. 24:15-31, 2 Thess. 2:1-9
3) Why is Jesus Christ coming back to earth? Christ is coming back to rapture the Christians, pour out His wrath, save a remnant of Jews, begin His 1000-year reign, fulfill His promises to believers, and be worshiped. Matt. 24:31, Rom. 11:26, Phil. 2:9-11, Rev. 8-9, Rev. 11:15
4) How is Jesus Christ coming back? He is coming back suddenly, “just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west” (Matt. 24:27). He is coming back visibly, for “they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud” (Luke 21:27). He is coming back audibly, “with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16). He is coming back as a King, “with power and great glory.” Matt. 24:30, Zech. 14:9
5) What is the end-times? The end-times are the final years, the last stage of this church age, a long period of time during which many prophesied events will be taking place, making it increasingly clear that Christ’s return is getting closer and closer. Ezek. 36-37; Dan. 12:4, 9; Matt. 24:4-34; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Peter 1:5
6) How do we know we are in the end-times? The main reason we know we are in the end-times is because a great number of Jewish people have come back to their homeland, to Israel, as prophesied in Is. 11:11, Jer. 32:37, and Ezek. 36-37. Since the 1880’s, the Jews have steadily been returning to their land, resulting in Israel becoming a nation in 1948. God’s work with the Jews in the end-times is in conjunction with His work with the church. Matt. 24:4-26, Rev. 7
7) What is Daniel’s 70th week? It is a seven-year time period described in Dan. 9:24-27 and Rev. 12-13, 17. At the very beginning of this period the Antichrist makes a treaty with Israel. At its midpoint, the 3½ year mark, the Antichrist is revealed and puts an end to temple sacrifice. At the end of this 70th week, a remnant of Jews are saved. Rom. 11:25-26
8) When is Jesus Christ coming back? We do not know the exact time Christ is returning, but we do know the general time, that it will happen sometime during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week, after the coming of the Antichrist, but before God pours out His wrath on this evil world. Many prophesied signs and events will be occurring during this time, enabling us to see that His coming is drawing near. Matt. 24:4-14, Matt. 24:32-24, 2 Thess. 2:8-9, Heb. 10:25
9) Are there two separate comings of Christ? No, there is only one second coming of Christ. This word coming is used in the singular when referring to Christ’s return, which means there will not, as many mistakenly suppose, be a coming of Christ to rapture the Christians on earth at the start of the 70th week, and another coming for the salvation of the Jews at the end of this week. There is only one coming of Christ, beginning sometime during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week, at which time the rapture, the Day of the Lord, and the salvation of a large remnant of Jewish people will occur.
10) Is there a secret coming of Christ for the Christians? There is no place in the Bible that states there is a secret coming of Christ. Many verses tell us that Christ will appear or be revealed, which means that His return will a visible return, and that it will not be a secret coming only for Christians. Matt. 24:30, 2 Tim. 4:1-2, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 John 2:28
11) What is the rapture? The rapture is the culmination and climax of this church age. At the end of this age, Christ will come on the clouds of the sky and suddenly, quickly, and safely take the Christians who are on the earth to be with Himself. At the rapture, all believers, those who have already died and those still on the earth, will be given new immortal bodies. The rapture, the first event to occur at Christ’s coming, takes place during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week, after great tribulation, but before the Day of the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17, 2 Thess. 2:1-3
12) Who gets raptured? Only true Christians will be raptured. A great multitude of believers will stand firm, survive great tribulation, be alive on the earth at the end of the age, and then be raptured. Matt. 24:13, Eph. 6:10-13, 1 Thess. 4:15-17, Rev. 7:9-14
13) What does redemption mean? In a spiritual sense, it speaks of those who are saved, who are spiritually delivered from sin and are no longer its slaves (Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:13). In a physical sense, it refers to believers being delivered from their fleshly body and from this evil word, which happens when Christians are raptured from the earth. Eph. 1:14, 4:30; Rom. 8:23
14) Who are the elect in Matthew 24:22? The elect refers to the Christians who are raptured during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week, and the Jewish people who are saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Dan. 9:24-27, Matt. 24:9, Rev. 7
15) Will Christians be living on earth when the Antichrist comes to power? Yes, Christians will be alive on earth when the Antichrist is here. The Antichrist will be revealed and come to power at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. Matt. 24:9-15, 2 Thess. 2:8-9, Rev. 13
16) What is the great tribulation? It refers to the great distress and persecution that affects both Jews and Christians in the end-times. This persecution is not God’s wrath but Satan’s wrath. Directed by the Antichrist, it starts at the midpoint of the 70th week but it is cut short just before Christ comes from heaven to rapture the Christians. Matt. 24:9-22, Rev. 13:7
17) What age are we living in? We are now living in an evil age, an age that began thousands of years ago with the sin of Adam (Gen. 3:1-7). Satan is the ruler of this evil age, though he is still under God’s sovereign control. Gal. 1:4, 1 John 5:19
18) When will this evil age end? We know this age has come to an end when we see great signs in the heavens, when “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Matt. 24:29
19) What will be happening in the end-times, in the years leading up to the end of this age? There will be birth pains (earthquakes, wars, famines, and plagues – Matt. 24:4-8). There will be a peace treaty between Israel and the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27). A Jewish temple will be built in Jerusalem (2 Thess. 2:4). A 10-nation evil kingdom will be formed (Dan. 7:19-24). There will be a great apostasy (2 Thess. 2:3) The Antichrist will arise and rule over the world. (Rev. 13). The Jewish temple will be desolated by the Antichrist (Matt. 24:15). Great tribulation and persecution will affect both Christians and Jews (Matt. 24:9, 21). The gospel will be preached to all the nations (Matt. 24:14). There will be great signs in the heavens. Matt. 24:29
20) How should Christians live during the end-times?
– We should love God and love one another. Deut. 13:3-4, Mark 12:30-31
– We should share the gospel with the lost. Matt. 24:14, 28:19-20
– We should have faith, praying and trusting that God will lead us and take care of us. Luke 18:8
– We should have hope and be looking forward to Christ’s return. 1 Peter 1:13
– We should be sober, and be putting on faith, hope and love. 1 Thess. 5:8
– We should live holy and godly lives. 2 Peter 3:11-13
– We should be wise in how we live. Dan. 11:33, Rev. 13:18
– We should be thankful that we are able to live for Christ in the end-times. 1 Thess. 5:18
– We should encourage one another day after day. Heb. 10:24-25
– We should persevere to the end of this age. Matt. 24:13, 1 Thess. 4:15, Rev. 14:12
– We should be patient and wait for the coming of the Lord. James 5:7-11
– We need to know our God, display strength, and take action. Dan. 11:32
P.S. What a blessing that God gives us answers to questions we may have about Christ’s coming and the end times. Next week I plan to give answers to questions about the Antichrist. In the meantime, here are two posts to read – “That Evil Antichrist and His Short Rule on Earth” and “Reasons for the Rise and Rule of the Antichrist.”