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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Overview (page 1 of 3)

Blog posts classified as overviews.

My Top Thirty Charts Help You See The Future

July 14, 2022

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #252 ~

We are living in the end-times, and it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church! It’s amazing how much information is in God’s word about the end-times, yet most Christians are confused, in error, and even ignorant about what’s going to happen. The purpose of this blog site is to help you understand and be encouraged by the future God has for you and for all His people.

I’ve tried to do this through blog posts and prophecy charts. In the charts, I’ve drawn out and displayed key prophetic truths on a Biblical timeline. I want to make it easy for you to see and understand the chronology of key prophetic events, and most importantly, Christ’s coming, the rapture, and the ages to come. You need perspective, you need to see your life in view of the end-times, or otherwise, you can get discouraged and stuck in your own little world. God wants to encourage you, to keep you looking ahead, to give you hope, and these charts are a way to do that. In these end-times, you need to be educated and excited about the future God has for you, the church, and the Jewish people.

It’s imperative that you see the big picture, where we’ve been, where we’re at now (the man in the charts), and where we’re going. And everything is going according to God’s plan, His promises and prophecies (Isaiah 46:8-11). I strongly encourage you to study these charts, for I’m convinced they will help you understand the big picture, and how you are an integral part of what God is presently doing in this world.

There are 280 charts on this blog site, and each one is instructive and forward looking. But that 280 number can be overwhelming – that’s why I have listed out 30 key charts, and I suggest that you examine each of them. I’m convinced they will help build and cement the truth of God’s prophetic word in your heart and mind. And remember to download them, print them, and pass them on to friends. 

* “The Kingdom of God” (#4) – God’s word tells us that we are living in the second of four ages, and it won’t be long before the start of the third age, when Christ reigns over the whole world.
* “A Biblical Prophetic Overview” (#6) – When we think about prophecy, it’s important to go back to the past, and see how that leads up to the present and future plans God has for us.
* “Daniel’s 70th Week” (#11) – End-times’ prophecy can only be properly understood when you learn about Daniel’s 70th week, a 7-year time frame that will begin in the near future.
* “Luke 21” (#20) – See how God is concurrently working with both Jews and Christians in these end-times.
* “Matthew 24” (#21) – This detailed chart helps to illustrate the most important end-time’s prophecy passage in the Bible.
* “The Antichrist is Coming” (#23) – Christ is coming to rapture the church, but the Antichrist must come first. God’s plan and timing for the Antichrist is seen in this chart.  

* “God’s Plan for the Jews in the End-Times” (#25) – God wants you to have a clear picture of how He will be working with the Jewish people in the coming years.
* “1 Thessalonians” (#29) – This chart focuses on the rapture and the day of the Lord.
* “2 Thessalonians” (#30) – This chart describes the coming of Christ and the Antichrist.
* “The Conflict of the Ages” (#54) – This chart pictures the past, present, and future spiritual battle between Satan and God – and God always, always wins.
* “Decline of the United States” (#62) – The United States is going down because of her sin. And this is all part of God’s plan, and soon enough, Antichrist’s kingdom will take over the world.
* “Harmonizing God’s word concerning end-time events” (#63) – God keeps telling us about the same coming events on earth – He wants you to be convinced about what will be taking place.   

* “How Then Shall We Live?” (#64) – You need to know, not just what will be happening in these end-times, but how God wants you to live your life during this time.
* “The Rapture is…” (#65) – It’s amazing how many things must occur before the church is raptured. You must know them or otherwise, you will be caught off guard when Christ returns.
* “Tribulation for the Believer, Wrath for the Unbeliever” (#66) – It’s true that Christians will suffer in the end-times, but nothing compared to the deserved, hell-fire experience of unrepentant unbelievers.
* “Our Christian Hope” (#69) – This picture of your hope, of how God will greatly bless you in the future, is very encouraging! It’s eternally worth it to live this very short life on earth for the Lord!
* “Woe! Woe! Woe!” (#79) – This is a sobering view of the eternal pain and punishment for those non-Christians who reject God’s mercy, and don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ.
* “Why is Jesus Christ Coming Back?” (#91) – There are many good reasons why Christ must come back to earth, and knowing them helps you understand God’s purposes.

* “What Will Take Place at the Coming of Christ?” (94) – It’s unbelievable all that God is going to do when Christ returns – and He predicted it and planned it all out.   
* “Living the Christian Life in the End-Times” (#108) – If you really want to know how to live for Christ in these end-time years, then look at all these second-coming verses.
* “Error or Truth” (#113) – There’s a lot of error when it comes to end-time’s prophecy, and you don’t want to be fooled, confused, or led astray. And so find out the truth.
* “God’s Promises to the Jews” (#115) – God makes three wonderful, world-changing promises to the Jews, all relating to you as a Christian, and they will surely come to pass in the near future.
* “The King of kings” (#131) – The prophesies in Daniel 2 and 7 regarding prominent kingdoms in our world all point to the return and reign of Jesus Christ.
* “The Regathering of the Jews to Israel” (#148) – Over the past 140+ years, God has been bringing the Jewish people back to their land, the clearest, strongest proof that we are in the end-times. 

* “The Past, Present, and Future – Acts 3” (#177) – Just a few verses in Acts 3 give you the big picture of God’s past, present, and future working with the church.
* “The Remarkable Results of the Rapture of the Church” (#198) – You will truly be encouraged when you see all the immediate, life-changing results of being raptured.
* “Our Father Who is in Heaven…” (#215) – Visualize what the Lord’s prayer says about prophecy, for it helps you understand what you are praying, and it enables you to see the future.
* “What Needs to Take Place?” (#226) – This one chart spells out 15 different things that must happen before Christ returns to rapture the church.
* “World Peace is Coming” (#249) – Find out when world peace is coming, and it’s sure not happening in this evil age. Only Christ can bring world peace, and He will, in the next age, the kingdom age.
* “Jesus Christ, the Lord, is Coming” (#258) – Jesus Christ is coming very soon, and then you will see Him as a most glorious Savior, Judge, Redeemer, and King. Hallelujah!

Day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, God is leading, moving, working, and His goal is to bring about the return of His Son to earth. He has told us this sequence of prophesied events that need to come about, specific plans that will be precisely and perfectly carried out. “Take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance” (Mark 13:23). God told us ahead of time everything we need to know about these end-times, these last years leading up to the coming of Christ. Might these charts help you to know what’s coming, so that you will be excited and encouraged, “and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

Ephesians 1 – A Big-Picture Prophecy Passage

January 14, 2022

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #235 ~

You would never think Ephesians 1 is about prophecy, but it is. In fact, it’s one of the best and most important big-picture prophecy passages in the Bible, going from eternity past to eternity future. It says you will be forever blessed (vs. 3), that you will always be in God’s presence (vs. 4), that all things will be summed up in Christ (vs. 10), that you will receive an inheritance (vs. 11), that you will be glorified (vs. 15), and that Christ has all authority in this age and the next (vs. 21). God wants you to have hope, to be looking forward to “the surpassing riches of His (God’s) grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Your short life on this earth is only the very beginning of a magnificent eternal life. Let’s look more closely at Eph. 1, and as you do, I’m convinced you will be more hopeful and excited about the life God has planned out for you.

Ephesians 1:3. As a heavenly citizen, you have a heavenly Father who has and will continue to lavish you with indescribable blessings (1 Cor. 2:9). These spiritually based blessings affect every aspect of your present and future life, and result in you gladly and greatly blessing your Father.

Ephesians 1:4-8. In eternity past, God chose to make you perfectly holy so He could adopt you as His child, and so you could continually and always be in His sight, in His presence. Everything about your life on earth and in heaven was predestined, precisely and perfectly planned out by God. By the will of God, the grace of God, the wisdom of God, and for the glory of God, and through the work of Jesus Christ you were redeemed, and forgiven of all your sins. God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to this world because He deeply loved you, and because He was determined to show you His love by blessing you on earth and in heaven, now and forever.

Ephesians 1:9-12. Your life on this earth is an infinitesimally small fraction of the glorious future God has for you. Not long from now, at the end of this age and in the fulness of the times, Christ will return to earth to rapture the church, punish the sinners, save a number of Jews, and begin His reign over this world. At that time, all things will be summed up in Christ, for He will be King over all the earth. “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations.” Psalm 47:7-8

God predestined that you be justified, and that you receive eternal life, a special relationship with Him and His Son that lasts forever. He also predestined that you receive an inheritance, an extremely satisfying eternity of serving Him, and the most incredible spiritual, relational, and physical blessings you could ever imagine. “In your presence is fulness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). At the coming of Christ, which occurs in the fullness of the times, you will “obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled” (1 Pet. 1:4), and begin to experience what God planned out for you in eternity past.

Be assured that God “works all things after the counsel of His will.” God, by His power, wisdom, sovereignty, and in accordance with His eternal purpose, is working out all the details, every single aspect of your life. Not leaving anything to chance, He will make sure that you receive all that He has promised and planned out for you, that you will be spiritually, wonderfully, and eternally blessed. This results in “the praise of His glory”, in you eternally glorifying God.

Eph. 1:13-14. God continues to share His plans about the future, specifically as it relates to you. He says that if you have believed in Christ to save you from sin and death, if you have been born again, then you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. God did this, not just to establish and ensure His ownership of you, but to assure you that His plans for you will be fully carried out, that you will be physically redeemed, be delivered from your earthly body and glorified (1 Cor. 15:40-42), and that you will be given an eternal inheritance. The Spirit dwelling in you is a pledge, a guarantee from God that you will be completely saved, that you will receive your brand-new body at Christ’s coming, and that you will be a richly rewarded child of God.  

Ephesians 1:15-19. As a Christian, you have been justified and you will be glorified. But at this time, you are being sanctified, and are to be spiritually growing and fulfilling God’s purpose for your life on this earth. Knowing this, Paul prays for three specific things, our relationship with God, and not surprisingly, our hope, and finally, the power we need to live the Christian life.

These three things are vitally important, and so pray this for yourself and others. Pray that you grow in your knowledge of Jesus, that you have a close relationship with Him. Pray that you have hope, that you understand and are excited about the glorious future God has planned out for you, “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18). And pray that you are experiencing and utilizing the power of God which is in you through the Holy Spirit. “All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

Ephesians 1:20-23. God’s power was most clearly seen when He raised Jesus from the dead, then seated Him at the right hand of the Father. And so Jesus is now in charge – He is Lord and ruler over all powers and authorities, visible and invisible, including the devil and his demons. Thus, you have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. Jesus is ruling and reigning, and not just in this age, but in the coming age, the 1000-year kingdom age when He will visibly, righteously, powerfully, and gloriously be “King over all the earth.” Zech. 14:9

When you look at this chapter it’s obvious that God’s plans for this world, the church, and you, are being carried out. You were justified, you are now being sanctified, and you will be glorified. (Rom. 8:28-30). That we are living in the end-times means it won’t be long before all things are summed up in Christ, and every knee will bow and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:9-11

God wants you to have this hope that’s described in Eph. 1. Be excited about the unimaginable and untold blessings God has in store for you; be serving Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and be giving Him all the glory. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

P.S. I can’t overstate the importance of having an eternal perspective, of seeing the big picture of your life. Here are two other posts that will help you understand God’s overall plan for your life – “The Big Picture: The Present Age and the Ages to Come” and “An Overview of Your Christian Life.” One more thing – this past week, Marv Rosenthal, a dear friend and mentor to me for the past 27 years sped off to heaven to be with the Lord. Marv’s primary ministry was Zion’s Hope – one that focused on end-time’s prophecy and reaching the Jewish people with the gospel. I really encourage you to look at it – “Zion’s Hope” – it is most instructive and encouraging.

This Evil Age is Coming to an End, And Soon!

November 22, 2021

By Steven J. Hogan

A Saturday Morning Post #231 ~

Some people think life on this planet will keep going for 100’s if not 1000’s of years. Others believe there are acts of man or forces of nature that will either gradually or suddenly destroy this earth. They talk about how a super virus, meteorites, a solar flare, climate change, or a nuclear war may devastate the entire world, or at least a major part of it. But what does God say? He has made it clear that this present age, as we know it, will come to an end, and He has told us exactly how that will happen – and it’s not what people are telling you.

God goes into great detail about this age, especially the last years of this age. That’s because He doesn’t want you to be surprised by what will be happening or be led astray by the lies and errors of non-Christians. “Where is the wise man?… Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). These sinners don’t know what they are talking about, but God does, and His word spells out the truth about the future. Here’s what He wants you to know about this present age, and how it will end.

* This age we live in is an evil age, a very sinful age. “… the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might rescue us from this present evil age…” Galatians 1:4
* This age started with the sin of Adam and Eve. Their sin resulted in this entire earth and all of mankind being cursed and corrupted. Genesis 3, Romans 8:20-22
* Satan rules the world during this evil age. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Yet God is sovereign over everything and everyone, including Satan. Daniel 4:34-35
* Most people living during this age are sinners, are unbelievers. “The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matt. 7:13-14

* That there’s another age after this age means this one must come to an end. In Eph. 1:21, God says, “… not only in this age, but in the one to come.” Eph. 2:7 speaks of “the ages to come.”
* That the Jews are back in their land is the reason we know we live in the last years of this evil age, what is often called the end-times. Ezekiel 36-37, Daniel 12:4, Luke 20:24 
* That we live in the end-times means it won’t be long before this age comes to an end. Matt. 24:3-42, more than any other prophecy passage, describes what the end-times will look like.
* God will announce when this age comes to an end with two earth-waking signs – cosmic events and a great earthquake. “… a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood… The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Rev. 6:12-14; Matt. 24:3, 29

*This present age will end when we feel this great earthquake and see these cosmic events. Thus, we must conclude that this age will not end because of a global flood, a nuclear war, a solar flare, or anything else. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end (of the age) … all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.” Matt. 24:6-8   
* Many prophesied events will be taking place before this age comes to an end. There will be birth pains, an Israeli treaty, increasing lawlessness, temple sacrifices in Jerusalem, great tribulation, apostasy, the preaching of the gospel, and the Antichrist ruling the earth. “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:33
* Discerning Christians will physically see and spiritually sense that this age is coming to an end. By reading God’s word and observing what’s happening in the world, we will “understand the times” (1 Chron. 12:32) and “see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25
* God wants Christians to be holy and obedient. We are “to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:12

* As Christians, our primary purpose is to preach the gospel right up until the end of this age. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end (of this age) will come.” Matthew 24:14
* Christians are to “make disciples of all the nations”, always remembering Jesus’ encouraging promise – “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
* Christians are to persevere to the end of the age. “The one who endures to the end (of the age), he will be saved (raptured and glorified).” Matthew 24:13 “* The present age ends during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, after the Antichrist has been revealed and has been ruling for a short while, and just before Christ returns to rapture the church and defeat that devilish man. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9

* Most unbelievers don’t believe what God says about the end of this age. They say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” They think everything is going to stay the same, and that they won’t be judged, but they are badly mistaken. “The present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:3-7
* After this age is over, God will judge the unbelievers still living on earth. “The tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age.” Matthew 13:38-39
* When this age is over, Jesus Christ will rapture the church, pour out His wrath, and redeem a remnant of Jews. Then the next age will begin, and Christ will reign as King upon a renovated and restored earth. Psalm 98, Matthew 19:27-29, Acts 3:19-21

As Christians, don’t be fooled or scared by what sinners are saying, for they are sadly and terribly ignorant of what God is planning to do. We need to wake up to the fact that we live in the last years of this age, and that it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and judge the world. Then the next age, Christ’s 1000-year reign, will begin. You can’t imagine how dramatically and wonderfully different everything will be during the millennial kingdom age. “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the ages.” (Rev. 15:3). “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations of the earth. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” Psalm 67:4-5

“God will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:8-9

P.S. Here are two other posts about how this age, and that it is going to end: “This Age Is Coming to an End, and Then the New Age Will Begin” and “The Big Picture: the Present Age and the Ages to Come.” Here is an article about the importance of thanksgiving – “Being Thankful – the Character of a Christian.”

Laboring for the Lord, Now and Forever

September 6, 2021

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #225 ~

You can never say that a Christian is unemployed. What I mean is that we work for God, and we will always have work. As long as we are alive on this earth, God has work for us to do, and it’s not part-time but full-time. And it’s good work, productive work, eternal work, God-glorifying work, with blessings and benefits that are out of this world. Colossians 3:23-24

On this Labor Day, I am writing about work. I just finished publishing, what I believe, is a helpful article on work – “The Excellent End-Time’s Worker.” It lists 40 different truths and principles that show you how to be a great worker for God in these last years before the return of Christ. I am also planning on writing two other posts on work which will come out in the next few weeks.

But today I want to share with you one main thought about work, and it’s from Eph. 2:1-10. The first nine verses are all about the gospel, the work of Christ in saving us from sin and death, and that it’s by the grace of God. Then verse 10 says, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Do you see what God is telling you, and it’s the very first thing after the gospel? That you are saved to work? You are saved by the work of Christ so you can do the work of Christ. God saved you and left you on earth so you can worship Him, and work for Him. (Matt. 4:10). You are now employed by God and are one of His permanent workers, and you will never be laid off, but will be working with Him and for Him, now and forever. In Ephesians 2:7, you will find another wonderful reason why God saved you.

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:57-58). “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

I encourage you to take the time to look at “The Excellent End-Time’s Worker.”

1 Peter 1:3-13 – Living Today in Light of the Future

December 6, 2019

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #147 ~

God wants you to see the end from the beginning, from that time when you were saved until that time when you see Jesus Christ and are glorified and in heaven. It’s so easy to get stuck in our own little world, in the here and now, and that’s why it’s imperative for you to see where you have come from and where you are going. A passage that explains this better than any I know is 1 Peter 1:3-13. What you see is that the future is spoken of in 8 of these 11 verses, using words like “living hope” (3), “inheritance” (4), “heaven” (4), “last time” (5), “revelation of Jesus Christ” (7, 13), “salvation” (5, 9, 10), “grace” (10, 13), and “glories to follow” (11). What God is telling you is clear and convincing, that the only way to live today is in view of the future that He has already planned out for you.

1 Peter 1:3-5 sums up your Christian life, the past, present and future, from when you were born again to your life today to that time when you will receive your heavenly inheritance. There’s direction and movement in these verses, for they are not just focused on being born again, but on the fact that you now have a living hope, that which is to excite you and point you to your future in heaven. Your life isn’t just sitting still, but is going someplace, and God Himself is moving you along and taking you to glory, to a “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” And God’s power will keep protecting you until that time when you will be fully saved, when you will be glorified. Jude 24-25

1 Peter 1:6-9 talks about your present life, but again in light of the future. Right away you read about trials, and it tells you there are various kinds of them, they last only a little while, they are distressing, and they only happen if God says they are necessary. And these trials are for your faith, which is extremely valuable, for it is a means to know God, to experience His grace, and to spiritual growth. Most importantly, it results in “praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” At the end of this age, there will be one grand celebration, for all believers will be gathered together to see Jesus, and will be excitedly and wholeheartedly worshiping Him. Revelation 7:9-12

These verses also instruct us how to live at this present time. First, we are to love God, and with all our heart. And we are to have faith in this One we cannot see, but soon will see, trusting Him, believing His word, knowing that He is fulfilling His plans for us. And we are to greatly rejoice, for we know what’s coming, “the salvation of our souls” and the glorification of our bodies. Do you see this, that your faith, hope, love and joy in the present are in light of the future, in view of that time when this age will come to an end, and Jesus Christ will be revealed for the entire world to see? 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8

1 Peter 1:10-12 is an encouraging and motivating parenthetical. It tells us about the Old Testament prophets, men writing about 2400-2900 years ago, and they wanted to know more about the Messiah to come. They knew He would suffer, and that His glory would be revealed to the whole world, but they didn’t know the specifics, they didn’t know when, and they really wanted to find out, and so they “made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time…” And these prophets did this for us – they were searching and seeking and writing for Christians, for those of us living in this church age. I must say, I get very excited, knowing that what the prophets wrote, along with the New Testament writers, is for us, especially since we now live in the end times.

Here we are, thousands of years later, and we can look back and see that part of what the prophets predicted has already taken place. We all know that Jesus Christ came to earth, and that He suffered, died, rose again, ascended into heaven, and that He will soon come back to fulfill the 2nd part of these predictions. But unlike the prophets, we now know there’s a 2nd coming, at which time Christ will return to earth with “great glory” (Luke 21:27), and then glorify us, and after that, the world will be full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3). Another amazing truth is that the angels long to look into these matters about Christ’s 1st and 2nd comings. Just think, if the prophets wrote this for us, and the angels are looking into these things, shouldn’t we be super-motivated to study and learn and tell others what God wants us to know about our glorious future? Mark 13:23

1 Peter 1:13 starts with “therefore,” which means it’s the conclusion to this prophetic passage for Christians. In view of Christ being revealed, in view of being glorified and being in heaven, in view of receiving an incredible inheritance, how should you live on earth? You are to prepare your mind for action. You are to be spiritually awake, aware of what God’s word says, alert to what He’s doing in the world, and actively working for Christ, helping to carry out His end-time plans for the church. And you are to “fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Don’t get distracted by worldly things, but be focused on the fact that Christ is coming soon, and be looking forward to seeing Him, knowing that He will then “transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” Philippians 3:21 

You can’t miss the future in this present day, 1 Peter passage for Christians. Don’t skip over it, make light of it, or think it’s not relevant for your life, and especially at this time in history, with the return of Jesus Christ right around the corner. Might 1 Peter 1:3-13, this big-picture passage, help you to love Jesus all the more, and to live today in light of the fantastic future that God has “reserved in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:4

P.S. I love this subject, the big picture of our lives. Having this perspective is a must if we are to be able to rightly and wholeheartedly live for the Lord. Here are two previous posts that address this same subject: “God’s Time Frame for Your Life,” and “An Overview of Your Christian Life.”

Luke 21 – What You Need to Know About the End Times

November 15, 2019

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #144 ~

One of my favorite prophecy passages is Luke 21:5-36. Similar to Matthew 24, it gives a great deal of information about the end-times and Christ’s coming. But there’s one thing you need to know before you can understand this key prophetic portion of Scripture, and that’s the sequence, the order of end-time events. What you need to realize is that the last phrase of Luke 21:11 and the first phrase of Luke 21:25 are both talking about the same thing, these signs in the heavens. Knowing that, plus seeing that Luke 21:12 starts with “But before all these things…” means that verses 12-24 is a parenthetical, telling us related and important information that takes place before these end-of-the-age signs. With that in mind, here’s a summary of Luke 21:5-36.

Luke 21:5-8. The disciples are happily talking to Jesus about the magnificent Jewish temple, but surprisingly, He informs them that it will be destroyed. Surely in shock, the disciples want to know when it’s going to happen. Jesus then gives a long and thorough answer to their question, instructing them about the future, that which is especially relevant and useful to us Christians who are now living in the end-times.

Luke 21:9-11. First and foremost, the true Christ warns them about false Christs. Then He mentions the birth pains – the wars, plagues, famines and great earthquakes, events which take place over a long period of time (Matthew 24:4-8, Revelation 6:1-8). Next He tells them about these aforementioned signs in the heavens, these heart-stopping cosmic disturbances signaling the end of the age and the return of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 6:12-14). That leads to this important parenthetical, two distinct passages between verse 11 and verse 25. And what do they say?

Luke 21:12-19. This parenthetical tells us what begins before all the things spoken of in verses 9-11. Right away we realize this passage is about Christians being persecuted. From history, we know this persecution started at the beginning of the church age, has continued since that time, and will keep going until the end of this age. This persecution, fueled by extreme hate, is religious and political in nature but, sadly, is also brought on by a person’s own family members. This end-times’ great suffering will be extremely difficult for Christians, but Jesus says it “will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.” And as He tells us in Matthew 24:14, this “gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Luke 21:20-24. This parenthetical continues by summing up Jewish history during this church age. It starts with Jesus’ prediction about God’s punishing wrath upon the Jews, which historians tell us took place around 70 AD. Jesus then predicts that the Jews would be “led captive into all the nations,” and this happened, for Jews were scattered all over the world. But about 140 years ago they miraculously began returning to their homeland, to Israel. From 1880 to the present, the Jewish population has grown from about 10,000 to 6.6 million people, thus fulfilling God’s promise to regather the Jews. That the Jews are now back in their land is the number one reason we can say we are living in the end-times. This is relevant for the church, shown by the fact that these passages about Christians (Luke 21:12-19) and Jews (Luke 21:20-24) sit side by side, which means that God’s work with the Jews is in conjunction with His work with the Christians. This great work of God is leading us to the end of this age when Christ will return to rapture the Christians, and then set up His earthly kingdom for the Jews.

Luke 21:25-28. The first phrase in this passage speaks about these signs in the heavens, picking up from where we left off in verse 11. But notice, there’s a great earthquake, for we read about “the roaring of the sea.” What a terrifying event for unbelievers – they are scared to death, “fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the earth” (Revelation 6:16-17). But what a glorious time for Christians, for they see their Savior coming to rescue them from the earth, bring them to Himself, and then to heaven. This rapture event results in their redemption, a word that means deliverance, for believers will be completely delivered from sin, Satan and an evil world.

Luke 21:29-33. Jesus tells the disciples a parable, but clearly it’s for Christians living in the end-times, that whoever sees all the things He had just talked about will be part of that generation who will witness Christ’s return. How exciting for Christians living on earth at that time, for they will suddenly be snatched off the earth to be with Jesus! But there’s something else, for just as the redemption is near (verse 28), so too the kingdom of God is near (verse 31), referring to when Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth, of special interest to Jews, and also to Christians, for we too will be reigning with Christ for 1000 glorious years. Jesus emphatically proclaims that this passage is true, for He says that His words, which are God’s words, will not pass away, which means all that He had just talked about is surely going to happen!

Luke 21:34. Christ concludes with instructions for Christians. We are to guard and watch our hearts, and not be worried, worldly and fleshly in these end-time years. We are to be awake and alert, aware of what’s going on in the world around us. Now is the time to have faith, to be praying and serving, and looking for our Lord’s soon return, to that time when we will literally “stand before the Son of Man.” How sweet and satisfying to finally see and be with our Lord and Savior. “Come, Lord Jesus.”

P.S. Luke 21 and Matthew 24 are my two most favorite chapters on prophecy. I have a blog post on Matthew 24 (Matthew 24 – A Road Map of the End Times), a short but good summary, and a longer, much more detailed article (Matthew 24 – The Most Important Prophecy Chapter in the Bible). I would encourage you to read Matthew 24, and then read what I have written, for I believe it will help you understand what God has in store for the future.

J.C. Ryle’s Prophetic Creed – An Excellent Read

September 20, 2019

~ A Saturday Morning Post #136 ~

Introduction by Steven J. Hogan

One of my favorite authors on Bible prophecy is J.C. Ryle, a well-known and well-respected Christian pastor, teacher and writer. Serving the Lord Jesus in England during the 19th century, his insight into this important area of prophecy is both amazing and instructive. The book that he wrote on prophecy, “Are You Ready for the End of Time?”, is a collection of eight of his sermons on this subject, and were given over 150 years ago. I have wondered what he would think today, with so many Bible-predicted events taking place, and particularly that the Jews are now back in their land. Knowing that Jesus Christ will soon come back to earth, I can’t help but think that he would be passionately and excitedly preaching and teaching on His glorious return. What is written below is J.C. Ryle’s prophetic creed (from his preface to his book). Might our Lord encourage and motivate you as you read it.

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From J.C. Ryle’s book, “Are You Ready for the End of Time?”

The following, then, are the chief articles of my prophetical creed:

1. I believe that the world will never be completely converted to Christianity by any existing agency before the end comes. In spite of all that can be done by ministers, churches, schools and missions, the wheat and tares will grow together until the harvest; and when the end comes, it will find the earth in much the same state that it was when the flood came in the days of Noah (Matthew 13:24-30, 24:37-39).

2. I believe that the widespread unbelief, indifference, formalism and wickedness, which are to be seen throughout Christendom, are only what we are taught to expect in God’s word. Troublous times, departures from the faith, evil men waxing worse and worse, love waxing cold, are things distinctly predicted. So far from making me doubt the truth of Christianity, they help to confirm my faith. Melancholy and sorrowful as the sight is, if I did not see it I should think the Bible was not true (Matthew 24:12; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1, 4, 13).

3. I believe that the grand purpose of the present dispensation is to gather out of the world an elect people, and not to convert all mankind. It does not surprise me at all to hear that the heathen are not all converted when missionaries preach, and that believers are but a little flock in any congregation in my own land. It is precisely the state of things which I expect to find. The gospel is to be preached ‘as a witness’, and then shall the end come. This is the dispensation of election, and not of universal conversion (Acts 15:14, Matthew 24:14).

4. I believe the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the great event which will wind up the present dispensation, and for which we ought daily to long and pray. ‘Thy kingdom come’, ‘Come Lord Jesus’, should be our daily prayer. We look backward, if we have faith, to Christ dying on the cross, and we ought to look forward no less, if we have hope, to Christ coming again (John 14:3, 2 Timothy 4:8, 2 Peter 3:12).

5. I believe the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be a real, literal, personal, bodily coming; and that as He went away in the clouds of heaven with His body, before the eyes of men, so in like manner He will return (Acts 1:11).

6. I believe that after our Lord Jesus Christ comes again, the earth shall be renewed, and the curse removed; the devil shall be bound, the godly shall be rewarded, the wicked shall be punished; and that before He comes there shall be neither resurrection, judgment, nor millennium, and that not till after He comes shall the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord (Acts 3:21, Isaiah 25:6-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, Revelation 20:1, etc.).

7. I believe that the Jews shall ultimately be gathered again as a separate nation, restored to their own land, and converted to the faith of Christ, after going through great tribulation (Jeremiah 30:10-11, Jeremiah 31:10, Romans 11:25-26, Daniel 12:1, Zechariah 13:8-9).

8. I believe that the literal sense of the Old Testament prophecies has been far too much neglected by the Churches, and is far too much neglected at the present day, and that under the mistaken system of spiritualizing and accommodating Bible language, Christians have too often completely missed its meaning (Luke 24:25-26).

9. I do not believe that the preterist scheme of interpreting the Apocalypse, which regards the book as almost entirely fulfilled, or the futurist scheme, which regards it as almost entirely unfulfilled, are either of them to be implicitly followed. The truth, I expect, will be found to lie between the two.

10. I believe that the Roman Catholic church is the great predicted apostasy from the faith, and is Babylon and antichrist, although I think it highly probable that a more complete development of antichrist will yet be exhibited in the world (2 Thessalonians 2:3-11, 1 Timothy 4:1-3).

11. Finally, I believe that it is for the safety, happiness and comfort of all true Christians, to expect as little as possible from churches or governments under the present dispensation, to hold themselves ready for tremendous convulsions, and changes of all things established, and to expect their good things only from Christ’s second advent.

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Steve’s P.S. “What the Bible Says About the Future” lists 40 specific statements that describe our future and how we are to live in the time leading up to the return of our Lord, Savior and King. I encourage you to read this previous post so that you know what our Lord has in store for you.

Studying Prophecy in the Context of the Church

June 28, 2019

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #124 ~

I have grown to love these two little letters, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. They contain so much relevant and needed truth about Christ’s second coming, and the Christian life.
* 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is about how all believers from all time will be glorified, be fully saved at Christ’s coming. Those already in heaven will join up with Christians being raptured from the earth, and together they will meet Jesus Christ in the air.
* 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 tells us that unbelievers will be totally caught off guard by the coming of the Lord and the day of the Lord. But believers on earth will not be surprised and, in fact, filled with faith, hope and love, they will be looking forward to His coming.
* 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 says that Christians will be suffering, but be given relief and be glorified when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. This is in sharp contrast with unbelievers who will be punished, who “will pay the penalty of eternal destruction.”
* 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 informs us that the apostasy, and the coming of that proud and devilish Antichrist, must take place before Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. It is true – the church will be on earth when the Antichrist is revealed.

These are great passages, for they tell us basic end-times truths that every Christian should know. Study them, understand them, never forget them, and don’t let anyone deceive or mislead you about Christ’s coming. But there’s something else you need to understand. What I have seen over the years is that many Christians know all about prophecy and what God says about our future – they share verses and discuss topics that relate to Christ’s return and the rapture, but many of them miss the larger picture.

Here’s the point: you don’t want to focus only on what Paul says about Christ’s coming in these two epistles. You don’t want to separate what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4-5 and 2 Thessalonians 1-2 about the end-times from the rest of 1-2 Thessalonians. You don’t want to take these prophecy passages out of context. It’s not just what you know about prophecy, but it’s how you live, and the rest of these epistles give needed instructions as to how you are to live for the Lord. Now that we are in the end-times, don’t you think all the truths in 1-2 Thessalonians are specifically and especially relevant to what God wants us to be doing at this time in history? God gives us these two epistles so we can know what He wants us to know about the end-times, but also so we can learn how to live for Him in view of Christ’s coming.

Of course, God gives us all the epistles, as well as the entire Bible, so we can rightly live for Him. But we are looking at 1-2 Thessalonians, and so let me summarize what an end-time church should look like, what pastors and individual Christians need to know and do.
* First, you see Paul’s great love for these believers – “We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children, having so fond an affection for you” (1 Thess. 2:7-12, 2:19, 3:12). Might we all love like this!
* Second, he repeatedly talked about the importance of having faith in God, hope for the future, and love for the Lord and the Christians. 1 Thess. 1:3, 3:6-13, 5:8
* Third, he commended the Christians for believing God’s word, for suffering for the Lord, for serving Him, for their perseverance in the midst of persecution, and for sharing their faith – “in every place your faith in God has gone forth.” 1 Thess. 1:8, 2:13; 2 Thess. 1:4
* Fourth, he exhorted them to stand firm, to live holy lives, to love one another, to pray, to rejoice, to be thankful, to be discerning, and to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His kingdom and glory.”  1 Thess. 1:12, 3:8, 4:1-10, 5:16-18, 5:21
* Fifth, he instructed them to not be lazy, undisciplined, or in need, but to be good workers, and eat their own bread. 1 Thess. 4:11-12, 2 Thess. 3:6-13
* Sixth, he reminded them that God had chosen them and called them, and that He would be faithful and fulfill His purposes for them. 1 Thess. 5:24, 2 Thess. 2:13-14
* Seventh, Paul prayed for them, with the primary goal that Christ would be glorified (2 Thess. 1:11-12). And there are many more end-time lessons in these epistles.

My favorite verses in these two epistles are the five benedictions. This is when Paul tells you what God will do, that He Himself will keep you blameless, will sanctify you, will enable you to know His love, will cause you to love one another, will give you peace, and will glorify you. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, 5:23-24; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, 3:5, 3:16

As you know, my strong desire is for you to understand end-time’s prophecy, but you need to understand it in the context of the church. Your value and usefulness to God is seen when you are a holy, loving and serving member of the church, and it’s the epistles that teach you to live like this during this church age. And this Thessalonian epistle, written to instruct a church about the end-times, will instruct you how to live your life in view of Christ’s coming. In these final years I pray there will be Thessalonian-type churches all over the world, ones loving the Lord, living for the Lord, and looking forward to His soon return. “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He will bring it to pass.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

P.S. Here is a short read, a blog post, and a longer read, an article, about how to live for the Lord in the end-times: How Then Should We Live in the End-Times? and What Does God Want Me to Do in the End Times?

The Best is Yet to Come!!!

May 3, 2019

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #116 ~

What a great, glorious and perfect future that God has planned out for all believers! Now you might live 80 to 90 years on this earth, but the best is yet to come, a continual, heart-rejoicing and God-glorifying eternity. As a Christian, one of your greatest needs is to know, understand, and be excited about this hope God has for you. But what exactly is it God wants you to be looking forward to? Here is what He tells you in His word:

1. You will be with Jesus! “We shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The primary focus of your hope is not a place, not things to do, nor people to see, but the person of “Christ Jesus, who is our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). The centerpiece of your hope is that you will literally be with Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. This Jesus, who is your Savior, Lord, Redeemer, King, Husband and Friend, loves you so much more than anyone else. You can’t imagine what it will be like to be with Jesus, who lived, died and rose again, is now seated next to God the Father, and “can’t wait” to come back to be with you, and with all the believers. Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they… be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me” John 17:24). Then, like never before, you will be loved by Him, learn from Him, serve Him and worship Him!

2. You will have no more problems! “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17). “There will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). You will have no more sinful thoughts, words or actions. You will have no more anger, pride, hate, selfishness, impurity, fear, anxiety or jealousy. You will have no more aches, ailments, tiredness, trials or conflicts. You will be perfect, your life will be perfect, and all your relationships will be perfect!

3. You will be with all the believers! “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Just think, you will be with all the believers who have ever lived, those who have already gone to heaven, and those still living on earth. This means you will be with all your loved ones. What a joy to be with believing family members and friends you knew on earth, as well as other believers you heard about, or didn’t hear about, and will then meet for the very first time. Oh, what divine fellowship and friendships we will have in the future!

4. You will be in heaven, the house of God! “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Heaven, a breathtakingly brilliant and magnificent place, will be inhabited by Jesus our mediator, God the judge, myriads of angels, righteous spirits and the church (Hebrews 12:22-24). Heaven, the most holy place of all, is also referred to as “The courts of the Lord… Your dwelling places… the house of my God… Zion.” Psalm 84!

5. You will have a new home! “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-3). “They will receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). Yes, you will be in heaven, but Jesus will have also prepared a special dwelling place for you, which will be located in the new Jerusalem, that glorious city (Revelation 21:10-21). I believe you will have your own spotless, delightful, and perfectly-suited place, a place you can call home, and be at home, where you can wonderfully worship the Lord and sweetly fellowship with others!

6. You will be given a new body! It will be “an imperishable body… raised in glory… raised in power… a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). At Christ’s coming, you will receive an imperishable body, one that cannot die or be destroyed, but is immortal and eternal. It will be glorious, perfect inside and out, altogether beautiful, and like Jesus’ body, a display of God’s glory. It will be powerful, always energized, much stronger than anyone in this present world, and able to go anyplace and do anything God wants you to do. It will be a spiritual body, perfect in character, speech and actions, and perfectly able to always worship and serve the Lord, and to fully love and be fully loved!

7. You will receive an inheritance! This is “an inheritance which is imperishable” (1 Peter 1:3-4). “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:3, Psalm 37). We are not just talking about silver, gold and precious gems, but the entire world and all it contains – birds, flowers, fish, seas, animals, mountains, forests, clouds, cities and much more. As co-heirs with Christ, He will possess and share the world with us!

8. You will be greatly rewarded! “Each will receive his own reward for his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8, Revelation 22:12). God is not cheap, but One who will richly reward you in heaven for all your labor on earth. This reward, I believe, relates to your relationship with Christ, the nature of your heavenly dwelling place, and the work God will give you to do. I hope you realize that it’s supremely and eternally worth it to serve the Lord!

9. You will see Jesus Christ reign over the world! “God reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:8). When Christ comes back, He will perfectly reign over this world. His truth will be proclaimed; He will judge the people; He will guide the nations; His mercy will be shown to the poor; and many will be saved. (Psalms 67, 72, 96). Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Your prayer will be answered: “Our Father… Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10!

10. You will reign with Jesus Christ! “They will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for one thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). “His master said to Him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things – I will put you in charge of many things’” (Matthew 25:21). As a priest of God, you will be reigning with Christ, serving and helping Him rule over this world. Having a glorified body will enable you to happily, heartily and successfully do all the work He wants you to do!

11. You will experience an abundant and eternal life! “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). In the coming ages, you will always be experiencing the wonderful love and goodness of God. You will never, not for a second, be sad or worried, but will continually be filled with abundant joy and peace. You will experience innumerable pleasures, always enjoying and being encouraged by your relationship with Jesus, your relationships with saints and angels, and sharing in the everlasting glory of God!

12. You will be worshiping God all the time! “I will praise Your name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:2). In your entire eternal existence, your number one purpose is to love and worship God, and that is what you will perfectly and joyfully do. Without question, your favorite, soul-satisfying experience will be when you are wholeheartedly praising God, and giving Him all the glory. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise… the Lord is good, and His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 100:4-5!

This is a limited description of your hope, your awesome, fantastic, spectacular and heavenly future! This God-given hope is an incredible, unbelievable and undeserved gift, a personal and perfectly planned out future. Be excited about it, be longing for it, and be looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s guaranteed and glorious plans for you. They are supremely and infinitely better than anything you have ever experienced on earth!

Take the time to really think about what God has in store for you, and be thankful that He will be so loving, kind and generous to you. God has only given you one life on this earth, and that for a very short while, and then He will set in motion the rest of your eternal life, the most wonderful life you could ever imagine. Now that we live in the end-times, it won’t be long before your hopes will be realized, when you will finally and fully be saved, when you will perfectly and forever be worshiping and serving your great God and Father, and your Lord Jesus Christ. “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever… Amen.” Revelation 5:13-14!

P.S. My desire is to help you see the extreme value of hope for your life and for the entire church. If you have not yet read the previous posts on hope, Post 112, Post 113, and Post 115, I would encourage you to do so. I really believe reading them will make a big difference in your life.

God is in Charge of Everything

February 22, 2019

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #106 ~

Do you believe God is sovereign, that He does what He wants, when He wants, where He wants, how He wants, and that no one can thwart His plans? I pray you do. This is a critically important truth, for God is God, and He is in charge of all things. Nothing happens that God does not expressly command or permit. Not only does God know what is going to take place, but He orders it or allows it to take place. God is never surprised. There are no accidents. Nothing happens by chance. With perfect knowledge, power, love and wisdom, God directs and oversees everything, in accordance with His eternal purposes, and for His eternal glory. “He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” Daniel 4:35

The sovereignty of God relates directly to your own life. He planned your birth and He caused it to happen. He knows the day you will die (or be raptured) and He will bring it about. “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). He planned when you would live and where you would live. “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and boundaries” (Acts 17:26). “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). God’s sovereignty is a strategic, comprehensive and powerful truth, one that will humble, comfort and encourage you, and bring great glory to God.

What about the world? Yes, God is sovereign over the entire world – every country, city, nation, person, relationship, animal, event and atom. “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?” (Lamentations 3:37-38). God is sovereign over rulers (Isaiah 40:23), over Israel (Psalm 33:10-12), over the church (Matthew 16:18), over your job (James 4:13-15), and over the devil (Job 1:6-12). God is always sovereign, “declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure… truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.’” Isaiah 46:10-11

God’s sovereignty also has a direct bearing on Bible prophecy being fulfilled. Think of the prophecies about Christ’s first coming, and how they all were perfectly carried out: that Jesus was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), where He was born (Micah 5:2), that He rode on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), how Jesus died (Psalm 22), and so forth. The fact that all Bible prophecy comes true is one of the clearest and strongest proofs that God is sovereign.

What about Christ’s 2nd coming? Of course, God is sovereign, for He will do what He has decided to do. Every day, from now until Christ’s return, has been carefully planned out by God. We now live in the end-times, and God is directing all things and all people to that point when Christ will return and rapture the church. As the days and years go by, we will literally see His prophetic word being carried out. All of His plans related to Israel, the nations, the true church, false religion, birth pains, the Jewish temple, the Antichrist, the preaching of the gospel, great tribulation, Christ’s 2nd coming, and Satan’s defeat, will be fully carried out. Might you be assured and encouraged by the faithful, powerful, wise, and glorious working of God, resulting in Christ’s return as King.

You may wonder what will happen in your own life, and to your family and church. You may worry about whether you will live or die, whether you will be martyred or raptured. You need to trust God and be at peace, for God is sovereign, and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This “good” is that your salvation will be completed, that you will be glorified, that you will be “conformed to the image of His Son.” Romans 8:28-29

The fact that God is sovereign doesn’t mean you are to sit around and do nothing, that you are to just wait and see. You are to work and wait and see. You are responsible for your words and actions, all the time knowing that God is sovereign, that “man plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps” (Proverbs 16:9), that “the steps of man are ordained by the Lord” (Proverbs 20:24). “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). “Go, make disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20), knowing that Christ will build His church.

Finally, it’s all about Jesus Christ. Love Jesus, live for Jesus, and look forward to seeing Him come in the clouds. Remember, “we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory… with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of times, that is, the summing up all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.” Ephesians 1:9-12

P.S. If you have not looked at and read the Key Terms, listed on one of the tabs, I would encourage you to do so. Knowing the definitions of key prophecy terms, and related subjects, is essential in understanding prophecy. One area that is related to this subject of God’s sovereignty, that is found in the Key Terms, is the “Purposes of God.”

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