Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Overview (Page 1 of 4)

Blog posts classified as overviews.

Talking to a Christian About Christ’s Coming

February 7, 2026 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #353 ~

You are talking to a Christian and they are interested in prophesy. They want to know what will be happening in the future, they want to know God’s plans for them and this world. What do you tell them? As you know, this is a huge subject, and there is much God tells us in His Word, much He wants you to learn, and much you need to share with interested believers. Let me summarize a number of things you need to tell them about the future of a Christian and of this world:

You tell them that Christ is coming again, that this is the first and most important thing they need to know. You tell them that when He returns, the lives of everyone, both saved and lost, will be dramatically changed. You tell them that Christ is coming soon, and that’s because we live in the end-times, and we know this because the Jews are back in the promised land. You tell them that Christ is returning to rescue Christians from an evil world, to judge unrepentant sinners, to redeem a remnant of Jews, to reign over a restored earth, and to bring glory to God. Rev. 22:7, Rev. 7-9, Luke 21:24, Is. 57:1, 1 Cor. 15:42-44, Ps. 47, Hab. 2:14

You tell them that many difficult and trying things will occur before Christ’s coming. You tell them that this world will become a more wicked place, that lawlessness will get much worse in the years leading up to Christ’s return. You tell them that Christians will be greatly hated and persecuted, and that many will be martyred. You tell them that there will be an increase in false teaching, and only by knowing God’s word can they escape error and the lies of the devil. Matt. 24:32-34, Matt. 24:12, Matt. 24:9, Matt. 24:4-5

You tell them about “birth pains”, about earthquakes, wars, famines, plagues and economic problems afflicting people in various parts of this earth. You tell them that the United States is in decline and being judged by God because of her sin. One result is that the Antichrist, sometime in the future, will be raised up and rule over this world, and be seen as a savior. You tell them that God is actively working with the Jews, and how they need to be watching what’s happening in Israel so they can see how God is fulfilling His prophetic word in this world. You tell them that the Jews will confirm a treaty with the Antichrist in the near future, and then be able to build a temple and offer sacrifices. Matt. 24:6-8, Rev. 6:1-8, Rom. 1:20-32, Rev. 13:4-8, Matt. 24:9-26; Luke 21:20-24, Dan. 9:27, 2 Thess. 2:4

You tell them about a great, global earthquake and the sun and moon going dark, that these are signs of the end of this age, and that unbelievers will be shocked and scared to death. You tell them that immediately after this, a brilliant bright light will appear in the sky, and this is the sign of Christ’s coming. You tell them that the whole world will see Christ, but believers will be glorified and raptured, and then be with Him forever. Rev. 6:12-17; Matt. 24:27, 29-31; 1 Th. 4:17

You tell them that God will justly judge all unbelievers still on earth, and this is the day of the Lord, a dreadful but deserved punishment for those who have rejected Christ and not repented of their sins. You tell them that God will rightly judge the Jews, but that a large remnant, one-third of them, will be saved, will become believers. Rev. 8-9, 16; Zech. 13:8-9; Rom. 11:25-26

You tell them that the Christians who were raptured, along with those resurrected, will be in heaven only a short time, and then return with Christ to defeat the Antichrist and his evil kingdom. You tell them that Christ will gloriously, powerfully, and righteously rule for 1,000 years with both Jewish and Gentile believers. Then Christ will subject Himself to the Father, and God will be all in all, and we will forever be worshiping and serving Him in the eternal kingdom. Rev. 7:9-12, 19:11-21, 20:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:23-28

This is a short summary of what will be taking place, and it’s important to study these verses so you have convictions and so you can clearly and confidently tell others what God has taught you. God does not want any of His people to be surprised and fearful when there are calamities and great persecution in the end times. Instead, He wants them to be ready, watching, and waiting for Christ to return and to be working for Him while they wait. Might God use you to tell others about their future, about what God has in store for them and this world.

“Take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance” (Mk. 13:23). “They themselves report… how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thess. 1:9-10

P.S. I have many posts detailing the future. Here are some of them: “What the Bible Says About the Future”, “Filling in the End-Times’ Outline”, and “Matthew 24 – A Road Map of the End-Times.”

P.P.S. For more encouragement for everyone, including some of our new friends we met at the airport in Charlotte (Wendall, Carolyn, and Andrew!) – here are the two links to a number of excellent, God-glorifying Scripture Songs (Scripture Songs – Our Legacy – Volume 1 and Volume 2) that our church music team recorded when I was in Tampa. 

Preach the Word in View of Christ’s Appearing and Kingdom

October 4, 2025 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #342 ~

Three of the last four posts have focused on preaching the gospel of the kingdom (338, 339, 341). Jesus Christ is coming back soon to establish His kingdom on earth, and we know that because we live in the end-times. Therefore, these three lessons about God’s kingdom are critically important. That’s why eschatology, the study of last things, is a major doctrine at this time in history. Christ’s coming and kingdom comprise a comprehensive truth about the future that must be fully and clearly taught so that it’s fixed in the hearts of all believers.

A church’s teaching must focus on Christ’s death and resurrection, our spiritual growth, and the church age, but should also include truths about being glorified and reigning with Christ in the kingdom ages. We need to know about God’s love, holiness, sovereignty, justification, sanctification, but we also need hope, and therefore must preach and promote doctrines describing our glorious future with Christ and all the saints in heaven and on earth. 

The book of Acts emphasizes the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God, signifying that it’s a primary purpose of the church. Acts 1 starts off by summarizing Jesus’ teaching during His last 40 forty days on earth. He was “speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God” (vs. 3), which would have been both the spiritual kingdom (the church), and the physical kingdom. It’s vital that we know this, and imitate Jesus by doing the same.

Jesus taught His disciples about the entire kingdom of God. He wanted them and us to understand the whole of our Christian life in the context of God’s kingdom, and to then tell people this good news of His death and resurrection, the church age, and the kingdom ages. To live rightly for God, we must have an eternal perspective, God’s great, grand, glorious plan of an eternal life with His Son.

In Acts 3:21, Peter tells us that Christ will return to bring about the “period of restoration of all things”, which speaks of the millennial kingdom. Acts 8:12 says that Philip was “preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” In Acts 14:22, Paul instructs his disciples, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Paul is talking about suffering for God during this life, and then entering His heavenly and physical kingdom.

In Acts 15:13-18, James quotes from Amos 9:11 to let us know that Gentiles will also be part of God’s coming kingdom. “I will return… I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, all the Gentiles who are called by My name.” Acts 19:9 states that Paul was “speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God”. Surely, he was speaking about God’s kingdom from a present and eternal perspective. He told them the good news about the present and future reign of Christ in our lives, and His future reign over this world.

Paul is talking to the Ephesians elders (Acts 20:17-38), and what he taught them is for all elders to understand, model, and teach. He wanted them to know that he had declared to believers everything that “was profitable”, that He “went about preaching the kingdom”, and that he taught them “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:20, 25, 27). Equating these three phrases makes it quite clear that God wants us to know and preach the totality of our eternal life, from being justified to being sanctified to being glorified to reigning with Christ in His coming kingdom.

The last chapter of Acts says, “Paul… was… solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus… He stayed two full years… preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28:23, 31). In this conclusion to Acts, this accurate church history, Paul was teaching people about Jesus and His kingdom. I hope you are realizing that God wants His people to always be occupied with the big picture, the person of Jesus Christ and His kingdom. As in the first verses of Acts (Acts 1:3-11), so too in the final verses of Acts, the focus is on Jesus Christ and God’s kingdom.

What does Paul tell Timothy in his last letter? “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word…” (2 Tim. 4:1-2). The “appearing” refers to Christ’s coming, that point in time when we are glorified and our 3-part salvation is complete. The “kingdom” refers to the visible, kingdom age when we are with Christ and are reigning with Christ (Lk. 21:28, 31). To all believers, Christ’s appearing and kingdom must be in view, must always be on their hearts.

A believer must not be spiritually static, stagnant, or stuck in the present, or think that he is. He must see the present in light of the future, must have the whole of his eternal life in mind. He must know that he was justified and is being sanctified and will be glorified, and then will enter the kingdom – and he should be longing for it. He must know that what God is doing in his life, in the church, and in the world, is in light of an incredibly amazing future. He must know that he is on a journey, that God is leading and directing him and all believers to the end of this age, to Christ’s coming, and to be glorified, and to the kingdom ages, to when Christ is supremely glorified and we are reigning with Him. Ps. 72:19, Hab. 2:14

A pastor must not forget the hope that he and all believers have. that we will soon and forever be with Jesus Christ. A pastor must remember his primary purpose, to preach God’s word in view of Christ’s appearing and kingdom, whether his teaching is Spirit planned, Spirit prompted, a sentence or two, an entire message, a series of messages, or whether it’s a song, closing verse, benediction, or in a private conversation, etc. To rightly do this, a pastor must diligently study the end-times, Christ’s coming, the Jewish people, the kingdom ages, Isaiah, Daniel, Matt. 24, Luke 21, 1 Th. 4-5, 2 Th. 1-2, Revelation, etc. Then what is in his heart will come out of his mouth – he will declare the whole counsel of God, he will preach God’s word in view of Christ’s appearing and kingdom.

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

P.S. It’s extremely encouraging and motivating knowing that we belong to the greatest royal family of all time, and that we are children of the King. Here are two more posts on the kingdom: “They Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done”, and “Christ’s Kingdom is Coming.”

Seeing the Entirety of Your Salvation

August 16, 2025 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #338 ~

It was a discovery, it was a special find of an invaluable truth, a spiritual treasure I had never seen before. It was something I had missed in my 50+ years as a Christian. But I was clearly seeing it on the pages of God’s word, it was in plain sight, it was God-revealed and obvious.

What am I talking about? What is this discovery? It’s that the New Testament writers, in just a handful of verses, and not a few times, repeatedly spoke about the whole, the totality of our salvation, that we were justified, are being sanctified, and will be glorified. These truths were not new to me – I learned them when I was first saved, but that they were collectively and continually talked about in just a few verses or less was an amazing spiritual treasure.

It became clear to me that God wants Christians to keep thinking about the big picture of our 3-part salvation, and of our eternal life, that we see our Christian life from being born again to eternity future. God also wants us to share the whole gospel message with the lost like Jesus, who was “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23), and Paul who “went about preaching the kingdom’’ (Acts 20:25). This truth about understanding the entirety of our life is especially important for pastors, for they need to teach it in their churches.

There are numerous examples of this whole of salvation message in the New Testament, and we looked at a many of them last week: Rom. 5:1-3, 8:30; 1 Cor. 1:7-9, 11:26, 15:20-23; Eph. 1:7-12, 1:13-14; Phil. 1:6; Col. 1:4-5, 3:3-4; 1 Thess. 1:9-10. Today we will look at several more:  

* Philippians 3:8-11 – “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection… in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Here is salvation in its entirety: 1) knowing Christ, being righteous; 2) knowing Christ and pressing on (Ph. 3:12-14); and 3) attaining to the resurrection from the dead, being physically transformed (Ph. 3:20-21)! It’s clear that knowing Christ, having a relationship with Him or, as it’s also stated, experiencing eternal life, is the central theme of our salvation. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ.” Jn. 17:3

* 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 – “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Him… we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep… the Lord Himself will descend from heaven… then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” The believers were living a godly life and being persecuted, and were worried they had missed Christ’s coming. Paul assures them that this was not so by reminding them of His resurrection – that since we are in Christ, we too will be raised from the dead, we too will be glorified, and this happens at His coming! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key to being spiritually saved in the past, to living for Him in the present, and to being physically saved in the future. “… in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Cor. 15:20-23

* Titus 2:11-14 – “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” Our salvation is again summed up in three parts. Those who repent of their sins and believe that Christ appeared to die and rise again to pay for their sins will: 1) be saved, be justified; 2) be living a holy life, be sanctified, and 3) see Christ when He appears in glory, and be glorified!

* Hebrews 9:27 – “Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” The reason we can be justified, sanctified, and glorified is because of what Christ does for us at His 1st and 2nd comings. 1) He appeared to die and pay for our sins, to spiritually save us, and 2) He will appear again to physically save us, to give us a spiritual body! Might we be excitedly waiting for Him!

* 1 Peter 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” This too speaks of our 3-part salvation: 1) we were born again, born of the Spirit; 2) we have a living hope – as we serve God on earth, we should be expecting Christ to return to take us to heaven; and 3) at the revelation of Christ, we will receive a heavenly, imperishable, undefiled, eternal inheritance! 1 Pet. 1:13, Col. 3:23-24, Rev. 22:12

* 1 John 2:20, 27-28 – “… the anointing which you received from Him abides in you… His anointing teaches you about all things… abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” Again, we read about our salvation in three ways: 1) we were anointed by the Spirit, we were spiritually saved; 2) now we are to abide in Christ, to have a close relationship with Him; and 3) we should be confident of our relationship with Christ and at His appearance, be thrilled to see Him! 1 Thess. 4:15-18

* 1 John 3:1-3 – “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God and such we are… Beloved now we are children of God… When He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him.” Again, you are told three things about your salvation: 1) you were first called a child of God when you became a child of God, when you were saved; 2) spiritually speaking you are a child of God, and thus, you are to live like a child of God; and 3) physically speaking you will look like a child of God when Christ appears, for then you will literally see Christ in His glory and be given a body like His. 1 Cor. 15:42-44

* Rev. 1:5-7 – “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born of the dead… To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God… Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him.” Jesus Christ, motivated by love, died on a cross, paid for our sins, and was raised from the dead. His 3-fold purpose was: 1) to release us from our sins, to forgive us, to make us a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), to bring us into a spiritual kingdom, the church (Col. 1:13-14); 2) for us to serve Him as priests; and 3) to bring us into His physical kingdoms, the millennial and eternal kingdoms.

There are three parts of our salvation, our past justification which happened at a point in time, our present sanctification occurring during our life on earth, and our future glorification happening at a point in time, at the outset of Christ’s coming. Justification results in being delivered from the deadly penalty of sin, sanctification from the spiritual power of sin, and glorification from the very presence of sin. 

Once we are glorified, our salvation is complete, which is what the New Testament writers kept telling us. They wanted us to know what God was, and is, and will be doing in us. Once you are completely saved, which occurs at Christ’s coming, then you will be fit and ready to wholly worship and serve Christ in the next age, the millennial kingdom age. Eph. 1:20-21, 2:10, 18-20; Rev. 5:10

All that we’ve talked about is an incredible, supernatural, eternal work of God – and it’s for your good, the good of others, and the glory of God. “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:36). Next week, we will look at a number of verses that talk about the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23). You will learn that the gospel is not just good news about salvation, but is also about your eternal future, the kingdom ages.

P.S. The NT writers were teaching the entirety of our salvation so that you too would see it, be encouraged by it, and be motivated to tell others, both saved and lost. I suggest you read these posts which are similar to this one: “An Overview of Your Christian Life” and “Your Entire Christian Life.”

God is Sovereign – He is in Charge and in Control

April 22, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #274 ~

Did you know that God is sovereign, that He is in control and in charge of all things, all events, and the entire world? Yes, He is, even though it may not seem like it, even though sin and wickedness in our country is worse than ever before. And how does God say it? “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” Lamentations 3:37-38

We are witnessing an accelerated and devilish transformation of our country. When I think about what’s going on in our society, this is what comes to mind: human trafficking, liars, totalitarianism, two-tiered justice, socialism, artificial intelligence, hate, Satan clubs in schools, massive debt, political and societal division, free speech?, anger, parents not parenting, leaders promoting evil, fentanyl deaths, schools teaching error and evil, transgenderism, major border problems, drag shows, selfishness, increasing surveillance, pride, anti-Christian hostility, the Ukraine war, millions of abortions, DEI, CRT, ESG, Marxism, Chinese infiltration, lack of respect, communism, spy balloons, stealing, digital currency, ChatGPT, a chip in the hand, false teachers, sick churches, lawless D.A.s, criminals going free, greed, high inflation, racism, anti-racism, rampant immorality, nations uniting against US, people not fearing God, etc., etc. 

After reading this, you might be quite discouraged, and want to throw in the towel and move to a quiet place in the country. What you need to do is believe this wonderful and powerful truth, that God is sovereign, even over evil (Acts 2:23-24, 4:27-28). He is reigning over all people and all things, and all that happens, even the evil, is part of His eternal and perfect plan – and it’s leading to Christ’s return to rapture the church and rule over the earth. “God changes times and seasons” (Dan. 2:21). “His dominion is an eternal dominion… He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” (Dan. 4:34-35). “His (the Most High’s) kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.” Daniel 7:27b

What would it be like if God wasn’t in charge, if He wasn’t ordaining and orchestrating the events of this world? If you thought humans were in charge and could do whatever they want, you might go crazy. But in a way you cannot understand, God controls the lives of people and all that occurs in this world. “Man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9). “The steps of man are ordained by the Lord. How then can man understand his way?” (Prov. 20:24). “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1

When I think of God’s providential and sovereign working in this world, I think of four major areas – Israel, the church, your personal life, and everything else. Let’s go over each of these:

First, there’s Israel. It’s obvious that God is directing the nation of Israel. Close to 4,000 years ago, God raised up Israel in the nation of Egypt. After about 400 years, God led her out of Egypt, through the desert, and into the promised land. Later on, God exiled Israel because of her great sin – but mercifully, after 70 years, He brought her back to her land. Through the Jews, God brought Jesus into the world, and He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and was raised from the dead. But the Jews rejected Jesus and His gospel message and so in 70AD, God scattered them all over the world. Exodus, Ezekiel 36-37, Luke 21:20-24, Luke 23-24

This dispersion lasted until the 1880’s, at which time, God miraculously started bringing these homeless Jews back to their land. In 1948, and against all odds, God made her a nation. Now it’s 2023, and there are close to 6.8 million Jews living in Israel. That the Jews are again in their land is the main reason we know we are living in the end-times. So it won’t be long before God fulfills His promises to His chosen people (Gen. 12:1-3, Ezek. 37:21-23, Matt. 24:15-27, Rom. 11:25-26). “‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill My purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” Isaiah 46:10-11, Psalm 33:10-12

Second, there’s the church. Jesus Christ greatly loves His church, and He will build His church (Matt. 16:18). The church will preach the gospel to the entire world (Matt. 24:14), and make disciples in all the nations (Matt. 28:19-20). Yes, she has her ups and downs, but God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, is sovereignly and powerfully carrying out His purposes for her. At the end of this age, His plans for her will be fulfilled, and God will send Christ to earth to rescue the church, judge the world, and begin His kingdom. Matt. 24:29-31, Acts 3:20-21, Revelation 20

Third, there’s you, God’s beloved child, and you are extremely and eternally important to Him. God was sovereign over your salvation (Eph. 1:4-5). God is sovereign over your spiritual growth (Phil. 2:13), over the work you do (Eph. 2:10), over how long you live (Ps. 139:16), over your whole life (Rom. 8:28), and over your successful arrival in heaven. 2 Tim. 4:18, Jude 24-25

Romans 8:28-29, very encouraging Bible verses, tell us that God will fulfill His purpose for us. “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When it says, “all things”, it means everything in your life from the time you were born to the moment you die or are raptured. It means your upbringing, family, salvation, church, job, trials, sin, health, friends, enemies, weaknesses, abilities, ministry, etc.

That God is sovereign means He’s lovingly, wisely, powerfully, and perfectly causing “all things” in your life to work out for your good. This good, one of His primary purposes for you, is stated in vs. 29 – “Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). You will be conformed, you will become like Christ (1 Jn. 3:2), you will be glorified (Rom. 8:30). “We eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” Philippians 3:20-21

Fourth, there’s everything else. In addition to what was said in par. 2, God is also sovereign over the angels, the devil, demons, stars, planets, rulers, countries, wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, weather, atoms, cells, fish, birds, ants, animals, plant life, crime, religions, all nations, all rulers, every person on the planet, the economy, your family, your friends, sports, music, movies, technology, the Antichrist, etc., etc. It’s true and truly amazing that God is sovereign over all things, and if He was not sovereign, if He was not in control, then He would not be God.

What is now taking place in this world may be confusing to you, and seem like a huge puzzle, but not to God. He knows exactly what He is doing, and He doesn’t make any mistakes. Since the creation of the world, He’s been perfectly putting every single piece in the right place at the right time, and that’s trillions of pieces. God has been orchestrating and directing every bit of history and now we are living in the end-times. This means that this God-designed, global puzzle is close to being completed. Soon enough, Christ’s church-age work will be finished, and He will return to rapture the church, and the Day of the Lord will begin. After that Christ will come back to Jerusalem as the King and begin His reign on earth. Zech. 14:9, Revelation 11:15

Eph. 1:10-11 sums up God’s end-time plans for this world. It tells us that His work with all things (“who works all things after the counsel of His will”), is leading to the end of this age (“fullness of the times”), and then Christ will be reigning over the universe (“summing up of all things in Christ”), and you will be part of God’s glorious plans (“having been predestined according to His purpose”). “Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.” Rev. 19:6b, Rev. 6-20

So how does God want you to live, and what does He want you to do?
* Keep looking to the Lord, loving Him, trusting Him, and obeying Him. Psalms 33:18-22, 105:4
* Know that God’s sovereignty over your life does not negate your personal responsibility, your duty to obey all His commands. “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:12-13, Ps. 119:44
* Believing that God is sovereign results in God being exalted and you being humbled, and being filled up with real joy, peace, and hope. 
* Be a light to the people around you. Be praying and looking for opportunities to share the gospel, for it’s the only answer to the problems in a person’s soul. Matt. 5:14-16, Col. 4:2-6
* Study end-times’ prophecy, be a watchman, and prepare the way of the Lord. Tell others what you learn in God’s word and what you see happening in the world that relates to the end-times. 1 Chron. 12:32, Ezek. 3:17, Matt. 24:45-46
* Be thankful that God wants you to live at this time in history. Be excited about the future, and remember that it won’t be long before Christ takes you home to heaven. Heb. 12:22-24 – “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God… to myriads of angels… to the general assembly and church… to God… and to Jesus…”

You must know that God is sovereign over the world and your life if you are to live rightly for Him. I encourage you to read these two other posts that speak on this neglected but most important subject: “God is in Charge of Everything”, and “God is in Charge of Your Life.”

Subject Index for this Prophecy Blogsite

January 14, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #266 ~

This elongated post is different than all the others for it’s a site directory, an alphabetized list of 25 subjects, followed by the titles of most of the posts I’ve written on each one. There are three reasons for this post:
1. If you are new to this blog site, you may be somewhat overwhelmed by all the different blog posts. Looking at the different subjects should make it easier to decide where you want to start reading.
2. This post is designed to help those interested in studying out one particular prophecy subject, whether that it’s in the present or the future.
3. To help you grow in your personal life as a Christian. Under “Living for God in the End-Times” you will find a number of posts specifically written to help you be living a godly life in these final years leading up to Christ’s Coming.

Under the “Archives” tab, you will find another subject index, and this too will be helpful in your study of end-times’ prophecy. May the Lord continue to teach you truths from His word on this most important subject. Then you will be a better watchmen, and more equipped to pass these timely truths on to others. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.” Matthew 24:45-46

Antichrist: (42) “The Antichrist is Coming Soon, and It’s Before the Coming of Christ”, (45) “From Many Religions to the Antichrist and One-World Religion”, (78) “That Evil Antichrist and His Short Rule on Earth” , (79) “Reasons for the Rise and Rule of the Antichrist” , (80) “The Mark of the Beast” , (121) “Antichrist Revealed and Then the Rapture” , (122) “The Antichrist Tries to Take Christ’s Place” , (123) “Presidents, Prime Ministers… Antichrist and Jesus Christ”, (193) “Questions and Answers About the Antichrist”

Bible Prophecy Passages: (175) “Psalm 2”, (179) “Psalm 11”, (134) “Psalm 47”, (148) “Micah”, (10) “Matthew 24”, (62) “Matthew 24”, (144) “Luke 21”, (197) “Romans 8:17-39”, (181) “Romans 11”, (235) “Ephesians 1”, (237) “Philippians”, (104) “Colossians 3:3-4”, (188) “1 Thess.”, (118) “1 Thess. 4:13-18”, (119) “1 Thess. 5:1-11“, (120) “2 Thess. 1”, (121) “2 Thess. 2:1-4”, (122) “2 Thess. 2:3-7“, (152) “Hebrews 11”, (147) “1 Peter 1:3-13”, (145) “Revelation 2-3”, (11) “Revelation 6”, (84) “Revelation 12”

Big Picture: (23) “The Divine Time-Table – Daniel’s 70 Weeks”, (38) “World History and International Studies”, (49) “First Coming to Church Age to Second Coming”, (66) “The Big Picture – The Present Age and the Age to Come”, (140) “From Earth to Heaven and Back Again”, (232) “Four Ages and Four Earths”, (235) “Ephesians 1 – A Big Picture Prophecy Passage”

Christmas and Prophecy: (49) “First Coming to Second Coming to Church Age”, (99) “The Christmas Story and Christ’s Second Coming”, (149) “Christmas Is More than Baby Jesus”, (201) “The True Meaning of Christmas”, (233) “It’s Not Just About Baby Jesus”, (264) “When I Think of Christmas…”

Church: (25) “Why the Jews Are Important for You and the Church”, (41) “The Gospel Will Be Preached to All the Nations – Then Christ Will Return”, (107) “Christ and the Church in the End-Times”, (128) “The World, the Church, and the King”, (143) “Why Don’t Churches Teach on Prophecy?”, (145) “End-Times’ Instructions for the Church”

Coming of Christ: (1) “Christ is Coming Again and He’s Coming Soon”, (46) “The Coming of Christ and the Triumph of the Church”, (69) “When is Christ Coming Back?”, (75) “What Will Happen When Christ Comes Back?”, (77) “Why Is Jesus Christ Coming Back?”, (85) “Christ is Coming for Both the Christians and the Jews”, (89) “Christ the King is Coming”, (174) “Christ is Coming Again, and Soon”, (192) “Questions and Answers About Christ’s Second Coming”, (200) “Is Jesus Christ Coming Again?”, (212) “Christ is Coming Back to Earth, and Soon”, (251) “Christ’s Coming – What You Need to Know”

Day of the Lord: (15) “The Day of the Lord and the Wrath of God on Earth”, (120) “Relief or Retribution – 2 Thess. 1”, (216) “Eating, Drinking, Being Merry – And Suddenly, Shockingly…”, (214) “Rescued from the Punishing Day of the Lord”, (215) “They Are Scared to Death”, (217) “The Fierce and Deadly Day of the Lord”, (254) “The Day of the Lord – God’s Righteous Wrath”, (255) “The Day of the Lord – the Destructive, Deadly Wrath of God”

End-Times: (12) “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”, (27) “How Do We Know We Live in the End-Times?”, (73)“Truths You Need to Know About the End-Times”, (125) “The Order of End-Time Events”, (126) “Earthquakes and the End-Times”, (145) “Revelation 2-3: End-Time Instructions for the Church”, (206) “Sinners and Saints in the End-Times”, (242) “The World Is Having Birth Pains”, (256) “Holy, Wholly Living in the End-Times”, (263) “Filling in the End-Times” Outline”

Glory of God: (29) “The Glory of God – The Most Important Thing of All”, (30) “More on the Glory of God, the Most Important Thing of All”, (134) “Worshiping the KING – The Greatest Celebration Ever”, (184) “Jews and Gentiles Unitedly Glorifying God”

Gospel of Jesus Christ: (28) “The Most Important Thing for You”, (41) “The Gospel Will Be Preached to All the Nations – Then Christ Will Return”, (94) “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God”, (114) “How to Defeat Death and Live Forever”, (241) “Death and Life in the End-Times”, (244) “The Answer to Death is Christ’s Resurrection”

Hope: (87) “In a Wicked World You Need Hope”, (112) “You Need Hope to Get Through Life”, (113) “Your Great Hope and Most Glorious Future”, (115) “Hope: The Who, What, When, How, and Why”, (116) “The Best Is Yet to Come”, (117) “Converging Hopes for Jewish and Gentile Believers”, (176) “When Life Is Hard, You Need Hope”, (177) “Important Lessons on the Hope God Has for You!”, (178) “Your Hope, Your Future, Your Reward”, (207) “The Believer’s Brand-New Body – Amen!”, (238) “Hope – Embedded in God’s Word, and in Your Heart”, (253) “Being in Heaven with Jesus and All the Believers”

Jewish People: (17) “The Suspension of God’s Plans for the Jews”, (19) “A Short Summary of God’s Work With the Jews”, (21) “Unfinished Business”, (22) “A Jewish Reading Lesson”, (25) “Why the Jews Are Important For You and the Church”, (37) “The Most Important Country in the World and It’s Not the United States”, (40) “The Persecution of the Jews from Pharaoh to the Antichrist”, (44) “God’s Plans for the Jews from Now to the Coming of Christ”, (83) “The Jews – Their Past, Present, and Glorious Future”, (85) “Christ is Coming for Both the Church and the Jews”, (183) “The New Testament  Tells Us God’s Plans for the Jews”, (260) “God’s Plans for the Jewish People Have NOT Been Cancelled”, (261)“God Keeps His Plans for the Jewish People”

Kingdom of God: (91) “The Kingdom of God”, (92) “The King in Your Heart and His Kingdom on Earth”, (93) “Kingdom Instructions for the Church”, (94) “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God”, (95) “God’s Kingdom Work”, (96) “The Present Church Age and the Future Kingdom Age”, (132) “Christ’s Kingdom is Coming”, (185) “The Coming Kingdom Age, 1000 Years of Glory”, (186) “Clear and Compelling Evidence for the Coming Kingdom”, (191) “A New Earth for the Coming Kingdom”, (195) “Questions and Answers About the Coming Kingdom”, (257) “What We Need In This World Is the King”

Living for God in the End-Times: (47) “God Will Keep You Strong to the End”, (54) Your Journey to the End – A Straight Road to Glory”, (67) “An Overview of Your Christian Life”, (71) “Journeying to the End to Be With Jesus”, (81) “Promises From a Loving Father to His Children”, (100) “Loving the Lord and Longing to See Him”, (104) “Your Entire Christian Life”, (108) “Christ-like Character God Wants You to Have”, (129) “The Right Way to Think About Your Life”, (142) “God Is in Charge of Your Life”, (150) “Loving God Today, Tomorrow, and Forever”, (169) “Being Spiritually and Emotionally Strong”, (187) “What Keeps Me Going to the End?”, (203) “Keys to Living for the Lord”, (210) “When Christ Comes, Will He Find Faith on the Earth?”, (228) “How To Keep Going for God?”, (250) “Singing – A Key to Sound Christian Living”, (256) “Holy, Wholly Living in the End-Times”

Millennial Kingdom: (96) “The Present Church Age and the Future Kingdom Age”, (130) “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done”, (135) “A People-Blessing, God-Glorifying Kingdom”, (185) “The Coming Kingdom Age, 1000 Years of Glory”, (191) “A New Earth for the Kingdom Age”, (195) “Questions and Answers About the Coming Kingdom Age”

Persecution and Tribulation: (48) “The Persecution of the Church Before the Coming of Christ”, (57) “Christians Go Through Tribulation”, (58) “Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation”, (120) “Relief or Retribution”, (138) “The Glory of Suffering for Jesus”, (139) “Suffering for Jesus in the End-Times”

Rapture: (5) “The Rapture of the Church at the Second Coming of Christ”, (6) “The Rapture, A Love Story”, (55) “The Timing of the Rapture”, (56) “The Rapture Occurs at the Coming of Christ”, (64) “The Immediate and Incredible Results of the Rapture”, (76) “When Does the Rapture Take Place?”, (103) “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church”, (154) “What Happens When Christians are Raptured?”, (155) “Why the Rapture Is Not Imminent”, (156) “The Rapture Won’t Happen Until…”

Resurrection: (13) “The Resurrection and the Rapture of the Believers”, (61) “Christ’s Resurrection Means the Best is Yet to Come”, (118) “The Resurrection and the Rapture – 1 Thess. 4:13-18”, (211) “The Resurrection: Death to Life in Spirit – and Body”, (244) “The Answer to Death is Christ’s Resurrection”

Revelation: (11) “The Seals of Revelation 6 – The Storm Before the Son”, (80) “The Mark of the Beast”, (84) “Revelation 12 – The Jews, the Devil, and Our Victorious God”, (97) “Revelation, the Bridge from This Age to the Next Age”

Rewards: (219) “God Really Wants to Reward You”, (220) “Earthly Work that Results in Heavenly Rewards”, (221) “Your Reward is the Lord”, (222) “The Truth About Rewards, the Heavenly Prize”, (223) “Winning the Gold for the Glory of God”

Sin Is the Problem: (111) “A Sin-Wrecked World and the Coming of Christ”, (173) “Murder, Looting, and Anarchy – It’s Sin”, (206) “Sinners and Saints in the End-Times”, (209) “The Worst Lies and the Most Important Truth”, (229) “What’s Wrong with the United States?” (230) “What’s Wrong with This World?”, (249) “How Can We Live in This Sinful World?”

Special End-Time Subjects: (9) “Deception or Discernment”, (24) “Daniel’s 70th Week”, (74) “Immigration: As It Is, They Desire a Better Country”, (109) “For Pastors and Preachers in the End-Times”, (126) “Earthquakes and the End-Times”, (136) “JC Ryle’s Prophetic Creed”, (157) “The Coronavirus, Plagues, and the End-Times”, (160) “The Coronavirus – Fear and Panic, or Faith and Peace”, (209) “The Worst Lies and the Most Important Truth”, (213) “Holy Communion – From Christ’s Cross to Christ’s Crown”, (215) “They Are Scared to Death”, (236) “Marv Rosenthal – A Servant of God”, (239) “Russia at War Against Ukraine”, (247) “Baby Formula Shortage, Food Scarcity, Famine, and Thanksgiving”, (252) “My Top Thirty Charts Help You See the Future”, (259) “For Pastors, Preachers, and Teachers”

United States: (37) “The Most Important Country in the World and It’s Not the United States”, (39) “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, (72) “The United States, North Korea, and Peace on Earth”, (170) “The Pandemic, the U.S. Decline, and the End-Times”, (171) “Don’t Get Mad at the Government – Trust God”, (205) “A Troubled Country”, (229) “What’s Wrong With the United States?”

When Is Christ Coming Back?: (16) “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?”, (27) “How Do We Know We Live in the End-Times?”, (36) “The World Is Now in Labor – This Means Christ Is Coming Soon”, (55) “The Timing of the Rapture”, (56) “The Rapture Occurs at the Coming of Christ”, (68) “Reflections on the Timing of Christ’s Return”, (69) “When Is Christ Coming Back?”, (70) “What Needs to Happen Before Christ’s Return?”, (76) “When Does the Rapture Take Place?”, (125) “The Order of End-Time Events”, (151) “Forecasting the Future of the World”, (153) “When Is Christ Returning to Rapture the Church?”, (155) “Why the Rapture Is Not Imminent”, (156) “The Rapture Won’t Happen Until…”, (159) “Step By Step Till We See Jesus”, (198) “The Reason We Know Christ Is Coming Soon”, (212) “Christ Is Coming Back to Earth, and Soon”

Working for God in the End-Times: (12) “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”, (18) “Do Business Until I Come”, (98) “Make Ready the Way of the Lord”, (158) “Being a Watchman for the Church in the End-Times”, (227) “Working for God While Waiting for Christ”

P.S. I am very, very thankful that God told us ahead of time all that He wants to know about the end-times, the return of Christ, and the ages to come. Be a good student and learn all that God wants you to know – and then you will be more excited about the future God has for you, and more excited about telling others.

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, an EMP, 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, nuclear war, 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.”

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