One of the biggest questions in the world has to do with the land of Israel. Is it the Jews or the Palestinians? If you have read my posts then you know what God tells us in the Bible, that the land of Israel is for the Jewish people. (Gen. 12:1-2, 15:18-21, 17:3-8; Ps. 105:8-11; Ez. 36-37, Zech. 14:1-3; Matt. 24:15-16, etc.). Yet millions of Muslims, Arabs, and Antisemites strongly disagree, and many are even willing to kill, and be killed, for this most valuable land.
I have recently been focusing on what the Bible says about the Jewish people and their land, but I thought it would be good to give proof of their right to possess the land from a historical perspective. Just recently I discovered an excellent and enlightening article on this subject, “A Palestinian State: Fact or Fiction?” . Without a doubt, it’s the best one I have ever read on this relevant subject, and I strongly encourage you to read it as well.
Here is a quote from the beginning of this important article about who has the right to possess the land of Israel. It is continued in its entirety in the “Article” section of this blog site.
“The eyes of the world are often turned to the Middle East, Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount. We are told again and again of the great struggle for a homeland for a race of people know as ‘Palestinians’. They desire, we are told, the restoration of their homeland, usurped by the Israelis and the United Nations.”
“In addition, they are willing to conduct a ‘jihad’ (holy war) to protect the sanctity of the third most sacred spot of Islam – the Temple Mount. All of this is presented to us on an almost daily basis as fact. But is it indeed factual, or have we been sold a ‘bill of goods’? An understanding of the historical background of everything involved will help us to put it all in perspective.”
It won’t be long before Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes back to rapture the church, judge the world, and begin His 1000-year reign on earth. But these days and years leading up to Christ’s return are becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous. Thankfully, our loving Father gives us all the grace we need. Not only that, but He told us what will be taking place, and how we are to live for Him during these turbulent times. Today, I’m focusing on how we are to live, specifically that we are to be patient, persevering, and preaching.
James 5:7-9 – “Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and the late rains. You too be patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” Christ’s 1st coming took place about 2000 years ago, and that we’re now living in the end-times means His 2nd coming is very, very near (Heb. 10:37). And God wants you to be preaching and patient until the coming of His Son.
What does it mean to be patient? A patient person has a long temper, he is willing to suffer for a long time. This word patience usually has to do with people, not events or circumstances. You are wronged by someone, you are discriminated against, you are taken advantage of, or you are being persecuted, and you don’t get angry, you don’t retaliate, but instead you endure. Being patient with unsaved and unrighteous people is a godly and loving response. “Love is patient.” 1 Cor. 13:4
Why should you be patient? Because God is still saving people, and He wants you to be patient until that last soul is saved, until Christ comes back to rapture the church. Being from Iowa, I understand what James says about farmers being patient until the harvest. Did you know that corn is planted in April but it’s not harvested until October, six months later? Like farmers, we must patiently wait until it’s just the right time to reap the harvest, when Christ returns to rapture the church.
A key to being patient is to be spiritually strong. In the tribulation days of the end-times, there will be opposition, hardships, and persecution like you’ve never seen before. You will need God’s strength to not only endure, to persevere, but to encourage the saints, to be sharing the gospel, to keep going for Jesus until you see Him coming in the clouds. “… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Heb. 10:25
Then there’s the example of the prophets “who spoke in the name of the Lord”, who suffered and patiently persevered. God gives us His promise – “We count those blessed who endured. You have… seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (James 5:10-11). God is compassionate and merciful towards you as you suffer for Him in the last years of this evil age, and then in the ages to come, He will give you great glory and blessings. 2 Cor. 4:17
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient towards you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). Like James 5:5-7, this is also in the context of Christ’s coming. In the end-times, unbelievers will mock us and sneer at us – “Where is the promise of His coming?” In view of their unbelief, God wants you to know two things: 1) The flood destroyed the world in the days of Noah and, so too, the world will be judged and destroyed in the day of Christ. 2) God is patient and delays His justice, for He knows many people will repent of their sins and turn to Christ for forgiveness in the final years leading up to His coming.
Before Christ comes to judge the world, He will be rescuing the lost. So until He returns, be patient like God is patient, pray for unbelievers, and share the gospel with them in hopes that some will be saved from their sins. “What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” 2 Peter 3:11-12
Matthew 24:9-14 – “… You will be hated by all nations… many will fall away and betray one another… Many false prophets will arise… lawlessness is increased… the one who endures to the end will be saved… This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world.” Jesus summarizes what will be taking place during these super-trying, great-tribulation days. So-called believers will defect, evil will be running rampant, and Christians will be greatly hated, betrayed, and killed for their faith in Christ. How are you to respond to all this? You are to endure, to persevere, to keep preaching the gospel. And “… then the end will come,” at which time those Christians still alive on earth will be raptured.
Luke 21:12-19 – “They will lay their hands on you, and persecute you… It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony… I will give you utterance and wisdom… you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death… By your endurance you will gain your lives.” This too is in the context of the end-times. And we learn the same things as the previous passages, that you will be persecuted, that you are to share the gospel, and that you are to endure, to patiently persevere until you are with Jesus, whether that’s by martyrdom or rapture.
The message in these four end-times’ passages is purposely repeated, and for good reason. Because these three points, patience, perseverance, and preaching, are keys to successfully living for the Lord. But it’s not just when times get really tough – this lesson is relevant today. “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near.” Rom. 13:11-12
We have been witnessing the rapid spiritual decline of the world these past few years. I know I’ve been surprised by how fast this world is going dark, is going down. There is no doubt that the day is near. Most of you can see that Christians are increasingly being hated and would say that full scale persecution is coming soon. Yes, many of us will be treading the valley of the shadow of death before we see the Lord (Ps. 23:4). And what does God tell us? Now is the time to preach the gospel, to be patient, and to persevere, all the way until the coming of Christ. “Go make disciples of all the nations… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of this age.” Matt. 28:19-20
A huge, potentially catastrophic storm could be heading to Tampa, the worst in over 100 years. Here in Tampa, we are listening to meteorologists, and looking at spaghetti models, storm tracks, wind speeds and possible rain amounts, etc. But only God knows exactly where it will go and what will happen, and that’s because He has planned it all out – it is His storm and it is for His purposes and glory. And what God really wants is for both believers and non-believers to get their eyes off the storm and on Him, to see that He is God, that He is powerful and holy, and that He can do whatever He wishes. And He wants us to bow down to Him, to humble ourselves in His presence. So pray for us in west central Florida that we would be humble, would draw close to Him, would trust Him, and that He would protect us, and show us His mercy and grace.
I have printed out Job 37 which, in my opinion, is the best weather chapter in the Bible. I love it, for it tells us about God, the weather, and lessons we need to learn. I strongly encourage you to read the entire chapter, and note what it says. In particular, look at vs. 7, that God stops us in our work, and that is sure true in Tampa. Look at vss. 12-13, that God brings the storm to either punish or show love. Look at vs. 14, that God wants us to stop and consider His wonders, to think about Him and His awesome power and glory. Look at vs. 24, the bottom line, the most important lesson, that God wants the weather to cause us to revere Him, to fear Him.
JOB 37
“At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. 2 Listen! Listen to the roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth. 3 He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. 4 After that comes the sound of His roar; He thunders with His majestic voice. When His voice resounds, He holds nothing back. 5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ 7 So that everyone He has made may know His work, He stops all people from their labor. 8 The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. 9 The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 10 The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters his lightning through them. 12 At His direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever He commands them. 13 He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water His earth and show His love. 14 “Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. 15 Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes His lightning flash? 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of Him who has perfect knowledge? 17 You who swelter in your clothes when the land lies hushed under the south wind, 18 can you join Him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze? 19 “Tell us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness. 20 Should He be told that I want to speak? Would anyone ask to be swallowed up? 21 Now no one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. 22 Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. 23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress. 24 Therefore, people revere Him, for does He not have regard for all the wise in heart?
In these past few weeks, three things came to my mind about rulers. First, there was the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth, and then this attention on King Charles III, a king with no real power. Second, there’s all this coverage about the coming midterm elections, with most candidates foolishly promising some kind of change. Third, there’s all this evil being promoted, permitted, and protected by evil rulers, resulting in an increasingly corrupt and spiritually cancerous country. Our only hope is Jesus Christ, the true Savior and King! Only He can save us from our primary problem, sin and death, and then bring real peace and prosperity to this world, and that’s in the kingdom age to come.
Today I want to focus on Christ Jesus the King. Here are some things God wants you to know: * Psalm 2:1-3 sums up the present and future condition of this world with regards to kings and the King. At the present time, “the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against His Anointed (Christ the King)” (Ps. 2:2). In a little while, God will carry out His plan, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion” (Ps. 2:6). There are now all these kings and rulers on this earth, but it won’t be long before Christ will be King over the whole world. “God is the King of all the earth.” Psalm 47:7
* Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man, the perfect person to be King and rule over this world. “You will bear a son… He… will be called the Son of the Most High.” Luke 1:31-32 * Jesus Christ has the right to reign over this earth, for by His death, He paid for our sins and defeated the devil, thereby giving Him the authority to be King of this world. “Grace to you and peace… from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us… Behold He is coming…” Revelation 1:4-8, 12-18
* God promised that His Son, Jesus Christ, would be King over this world, and He will keep His promise. “I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-16 * Jesus Christ, our coming King, is the only hope for this world. No one but Christ can perfectly rule over this planet and bring true justice, joy, and peace. “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.” Psalm 67:4
* We now live in the end-times which means we are fast approaching the end of this evil age. Christ the King is coming soon, and when He does, the church will be raptured (Matt. 24:31), the world will be punished (Rev. 8-9), the Antichrist will be defeated (Rev. 19:20), a Jewish remnant will be saved (Rom. 11:25-26), and Christ will begin reigning over this earth. “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” Rev. 11:15, Zech. 14:9
* Jesus Christ will be a perfect, holy, truthful, wise, powerful, loving, merciful, sovereign, and all-knowing King (Jer. 10:10). “The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure… He has sent redemption… Holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:7-10 * Christ’s reign in the coming kingdom age will last for exactly 1000 years. Revelation 20:1-6 * True believers will be glorified in body, soul, and spirit, and will reign with Jesus Christ in the kingdom age, helping Him to establish His righteous rule over this earth. Revelation 5:10, 20:6
* Jesus Christ will reign over the entire world from the city of Jerusalem. Psalm 48 * Every person who has ever lived will bow down to Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord and King. He will be feared by all people, and loved and worshiped by all believers – and this will take place during the millennial kingdom. “Every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11; Psalm 72:5-11 * During the millennial kingdom, the entire earth will be full of Christ’s glory. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3
* During this kingdom age, it will be obvious to all that Christ is the greatest King this world has ever seen. “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.” Psalm 47:2 * In this coming kingdom, believers will be giving thanks to Christ, singing praises to Him, and shouting for joy. And why? Because of their salvation (Is. 12:1-2), because Christ is defeating their enemies (1 Cor. 15:25), because they are experiencing His incredible blessings (Ps. 67), and because He is “a great King over all the earth.” Psalm 48:2
* During Christ’s kingship, the nation of Israel will have a special place and role on this earth. Christ will rule from Israel (Ps. 48). He will bless Israel in such a way that they are a blessing to the whole earth (Ps. 67:1-2, 7). Salvation in Christ will be proclaimed by the Israelites to all the world (Ps. 96:1-3). “Their (Israel’s) offspring will be known among the nations” (Is. 61:9). Nations will come to Israel because she is so blessed by Christ (Is. 60:3). “The wealth of the nations will come to you (Israel).” (Is. 60:5). Jerusalem will be the most renowned city in the world – “They will call you the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 60:14
* During His millennial kingdom reign, Jesus Christ will defeat all His enemies, and this includes death. “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26, Revelation 20:14 * At the end of this 1000-year kingdom age, Jesus Christ, the King of the earth, will hand “over the Kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority… when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 * God commands us to pray for the coming of Christ and His kingdom. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10
Look at the world around you! For the most part, it’s a wicked planet ruled by evil leaders, by evil “kings.” Doesn’t this make you long for the true King, for Jesus Christ to return and reign over this earth? I can’t wait to see King Jesus ruling over this earth, for then there will be perfect justice, love, peace, and glory to God like never before. But for now, keep working and waiting for our Lord, and soon enough He will return, judge the world, and then we will join Him in reigning over this earth. “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6). “Then all nations will be blessed through Him, and they will call Him blessed… may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen.” Psalm 72:17-19
God is holy, holy, holy!!! God is the Holy One – He is sinless, blameless, and perfectly pure! And praise be to God that through the work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, He has made us forever holy, righteous, and pure. And now that we are holy ones, we are to live holy lives. This theme of being holy is a most important message in the Bible and should be our constant and continual endeavor. Hundreds of verses instruct us to live holy lives, and wouldn’t you know it, many are in the context of Christ’s coming. And since we now live in the end-times, we must understand them, and see how they relate to our life, our purpose, and Christ’s return. Let’s look at some of them.
Revelation 4:8 – “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” The book of Revelation is about the end-times, Christ’s coming, and the ages to come. And Rev. 4 is foundational, for it focuses on worshiping the holy God, setting the stage for Christ’s return, the coming of the Holy One. Revelation teaches us that God wants a holy church to welcome His Son, and a holy earth upon which He will reign. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3, Acts 3:20-21
Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light… put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh.” This age is coming to an end, the day of Christ is near, the time for the church to be raptured and for all believers to be glorified is at hand! And God wants you to be awake, alert, holy, and full of hope. The nearness of Christ’s return should greatly motivate you to be inwardly and outwardly holy. “Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” Psalm 24:3-4
Ephesians 4:30 – “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” When you get saved, you are given the Holy Spirit, and one of His purposes is to protect you, to keep you safe until the day of Christ, the day of redemption, the day you are glorified. “… Having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit… with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession” (Eph. 1:13). Another purpose of the Spirit is to make you holy – so do not grieve Him, “do not quench the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:19) – live a holy life. Eph. 4-6 explains what this looks like.
Philippians 1:10 – “I pray that your love may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.” How should you pray? That you grow in your love for God and others, which results from knowing God’s truth, making wise decisions, and living a holy and blameless life – and all this is in view of the day of Christ, for at that time “each man’s work will become evident, for the day will show it because it is to be revealed…” 1 Corinthians 3:13
Colossians 3:4-10 – “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore, consider the members of your body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry… put on the new self.” When Christ returns, He will immediately be revealed – and then you will be revealed with Him in His kingdom. In view of Christ’s holy and glorious coming, say no to the old self, and “put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:24
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 16-17 – “This is the will of God, your sanctification… the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 coming of Christ is a major theme of 1 Thessalonians, and it too highlights the need for holiness. We are “sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness” (1 Thess. 5:5). Therefore, fervently desire to be “holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27), especially since you will soon be seeing your Savior. Revelation 22:12
1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 1:8 says the same thing – “He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You must recognize God’s role in making and keeping you holy. Yes, you are to do your part when it comes to being sanctified, to being holy, but ultimately it is God who enables you to live a righteous life. And again we see that living a holy life is connected to Christ’s coming.
Titus 2:11-13 – “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, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” How are you to live? You are to live a righteous and godly life by saying no to sin and by doing good deeds – and you are to be looking for Christ’s return and the revealing of His kingdom and glory which happen after the end of this present age. Matthew 24:3-31
1 Peter 1:13-16 – “Prepare your minds for action, keep sober in Spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ… like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior, because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” It cannot be any clearer, for again you are exhorted to be holy in the context of Christ’s coming, and you are to be obedient, and to have hope, to be excitedly looking forward to His return.
2 Peter 3:11 – “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” Why love this sinful world? Since this evil earth will soon be destroyed, why live like a sinner? Rev. 18:2-4, speaking of this wicked world, “a dwelling place of demons”, tells you, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins.” Knowing that Jesus is coming to rapture the saints and punish the sinners should greatly motivate you to live a holy life, and to share the gospel with the lost, thereby, hastening His coming.
1 John 3:3 – “When Jesus appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Jesus is glorious and perfectly pure, and when He appears, we will be like Him, perfectly pure, and altogether glorious. And having hope, wanting to see Jesus, has a positive, purifying, and powerful effect on your life.
Here are some key truths about holiness and how it helps you to live a holy, God-glorifying life. * The best blessing of being holy is having a close relationship with God. Matt. 5:8, Heb. 12:14 * God is pleased, honored, and glorified when you are holy. Eph. 5:6-11 * To be useful to God, to be able to do His work, you must be holy. 2 Tim. 2:21 * If you are in sin, then repent and confess your sin. 1 John 1:5-9; Rev. 2:5, 2:12, 2:18, 3:1, 3:14 * God wants to bless you, but you need to be holy, obedient, and seeking Him. Psalm 119:1-8 * Learn from the epistles, for they will greatly help you to grow in holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24 * Share the gospel by living a holy life and by speaking the truth about sin and Jesus. Titus 3:1-8 * Living a holy life will result in being eternally rewarded. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 * God will keep you holy all the way to heaven, and enable you to “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.” Jude 24-25
P.S. This past Monday was Labor Day, and so my Sunday message was Working for the Lord. I went into great detail about how, no matter our age, we are to always be working for the Lord. I shared 18 different points from God’s word, ones that I believe will help you be a more successful worker for God in these last years before the coming of Christ. There is also a PDF text of my sermon notes available on that same page.
Throughout history, people have wondered how this world will come to an end. Some say it will just keep going for 1000’s of years, and others say it could end in the next decade or two. Some worry whether it will be destroyed by some catastrophic event(s). In the 1960’s, there was talk about nuclear war; in the 1970’s, it was an ice age; in the 1980’s, it was the ozone layer; in the 1990’s, it was global warming; and since the early 2000’s, there’s been talk about EMP’s, solar flares, super volcanoes, and climate change.
The truth is that God has already told us how this world, as we now know it, will come to an end. His word tells us that Jesus Christ will return to rapture the church, and then judge the earth, pouring out His righteous world-ending wrath. This is called the day of the Lord, and it will be destructive, deadly, and deserved. “The Lord is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness.” Psalm 98:9
The Bible talks extensively about the day of the Lord, and that’s because God doesn’t want us to be ignorant – He wants us to know what will happen, and warn others. Most importantly, we need to tell people to turn from their sin and turn to Christ, believing that He died to pay for their sins and rose again. If they do, they will be forgiven, receive eternal life, and won’t be here on earth when God pours out His wrath. And they won’t go to hell, where they would have been justly and eternally punished for their sins but, instead, will go to heaven, and forever be with God, Jesus Christ, and all the believers. “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24
Here are some important questions and answers about the day of the Lord: 1. What is the “day of the Lord”? This phrase refers to a period of time when God judges sinful people living on this earth. It speaks of specific times in the past (recorded in the Old Testament) when God poured out His powerful and punishing wrath on people and nations. But there is another day of the Lord, a future, fiery, global judgment that will take place just after the end of this age. It is this eschatological day of the Lord that is the focus of this post.
2. Why must God carry out this “day of the Lord”? Because He is perfectly holy and must punish all sin. God has no choice but to judge people’s great and grievous sin. Not only that, but He also needs to clean up this sin-polluted world before His Son begins His holy and glorious 1000-year reign on a restored earth. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” Revelation 4:8, Acts 3:20-21
3. Does God predict this coming “day of the Lord”? Yes!“The day of the Lord is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation, and He will exterminate sinners from it… I will punish the world for its evil” (Is. 13:6-13; Joel 2:30-32; Zeph. 1:1-3, 14-18; Amos 5:18-20; Acts 2:19-20; 1 Thess. 5:1-4). These many references to the day of the Lord mean that God is deadly serious, that His coming judgment is most severe. Here we are in the end-times, not long before Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord, and God is now sounding the alarm with all these birth pains (Matt. 24:4-8, Rev. 6:1-8). God’s purpose is to wake up and warn people about His world-wide wrath that will result in massive devastation and destruction.
4. Are there other phrases that predict and describe this end-of-the-age eschatological wrath? Yes! Here are some of them: “judgment day” (Is. 10:3), “the day of His burning anger” (Is. 13:3), “the day of vengeance” (Is. 34:8), “the day of the Lord’s wrath” (Zeph. 1:8), “in those days” (Joel 3:1), “the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26), “the day of wrath” (Rom. 2:5), “the day of judgment” (2 Pet. 2:9), “the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6), “the great day of God” (Rev. 16:14). Again, there are many references to this time of judgment which means it’s an extremely important subject, one that both the saved and the lost need to hear and understand.
5. Will Christians be physically affected by the day of the Lord? No, not at all! That’s because God will rescue Christians who are alive on earth from this crushing, cataclysmic wrath. God tells us “to wait for His Son from heaven… Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10), and that He “has not destined us for wrath.” 1 Thess. 5:9
6. How should the coming day of the Lord spiritually affect Christians? First, we should be very thankful that God’s Son was punished for us (Rom. 5:8), that God had mercy on us, that we will escape this end-times’ wrath, and not go to hell, but instead go to heaven (John 3:16). Second, we should be sobered as we think about our just God pouring out His wrath upon this wicked, super-sinful world (1 Thess. 5:5-8). Third, we should be motivated to live holy lives in these last years leading up to the day of the Lord. (Rom. 13:11-14, Rev. 18:4). Fourth, we should love the lost, warning them of the terrible wrath to come and sharing the gospel with them. Luke 21:12-17
7. How will unbelievers be living in the final years before the day of the Lord? They won’t be expecting this coming wrath – they will be living like everything is going to stay the same. “They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying… they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building” (Luke 17:27-28). They will mock the Christians – “… in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’” (2 Pet. 3:3). They will be greatly and grossly sinning – they “did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thess. 2:12). They will be persecuting Christians – “They will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you.” Matthew 24:9
8. What will be the response of unbelievers when they realize the day of the Lord is about to begin. They will be scared to death – “men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world” (Luke 21:26). They will be completely caught off guard – “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly… and they will not escape” (1 Th. 5:3). They will try to hide from God but they can’t – “The kings of the earth, the great men, the commanders, the rich, the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.’” Revelation 6:12-17
9. What events need to happen, what conditions need to met before the destructive day of the Lord? Birth pains (false christs, wars, famines, earthquakes, famines); increasing lawlessness; the signing of a treaty by the Jews; the building of the Jewish temple; a great apostasy; great persecution of Jews and Christians; the coming of the Antichrist and his desolation of the temple in Jerusalem; a ten-nation kingdom ruled by the Antichrist; the world worshiping the Antichrist; the false prophet doing great signs and false wonders; unbelievers taking the mark of the Beast, the Antichrist; and the gospel being preached to all nations. All these things must occur before Christ returns to rapture the church and pour out His wrath upon this ungodly world. Matthew 24:4-29, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, Revelation 13
10. What will be the final warning sign before the day of the Lord? “I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come” (Acts 2:19-20). There will also be a great earthquake. Revelation 6:12-14
11. When does the day of the Lord begin? Sometime after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. Let me explain. The day of the Lord begins just after the rapture of the church, the rapture being the first event to take place at Christ’s coming. (Matt. 24:29-31, 1 Thess. 4:15-5:2). And Christ’s coming occurs after the coming of the Antichrist. (2 Thess. 2:8-9) – and the Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:27). Therefore, we can conclude that the day of the Lord begins sometime, an unknown time, after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week.
12. What are the trumpet and bowl judgments? They refer to the two major aspects of the Day of the Lord (Rev. 8-9, 16). First, seven trumpet judgments begin during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week. The first six speak of hail, fire, and blood thrown to the earth; part of the world being burned up; seas, rivers, and springs being polluted with blood; demonized locusts inflicting tormenting pain on the people; and a third of mankind being killed. It will be a most dreadful, devastating, and deadly time. At the end of this 7-year week, the 7th trumpet is blown, and voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15). It is at this time that Jesus Christ becomes King of the world. Psalm 47, Zechariah 14:9
Second, seven bowl judgments begin just after the end of Daniel’s 70th week and the blowing of the 7th trumpet. Unbelievers are covered with ugly and malignant sores; the seas, rivers, and springs become blood, and all living things in them die; the unrepentant are scorched with fierce heat, and the Antichrist’s kingdom becomes totally dark (the sinners “did not repent of their deeds” (Rev. 16:11). The 6th bowl prepares the world for the climactic judgment of the nations and the Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon. The 7th bowl results in the greatest earthquake ever, and huge hailstones pounding the people on earth – and they still “blasphemed God.” And so “it is done” (Rev. 16:17) – the day of the Lord is over, and the righteous, catastrophic wrath of God is completed.
Never forget what God says about the day of the Lord. People have all kinds of wrong thoughts about the future – but now you know what God says about this coming wrath, the day of the Lord. Wake up, be sober, and don’t live for yourself, live for God! It won’t be long before Christ comes back to rapture the church and pour out His wrath upon this evil world. Make sure you tell your saved friends about the day of the Lord. And again, warn the unsaved about this end-of-the age, world-ending wrath. Tell them to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus before it’s too late. Again, be very thankful that you won’t be here for the day of the Lord, but instead, will be in heaven with Jesus and all the believers, and in a brand-new body. “Surely, goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
P.S. You have been reading about the coming wrath of God, but you also need to be reading and thinking about hope, that you have a most glorious inheritance, and will be in heaven with Jesus and all your Christian friends. I encourage you to read these two posts – “You Need Hope to Get Through Life”, and “HOPE: The Who, What, When, How and Why.”
As Christians, we need to see the big picture, where we have come from and where we are going, and how that fits in with God’s overall plans. Having this perspective of His plans for our lives and the world greatly affects how we think about life and live for Him. As you know, people have all kinds of ideas about what has happened in the past, and what they think will take place in the future. Personally, I believe there are four distinct ages, and we are now living in the second one. You may have a different opinion on this, but this is what I believe God says in His word. Let me explain what I mean by these four different ages and four different earths:
The first age was a perfect age and Adam and Eve, perfect people, were living on a perfect earth. There were no sins, problems, or imperfections affecting mankind, animals, or nature – everything was perfectly good. “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’… God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:27-28, 31). Genesis 1-2 describes this age when God created this sinless world and Adam and Eve were perfectly ruling over it.
The second age is an imperfect age, an evil age (Gal. 1:4), the time in which we now live. It began with the sin of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1-7), sin which resulted in death (Gen. 2:17), and which spread to all people (Rom. 5:12-21) and to all generations, corrupting mankind, animals, and nature. “Cursed is the ground because of you… for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:17-19). “The creation was subjected to futility… the whole creation groans… even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:19-23). Adding to man’s sin is the fact that the devil rules the world during this second age. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 Jn. 5:19). Because of the devil and this deadly curse, life can be spiritually, physically, and relationally difficult for Christians living during this sinful age.
Most of the Bible, from Gen. 3 to Rev. 19, focuses on this evil age. During this long period of time, God has worked through the Jews, sent His Son to die for our sins, and is now building the church. As part of the church, it’s now our time to love God, live for Him, and be a bright shining light in this dark world (Matt. 5:16). We know this age has ended when we feel a great earthquake and see great signs in the heavens. Rev. 6:12-14
The third age is the millennial kingdom age, that 1000-year period when Jesus Christ, the perfect One, perfectly rules this world. This world will be restored (“the period of restoration of all things” – Acts 3:21), be regenerated (“in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne” – Matt. 19:28), and be set free from sin (“the creation itself will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” – Rom. 8:21). Jesus Christ cannot rule over a corrupt earth, but only over one that has been restored and regenerated. There will be sin during this age, but there will be perfect justice, for Christ will rule this world with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9. Ps. 72). And yes, there will be death, but it will be rare, for “the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.” Isaiah 65:20
This kingdom age, spoken of six times in Rev. 20, is described in detail in the Old Testament. There we read about the reign of Christ – “God is the King of all the earth (Ps. 47:7, Zech. 14:9), Jews and Gentiles being blessed – “God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth may fear Him” (Ps. 67:6-7, Gen. 12:2-3), and a renovated earth – “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” Psalm 98:8, Isaiah 65:25
It is at this time that “He (God) has put all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet” (1 Cor. 15:27, Ps. 2:6). Therefore, “God (Christ) reigns over the nations” (Ps. 47:8). Glorified believers (Rom. 8:23, 1 Cor. 15:40-42) will have inherited the earth (Ps. 37:11, Matt. 5:5), and will be reigning with Christ (Rev. 5:10, 20:6). “Then comes the end (of the kingdom age), when He (Christ) hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule, authority and power. He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” 1 Cor. 15:24-26
The fourth age is the eternal kingdom age. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away” (Rev. 21:1). The new city of Jerusalem will come down to earth (Rev. 21:1-3). There will be no more sin and death, and the devil, along with all demons and unbelievers, will be gone from this world, for they are forever being punished in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:4, 8; Rev. 20:14-15). All believers will be completely satisfied by God (Rev. 21:5-7, Rev. 22:1-5), and be living with Jesus in the holy city of Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-27). God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28). Heaven and earth will be filled with God’s glory (Is. 6:3). All believers will be eternally worshiping and serving God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 145:1-2, Rev. 22:3
There you have it, four ages and four earths. Each of these ages is associated with a distinct earth related to God’s purpose for that period of time. During the 1st age, when there is no sin and death, there is a perfect earth ruled by Adam and Eve (Gen. 1-2). During the 2nd age, when there is sin and death, there is a corrupt earth ruled by Satan (Gen. 3 – Rev. 19). During the 3rd age, when there is still sin and death, there is a restored earth perfectly ruled by Jesus Christ. (Rev. 20, Psalm 67:4). During the 4th age, when there is no sin and death, there is a perfect heaven and perfect earth ruled by God and Jesus Christ. Rev. 21:1 – Rev. 22:5
Here are a few more points about these ages, particularly as it relates to the future. 1. Once this present evil age comes to an end, the church will be raptured, God’s wrath will be poured out upon this wicked world, a remnant of Jews will be saved, the Antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire, and the devil will be chained for 1000 years (Rev. 7-19). Then the next age (Rev. 20) will begin. 2. The fact that we live in the end-times means this age is almost over, and in a little while the millennial kingdom age will begin, and we will be reigning with Christ over this world.
3. 1 Cor. 15:20-28 speaks about the last three ages, this age (vss. 20-23), the millennial kingdom age (vss. 24-27), and the eternal kingdom age (vs. 28). 4. Eph. 1:21 and Eph. 2:7 also speaks of these three ages. Eph. 1:7 says, “… in this age but also in the one to come,” which refers to this present evil age and the coming millennial kingdom age. Eph. 2:7 tells us, “… so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace,” which speaks of the millennial kingdom age and the eternal kingdom age.
5. Knowing what God says about this age and future ages helps you understand the errors of unbelievers, who say this earth may catastrophically come to an end by nuclear war, meteorites, climate change, etc. 6. Be encouraged and excited by the fact that we now live in the end-times of this second age, that it’s our turn to “run the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” Hebrews 12:1-2 7. It won’t be long before Jesus Christ returns to rapture the church and, shortly after that, we will begin reigning with Him over a restored and glorious earth. “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Habakkuk 2:14
The Christian life is knowing God and the work He is doing and joining Him in His work. Since we are in the end-times, this means work that must be done before Jesus Christ returns to rapture the church. Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work, and I too am working” (John 5:17). Realizing that our heavenly Father, along with Jesus Christ, is always working is extremely encouraging. Only they know all the work that needs to be done and are then able to get it done. But what should you know about God and His glorious work, and how that directly relates to the work He wants you to do at this time in history?
God made the heavens and the earth, He made all the angels, and He made every person who has ever lived. “O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions” (Ps. 104:24). And God made you! “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it well” (Ps. 139:14). God made you just the way you are so you can do what He wants you to do (Jer. 1:4-10). And might you, like Jesus, glorify God by doing the work He wants you to do. “I brought You glory by completing the work You gave me to do.” John 17:4
God is working powerfully and mightily, spiritually and physically, in big things and little. “One generation shall praise Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts” (Ps. 145:4). God is working truthfully, wisely, according to His Word, and with full knowledge of everything in the universe. “The word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in truth… He sees all the sons of men… He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works” (Ps. 33:4, 13-15). God is lovingly, kindly, and patiently working. “The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. All your works shall give thanks to You.” Psalm 145:8-9
God is working purposefully and faithfully, doing all that He has planned to do. “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning… ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Is. 46:9-11). Most importantly, God is working for His glory and honor. “All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power.” Ps. 145:10-11
The greatest work of God is the work of salvation, that Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay for peoples’ sins, rose from the dead, appeared to His disciples, and ascended into heaven. Only when you repent of your sins and believe in Christ and His work of salvation will you be truly saved and forgiven of your sins. “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:29). Those who turn from their sin and turn to Christ become holy in God’s sight, and receive eternal life. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.” (Tit. 3:5, Rom. 3:21-26). Once you are saved and begin to experience God’s mercy and love, then you will love Him and serve Him, “doing the Lord’s work” (1 Cor. 16:10) and being “zealous for good deeds.” Titus 2:14
Since God is completely righteous, then all who reject God’s offer of forgiveness remain unrighteous and must be punished after they die. “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire… these will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt 25:41, 46). And in the context of God’s final wrath on earth, we read, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? You alone are holy.” Revelation 15:3-4, 16:1
The Bible is an accurate record of God’s work, from Genesis to Revelation, from creation to Adam to Noah to Abraham and the Jews, to Joseph to Joshua to Deborah to Ruth to Ahab to Hezekiah to Isaiah to Malachi to Mary to Jesus Christ to Judas to Peter and the church, to Paul to Timothy to the Antichrist to Jesus Christ, to the kingdom ages to come. God’s most important work is that which is done in the lives of people. Whether it’s Abraham and faith, Noah and obedience, Moses and patience, David and love, Esther and courage, Mary and humility, or Paul and perseverance, we know that God is working and His work is being done. God’s word is the only book in the world that gives a super-clear picture of the perfect, powerful, holy, loving, wise, purposeful, purposeful, and glorious work of God.
When you study God’s work in Bible characters, you realize there’s direction, movement, connectivity, and continuity, that there are no gaps or mistakes, that His purposes are fulfilled just like He planned them. You see this when you examine the Old Testament record and compare it with Jesus’ genealogy in Luke 3. You see this when studying the life of Ruth, that she is David’s great-grandmother. You learn that one thing leads to another, that one person leads to another, that God’s work is chronological, cumulative, conclusive, and most important.
God is working sovereignly, always in control, always carrying out His will. “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Whether it’s our lives, families, or church, God is working all things together for our good and for His purposes. The synergistic work of God is truly miraculous, a super-massive global puzzle precisely being pieced together over the millennia. God is perfectly fitting together billions of people and trillions of situations and events. And this is true in the church – “the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22
Sometimes God works alone (as the Trinity), sometimes He works with angels, and sometimes He works with people, but He is daily, purposely, and always carrying out His predetermined plans. “Bless the Lord, you His angels… Bless the Lord, all His hosts… Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; bless the Lord, O my soul.” Psalm 103:19-22
Jesus’ primary work is building the church, the local and universal church, with the result that people are being saved, believers are growing, and disciples are being made. There is “the equipping of saints for the work of service” (Eph. 4:12), the “proper working of each individual part” (Eph. 4:16), and spiritual growth, that is humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, love, unity, compassion, and forgiveness. (Eph. 4:1-3, 32). It’s sad that we live in a sick, crazy-wicked world, but don’t be discouraged, for the Lord is always victorious. No one will ever stop Him from carrying out His purpose for His church, from fully reaching His goal. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6
“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). As you walk with the Lord, as you learn from Him, trust Him, pray to Him, and obey Him, then you will be doing His work. “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). As Christians, there are no excuses, for God enables and empowers us to do the work He planned out for us. “I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.” Ephesians 3:7
It’s now 2021. Do you know what time it is? It’s the end-times, the last years leading up to the end of this age and the coming of Christ. Do you know what needs to take place before God sends His Son back to earth? God said there would be birth pains – plagues, famines, wars, and earthquakes; a realigning of nations (the US is clearly in decline); a Jewish temple in Jerusalem; the coming of the Antichrist; surveillance, identity-marking technology (Rev. 13:14-17); the gospel being preached to all the nations; and the persecution of Christians and Jews.
All these things will be fully carried out by the sovereign, powerful, purposeful working of God. He will completely finish all the work that must be done before His Son returns to rapture the church – and He wants you to join Him in His work by doing your part, that which He has already planned out. I hope you are excited that God chose you to work for Him at this time in history, in the last days of this church age. What a privilege, what an honor! “My beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). Remember God’s promise – “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to the work He has done.” Revelation 22:12
P.S. It’s very important that we focus on God and what He is doing, on His work, for that helps us to know what we are to do. I would encourage you to read these two posts, “God Is In Charge of Everything,”and “God Is In Charge of Your Life,” for they help you to see God and His way of working.
The Old Testament is primarily about the Jewish people. From Genesis 12 to Malachi 4, its primary theme is God’s work with this special group of people, a chosen race, a treasured possession. We read about their birth, their growth, their worship, their leaders and kings, their victories, their sins, their defeats, God’s judgment of them, and His plans for their future.
We come to the New Testament and it’s about Jesus Christ, His disciples, the church, and the future that God has both for the church and the Jewish people. Now some may say God has forsaken and forgotten the Jews, that His promises to them have been reneged and rescinded and are no longer valid. But that is not true! An honest study of the New Testament reveals over 100 different verses that not only corroborate God’s Old Testament plans for the Jews, but further explain and expand on them. All Christians, need to understand God’s past, present, and future work with the Jews. Today, and again next week, I will be looking at New Testament Jewish verses that speak of their future, and relate to the future of the church.
As we examine these verses that describe God’s plans for the Jews, we will learn: 1. Verses in the New Testament about the Jews are not hidden, obscure, or hard to see – they stand out, are obvious, and easy to see. 2. These verses are clearly for the Jews, and in no way can be construed to be for the church. 3. These verses about the Jews are in the context of God’s work with the church. They are not isolated, sitting by themselves, but are adjacent and connected to passages about the church. 4. These verses show us God’s plans for the Jews in this age and in the age to come. 5. These verses help us see the entire sequence of events, from God’s work with the Jews in the past to God’s work with the church in the past (church age) to God’s work with the Jews and the church in the present (the end-times) to Christ coming back to carry out His plans for the Jews and the church in the future. 6. Knowing the chronology of prophesied end-time events, and then seeing God fulfill His prophecies for the Jews, will help the church know where she is at, timing wise, with regards to Christ’s coming. 7. These New Testament verses about the Jews complement God’s Old Testament promises to them, and enable us to see the whole picture, God’s overall plan for the Jews. 8. Now that we live in the end-times, it’s essential that we understand the true meaning of these verses, and how they relate to the church.
Let’s look at these New Testament Jewish verses in the context of the church. 1. Acts 1:6-11. This speaks of the apostles’ time with Jesus right before His ascension into heaven. They ask Him when He is going to restore the kingdom to Israel, for they want to know when He will begin His reign on earth and when they will be ruling with Him. Jesus tells them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem… to the remotest part of the earth…” Christ wanted them to know that He must first build the church, and then, at the end of this age, He would return to earth to set up His kingdom. We are now living in the end-times, and it won’t be long before Christ comes back to set up His kingdom, a kingdom for believing Jews and Gentiles. Acts 28:20-23, 30-31
2. Acts 2:17-21. These verses, taken from Joel 2:28-32, are for the Jews, but there is a dual fulfillment, for they are also for church. Now the “last days” is a reference to the church age. The beginning of this age is depicted by the outpouring of the Spirit, and the end of this age is marked by the signs in the heavens. During this age, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). Whereas Acts 2:21 speaks of the salvation of the church before these heavenly signs, Joel 3:32 speaks of the salvation of the Jews after these signs – “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape… in those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem…” This refers to the great escape and salvation of a remnant of Jews and the restoration of the kingdom to Israel. (Rev. 11-12). These first century Jews did not understand the church age, but now we have 2020 vision, and looking back we can clearly see the dual fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32, and that a chosen remnant of Jews will soon be saved.
3. Acts 3:18-21. These verses show the chronology of God’s work with His people. There’s the suffering of Christ, which is followed by His resurrection and ascension, after which there’s the church age, during which time people repent of their sins, turn to Jesus Christ, and are saved. At the end of this age, Christ, who is now in heaven, will come back and restore the earth, which is what the Jews wanted to hear, for it meant God’s plans for them would be fulfilled.
4. Acts 15:14-17. These verses, from Amos 9:11-13, speak of God’s work with both Jewish and Gentile believers. Like the previous verses, we read about the church age, and vs. 14 speaks of this, a time period during which God is focusing on the Gentiles. “After these things, I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David…” This is referring to Christ’s return to earth after this age is over to rebuild Jerusalem and establish His reign over the earth, a time when both Jews and Gentiles will be greatly blessed. “God blesses us…” Psalm 67
5. Romans 11. This New Testament chapter, better than any other, tells us about the salvation of Jews during this church age, and at the end of this age. Most Jews, during this age, harden their hearts and do not believe in the Messiah, but some, a select few, believe and are saved. But God, after this age, after the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, and in accordance with His promises and mercy, will save a remnant of Jews – “This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins... To Him be the glory forever.” Romans 11:26-27, 36
All these verses, in addition to ones we will look at next week, prove to us that God has not forsaken the Jewish people during this church age. He has kept the Jews alive, has kept saving a remnant of them, and now in the end times, and in view of the church, is renewing His work with them. Once this age is over, God will fulfill His three main promises to the Jewish people, for He will redeem a remnant of them (salvation), renovate the earth (land), and begin ruling over the earth (King). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” Romans 15:10, Ezekiel 37:21-28
The rapture is not imminent. But the vast
majority of evangelical Christians in the United States believe it is imminent,
that no signs or prophesied events need to happen before Christ comes back to snatch
the church from the earth. People who think the rapture is imminent are
mistaken, in error, and don’t know what must happen before the church on this
earth is suddenly taken to heaven. Let me explain why the rapture is not
imminent.
First, we need to understand that the rapture takes place at the coming of Christ. Many people believe the rapture and Christ’s coming occur at two different times, but that’s not true. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 says, “This we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” Verse 17 says, “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 same exact phrase, “we who are alive and remain” appears in both verses. Verse 15 speaks of those alive and remaining until the “coming of the Lord.” Verse 17 says those alive and remaining will be “caught up.” When you put these verses together and see how they relate to each other, it’s obvious that the rapture takes place at Christ’s coming, and is, in fact, the first event to occur at His coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 says the same thing: “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him…” Being gathered is referring to the rapture, which happens at the coming of our Lord. Then there’s 1 John 3:2 that says we’re glorified when He appears, and 1 John 2:28 that says Christ appears at His coming. This means we’re glorified at Christ’s coming, and since we’re glorified when we’re raptured (1 Corinthians 15:50-52), then we know the rapture takes place at Christ’s coming. Look at Matthew 24:37-41 and 1 Corinthians 15:23 and you will realize they also validate this very important point, that the rapture occurs at Christ’s coming.
Second, we need to see that many prophesied signs and events occur before the coming of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, speaking of the day of the Lord, which occurs during the coming of the Lord, says, “it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (the Antichrist) who opposes and exalts himself above every so called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God.” From this we understand that four things will take place before the day of the Lord and before Christ’s coming, and therefore, before the rapture: the apostasy, the revealing of the Antichrist, the building of the temple, and the desolation of the temple. That Christ’s coming and the rapture are after these four things forces us to conclude that the rapture is not imminent, that it cannot happen until these events take place.
Matthew 24:4-31 also makes it clear that Christ’s coming isn’t imminent. In verse 27, Jesus tells us about His coming – “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” His coming is further described in verse 30 – “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” In verse 31, we find the rapture – “they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” What takes place before these things? In verses 4-26, Jesus tells us there will be false christs, wars, earthquakes, famines, great tribulation, the betrayal of Christians, increasing lawlessness, false prophets, the preaching of the gospel, the desolation of the temple, Jews fleeing the enemy (the Antichrist), and signs in the heavens. All these things, including plagues, like the Coronavirus (Luke 21:11), will take place before Christ’s coming (verses 27, 30) and the rapture of the church (verse 31).
By reading these and other prophecy passages (Mark 13, Luke 17, Luke 21, Revelation 6-7), it’s obvious that many prophesied signs and events will take place before Christ’s coming, proving that the rapture of the church is not imminent, and cannot happen at any moment. For example, it cannot happen today, tomorrow, next week, next year, 10 years from now, or any other time in the future, unless all these prophesied events take place first.
That the rapture is not imminent is confirmed by Matthew 24:33, for Jesus says, “when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” When we “see all these things” Jesus talked about in verses 4-29, then we know His coming and the rapture is near, at hand, will take place very soon. To drive this point home, Jesus goes on to say, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (verse 34). When Jesus uses the word “truly”, He is being emphatic about the fact that Christians will see “all these things” before He returns to rapture the church. There will be a “generation” of Christians who will observe “all these things” and then be raptured.
Another key verse on this subject is Matthew 24:25, where Jesus says, “Behold, I have told you everything in advance.” What is “everything”? It is “all these things” pertaining to His coming. Why has He told us these things? And why has He told us these things ahead of time? Just so we can know what they are. Of course not. Jesus is telling us these things because we need to know them, and when we see them taking place, we will be confident that His coming, and the rapture, is getting closer. Jesus wants us to know what will be happening before He raptures the church because He doesn’t want us, His bride, to be afraid or caught off guard. He wants us to be ready, alert, and expecting and looking for His return.
Jesus’ coming and the rapture are not imminent and will not happen until particular signs and events take place. And He told you “all these things” because He loves you and doesn’t want you to be surprised, but to be awake, aware of what is going on in the world, and excited about seeing Him. Jesus knows life will be extremely difficult for Christians on the earth at that time, and He wants you to have hope. But it’s not just about you having hope, but about you telling others so they have hope, for Hebrews 10:25 says, “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
