Seven Steps – From Now To Eternity

MOI-27

990318AM

“To[1] many people, prophecy is something to be ignored…or, at best, viewed with suspicion.  Because foolish “predictions” have been proven false and erroneous information has led to fanaticism, the popular attitude toward prophetic teaching today is skepticism (2 Peter 3:3,4).  But the fact is—God has revealed a great deal about the future.  Some things have not been revealed (Acts 2:7), but many things have been set forth in plain, unmistakable terms which God wants us to know (1 Thessalonians 4:13:2; Peter 3:8-13).  In this study we want to uncover and place in proper order these things God has clearly presented in His Word, the Bible.”

 

SOME DANGERS TO AVOID

• Setting dates and making dogmatic declaration not based on Scripture
• Making the study of prophecy an end in itself.  With the mention of almost every  prophetic event in the New Testament comes the simultaneous reminder that we are to get ready for them by living godly lives.
• Answering questions that nobody is asking.

 

SOME DOUBTS TO DISPELL

• Theory of Uniformitarianism.  Adhered to by the skeptic, the theory teaches that ever since the beginning of matter and time, there has never been an interruption.  Natural phenomena continue in normal pattern with no changes (v.4).
• The Flood.  This historical fact reveals that God can and did interrupt the pattern of nature and the elements.  Since God did this in the past, we can be sure He can interrupt things again in the future.  The coming destruction by fire is just as much a certainty as was the flood in the past.

 

SO, SOME DANGERS WE AVOID – DOUBTS WE DISPEL, NOW FINALLY – SOME EVENTS TO AWAIT

 

FIRST – GOD’S PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH

 

• Purchased by Jesus (Matt. 16:18a).  Before He left the earth, Jesus promised that He would personally build His Church.
• Equipped by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  Romans 12, Eph. 4.  The promise began to be fulfilled when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.
• Kept by God (Matt. 16:18b); Jude 24 – All those “called out by Christ to become a part of His universal Body, the Church, will be preserved as a unit, and particular blessings will be set aside for them.  All the forces of hell will not overpower God’s plan for the Church.

 

SECOND – GOD’S PLAN – THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH (1 Thess. 4:13-17)

 

• The dead believers will be raised first (vv. 15,16).
• The living believers will then be caught up together with them (v.17).

 

THIRD – GOD’S APPOINTMENT – THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (2 Cor. 5:10)

 

• Designed for believers only.
• Deals with rewards, not salvation.

 

FOURTH – GOD’S WRATH:  THE TRIBULATION (Matt. 24:21; 2 Thess. 5:1-8; Revelation 4-19)

 

• The seven year Tribulation period on earth will occur simultaneously with believers receiving their rewards in heaven.  The 3½ years will be ones of relative peace followed by 3½ years of tremendous chaos.
• Satan will be unrestrained and will establish an unholy trinity.  He will be in the place of God the Father.
• Satan’s right-hand man, called the “beast” in Revelation 13, will be in the place of God the Son.  He will make a peace pact with Israel (which he will later break) and will promise unity and prosperity to them and the rest of the world.  He will place on his followers a particular mark without which they will not be able to buy or sell.
• The False Prophet, the beast’s right-hand man, will be a deceiver in the place of the Holy Spirit.  He will draw together the world under one great and unified religion and government.
• Campaign of Armageddon.  (Rev.  16:13) – This will climax the Tribulation Period.

 

FIFTH – GOD’S INTERVENTION:  Second Advent

 

First As Babe – Suffering Lamb – Cross

Second As King – Lion of Judah – Crown

FIRST IN OBSCURITY – TO SEEK THE LOST

SECOND IN BLAZING LIGHT – TO SEAL DOOM

 

• MATT. 24:29-31 At the conclusion of the campaign of Armageddon, Jesus Christ will come in His Second Advent in which He will judge the earth.
• Part of Sheep-Goat Judgment (Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 25:31:44). All unbelievers will be judged and removed from the earth, leaving only believers to begin the “Kingdom era.”

• Then Starts Kingdom Age (Isaiah 11;1-9; Daniel 2:44; Revelation 20:4-6)

• This period will last one thousand years.
• During this time Satan will be bound and put off the earth (Revelation 20:1-3).
• Believers put to death during the Tribulation Period will rule with us over the earth under Christ’s reign.
• The curse will be removed from the earth and the animal kingdom.  The environment will be perfect  again.  Want to help the environment? Win souls!
• Christ will reign as the righteous universal Judge over the entire earth, directing a perfect judicial system.
• Knowledge of the Lord will cover the entire world.
• The heart of man will not change.

 

• FINALLY – SATAN’S RELEASE (Revelation 20:7-9).

 

He will deceive the nations and will lead the unbelievers who follow him to destruction.

 

THEN, SIXTH – GOD’S LAST WORD ON SINFUL MAN:

 

Great White Throne Of Judgment (Revelation 20:10-15)

• The earth is destroyed (2 Peter 3).
• All unbelievers will finally be judged before the Great White Throne and be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15).

 

AND FINALLY, SEVENTH – GOD’S CONCLUSION

 

Eternity (Revelation 21:22).  A new heaven and a new earth will replace the old.  There will be no more sorrow or pain, no death, and no night in eternity future, which is the destiny of all believers.

 

SO WHAT’S NEXT? 

If you know (Hath Son) Christ = Good things

If you don’t know (Have not Son) Christ = Hell, fire, brimstone and horror.

 

IT’S YOUR CHOICE

TAGS: 900318AM

“To[1] many people, prophecy is something to be ignored…or, at best, viewed with suspicion.  Because foolish “predictions” have been proven false and erroneous information has led to fanaticism, the popular attitude toward prophetic teaching today is skepticism (2 Peter 3:3,4).  But the fact is—God has revealed a great deal about the future.  Some things have not been revealed (Acts 2:7), but many things have been set forth in plain, unmistakable terms which God wants us to know (1 Thessalonians 4:13:2; Peter 3:8-13).  In this study we want to uncover and place in proper order these things God has clearly presented in His Word, the Bible.”

 

SOME DANGERS TO AVOID

• Setting dates and making dogmatic declaration not based on Scripture
• Making the study of prophecy an end in itself.  With the mention of almost every  prophetic event in the New Testament comes the simultaneous reminder that we are to get ready for them by living godly lives.
• Answering questions that nobody is asking.

 

SOME DOUBTS TO DISPELL

• Theory of Uniformitarianism.  Adhered to by the skeptic, the theory teaches that ever since the beginning of matter and time, there has never been an interruption.  Natural phenomena continue in normal pattern with no changes (v.4).
• The Flood.  This historical fact reveals that God can and did interrupt the pattern of nature and the elements.  Since God did this in the past, we can be sure He can interrupt things again in the future.  The coming destruction by fire is just as much a certainty as was the flood in the past.

 

SO, SOME DANGERS WE AVOID – DOUBTS WE DISPEL, NOW FINALLY – SOME EVENTS TO AWAIT

 

FIRST – GOD’S PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH

 

• Purchased by Jesus (Matt. 16:18a).  Before He left the earth, Jesus promised that He would personally build His Church.
• Equipped by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  Romans 12, Eph. 4.  The promise began to be fulfilled when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.
• Kept by God (Matt. 16:18b); Jude 24 – All those “called out by Christ to become a part of His universal Body, the Church, will be preserved as a unit, and particular blessings will be set aside for them.  All the forces of hell will not overpower God’s plan for the Church.

 

SECOND – GOD’S PLAN – THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH (1 Thess. 4:13-17)

 

• The dead believers will be raised first (vv. 15,16).
• The living believers will then be caught up together with them (v.17).

 

THIRD – GOD’S APPOINTMENT – THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (2 Cor. 5:10)

 

• Designed for believers only.
• Deals with rewards, not salvation.

 

FOURTH – GOD’S WRATH:  THE TRIBULATION (Matt. 24:21; 2 Thess. 5:1-8; Revelation 4-19)

 

• The seven year Tribulation period on earth will occur simultaneously with believers receiving their rewards in heaven.  The 3½ years will be ones of relative peace followed by 3½ years of tremendous chaos.
• Satan will be unrestrained and will establish an unholy trinity.  He will be in the place of God the Father.
• Satan’s right-hand man, called the “beast” in Revelation 13, will be in the place of God the Son.  He will make a peace pact with Israel (which he will later break) and will promise unity and prosperity to them and the rest of the world.  He will place on his followers a particular mark without which they will not be able to buy or sell.
• The False Prophet, the beast’s right-hand man, will be a deceiver in the place of the Holy Spirit.  He will draw together the world under one great and unified religion and government.
• Campaign of Armageddon.  (Rev.  16:13) – This will climax the Tribulation Period.

 

FIFTH – GOD’S INTERVENTION:  Second Advent

 

First As Babe – Suffering Lamb – Cross

Second As King – Lion of Judah – Crown

FIRST IN OBSCURITY – TO SEEK THE LOST

SECOND IN BLAZING LIGHT – TO SEAL DOOM

 

• MATT. 24:29-31 At the conclusion of the campaign of Armageddon, Jesus Christ will come in His Second Advent in which He will judge the earth.
• Part of Sheep-Goat Judgment (Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 25:31:44). All unbelievers will be judged and removed from the earth, leaving only believers to begin the “Kingdom era.”

• Then Starts Kingdom Age (Isaiah 11;1-9; Daniel 2:44; Revelation 20:4-6)

• This period will last one thousand years.
• During this time Satan will be bound and put off the earth (Revelation 20:1-3).
• Believers put to death during the Tribulation Period will rule with us over the earth under Christ’s reign.
• The curse will be removed from the earth and the animal kingdom.  The environment will be perfect  again.  Want to help the environment? Win souls!
• Christ will reign as the righteous universal Judge over the entire earth, directing a perfect judicial system.
• Knowledge of the Lord will cover the entire world.
• The heart of man will not change.

 

• FINALLY – SATAN’S RELEASE (Revelation 20:7-9).

 

He will deceive the nations and will lead the unbelievers who follow him to destruction.

 

THEN, SIXTH – GOD’S LAST WORD ON SINFUL MAN:

 

Great White Throne Of Judgment (Revelation 20:10-15)

• The earth is destroyed (2 Peter 3).
• All unbelievers will finally be judged before the Great White Throne and be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15).

 

AND FINALLY, SEVENTH – GOD’S CONCLUSION

 

Eternity (Revelation 21:22).  A new heaven and a new earth will replace the old.  There will be no more sorrow or pain, no death, and no night in eternity future, which is the destiny of all believers.

 

SO WHAT’S NEXT? 

If you know (Hath Son) Christ = Good things

If you don’t know (Have not Son) Christ = Hell, fire, brimstone and horror.

 

IT’S YOUR CHOICE