Bible Prophesy And The End Times - Part 1

Is the popular teaching concerning Bible prophecy and the last days true? Will there be signs of the end times? Will there be a secret rapture of the church? Will the Antichrist rise up and bring the great tribulation upon the earth? Will Jesus come, raise the righteous dead and destroy him in the battle of Armageddon? Will Israel be restored to Palestine and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem? Will Jesus sit on Davids throne for a thousand years bringing peace to the earth? Will WKe GeYLO JDWKer *RJ DnG 0DJRJ IRr D finDO DWWDcN DJDLnsW CKrLsWs NLnJGRP? :LOO WKere Ee DnRWKer resurrecWLRn, WKLs WLPe RI RnOy WKe wLcNeG GeDG, EeIRre WKe finDO MuGJPenW DnG enG RI WKe wRrOG?

These are some of the questions that we hope to explore as we examine end time teachings with the Bible. This is a lengthy study that will be published in a four part series. We believe this study is important, not only because so many are so confused about these things, but because to err here may cause some to lose their souls. Only the truth of Gods word will properly encourage us to prepare to meet the Lord and give us the blessed assurance of eternal life.

When one studies the Bible in search of truth and comes to a conclusLRn DERuW D SDrWLcuODr GRcWrLne, KRw cDn Rne NnRw WKey KDYe reDcKeG WKe rLJKW cRncOusLRn? 2ne sLPSOe DSSrRDcK Ls WR ORRN DW all the Bible verses pertaining to that particular doctrine, if your conclusion does nRW cRnWrDGLcW Dny RWKer scrLSWures Rn WKDW GRcWrLne, WKen PRsW OLNeOy yRu KDYe IRunG WKe WruWK. :LWK WKDW Ln PLnG we wDnW WR ORRN DW DOO WKe scriptures surrounding the doctrine of “End Times”.

What Are The Last Days?

In the OT we have many prophecies concerning the last days, or latter days as it is sometimes translated (e.g. Gen. 49:1 see v. 10 until Shiloh comes; Num. 24:14 see v. 17 Star out of Jacob; Deu. 4:30 Israel will turn to the Lord; Isa. 2:2 Lords house established; Jer. 23:20 see v.5 to David a Branch of righteousness, King; 30:24; 48:47; 49:39 concernLnJ resWRrDWLRn RI ,srDeO DnG -uGDK; (ze. 38:16 DWWDcN Ey *RJ DJDLnsW CKrLsWs NLnJGRP; DDn. 2:28; 10:14 see Y. 44 eYerODsWLnJ NLnJGRP Ln GDys RI WKe 5RPDn NLnJs; HRs. 3:5 ,srDeO wLOO Wurn WR WKe LRrG; 0Lc. 4:1 Lords house established).

:e OeDrn IrRP WKe 17 WKDW WKe RuWSRurLnJ RI WKe HROy 6SLrLW SrRSKesied by Joel came to pass in the last days but that it was not at the end of time (Acts 2:1-21). The last days began some two thousand yeDrs DJR DnG wLOO cRnWLnue unWLO CKrLsW cRPes DJDLn (cI. 1 CRrLnWKLDns 10:11; 1 7LPRWKy 4:1; 2 7LP. 3:1; HeE. 1:2; -DP. 5:3; 1 3eW. 1:20; 2 3eW. 3:3; 1 -RKn 2:18; -uGe 18). :Ken CKrLsW cRPes DJDLn LW wLOO nRW be the beginning of the last days but the end of the last days when WKe ODsW enePy, GeDWK, Ls GesWrRyeG (1 CRr. 15:23-26), DW WKe Yery ODsW trumpet (vv. 51-57), on the very last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24; 12:48). He Ls nRW cRPLnJ WR reLJn Rn eDrWK IRr DnRWKer WKRusDnG yeDrs, or even one day!

Will There Be Signs Of The End Times?

:KeneYer WKere Ls Dn LnWernDWLRnDO crLsLs Rr PLOLWDry cRnflLcW Rr IDPLne Rr eDrWKTuDNe WKere Dre WKRse wKR see LW Ds D sLJn RI WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG. :LOO WKere Ee sLJns RI WKe enG WLPes? CDn we NnRw Ey seeLnJ these signs that the Lord is about to come?

Is The Lord Going To Come In Our Generation?

Throughout these last days there have been those who have claimed WR NnRw wKen -esus Ls cRPLnJ DJDLn. 7KeLr SreGLcWLRns KDYe ODrJeOy been based upon the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 24. Yet, one by one, they have all failed in their predictions. We should not be surprised because the Bible teaches us that there will be no signs of the end times.

In Matthew 24, Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple that WKen sWRRG Ln -erusDOeP (YY. 1-2). 7Ke GLscLSOes wDnWeG WR NnRw wKen this would happen (v. 3). They thought that this would not happen until Jesus came at the end of the world, but they were wrong. This SrRSKecy wDs IuOfiOOeG Ln A.D. 70 Ey WKe 5RPDn DrPy. 7Ke 5RPDn commander, Titus, gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and templeit was laid so completely even with the ground by those who dug it up from the foundation, that there was nothing left WR PDNe WKRse EeOLeYe wKR cDPe KLWKer WKDW LW KDG eYer Eeen LnKDELWeG (Josephus).

,n -esus Dnswer WR HLs GLscLSOes, He firsW GeDOs wLWK WKe LPSenGLnJ destruction of Jerusalem and the signs that would precede that event (YY. 4-34). 7Ken, He WROG WKeP WKDW WKere wRuOG Ee nR sLJns WR LnGLcDWe HLs cRPLnJ DW WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG (YY. 35II). AOO RI WKe sLJns wKLcK WKe LRrG PenWLRneG (YY. 4-14) WRRN SODce EeIRre WKe GesWrucWLRn RI WKe temple in A.D. 70. (see notes), not at the end of the world.

The desolation was in the holy place (i.e. the Temple) and the city of -erusDOeP (Y. 15; cI. LuNe 21:20), nRW RI WKe wKROe wRrOG. 7KLs REYLRusOy reIers WR WKe 5RPDns surrRunGLnJ -erusDOeP DnG WKen finDOOy destroying the temple in 70 A.D. And now the Romans, upon burning of the holy house itself, and of the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the Temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; DnG WKere GLG WKey RIIer sDcrLfices WR WKeP (-RseSKus). DDnLeO 9:24-27 cRnnecWs WKe GesRODWLRn RI -erusDOeP wLWK CKrLsWs firsW cRPLnJ DnG crucLfixLRn DnG WKe SeRSOe RI WKe SrLnce (nDPeOy 7LWus, WKe 5RPDn cRPPDnGer) DnG nRW DW HLs secRnG cRPLnJ DnG enG RI WKe wRrOG.

The Destruction Of Jerusalem

-esus LnsWrucWLRns sKRw WKDW He wDs sSeDNLnJ RI WKe GesWrucWLRn RI Jerusalem, not the end of the world (vv. 16-22). There will be no SODce WR run, nR WLPe WR WDNe WKLnJs RuW RI yRur KRuse Rr JR EDcN DnG get clothes when the Lord comes and it will not matter if you are pregnant or nursing, if it is in winter or on the Sabbath when the world ends because nobody will escape on that day. There will be no ever shall be at the end of time and those days would not have had to be shortened if they were at the end of time. Those days were shortened because continued war would have spread throughout the land PDNLnJ LW LPSRssLEOe IRr CKrLsWLDns WR escDSe EuW IROORwLnJ CKrLsWs LnsWrucWLRns WKey fleG WR 3eOOD ((useELus) DnG WKere Ls nR eYLGence WKDW Dny were NLOOeG Rr cDSWureG Ey WKe 5RPDns. 7Ke -ews, Rn WKe RWKer hand, sought safety within the walls of the city and 1,100,000 died and 97,000 were enslaved.

-esus’ wDrnLnJs RI IDOse CKrLsWs sKRw WKDW He wDs sSeDNLnJ RI WKe Gestruction of Jerusalem, not the end of the world (vv. 23-28). When Jesus comes at the end of the world everybody will see it (cf. Rev. 1:7)!

-esus uses DSRcDOySWLc ODnJuDJe WR GescrLEe *RGs MuGJPenW uSRn WKe Jewish nation and their fall at Jerusalem, not the end of the world (vv. 29-31; cf. Isaiah 13:10 as Babylon; 19:1 as Egypt; 34:4 as the nations; Eze. 32:7-8 as Egypt; Joel 2:1-10 as Judah; Amos 8:9 as Israel). It was the sign of the fact that the Son of Man was reigning in heaven (v. 30 literally and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; cI. 3sD. 97:1-6). -esus sSRNe DOO WKese WKLnJs sR WKey wRuOG NnRw WKe WLPe IRr WKe IuOfiOOPenW RI HLs SrRSKecy cRncernLnJ WKe GesWrucWLRn RI the temple in Jerusalem, not the end of the world (vv. 32-33).

-esus exSOLcLWOy sDLG WKDW DOO WKese WKLnJs wRuOG WDNe SODce EeIRre WKDW generation passed away, not at the end of the world (v. 34). Some wDnW WR reGefine JenerDWLRn WR PeDn rDce (e.J. WKe -ewLsK rDce) EuW WKLs is not how the term is used (cf. Matthew 1:17; 11:16; 12:38-45; 16:4;

,W wRuOG Ee nRnsense IRr -esus WR WeOO HLs GLscLSOes what was going to happen to the Jews then to say their race would not SDss DwDy unWLO LW GLG. -esus exSOLcLWOy sDLG WKDW nR Rne EuW HLs )DWKer DORne NnRws wKen WKe wRrOG wLOO cRPe WR Dn enG (YY. 35-36).

Will There Be Signs Of Jesus Second Coming?

HLs cRPLnJ DW WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG wLOO Ee OLNe WKe GDys RI 1RDK (YY. 37-39). Everything was going on as normal, nothing unusual. There were nR sLJns. ,W wLOO Ee suGGen DnG unexSecWeG OLNe wKen Dn DrPy cRPes WKrRuJK WDNLnJ sRPe DnG OeDYLnJ RWKers (YY. 40-41; cI. 1 6DP. 11:11; 0DW. 13:30, 41-43, 47-50) Rr D WKLeI wKR EreDNs Ln D KRuse (YY. 42-44; cf. 1 The. 5:1-4; 2 Pet. 3:10). They would not give any signs to indicate when they were coming. It is not something you can wait to prepare for when you see some signs but rather you must always be prepared because there will be no signs (vv. 45-51; cf. Mat. 25)! 3erKDSs yRu KDYe seen WKe EuPSer sWLcNers WKDW reDG, “,n cDse RI rDSture somebody grab the wheel. In case of rapture this car will be unPDnneG”. 1R GRuEW yRu KDYe KeDrG SreDcKers WDON DERuW 7Ke 5DSWure, reDG D ERRN Rr seen D PRYLe Rn 7Ke 5DSWure. HDYe yRu eYer wRnGereG MusW wKDW WKLs Ls DOO DERuW? 7Ke 5DSWure Ls WKe WeDcKLnJ WKDW -esus wLOO secreWOy cRPe IRr DOO HLs sDLnWs. He wLOO rDLse WKe GeDG sDLnWs DnG WKen OLIW WKeP uS WRJeWKer wLWK WKe OLYe sDLnWs WR PeeW HLP Ln WKe DLr. AOO RI WKe ORsW, wKR rePDLn Rn WKe eDrWK, wLOO nRW NnRw wKere WKey KDYe gone. They wont be able to explain the empty graves.

While the saints are with the Lord, there will be a period of great tribuODWLRn Rn WKe eDrWK OLNe neYer EeIRre. DurLnJ WKLs WLPe WKe AnWLcKrLsW will come to power and rule the world. There will be fear, suffering and death on a mass scale. This will last seven years. At the end of the seYen yeDrs -esus wLOO cRPe EDcN wLWK HLs sDLnWs, cRnTuer WKe enePy and reign on the earth for a thousand years. After which time there wLOO Ee D finDO MuGJPenW. 7Ke secreW cRPLnJ RI CKrLsW DnG cDWcKLnJ away of the church for seven years is called The Rapture.

Is There Any Biblical Basis For The Rapture?

Will graves suddenly open and be vacated? Will the highways be sWrewn wLWK wrecNs EecDuse GrLYers KDYe Eeen secreWOy WDNen DwDy? :LOO sRPe finG cKLOGren DnG PDWes, IrLenGs DnG cRwRrNers PLssLnJ but themselves left behind? The passage most used as a basis for The 5DSWure Ls 1 7KessDORnLDns 4:13-17, wKLcK sSeDNs RI WKe cRPLnJ (*N. SDrRusLD) RI CKrLsW. 7KLs SDssDJe DcWuDOOy reIuWes 7Ke 5DSWure.

• ,nsWeDG RI sDyLnJ WKDW WKere wLOO Ee D cRPLnJ (*N. SDrRusLD) RI CKrLsW IRr HLs sDLnWs DnG WKen seYen yeDrs ODWer Dn DSSeDrDnce (*N. eSLSKDneLD) DnG WKe reYeODWLRn (*N. DSRNDOuSsLs) RI CKrLsW wLWK HLs sDLnWs, it simply teaches that when Jesus comes with the saints that have alreDGy GLeG He wLOO cRPe IRr WKe sDLnWs WKDW Dre sWLOO DOLYe (YY. 13-17; cI. 1 7Ke. 3:13; 2 7Ke. 2:1). AnG, wKen He GRes sR He wLOO DOsR DSSeDr DnG Ee reYeDOeG WR MuGJe DOO SeRSOe (1 CRr. 1:7; 2 7Ke. 1:6-10; 2:8; 1 7LP. 6:13-15; 2 7LP. 4:1, 8; 7LW. 2:12-13; HeE. 9:28; 1 3eW. 1:13; 5:4). 7Kere wLOO Ee nR seSDrDWLRn RI WKe rLJKWeRus IrRP WKe wLcNeG unWLO WKe end of the world, not many years before (Mat. 13:30, 41-43, 47-50; 25:31-36).

• ,nsWeDG RI sDyLnJ WKe GeDG Ln CKrLsW wLOO Ee rDLseG PDny yeDrs EeIRre WKe wLcNeG Dre rDLseG, LW WeDcKes WKey wLOO Ee rDLseG EeIRre WKe OLYLnJ are caught up in the clouds (vv. 15-17). When Jesus comes there will Ee Rne resurrecWLRn RI ERWK WKe rLJKWeRus DnG WKe wLcNeG DW WKe sDPe time (John 5:28-29; Acts 23:6; 24:15). The resurrection of the righWeRus wLOO WDNe SODce Rn WKe ODsW GDy (-RKn 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24; WKe sDPe GDy WKDW WKe wLcNeG wLOO Ee MuGJeG, -RKn 12:48) DW WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG (1 CRr. 15:20-26, 51-52), nRW PDny yeDrs EeIRre.

• ,nsWeDG RI D secreW cRPLnJ, LW wLOO Ee Yery nRLsy (Y. 16; cI. 1 CRr. 15:52; 2 3eW. 3:10). ,W wLOO Ee OLNe OLJKWnLnJ (0DW. 24:27). 7Kere wLOO Ee WKe ErLJKWness (Rr DSSeDrLnJ, *N. eSLSKDneLD) RI CKrLsW (2 7Ke. 2:8). 7Kere wLOO Ee WKe reYeODWLRn (*N. DSRNDOuSsLs) RI CKrLsW (2 7Ke. 1:7). (Yery eye sKDOO see HLP (5eY. 1:7; cI. AcWs 1:9-11).

• ,nsWeDG RI EeLnJ WDNen DwDy Ey CKrLsW IRr seYen yeDrs, we wLOO DOways be with the Lord (v. 17; cf. John 14:1-6). Why would we want to reWurn WR WKe eDrWK KDYLnJ DOreDGy DrrLYeG Ln WKe )DWKers KRuse? :Ken Jesus comes the world will be destroyed (2 Pet. 3).

7Ke cRPLnJ, DSSeDrDnce DnG reYeODWLRn RI -esus CKrLsW DnG WKe resurrecWLRn DnG MuGJPenW RI DOO SeRSOe wLOO Rccur sLPuOWDneRusOy Rn WKe ODsW GDy DW WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG. -esus wLOO nRW cRPe IRr HLs sDLnWs DnG WKen reWurn wLWK WKeP seYen yeDrs ODWer EuW wLOO cRPe WR WDNe us WR WKe )DWKers KRuse IRreYer!

Will The Antichrist Rise Up And Bring The Great

Tribulation Upon The Earth?

Some believe that before Jesus returns the greatest political leader in history will arise and establish an empire over the entire world WKDW wLOO sWDnG DJDLnsW *RG DnG HLs SeRSOe cDusLnJ JreDW WrLEuODWLRn WKrRuJKRuW WKe SODneW OLNe neYer EeIRre.

Who Is The Antichrist?

,n WKe SDsW, sRPe WKRuJKW HLWOer, 6WDOLn DnG 6DGGDP HusseLn were WKe Antichrist. People are still trying to identify him. We will consider eYery SDssDJe wKere WKe WerP DnWLcKrLsW DSSeDrs Ln WKe BLEOe, EuW firsW OeWs ORRN DW sRPe RWKer SDssDJes WKDW sRPe EeOLeYe DOsR sSeDN RI WKe Antichrist.

6RPe JR WR DDnLeO, EuW WKe AnWLcKrLsW Ls nRW PenWLRneG WKere. He Ls not the little horn of Daniel 7:3-8. That one comes out of the fourth NLnJGRP, 5RPe (cI. DDn. 2:37-40) DnG sSeDNs RI DRPLWLDn (cI. 5eY. 17:9-11). He Ls nRW WKe sPDOO KRrn WKDW Jrew LnWR WKe JreDW KRrn RI DDnLeO 8:3-9. 7KLs Rne cRPes RuW RI WKe WKLrG NLnJGRP, *reece (DDn. 8:20-21) DnG sSeDNs RI AnWLRcKus ,9 (SLSKDnes. He Ls nRW WKe SrLnce who destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem in Daniel 9:26. 7KLs SDssDJe sSeDNs RI WKe firsW cRPLnJ RI CKrLsW, HLs GeDWK DnG WKe destruction of Jerusalem led by the Roman commander, Titus, in 70 A.D. (DDn. 9:24-27; cI. 0DW. 24:15; LuNe 21:20). He Ls nRW Dny RI WKe NLnJs RI DDnLeO 11-12. 7KLs SDssDJe GLscusses WKe KLsWRry IrRP WKe time of Darius, the Mede (Dan. 11:1-2) until the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (Dan. 12:6-7, 11). The time of the end (Dan. 8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9) PeDns WKe WLPe DSSRLnWeG Ey *RG IRr WKe IuOfiOOPenW RI WKe SrRSKecy (HDE. 2:2-3), nRW WKe enG RI WLPe Rr WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG.

Daniel’s prophecies are about the end of the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian and Roman empires, the end of the Jews as Gods covenDnW nDWLRn DnG WKe esWDEOLsKPenW RI *RGs NLnJGRP, WKe cKurcK, GurLnJ WKe GDys RI WKe 5RPDn NLnJs, nRW WKe enG RI WKe wRrOG. 7Ke term Antichrist is never used in Daniel.

To be continued next week...

Question: Have You Obeyed The Gospel Of Jesus Christ?

It is our sincere desire and prayer that you obey the gospel today and be saved. Remember the words of Jesus, “Not every one that saith unWR Pe, LRrG, LRrG, sKDOO enWer LnWR WKe NLnJGRP RI KeDYen; EuW Ke WKDW GReWK WKe wLOO RI Py )DWKer wKLcK Ls Ln KeDYen. 0Dny wLOO sDy WR me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonGerIuO wRrNs? AnG WKen wLOO , SrRIess unWR WKeP, , neYer Nnew yRu: GeSDrW IrRP Pe, ye WKDW wRrN LnLTuLWy” (0DWWKew 7:21-23).

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is His Power Unto Salvation

,I yRu Dre nRW D CKrLsWLDn yRu cDn Ee Ey REeyLnJ WKe JRsSeO. -esus sDys, “He WKDW EeOLeYes DnG Ls EDSWLzeG sKDOO Ee sDYeG” (0DrN 16:16). 3DuO sDLG; “)Rr , DP nRW DsKDPeG RI WKe JRsSeO RI CKrLsW: IRr LW Ls WKe power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew firsW, DnG DOsR WR WKe *reeN” (5RPDns 1:16). 7Ke wRrGs RI -esus WeDcK us WKDW WR EecRPe D CKrLsWLDn Rne PusW:

• HeDr WKe JRsSeO (-RKn 6:44-45)

• BeOLeYe Ln -esus Ds WKe CKrLsW (-RKn 8:24)

• 5eSenW RI DOO sLns (LuNe 13:3)

• CRnIess CKrLsW Ds LRrG (0DWWKew 10:32-33)

• AnG Ee EDSWLzeG WR Ee sDYeG (0DrN 16:16)

• After baptism remain faithful to God. (Matthew 10:22)

,I we GR MusW wKDW Rur LRrG cRPPDnGeG we NnRw WKDW Rur sDOYDWLRn Ls cerWDLn DnG we wLOO KeDr HLP sDy “:eOO GRne, WKRu JRRG DnG IDLWKIuO serYDnW: WKRu KDsW Eeen IDLWKIuO RYer D Iew WKLnJs, , wLOO PDNe WKee ruOer RYer PDny WKLnJs: enWer WKRu LnWR WKe MRy RI WKy ORrG” (0DWWKew 25:21). LeW us JR EDcN WR WKe BLEOe, EDcN WR CKrLsW DnG HLs cKurcK DnG GR exDcWOy wKDW He cRPPDnGeG. 3OeDse OeW us KeOS yRu Ln yRur obedience to the gospel before it is eternally too late.

[This material is presented by the members of the Northside church of Christ - 700 Jolly Road, NW - Calhoun, Georgia 30701. If you would like to have a Bible Study or discuss this subject further please contact one of our elders; Kent Bailey at 706-6296111 - Ron Hall at 770-548-3167 - Eddie Jones at 706-264-2651]