GOD’S PLAN – COMING INTO FOCUS

COMING INTO FOCUS

CREATION  –  THE FALL  –  SIN  –  DEATH  –  REDEMPTION  –  TRIBULATIONS  –  THE DAY OF WRATH  –  JUDGMENT  –  BOOK OF LIFE  –  LAKE OF FIRE  –  A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.

One of the prevalent eschatological teaching (study on the matters of the end of the age) is the Pre-tribulation Rapture and Premillennialism. it was originated by John Nelson Darby in 1833. Darby is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism and Futurism. Pre-tribulation rapture theology was popularized extensively in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren, and further popularized in the United States in the early 20th century by the wide circulation of the Scofield Reference Bible.

Other eschatological views include:

Preterism (1554–1613)

Historicism (mid 1500s)

Futurism (mid 1500s)

From these views spring major theological positions of

Premillennialism,

Pretribulation Rapture,

Mid-tribulation Rapture,

Post-tribulation Rapture,

Postmillennialism,

Amillennialism, and the

Pre-Wrath Tribulation Rapture.

Because there are a myriad of Church denominational and doctrinal positions, it is understandable that so many differing eschatological views have emerged.

But, with the passage of time, historical events and particularly religious, social, economic, and political developments are revealing the frightening accuracies and the realities of Biblical prophecies which are coming to life and are bringing Biblical prophecies into focus. A reassessment is under way.

In the meantime, however, most theologians and Bible teachers doggedly adhere to their sixteenth century, long-held denominational-based and man-invented views of Biblical eschatology, despite the clarity of scriptures when viewed outside of denominational bias and when examining the emerging evidence to the contrary.

For example, there are those who call themselves Bible teachers or theologians who teach and claim that all Biblical eschatology is metaphorical, and idiomatic, analogical or parables used to explain natural events and their outcomes. This puts Jesus and His Teachings in the category of fantasies, fairytales and lies – although the Bible clearly warns otherwise.

Some other so-called teachers  have been teaching that is no literal 2^nd coming of Christ although, again, the Bible clearly and plainly teaches otherwise.

Others teach there will be a 2^nd advent of Christ, however, they would have you believe that the second coming will be ‘in secret’, and that Jesus’ visible and actual 2^nd coming will not occur until the battles of Armageddon.

And if that isn’t enough, others teach that there will be BOTH a visible 2^nd coming as described in Matthew chapter 24, and a visible 3^rd advent (coming) of Christ when He will defeat Satan at the battle of Armageddon.  And, things get even more convoluted when it comes to the various denominational doctrines of The Millennium.

Most of these same preachers, pastors and ‘bible teachers’ will tell you that the entire tribulation period is a yet-to-be experienced, future event, putting you at ease when Jesus clearly teaches the very opposite thing. Jesus warns that you must be on the alert, standing at the ready at all times, during “these last days”! (See Matthew 24:36-44)

There have always been debates on these matters, reaching back centuries, some erupting in to divisive arguments, growing into hatreds and even schisms within the Church. Sometime in the 1600s the phrase “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity” emerged (the authorship is disputed). Then, on June 29, 1959 The phrase in its current form is found in Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Ad Petri Cathedram, where he uses it favorably. It has been somewhat successful in the Church’s attempts to ‘agree to disagree’ and accepting that each church can hold their own eschatological positions without the infighting, There continues to be, however, widespread disagreement due to denominational differences.

 WHY DOES IT MATTER?

 You might ask, “why does it matter when the tribulation starts or when Christians are to be raptured into heavens (if at all)?

It matters because Jesus says it in plain face-value language. And, He says that we are to be ready.  Believing the plain language of the Bible and being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the coming ‘Great and Terrible Day of the Lord’.

It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.

It matters because He has warned that “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.

It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.

It matters Because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior
Are speaking louder than our words.

And, it matters, especially ‘in these last days’ because, there is a convergence and a concurrence of events and prophecies occurring as never been seen before and they are increasing in frequency and intensity.

Alarming events have, from time to time, caused people to wonder if the End of Days as spoken of in the Bible had arrived.  But, never, have events coincided with prophetic fulfillment as we now see. Once a Tribulation event begins, it may continue for days, weeks, months,  years or decades.  Then, as a second or third event occurs, events may overlap and occur simultaneously.

 Additionally, it is important to note that when a Tribulation Seal is broken, ana an event or a series of events occur which can last for long periods of time.  Most of these tribulation related events will continue to occur until the “Consummation of the Age”. (See The Sixth Tribulation Seal)

Now, specifically regarding the approaching SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST,  Revelation 1:7, tells us, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.” English Standard Version.

(Revelation 1:7, REPEATED in the Amplified Bible Version:  BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes, that is the nations of the earth will mourn over Him, realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath. So, it is to be. Amen.”

Jesus also teaches, in Matthew 24:20-31, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His ^[a]elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

THE EVIDENCE

First in Revelation 1:7, John is warning that the return of Jesus is imminent and that on that occasion “every eye will see Him” which precludes a ‘secret appearing’.  These words along with testimonies of other Apostles, confirm that the ‘tribulation period’ began as early as the birth of Christ and the early tribulation seals were broken (opened) immediately following Jesus’ birth.

Secondly, John’s words mirror and are confirmed by the words of Jesus found in Matthew 24:29-31. These words of encouragement and warning lead to the breaking of the 6^th Tribulation Seal which is the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the Wrath of the Lamb (the beginning of the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation, as distinct from the ‘times of distress and the breaking of the first 5 tribulation seals.)

HEAR THE WORDS OF JOHN THE REVELATOR, (John of Patmos), “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (see Revelation 1:9) John is clearly telling us that in or around the year A.D. 95 the tribulation was well under way.

These words of John found in Revelation 1:9 and his reference to the fact the tribulation is under way, he is participating in the early stages of the tribulation period and his words are echoed and confirmed by:

The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews 1:2,   “In these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

This was written Around A.D. 60.

The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews 9:26,  “For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

This was written Around A.D. 60.

The Apostle Peter, in  Acts 2:14,   “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. Verse 15. “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; verse 16, but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

Verse 17.  ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Paul, in, 2 Timothy 3:1,  “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Verse 2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, verse 3, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, verse 4, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, verse 5, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 1:20,  “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you”.

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Verse 8. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Verse 9.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 3:3,  “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, verse 4, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Matthew, in Matthew 24:3, tells us, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle John, in 1 John 2:18, tells us, “Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.”

This was written around AD 90.

The Apostle John, in Revelation 1:9, tells us, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

 This was written around AD 95.

SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

I will approach this question using a 3-fold-ministrhy approach.

1. Christians are called to be servants of Christ.
2. Christians are called as Ambassadors for Christ.
3. Christians are called as Soldiers of the Cross.

You are either a conscript in God’s army or an enemy of the Cross of Christ. As a Christian, you are involved in a cosmic battle, a spiritual war fighting for souls, minds and the lives of every person born during your time on planet earth. You may not have thought about it this way, and you may not like hearing it now, but that is exactly what is going on.

It is important to acknowledge, that though we walk in the flesh as mortal men and women, we are not carrying on spiritual warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.  The weapons of our warfare are not physical weapons of flesh and blood. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,  being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience as a Christian is complete.

 Put on the full armor of God for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier, so that you may be able to successfully stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places. (See Ephesians 6:10-17)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young