End Times and Beyond

I am so struggling about what to say and in what order to say it. Everything seems to me as though it should be said first. End times prophecy is such a complicated, convoluted subject and one thing is dependent on another and leads to yet something else. Below is a “chart” I put together showing more or less the progression of events leading to our final, forever home. I put Eternity first on the list because it is what every Christian should have their eyes on at all times, not just during the end times. No doubt there are well respected prophecy scholars who would slightly rearrange the order, but not significantly so. You will notice that I have listed the rapture (a sudden, unexpected “snatching” up of Christians to meet the Lord in the air, 1 Cor 15:52) in several places where it could most likely occur. Between the Book of Daniel and the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, you will locate almost all of the events listed below. Daniel is the key to Revelation and Revelation is the key to Jesus’ second coming. And Israel is the key to the end times.

If you don’t know where to start looking verses up, try making a verbal command to Google. For instance, I said to Google, “Bible we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye” and up popped the scripture passage I wanted. Goggle will give you several sites where you can check out the referenced  topic or verse. It’s ALWAYS wise to compare multiple versions of the Bible. When I study, I can utilize about nine different translations of the Bible in order to get a good feel for how a word or verse is used. My “go to” translation is the New International Version (NIV) Although an exact word may vary from translation to translation, the base concept should not. For example, I may refer a piece of furniture as my couch while someone else may call it a sofa, but it is clearly referring to the same item.

Working backwards, here’s how it looks like things will play out:

Eternity

New Heaven and New Earth

Great White Throne Judgment

Satan Thrown into Lake of Fire

Final Rebellion (of Man and Satan)

Millennium

75 day unexplained gap

2^nd Coming of Jesus Christ with His saints

Rapture?(post-tribulation)

Battle of Armageddon (all worlds’ armies surround Jerusalem)

One World Religion

One Global Government ; One Global Economy; Global Dictator

3^rd Jewish Temple Desecrated (by Antichrist’s image in Holy of Holies)

Rapture? (mid-Tribulation)

The Two Witnesses are killed by the antichrist and then resurrected by God

7 year treaty broken at 3½ year point

Two witnesses in Jerusalem preach about Jesus and cannot be silenced

Antichrist given authority to rule by 10 “kings”

Daniel’s 70^th Week (also referred to as the Tribulation)

Rapture?(pre-tribulation)

Seven Year Treaty (Signed by Antichrist and probably others)

• Guarantees security of Israel
• Allows for rebuilding the Temple on the Temple Mount

Rapture? (pre-tribulation)

YOU ARE HERE

Country of Israel exists as Jewish homeland with Jerusalem as its capital.

• 1967 – After being attacked by Arab forces Israeli army captures Jerusalem
• 1948  – Israel declared a nation
• 1947 AD – UN votes for Jewish homeland in Palestine
• 135 AD  Last Jewish rebellion put down by Romans; Israel renamed Palestine
• 70 AD – Jerusalem conquered, temple torn down, Jews scattered

Hopefully, this timeline will prove helpful. As this blog progresses we’ll look at some of  these events and see what God’s Word has to tell us. When I began to think that doing this blog was something God wanted me to do – I prayed,
“Where would I start?”

“At the beginning”

”What’s the beginning?”

“Daniel”

So next time we’ll talk a bit about Daniel and his God-given visions regarding the end times. If you want to get a head start, go to Daniel 9:20 -12:13. Skip over or don’t worry about trying to understand the “king of the north and king of the south” bit (Dan 11). It’s way more information than we need at this time.

Please, neither offhandedly accept nor reject what is said in this blog. Check it out. Look it up for yourself in the Bible. If you are a child of God you are in good hands and there is the most wonderful eternity waiting for you. If you are not a Christ follower, now is a really good time to honestly explore the truth claims of the Bible.