THE LAST DAYS - ESCHATOLOGY

 

THE LAST DAYS

ESCHATOLOGY

Two preliminary points:

^{Acts 1:7} He said to them (the Apostles and Disciples at the scene of the Ascension) : “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

Firstly:

The precise details are top secret, classified information, known only to the Father, not to the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Angels, or to us. The three Olivet Discourses in the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, show that the Lord Jesus wants us to be well informed about the general picture of what is to come.

Secondly:

It is not clear where the Great Tribulation, the False Prophet, and the Antichrist, fit in, so I will omit them from my list. People will be saved and martyred during this time.

Several events have already taken place – Israel has returned to a part of the Promised Land (May 1948), to mention an important one.

A day will come when God the Father will turn to the Son, and say something like this: “The time has come to go for the Church and all the Righteous. Take the Archangel, and make sure he has his trumpet.”

^{1Thesallonians 4:16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

^{1Thesallonians 4:17} After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

This is the First Resurrection: in the blink of an eye. There will be the first Judgment Throne – the Bema: not of our sins (which have been forgiven when we prayed to Jesus, asking Him to forgive us through His death for us on the Cross), but a kind of Awards Ceremony.

^{2 Corinthians 5:10} For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. See1 Corinthians chapter 15 on the Resurrection.

This is the First Resurrection: in the blink of an eye. There will be the first Judgment Throne – the Bema: not of our sins (which have been forgiven when we prayed to Jesus, asking Him to forgive us through His death for us on the Cross), but a kind of Awards Ceremony.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST'S RETURN FOR THE UNSAVED JEWS, AND THE REST OF HUMANKIND: TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES EAST OF JERUSALEM

Zechariah 14:3 and 4, Acts 1:10 and 11

THE MILLENNIUM: CHRIST RULES FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS

Satan is imprisoned Revelation 20 verse 1 ff, 20verse 4c

FINAL JUDGMENT John 5:27=29

SATAN'S JUDGMENT John 25:41, Revelation 20:10

The New Heaven and the New Earth created

THE NEW JERUSALEM CITY IS CREATED AND COMES DOWN TO EARTH WITH GOD'S PRESENCE: TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOUR FOR EVER AND EVER

REVELATION 21:10 and 22

 

GOOD NEWS

 

Assurance of Salvation

I was chatting with a church member about looking forward to Heaven. “How do you know you are going there?” she asked. “I have the word of a Gentleman,” was my answer.

In the numerous famous Gospel verses we have the Divine promises.

^{Acts 2:21} “And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

^{John 3:16} “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

^{John 3:17} For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

^{John 3:18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

John 6:37b  Jesus said, "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away." 

^{Ephesians 2:8} For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

^{Ephesians 2:9} not by works, so that no one can boast.

^{Romans10:9-10} That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

^{Acts 4:12} Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Here is God's plan and purpose: the salvation of sinful humans. Jesus said to people, “Your faith has saved you.” (Luke 7:50)

It is possible to attend church, pray and study the Bible, and not have asked the Lord Jesus to be our Lord and our Saviour. I worked with a Curate at a Cathedral, who entered service there without assurance of salvation, but certainty came – probably with the help of his good Bishop.

God looks for our faith. There is then the certainty which comes from our witness, our slowly changed life (John's First Letter), and in many fellowships, the subjective experience of the Holy Spirit – Acts 10:44-46.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The … believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”

You would identify yourself as a Christian; but are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die? If your answer is No; then why did the Lord Jesus die on the Cross? He died to forgive our sins, the sins which would keep us out of Heaven. Then it is surely time to pray, and ask Him to save and forgive you? Let us pray ….