The Signs of the End. Thinking It Through: 8. What takes place in Revelation 14:14-19 before the six bowls of. 11 Basic Discipleship 101

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1 Lesson 13 Thinking It Through: 1. Why does the Scripture warn about being misled in the end times? 2. What astronomical signs precede Christ s return? 3. In 1Thessolonians 4, what three signs take place in the spiritual realm? 4. In 2 Thessalonians 2, what signs must take place on earth before our resurrection? 5. What is the mystery of God that is revealed at the resurrection? 6. At what point in Revelation are synonyms for the church not found? 7. What is the punishment for receiving the mark of the beast on your hand or forehead? 8. What takes place in Revelation 14:14-19 before the six bowls of God s wrath are poured out? 11 Basic Discipleship 101 Basic Discipleship 101 The Signs Of The End a

2 Lesson 13 Preamble Christ will not return until Day 1: Read Acts 1:6-12. What does it teach about Christ s return? Day 2: Read Matthew 24: What does it teach about the resurrection of the dead and Christ s return? Day 3: Read the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-3. What does it teach you about Christ s return? Day 4: Read 1 Thessalonians 4: What does it teach you about the resurrection and Christ s return? Day 5: Read 2Thessalonians2:1-12. What does it teach you about Christ s return? Day 6: Read 1 Corinthians 15: What does it teach about the resurrection and Christ s return? Day 7: Read the prophecy found in Revelation 14: What does it teach about the resurrection and Christ s return? Memory verse: If the Lord had not cut short those days, no-one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. Mark 13:20,22 1 Basic Discipleship 101 and these are my findings: martyrs for the word of God: Rev.6:9; 16:6; 20:4 servants : Rev.19:10; 6:11; 7:3; 11:18; 19:2; 19:5; 22:9; brothers: Rev.19:10; 6:11; 22:9 souls with white robes: Rev.7:14; 6:10; 7:9 saints: Rev.14:12; 8:4; 11:18; 13:7; 13:10; 16:6; 18:24; those with God's seal: Rev.9:4; 14:1 those who obey God's commandments: Rev.14:12; 12:17; 22:9 those who hold to the testimony of Jesus: Rev.14:12; 19:10; 12:17; 17:6; 20:4 those that are pure: Rev.14:4 those in the Lord: Rev.14:13 As I looked up the above mentioned synonyms for the Body of Christ, I was surprised by the fact that they were on the earth during the plagues of the seals and the trumpets which are during the reign of the antichrist. On the other hand, these synonyms were absent during the seven bowls of God's wrath. Therefore, even though the word for the collective body of believers is not used in Revelation to describe whether the Church is on earth or in heaven, we know that Christians will be on earth during a large part of Revelation and will face the wrath of man. Jesus said: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn.16:33 NKJV) For the Church always faced tribulation as supported by the parable of the sower: But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (Mt.13:20-21 NKJV) Paul warned the Church of his day: For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. (1Th.3:4) The Church was never told that they would escape tribulation, rather they were told they would not suffer the wrath of God the six bowls. In fact, Revelation speaks of saints who came out of the great tribulation- implying that they were in the great tribulation: Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Re.7:13-14) Christians will die in the cosmic catastrophes that are mentioned in this study. Will that be any different then what we experience now- Christians dying in earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and famines? Therefore, as events unfold around us, we must always be ready to reconsider our position in light of the Scriptures lest we be deceived like the Pharisees. Basic Discipleship

3 Lesson 13 them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (Jn.10:16) Just as there is only one flock comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, there is also only one olive tree: If they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again, After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to that nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree. (Ro.11:23-24) We do not join Israel, but rather we join Christ; if Israel is going to be saved, it will be through Christ: Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for ages long past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him. (Ro.15:25-26) The mystery is that all the nations might believe and obey Him, not just the Jews but Gentiles as well: I have become it's servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in it's fullness- the mystery that has been hidden for ages and generations, but now is disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Co.1:25-27) To suggest that Israel will become a separate identity apart from the Gentiles and Christ is unscriptural, there is no other way to the Father but by Christ. The mystery of God is fulfilled when all things will be placed under Christ: And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put in effect when the times have reached their fulfillment- to bring all things in heaven and on earth under one head, even Christ. (Eph.1:9-10) When will the times reach their fulfillment? The Bible gives us the exact time, when we read: "But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets." (Re.10:7) The time of fulfillment is at the sounding of the last of the seven trumpets, at which time Christ will come back for his church- one body comprised of both Jews and Gentiles The Church In the Last Day I found it interesting to find no passages that say the collective body of believers, "Church", were in heaven in Revelation. In fact, the apostle John never uses the collective sense of the word "Church" in the entire book, but only the local sense as individual congregations in Revelation chapters one through three and then again in chapter 22. I then started looking for synonyms for the Body of Christ in an individual sense 9 Basic Discipleship 101 The Scriptures teach that one of the elementary truths taught in the first century church was the events leading up to the resurrection and Christ s return (He.6:1-2). The Jews thought their Messiah was going to come as a majestic king. When Jesus came as a humble servant, the Jews killed their king because they misinterpreted the Scriptures. Jesus felt it was important to instruct the disciples on the end times when we read: Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Mt.24:1-3) In the remaining portion of Matthew 24 Jesus answers these three questions: when will the temple be destroyed, what will be the sign of your coming and what will be the sign of the end of the age. The first event, the destruction of the temple happened around 70 AD when Titus, general of the Roman army, destroyed the temple. Luke records the answer the first question as: When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk.21:20-24) The temple was destroyed as prophesied by Jesus, not one stone remaining on another, so it will do us well to heed his prophesy to the remaining two questions. The End of the Age: Chronologically, the next question, what will be the signs of the end of the age, Jesus answers: At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Mt.24:10-16) One sign of the end of the age is that the gospel will be preached in the Basic Discipleship 101 2

4 Lesson 13 whole world. Those who are dedicated to Bible translation interpret this Scripture to mean that every language must have the Bible translated into their own dialect. This is not supported by this verse. However, Revelation supports that the gospel must be proclaimed in the whole world: Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." (Re.14:6-7) Another sign of the end of the age is that the antichrist must reign from the temple. Jesus said: So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel let the reader understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mt.24:14-15) Daniel saw a vision which foresaw the antichrist being set up in the temple when he prophesied: "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (Da.12:11-12) If the antichrist is to reign from the temple, then the temple must be rebuilt. Daniel prophesied about the reconsecrating of the temple when we read: He said to me, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated." The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future." (Da.8:14&26) Two false prophets, in Paul s day, said that the resurrection had already taken place: Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. (2Ti.2:17-18) Paul responded to this false teaching by writing 2 Thessalonians stating that the antichrist must reign from God s temple before the resurrection will take place: Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2Th.2:1-4) John records in Revelation the worship of the antichrist, when we read: 3 Basic Discipleship 101 Jesus on the clouds. The Mystery of God If we study the end times, one needs to consider God s plan for the nation of Israel. Jerusalem must be free from Gentile presence: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." (Lk.21:24) Revelation records: I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. (Re.11:1-3) When the time of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, Israel will once again return to God: "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not become conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." (Ro.11:25-27) After the full number of Gentiles come in, there will be a time when a great movement of Jews will accept Christ as their Messiah. For we read: "If Israel's transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring?" (Ro.11:12) If we Gentiles became rich when Israel rejected Christ, how can we become richer except when Israel accepts Christ as king? "I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Ro.11:13-15) Many people insist that when the nation of Israel returns to God, they will be an identity all their own- the nation of Israel. However in reading about the mystery of God, we read: In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." (Eph.3:4-6) The mystery of Christ is that Gentiles and Jews are heirs together, members of one body, sharers in the promise in Christ (Messiah). Jesus said: I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring Basic Discipleship 101 8

5 Lesson 13 According to the Lord s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1Th.4:14-18) In this passage, we find not only the trumpet call of God, but the voice of the archangel and a loud command. The voice of the archangel is recorded as being between the sixth and seventh trumpet: Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down." Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets (Re.10:1-7) Was it one of the seven thunders that called the two prophets into heaven or was it the loud command of 1 Thessalonians 4? The third sign recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4 is a loud command; I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth s vine, because its grapes are ripe." The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God s wrath. (Re.14:14-19) It is only after the voice of the archangel, the last of the seven trumpets and then a loud command to one who is sitting on the cloud, that the earth is harvested. The dead are raised and those who are still living will meet 7 Basic Discipleship 101 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. (Re.14:9-12) The worship of the antichrist, or beast as John describes him, has all the people paying him homage for everything they receive through the receiving of his mark. I was once speaking to a friend who held a pre-trib rapture position and asked him, If tomorrow the government required a microchip to be placed under the skin of the hand or forehead, will you get it? Without hesitation he responded: Of course I will get the chip, we will not be here but in heaven when the antichrist system will come into place. Just as the Jews crucified their messiah because of the false prophets of that day, many Christians will be deceived into getting the mark- for which they will be eternally damned. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. (Mt.24:24-25) The Bible gives us specific events that need to be fulfilled before Christ s return. These will happen as they are predicted but not always necessarily in the order in which we have interpreted them. The signs of the end of the age and the signs of his coming could be intermixed, however, do not be deceived but always stay within the scripture: Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. (1Co.4:6) Christ s Coming: The signs that are preceding Christ s coming are important because it is through these that we know we are in the last hour. The first sign recorded in Matthew 24 that precedes Christ s return is: Immediately after the distress of those days " the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Mt.24:29-31) The signs in the heavens is recorded in Revelation at the opening of the Basic Discipleship 101 4

6 Lesson 13 sixth seal: I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (Re.6:12-14) Since it is at the sixth seal that the heavenlies are disrupted, we know that the Church will be on the earth at this time. Another sign found in Matthew 24 is a loud trumpet call: They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Mt.24:31) It is important to realize that the seventh seal ushers in the seven angels with the seven trumpets: When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. (Re.8:1-2) It is through the first four trumpets that we find that heavenlies are continuing to wreak havoc on the earth. The first trumpet was hail with fire raining down on the earth- a large meteorite shower? The second trumpet, something like a huge mountain all ablaze was thrown into the sea- a large asteroid? The third trumpet, a great star blazing like a torch fell from the sky on the land- a comet? If these questioned astronomical events would happen, a large quantity of dust would be placed into the atmosphere causing the fourth trumpet that the earth would only receive one third of its light. At the fifth trumpet, the people of God were still on the earth: They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. (Re.9:4) It is during these horrific events that the two prophets work on the earth, which Revelation describes as: I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (Re.11:1-3) Do these two prophets announce the plagues contained in the seals and trumpets just prior to their occurrence so that the world may know it is not just by chance but by God? Nonetheless, these two prophets are finally killed, and after 3 and a half days of celebration over their deaths by the world we read: 5 Basic Discipleship 101 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (Re.11:11-12) Two verses later in the chapter we read: The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, (Re.11:14-15) Paul is very specific about which trumpet ushers in Christ s return when he writes Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1Co.15:51-52) The last trumpet mentioned as being sounded is the last of the seven trumpets: The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great and for destroying those who destroy the earth." (Re.11:15-18) When the seventh trumpet sounds the elders in heaven tell us that God s wrath has come- the third woe. Paul told the Thessalonians that they had to wait for Jesus who rescues them from God s wrath: They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1Th.1:9-10) God promises us that we will not suffer wrath: For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 5:9) It is after the seventh trumpet that we have the seven bowls of God s wrath Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God s wrath on the earth." (Re 16:1) It is after the seventh trumpet and before the first of the seven bowls. Paul specifically mentions the trumpet sound, tying it in with the resurrection of the dead and the rapture of the Church: We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. Basic Discipleship 101 6